Jesus is the Word of God
"The Gospel"From 1 Corinthians 15 (also a baptism service)
Lost the first minute of recording where I talk about the things people do to find themselves: Travel, moving to the country, new hobbies, new diets... but they don't work.
Unfortunately the sermon didn't record but here are my slides and below are my notes for a recent sermon on John 17:1-19.
Split up congregation into 6 groups. Ask each group to address a different "picture"...
WHAT IS YOUR PICTURE OF: GOD, PRAYER, ETERNAL LIFE, GLORY, HOLINESS, THE CHRISTIAN LIFE
GOD
Before the world began: 17:24. The Holy Spirit was also there: 16:15. Three Persons united in love. A fountain of love opened to the world.
So what? So EVERYTHING. Let me show you...
PRAYER
Not a lonely endeavour. Not doubtful. John 17:1 High Priestly Prayer. Describe the Day of Atonement.
Christ carrying us on His heart before the Father. We're not yelling up to heaven, we're at God's right hand, whispering in ear.
ETERNAL LIFE
Eternal life is not a place or a time. Verse 3 - here and now it's JESUS.
What does this mean? Eternal life is entering God's family. It begins now, stretches on forever.
Some say "Isn't it narrow that Jesus is the only way to eternal life?" But no, Jesus is eternal life!
GLORY
What is the highest height of Godness? The deepest depth of deity? Zeus throwing a thunderbolt?
No – v2-5: The Father sending His Son. The cross. v2-5
You might find it difficult to comprehend the love of the trinity before the world began - you're not alone. None of us can really wrap our heads around it. But Jesus says He can show us what it looks like. It looks like the cross. John 10:17 - "the reason the Father loves Him is He lays down His life." Life poured out is the eternal essence of God. The Lamb at the centre of the throne (Rev 7:17) This God is for you with every drop of His blood. Don’t you want this God?
HOLINESS
Not a nose in the air or a back turned to the world. NO! A face towards the world. v17-19
Of course! God = an outgoing community of self-giving love. Godliness looks exactly the same.
CHRISTIAN LIFE
The Christian life is not an upgrade to first class. It's not a burden, plodding along. There are two realities to consider with the Christian life. Verse 14-16: The World, the Flesh and the Devil! But also (v1-5) Christ our High Priest.
Question: Are we in the world or in Christ? Answer: Both! (16:33)
So then, how to live?
We cling onto Christ's WORD: (8,13,14). The word brings joy because by the Spirit it communicates the Father's love for the Son - a love which is ours in Christ.
Last week I was at UCCF's Forum. I loved catching up with students and staff and was especially blessed by Terry Virgo's talks on Romans.
Jo Larcombe and I did a track called "On Mission with the Good God" (it's basically 321 in 4.5 hours).
I hear great things about Angus Moyes and Hamish Sneddon's track: "On Mission with the Hearing God" (all about prayer). I look forward to listening to this very soon.
And, for old times sakes, here's Mike Reeves' and Angus Moyes' track from last year: "On Mission with the Saving God."
Enjoy!
Do you want to be a slave? When you put it like that, no-one's interested. But actually the whole world has a sick addiction to slavery. We find freedom frightening. We'd much rather the security of our little prisons. But in Galatians Paul wants to break us out. He's going to show how slavery works, how it looks and how it ends...
I've updated my sermons page to include my latest preaching, aaaaand - far more excitingly - I've updated my other sermons page to include lots of great preachers you should really listen to.
Preachers like...
Declarative in tone, doctrinal in content, devotional in aim, Paul preaches Jesus from all the Scriptures. (More on why Paul's one of my favourite preachers).
Some Classics:
Why isn’t good, good enough (Philippians 3) - video audio.
Jesus Christ: Hope of the Ages (Genesis 3) – video audio.
What of those who have never heard? (Colossians 1) audio.
To A City That Repented (Jonah) audio.
Preaching at the party (Luke 7) audio
Romansfest – 15 talks on Romans with Tom Parson audio
Fear (Psalm 34) audio
All Sermons from All Souls, Langham Place
All Sermons from Tarleton Farm Fellowship
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Christ-centred, Trinitarian, affective preaching that shows off the beauty of the Lord.
(More on why Mike is one of my favourite preachers).
Some classics:
Introduction to the Psalms (Psalm 1) audio
The book of Job (Job 42:7-17) audio
The temptations of Christ (Luke 4:1-11) audio
Christ has indeed been raised from the dead (1 Cor 15:12-34) audio
Out of the depths (Psalm 130) audio
The two cups (Matthew 26:36-46) audio
The book of Philippians (Phil 3:1-11) audio
Trinity part 1, 2, 3, 4
The Loving Father, The Beautiful Son, The Heart-Melting Spirit
All 12 of Mike Reeves’ “Great Theologians”
All Sermons from All Souls, Langham Place
All Talks from theologynetwork.org
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Christ-obsessed, church-loving, passionate preacher of a raw gospel.
(More on why Steve is one of my favourite preachers)
Classic Sermons:
Hell (Genesis 3; John 3; Romans 1)
Preaching and Prayer (Ephesians 6:19-20; Ezekiel 37)
Mission Strategy i.e. go to work 6 days a week!
All Sermons from Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, Swansea
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Genesis 27 Wonderful sermon on election
Manasseh’s conversion (2 Chronicles 33)
Dev's Ascension Sermon is out of this world
Sermons from Zion Bishan Bible Presbyterian Church
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...The Book of Psalms is Jesus’ prayer journal. But don't worry, He’s very happy for us to be reading His prayer journal. It’s not confidential. We’re meant to own these prayers ourselves and the Spirit helps us to pray Jesus’s prayers to the Father.
This is such a relief. Because, just speaking for myself, I’m very bad at praying. And when I feel desperate and faint and spiritually thirsty, I’m just no good at articulating that, whether before God or anyone else for that matter.
So, how wonderful to know that Jesus has felt those things Himself. He knows what it is to be flat on His face in desperation, sweating blood, overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. He knows about betrayal and loss and excruciating pain. He knows about the valley of the shadow of death. He knows how it feels to be utterly ashamed, utterly alone, utterly godforsaken. God the Son knows ALL these feelings.
More than this, He knows how to pray through them. And here are those prayers. What a relief! Because we’re terrible at praying. Yet Jesus prays for us. And then He says, “Why don’t you join in? Why don’t you pray my prayers? I’ll give you my Spirit to help you, and now you pray to God like I pray to God. I call God “Abba, Father”, why don’t you call God what I call God? And why don’t you pray to God what I pray to God? I’ll even give you a whole prayer book of 150 prayers – they cover EVERY situation. So use my prayers, the Spirit will help you and my Father will hear you.”...
Every now and then I attempt a 40 minute summary of Job.
Here's a recent effort:
NOTES BELOW...
Four years ago I preached 8 sermons on "The Church in the Wilderness".
Among other things it was an attempt to orient our expectations for the Christian life. We are a redeemed people, saved from slavery, headed for glory but, now, enduring wilderness hardships. In the meantime we are sustained, guided, lead and promised a wonderful future. Ultimately, though, our Christian lives are upheld not by our obedience and perseverance, but Christ's.
Click on the title for text. The mp3 is underneath.
Church in the Wilderness 1 - INTRODUCTION - Deuteronomy 8
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Church in the Wilderness 2 - SAVED BY THE BLOOD - Exodus 12
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Church in the Wilderness 3 - BROUGHT OUT - Exodus 13-15
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Church in the Wilderness 4 - SUSTAINED - Exodus 16-17
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Church in the Wilderness 5 - GUIDED - Numbers 9
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Church in the Wilderness 6 - LEAD - Numbers 27 & Psalm 95
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Church in the Wilderness 7 - PROMISED - Numbers 13-14
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Church in the Wilderness 8 - FULFILLED IN JESUS - Matthew 3:13-4:11
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(NB: Original sermon not recorded. This mp3 is from a different sermon on same Scripture)
