Category Archives: Sermon Notes

Mk 9:2-13 – The Transfiguration – sermon notes

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The Transfiguration is one of the strangest, and one of the most dramatic, events in the whole of the Bible. A mountain-top experience that tops the lot. My own feelings in approaching this passage are not so very different from Peter’s, who, as we read in v6, ‘did not know what to say’.

But even though we can scarcely scratch the surface in trying understand this extraordinary gathering, we would not want to ignore it. Just take a look at the guest list.…

Nehemiah: keep serving – sermon notes

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Text: Nehemiah 2:11-20

Let me tell you about two men of God.  The first has spent much of his life as a semi-skilled labourer in the family business.  He’s not highly educated, and is used to working long hours out of doors in sometimes wild weather.  After a rocky start as a follower of Jesus, he has become a leader in the Christian church, and a fearless preacher of the gospel.  But the church is under persecution. …

Lk 18:18-27 – The rich young ruler – sermon notes 2

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(Also found in Mt 19 and Mark 10)

Jesus said and did many wonderful things. But here, surely, he got it completely wrong.

Here’s what should have happened:

A certain man, young, wealthy and influential, rushes up to Jesus and falls on his knees in front of him.

“Good Teacher,” he blurts out, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

Jesus replies, “I can see that you are a very sincere, earnest, and courteous young man.…

Mt 6:19-7:12 – Reasons to trust – sermon notes

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After the making of Zeffirelli’s film, Jesus of Nazareth, the actor Robert Powell, who took the part of Jesus, talked about filming the Sermon on the Mount.  ‘There were several thousand extras, shafts of the setting sun over the hill. I saw these thousands of upturned faces. I thought I’ll pitch it to them, so I raised my voice and, across the valley, I could hear it coming back and so could everybody else. And it just had a very eerie effect.…

Heb 13:8 – Yesterday, today and for ever – sermon notes

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‘Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and for ever’

At first sight, this chapter looks like a collection of assortments.  However, it answers one main question: “How can we serve God?”  Answer: by loving each other as brothers; by entertaining strangers; by remembering the imprisoned and the ill-treated; by upholding marriage and sexual purity; by keeping free from the love of money and being content with what we have.  According to these verses, Christians are expected to be loving, pure, contented, loyal, bold and worshipful.…

Acts 1:1-11 – Returning King – sermon notes

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From the middle of the 2nd century onwards, the 5th book of the NT has been known as ‘The Acts of the Apostles’.  And with good reason: this book tells us a great deal about the exploits of those first Christians leaders, especially Peter and Paul.

Then, about a century ago, someone suggested that the book might well be titled, ‘The Acts of the Holy Spirit’.  To be sure, when you consider the central role of the Holy Spirit in this book, from the day of Pentecost onwards, it’s difficult to argue with that idea.…

Ex 20:4-6 – No idols – sermon notes

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Do you feel a bit like the American sailor who heard the Ten Commandments being recited?  As he listened to all this stuff about adultery, lying, coveting, and so on, he began to feel more and more uncomfortable.  But as he reviewed the whole list in his mind he turned to his neighbour, and said, “Well, at least I’ve never made a graven image.”

So, can we relax on this one and just worry about the other nine? …

Lk 16:1-13 – The parable of the shrewd manager – sermon notes

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The Story

A rich land-owner, his manager who had complete responsibility for the estate, and certain tenants who owed rent to the land-owner.  The land-owner accuses his manager of fiddling the books, and tells him to fetch the books and hand them in.  The manager realises that he is about to become jobless and homeless, but he’s not prepared to do manual labour or beg, so he hatches a cunning plan.  He calls in each of the tenants. …

Lk 19:11-27 – The parable of the ten minas – sermon notes

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It shouldn’t be too difficult for us to unlock the meaning of this parable: the key is hanging at the door.  V11: ‘…because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom was going to appear at once’

Luke’s record of this journey to Jerusalem began at ch. 9:51 – ‘As the time came for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem’

Jesus had spoken repeatedly about what was going to happen to him when he got to Jerusalem, but his listeners had not been able, or had not wanted, to understand. …

Ruth 4 – Ruth, Naomi and Boaz – sermon notes

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The story of Ruth has been told as a drama in four Acts. In Act 1 we meet some of the principle characters on the Highway, the road that leads from the country of Moab on the east of the Dead Sea to the town of Bethlehem in Judea. Elimelech, his wife Naomi, and their two sons had fled Bethlehem during a famine, and had settled in Moab. There the two sons married Moabite women. But before long Elimelech and the two sons died, leaving Naomi and her two daughters-in-law Orpah and Ruth.…