Category Archives: Sermon Notes

Jn 7:25-52 – Will the real Jesus…? (sermon notes)

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Text: John 7:25-52

Kid McCoy was a US boxer, world champion in 1896. He became involved in a barroom brawl, when a drunk insisted that the boxer was not who he said he was. McCoy flattened his opponent, who struggled back onto his feet and said, “It’s him alright. It’s the real McCoy.”)

1. People, then, as now, have confused and conflicting ideas about who Jesus is.

‘The people were divided because of Jesus.’

Today, some consider Jesus to be

(a) a myth
(b) a Martian (i.e.…

John 8:12-30 – “I am the light of the world” – sermon notes

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Whereas the main question in chapter 7 is, ‘Who is Jesus?’, in chapter 8 this question develops into ‘How do we know that his testimony is valid?’

1. Declaration: “I am the light of the world”

“I” – Jesus points to himself, begging the question: mere man? madman? myth? menace? mistaken? Messiah?

“I am” – The 2nd such statement in this Gospel.  N.b. Yahweh’s self-revelation in Exodus and Isaiah.

“I am Light” – representing learning, love laughter, and life (in contrast to darkness, which represents dullness, depravity despair and death).…

Gen 12:1-9 – The three horizons (sermon notes)

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Genesis 12:1-9

After repeated failure, here is God’s new beginning.

Three horizons:-

1. An individual – Abraham

v2 – “I will bless you…I will make your name great.”

Many obstacles: – too old; childless wife; land already occupied, v6;  famine (v10)!  imperfect character!  not the top candidate (why not Melchizedek?)!

He ‘did not receive the things promised,’ (Heb 11:13).  By the end of his life, all he had was one field and one son.

He ‘obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going, (Heb 11:8). …

Mt 25:31-46 ‘Welcome me, welcome my people’ – sermon notes

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Text: Matthew 25:31-46

Died recently: Leslie Grantham: jailed for murder, sacked over a sex scandal, made homeless after divorce.  Concerning the murder, he said: ‘That’s between me and my Maker.’  Newspaper article concludes: ‘Now, finally, they can have their showdown.’  Just three things wrong with that: (a) it won’t be ‘now’, but at some future undisclosed date; (b) it won’t be a showdown; (c) it won’t just be Grantham, but all of us.

Outline

A glorious coming, v31 – The Son of Man – human, yet exalted; soon, he will hang on his cross pain and humiliation; but a day is coming when he will sit on this throne and judge the world in righteousness.…

Acts 4:5-31 Praying under pressure – sermon notes

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Praying Under Pressure, Acts 4:5-31 (esp. 23-31)

The healing of the crippled beggar, 3:1-10 – Peter’s speech to the people, 11-26 – Peter & John brought before the Sanhedrin, 4:1-7 – Peter’s reply, 8-12 – They are warned to stop speaking in the name of Jesus, 13-17 – Peter refuses, 18-22 – They return to their fellow-believers, who offer a remarkable prayer.  So:-

1. Be clear who you are praying to, vv24-28

This is the longest part of the prayer!…

Lk 4:31-44 A day in the life of – sermon notes

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Text: Luke 4:31-44

If in the previous passage Jesus publishes his mission statement, then in this passage we have a ‘day in the life of’ Jesus as he begins to fulfil that mission.

He’s in Capernaum.  In the morning, he goes to church.  At lunchtime, he visits the house of Simon Peter.  At sundown, he meets the townsfolk.  Early the next morning, he leaves.

Key theme: authority

The authority of his words, vv31f

v32 ‘They were amazed at his teaching, because his message had authority.’…

Jn 12:1-11 The anointing at Bethany – sermon notes

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Text: John 12:1-11 (also Mark 14:1-11)

Introduction

Who do you identify with?  Mary? Martha? Judas?

Where? When? Who?

1. Mary, v3

Mary approaches Jesus with a jar of expensive perfume.

She anoints not only his head (kingship) & body…

…but also his feet and wipes them with her hair – scandalous!

(Mary anticipates the servant-heartedness that will be taught in the foot-washing incident, Jn 13)

(Do we, like Mary, look for opportunities to express our gratitude to Jesus? …

Psa 65 This bounteous God – sermon notes

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Text: Psalm 65

‘Your God is too small’  By presenting God in his true stature, this psalm encourages us to expect great things from God, and to attempt great things for God.

May have been composed for the Feast of Tabernacles.

God is front of stage, and centre.  God is praised as the great welcomer, peacemaker, and giver.

1. God the great welcomer, 1-4

God hears our prayers, v2.  Whatever else God may be, if he were deaf to our cries, where would we be? …

1 Cor 2:6-16 The wisdom of the Spirit – sermon notes

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Text: 1 Corinthians 2:6-16

Let’s begin by celebrating some of the great achievements of the human race….

But there is one path of enquiry that is shut to us; one horizon beyond which we are unable to see…

The world, through its own unaided wisdom, cannot, does not, and never will, know God, 1 Cor 1:21.

But there is a wisdom that comes from God, a wisdom of the Spirit, 1 Corinthians 2:6-16.

It is invisible, inaudible, unimaginable, 1 Cor 2:9.…