The resurrected Jesus gathers his disciples together to give them his commission. A timeless commission (at least until he returns). An important job (to go, call, baptism and teach). This sermon looks at the one of the most well known gospel passages (and one of the hardest to apply)
Read the Bible texts – Matthew 28:16-20 Daniel 7:13-14
A true friend chooses to love us, unlike family who we are stuck with. True friendship involves choice to love at cost and should be held onto dearly. Hence a true friend will seek our best, even if this is not easy. Again, for this reason, Jesus proves to be the ultimate friend. This sermon explores what Proverbs says about friendship.
Read the Bible texts – Proverbs 27; John 15:1-17
Our words have a moral status in the eyes of God. Proverbs recognises the great power of our words to bring life or death, prosperity or poverty, wisdom or folly.
With our words we can condemn others and even ourselves.
If our words and tongue are so potent, we need God’s words to accept us, save us and protect us. This sermon looks at how.
Read the Bible text – Proverbs 1:1-7
By Ken D Noakes
COVID has changed the experience for many Christians – gone is the ability to gather together physically to listen to the preaching of God’s word. Church is now online!
A key discipline that goes with the Christian life is the practice of sitting under the teaching of the Bible. Historically that has happened when believers gather together regularly to hear someone teach/preach through a passage with the hope that those before them will walk away with an encouragement, or challenge, to live as the disciples of Christ in the days ahead.
Easter 2020 worldwide looks different. Not the message, but indeed the form.
The Easter message of death followed by life in Jesus is a glorious message of hope and perhaps as relevant and important for all to hear in the midst of a pandemic. If life matters, as it clearly does given the extraordinary measures that are being taken worldwide to stop the spread of this virus, then now is the time to proclaim the Easter message!
What has changed is the form. The opportunity to physically gather together with others to proclaim that ‘Christ is risen, he is risen indeed’ is not possible. And so we gather online and in many new and creative ways. Never before has there been such an opportunity for folk to connect into Easter without having to put a foot outside their front door. What an opportunity.
Anyone (with an internet connection) can step into church without the fear of having to make small talk, or the worry about what to do or where to sit, or the concern that they might ‘out’ themselves as someone who might just possibly be open to considering Jesus or his message. They can sit hidden behind their screen, undetectable to those who are proclaiming the Easter message.
How can we invite folk to join us online?
We love satire when it comes to political cartoons. Often we see our national leaders’ faults comically exaggerated. But what about satire when it comes to God’s prophets? Jonah is a famed biblical story where we find God’s hero, the prophet Jonah, neglect his responsibility and flee from God. Meanwhile, the city of Nineveh, famed for their evil, turn to God after a surprisingly short sermon!
This is not a story about a giant fish, but rather a God who shows grace and mercy to wicked people, despite his prophet’s rebellion.
This talk will focus on God’s faithfulness in saving Nineveh, despite Jonah’s begrudging obedience. The question remains… are you glad to see God save evil people?
Read the Bible texts – Jonah 3-4; Luke 11:29-32
We love satire when it comes to political cartoons. Often we see our national leaders’ faults comically exaggerated. But what about satire when it comes to God’s prophets?
Jonah is a famed biblical story where we find God’s hero, the prophet Jonah, neglect his responsibility and fleeing from God. Meanwhile, the city of Nineveh, famed for their evil, turn to God after a surprisingly short sermon!
This is not a story about a giant fish, but rather a God who shows grace and mercy to wicked people, despite his prophet’s rebellion.
In this talk we hear about Jonah’s disobedience and the resulting consequence. Additionally, we hear about repentance as the necessary response to sin.
Read the Bible texts – Jonah 1-2
JesusWORKS aims to introduce you to the Jesus of history by looking at his life, teaching and work. Primarily, it is for the person who wants to check out the claims of Jesus or the claims about Jesus – so that they can make up their own minds about him.
Yet, it is also for any Christian who wants to be prepared to give a reasoned answer for the hope that they have in the gospel of Jesus (1 Pet 3:15).
Jesus calls people to himself, yet he gives everyone the opportunity to examine him and his message before making that decision.
In this talk, the common reservation that a person could never be good enough for God is addressed. We look at what a person can do to respond rightly to what Jesus has done to save.
Read the Bible texts – Luke 18:9-14; Mark 8:34-9:1
For more information and resources that go with the JesusWORKS course – go here
JesusWORKS aims to introduce you to the Jesus of history by looking at his life, teaching and work. Primarily, it is for the person who wants to check out the claims of Jesus or the claims about Jesus – so that they can make up their own minds about him.
Yet, it is also for any Christian who wants to be prepared to give a reasoned answer for the hope that they have in the gospel of Jesus (1 Pet 3:15).
Jesus calls people to himself, yet he gives everyone the opportunity to examine him and his message before making that decision.
This talk addresses the perception that Christianity is all about keeping rules and commandments and is rather more about the relationship that is possible with God.
Read the Bible text – 1 Peter 1:3-9
For more information and resources that go with the JesusWORKS course – go here
JesusWORKS aims to introduce you to the Jesus of history by looking at his life, teaching and work. Primarily, it is for the person who wants to check out the claims of Jesus or the claims about Jesus – so that they can make up their own minds about him.
Yet, it is also for any Christian who wants to be prepared to give a reasoned answer for the hope that they have in the gospel of Jesus (1 Pet 3:15).
Jesus calls people to himself, yet he gives everyone the opportunity to examine him and his message before making that decision.
In this talk, we consider the claim that when people die, then that is the end and suggest that there is better news. The aim to is explain why the resurrection is fundamental to the Christian faith.
Read the Bible text – Mark 15:40-6:8; 1 Corinthians 15:1-19
For more information and resources that go with the JesusWORKS course – go here
