Category Archives: Sermon Notes

2 Thess 3:6-15 – Against the tide – sermon notes

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The church in Thessalonica – a model church in many ways, 1:3f.

There were some problems. See v11. Some of them ‘toadying up’ to the more well-to-do (Acts 17:5 hints at the cultural background).

Any vision for the church will need a way of dealing with problems like this:-

1. With authority, v6

Paul had already offered a milder admonition, 1 Thess 4:11f.

‘Stepping out of line’ – military terminology.

Apostolic authority means ‘in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ’: that is, with his own authority.…

Eph 2:11-18 – From alienation to reconciliation – sermon notes

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In South Africa, Nelson Mandela lies in hospital on life support. While he does so, his family are feuding over his legacy and his money.

In Egypt, just one year after that country’s first democratic elections, its prime minister is in detention. The country is in turmoil, its population sharply divided between supporters of the ex-prime minister and those who forced him from office.

In Syria, more than 90,000 people have died in 2 years of conflict.…

Mt 27 – The Kingdom dies? – sermon notes

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(This was part of a series on the Kingdom of God.)

The theme of God’s kingdom is prominent in Matthew’s Gospel:-

1:1 – ‘the son of David’
2:2 – “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?”
3 – John and Jesus announce, ‘The kingdom of heaven has drawn near.’
5 – The kingdom of heaven belongs to the poor in spirit and to those who are persecuted.
6 – ‘Your kingdom come…Seek first God’s kingdom and righteousness.’…

Rev 6,7 – The Seven Seals – sermon notes

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Revelation has suffered at the hands of both its critics and its friends.

  • Understand that everything is symbolic
  • Realise that no one symbol paints the complete picture
  • Compare scripture with scripture
  • Appreciate its purpose:-

to strengthen God’s people, especially in times of adversity and persecution, and to reassure them of Christ’s ultimate victory and their ultimate safety.

Rev 4 – a vision of the throne

At the centre of the universe there is a throne. Our God reigns.…

Isa 13:1 – 14:2 – Babylon – sermon notes

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[Note: I was trying to be less tied to my notes, hence their relative brevity]

The recent horse-meat scandal has prompted food critic Giles Coren to ask:-

“What on earth did you think they put in [value burgers]? Prime cuts of delicious free-range, organic, rare breed, heritage beef, grass-fed, Eton-educated, humanely slaughtered, dry-aged and hand-ground by fairies…?”

This led me to think about the thoughts that get fed to our minds.

Certainly, from glancing at today’s news headlines, it wouldn’t occur to you that God had much to do with anything at all.…

John 20:1-18 – Little faith, great God – sermon notes

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There is no evidence that she had ever been a prostitute. The idea that she was married to Jesus and carrying his baby at the time of his death is fantasy, pure and simple. What we do know of Mary Magdalene is that she was a Galilean woman from whom Jesus had cast out seven demons. Along with several other women, she accompanied Jesus and his disciples on their travels, and contributed towards their support. She may well have been a woman of some substance and standing, and she is always listed first in groups of named female disciples.…

Psa 107:2 – Be thankful for great mercies – sermon notes

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As part of my current drive to be less dependent on written notes, this was a largely unscripted sermon which used the following Powerpoint presentation as a basis:-

There were just a few sections that I did script out more fully, though even these I adapted at the time of delivery:-

SLIDE 7

There are other ways of being

Lost – there is the lostness that comes from simply not knowing the God who made us and to we must give an account

Enslaved – there is the moral slavery that comes when we find ourselves trapped in repeated patterns of unhealthy thoughts, feelings, attitudes, behaviours and we can find no means of escape

Damaged – there is the damage that comes from a guilty conscience that eats away at us and stunts our spiritual and emotional growth

Storm-tossed – There is the anxiety of feeling that everything has got on top of us and we can see no rhyme nor reason in it

The human condition.…

2 Tim 2:1-13 – “Be strong” – sermon notes

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(This represented a new departure for me.  Finally, I decided not to rely on full notes, but to preach from just an outline.)

1. Hold On

‘Be strong’, v1

This is the positive of ‘don’t be ashamed’ (chapter 1)

Why? Not because Timothy was timid (although he was young and did not enjoy A1 health)

But many had already given up, and there were times of testing ahead

But how? – What is God’s part in this, and what is ours? …

2 Tim 1:11-18 – Not ashamed – sermon notes

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We come to the second instalment in this series on Paul’s 2nd Letter to Timothy. Paul is in prison in Rome. He is cold (‘bring me my cloak’), bored (‘bring me my books’), and lonely (‘everyone has deserted me’). He is staring execution in the face (‘the time has come for my departure.’)

Paul predicts a time of terrible persecution for the Christian church, and a large-scale falling away from the faith. Yet the great apostle has by no means given up hope, and is still looking to build for the future.…

Gal 3:1-18 – Continue as you began – sermon notes

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Tom was a world-class athlete. He had reached the pinnacle of his sport by talent and sheer hard work. But in order to make sure of that Olympic medal, that world record, that number one spot, he started taking performance-enhancing drugs. Result: a ruined reputation.

Kevin and Julie had fallen deeply in love and in due course got married. After a while, the Julie announced to Kevin, “Darling, I love you very much and of course I trust you absolutely.…