Category Archives: Sermon Notes

Deut 6 – Keep being obedient – sermon notes

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This is the second of two sermons on Deuteronomy 6 preached at Holy Trinity, Norwich, on 15th March 2009.

Deuteronomy is one of the most important books of the Old Testament. It is one of the four OT books most frequently quoted in the NT (the others being Genesis, Psalms and Isaiah). Judging from the number of times that he quotes from it, it seems to have been the favourite book of our Lord himself.

One scholar has referred to Deuteronomy as the OT equivalent of Romans and John’s Gospel combined. …

Deut 6 – Be obedient – sermon notes

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This is the first of two sermons on Deuteronomy 6, preached at Holy Trinity, Norwich, on 15th March 2009.

A small boy was riding his tricycle round and round the block as fast as his legs would carry him. A kindly policeman stopped him, and asked, “Where are you going, sonny?”
“I’m leaving home, and I’m never going back. I’m fed up with always being told what I can and can’t do. From now on, I’m going wherever I want and I’m going to do whatever I want.”…

Mt 4:1-11, etc. – Jesus tempted – sermon notes

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Text: Matt. 4:1-11; Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:1-13.

Lk 3:38 has indicated the connection between Christ and Adam. As the first Adam had been tempted by Satan, and failed the test, it was proper that the last Adam should similarly be tested, and prove his perfect obedience to the Father. ‘Adam was tempted in a paradise, and yet fell: Christ was tempted in a wilderness, and yet stood.’ (JFB)

1. What?

Note when these temptations took place – soon after our Lord’s baptism and commissioning for his public ministry.…

Lk 8:22-25 – Jesus can keep you secure – sermon notes

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Fear comes in so many shapes and sizes that it has a vocabulary all of its own:-

Hydrophobia – fear of water
Arachnophobia – fear of spiders
Acrophobia – fear of heights
Xenophobia – fear of strangers
Taxophobia – fear of being buried alive
Triskaidekaphobia – fear of the number 13
Arachibutyrophobia – fear of Peanut butter sticking to the roof of the mouth
Brontothalassophobia – fear of storms at sea

What kinds of things put you into a cold sweat?…

Isa 10 – Passionate about justice – sermon notes

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Should Christians devote themselves only to evangelism and personal morality, or should they concern themselves also with issues of social justice?

Consider the following scenarios:-

An elderly lady lives on her own just down the road from you. She has difficulty getting out. Do you (a) tell her that God loves her; (b) offer her a lift to the shops once a week, or (c) lobby for improved public transport so that she and people like her can get out and about themselves?…

Titus 2 – An ordinary Christian life – sermon notes

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When Shawn Tayler married Theresa Warr, the wedding took place in a stately home, and no doubt the whole thing was a splendid and memorable occasion: guests, music, rings, wedding cake, speeches. But what is it that Shawn had most set his heart on? To be able to walk down the aisle. What most bridegrooms would take for granted was for him a much-prized goal. Why? Because just a few weeks earlier an horrific motor cycle accident left him with a back broken in three places.…

Eph 3:1-13 – What has God done for the church? – sermon notes

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Paul has just been speaking, Eph 2, about the new society that God has established. It is an international and a multi-racial society. There is a place in God’s new society for people from every nation, tribe, language and culture under heaven. In the past, God’s work had been primarily focussed on the Jewish people. But now Jews and Gentiles are offered salvation on precisely the same terms, and with exactly the same benefits and blessings.…

Jn 6:1-15 – Feeding the five thousand – sermon notes

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As you know, we have in the Bible four Gospels, four accounts of the life and ministry of Jesus the Messiah. The first three take a broadly similar approach, and we call them the Synoptic Gospels. The Fourth Gospel, John’s Gospel, however, is rather different. It was written after many years of prayerful reflection by the disciple who had been closest to Jesus’ heart. We believe that it was the last of the Gospels to be penned, and that John took for granted, and avoided repeating, what the others had recorded.…

Isa 7 – Immanuel, God with us – sermon notes

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The time is 735 BC or thereabouts.  The southern kingdom of Judah is under threat from its northern neighbours, Israel and Syria.  King Ahaz and his people are beside themselves with fear.  The prophet Isaiah steps forward and announces, “Though your enemies have been plotting your downfall, it is they themselves who will be ruined.  Stand firm in your faith (v9).”  Then, v10f, the Lord makes Ahaz an offer: “Ask the Lord for a sign that this is true – anything you like.” …

Lk 2:12 – ‘This will be a sign to you’ – sermon notes

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There is something surprising about this: the humble circumstances of the Christ-child in the manger confirmed the angel’s announcement of a Saviour. We would expect it to be the other way round!

1. The angels who gave the sign

Angels appear from time to time within the pages of Scripture. We read of their activities in connection with creation, the giving of the Law, the birth of the Saviour, the temptation in the wilderness, the agony in Gethsemane, the resurrection, ascension and final judgement.…