Category Archives: New Testament

Uncomfortable Love (Part 1 of 6)

I remember the call. Nothing seemed right about what I was being asked to do!

I was in Damascus. The gospel work there had been growing as more and more became followers of Jesus. The rumour was that Saul of Tarsus was on his way to Damascus. This was unsettling.

Saul had led the charge against many followers of the Way. He had issued murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples and had arranged permission from the High Priest to travel around the synagogues seeking out Christians to imprison for their faith. He was a piece of work. We all knew the threat he posed.

And then the Lord called out to me in a vision:

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Sermon – Great Treasure

Ken Noakes’ farewell sermon at Trinity Church Adelaide considers the Great Treasure (the Gospel – the Good News about Jesus) which is given to those who follow Jesus. Ken points out from 2 Corinthians 4 the Great Responsibility that this brings as well as the Great Opportunity.

Preacher: Ken Noakes

Watch the Sermon

Listen to the Sermon

Read the Bible text – 2 Corinthians 4

English Support Handout – 2 Corinthians 4

Keeping the Main Thing the Main Thing

By Ken Noakes

I have been reflecting on 2 Corinthians 4 and particularly on what the Apostle Paul with Timothy say to their friends in the church of Corinth.

‘We do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.’ (2 Cor 4:16-18)

We all live with burdens – day by day or week by week troubles stemming from life, health, work or family matters. Yet those are not primarily the burdens that Paul refers to here.

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