The Centre Dural Podcast

Throughout Jesus' Sermon on the Mount of Olives his teaching could be summarised by a single sentence - "Be ready for my return!" So are you ready for Jesus' return?And if not how can you be? 
Murray explores how each of us can ensure that we are ready for the day of Jesus' return.
To find out more about The Centre visit; www.thecentredural.org.au/church/ We meet at 10am every Sunday in person and online at; www.youtube.com/@centredural 

Welcome to BANTER; the weekly podcast where we unpack Sunday's sermon. 
Murray's back from paternity leave and ready to jump into a conversation with Mitch around the genealogies of Jesus in the gospels of Matthew and Luke. 
The lads chat about lunar cycles, the Hebrew number puzzles of gematria, and what's top of their Christmas wish lists this year.
To find out more about The Centre visit; www.thecentredural.org.au/church/ We meet at 10am every Sunday in person and online at; www.youtube.com/@centredural 

"It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade."(Mark 4:31-32) 
The Parable of the Mustard Seed speaks about God's kingdom working powerfully through small things that fruit in ways that we do not expect. 
To find out more about The Centre visit; www.thecentredural.org.au/church/ We meet at 10am every Sunday in person and online at; www.youtube.com/@centredural 

This week, Mitch discusses the Parable of the Mustard Seed and how it illustrates the unique birth of our Lord. In the Old Testament, empires were often compared to the mighty Cedar of Lebanon, but in this parable, the kingdom is represented not by a cedar but by a mustard bush—a plant known for its invasive growth and difficulty to control. The humble mustard bush symbolises the upside-down values of the kingdom of God

In this week's episode, Mitch spends some time reflecting on 2024 and talks through some of the behind-the-scenes work of Celebration Sunday and the personal impact of St Ignatius's teaching on gratitude, along with Psalm 104, which celebrates God's good gifts in creation. He also gives a sneak peek of what to expect in 2025 at The Centre.

Mitch, rocking the podcast solo, unpacks the context of the Parable of Talents from Matthew 25. He discusses the historical background of the parable and its relevance to Christ's return, emphasizing our roles as stewards of the gifts God has entrusted us. Mitch offers some practical insights on living faithfully and making the most of our talents while we await the Master's return. 
To find out more about The Centre visit; www.thecentredural.org.au/church/ We meet at 10am every Sunday in person and online at; www.youtube.com/@centredural 

What does the parable of Lazarus & The Rich Man tell us about Heaven & Hell? Was it even a parable, or is it Jesus retelling an actual event? Is Jesus riffing off imagery from the Book of Enoch? 
The boys sit down to chat around these questions and explore how the primary point of this parable is actually all about social justice and not an eschatalogical vision of end times.
To find out more about The Centre visit; www.thecentredural.org.au/church/ We meet at 10am every Sunday in person and online at; www.youtube.com/@centredural 

But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us. (Luke 16:25-26)
To find out more about The Centre visit; www.thecentredural.org.au/church/ We meet at 10am every Sunday in person and online at; www.youtube.com/@centredural 

Welcome to BANTER; the weekly podcast where we unpack Sunday's sermon. 
Mitch & Murray reflect on what is revealed by reading the Parable of the Lost Son within the wider context of Jesus' three "Lost" Parables in Luke 15, the ways in which church can be guilty of adopting the posture of the Older Brother character towards those who have left the faith, and how we can avoid falling into traps of obligation in our own spiritual practice. They also reminisce on what kind of sons they were to their own parents growing up.
To find out more about The Centre visit; www.thecentredural.org.au/church/ We meet at 10am every Sunday in person and online at; www.youtube.com/@centredural 

"Then the Father said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’” (Luke 15:31-32) 
The Parable of the Lost Son has often been interpreted through the lens of the Younger Son. What if Jesus' famous story of a broken family was actually more about how Christians should respond to those on the outside?
To find out more about The Centre visit; www.thecentredural.org.au/church/ We meet at 10am every Sunday in person and online at; www.youtube.com/@centredural 

Welcome to BANTER; the weekly podcast where we unpack Sunday's sermon. 
M&M explore numerology in the Bible, the art of benevolent detachment in relationships that have become toxic, and the cultural paradigms around forgiveness in ancient Jewish culture.
To find out more about The Centre visit; www.thecentredural.org.au/church/ We meet at 10am every Sunday in person and online at; www.youtube.com/@centredural 

"Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times." (Matthew 18:21-22) 
Forgiveness can be hard, but not forgiving is even harder. 
To find out more about The Centre visit; www.thecentredural.org.au/church/ We meet at 10am every Sunday in person and online at; www.youtube.com/@centredural