Sermon – Firm Faith: Living for Christ (Colossians 3:1-14)

Read the text – Colossians 3:1-14

Any teaching that wants to suggest that Christians need Jesus PLUS … (anything else) to be a Christian or to live as a Christian is guilty of contradicting the supremacy of Christ. Being told we need more than him (either for salvation or to live as a Christian) means that we are being taught that what he has done is not enough. We need to stand firm in our faith in Jesus as all we need for this life and the next.

In this sermon, Dave Swan wants us to take our position in Christ seriously, and be inspired to live for Him.

Sermon – The Light of the World: The Light has Dawned (Matthew 4:12-17)

Read the text – Isaiah 9:2-7; Matthew 4:12-17

Christmas is a time for Christians to proclaim Jesus the Light of the World. This series looks to show the development of the ‘Light’ theme as it unfolds through the passage of salvation history.

In this Bible Talk, Dave Swan helps us to see the how the promises of Isaiah are fulfilled in Jesus and that forgiveness and eternity is on offer with the coming of this new dawn.

Sermon – The Light of the World: My Light and My Salvation (Psalm 27)

Read the text – Psalm 27

The Lord is the Light of my Salvation – dwell, seek, learn and wait on the LORD. As Christian get ready for the Christmas season, Psalm 27 is a good reminder that it is because of Jesus that it is possible to dwell forever with God.

Dave Swan gives us a Jesus shaped hope and prepares us to make the most of the Christmas season.

Sermon – Kingdom Coming: Child-like Humility (Matthew 18:1-14)

Read the text – Matthew 18:1-14

‘Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?’, the disciples famously ask. And the answer given, is to look at the child. For the little child, the little ones as this passage will highlight are the ones who come in humility before God.

In this Bible talk, Dave Swan will help ‘those who believe’ in Jesus to understands what it is to stand before he who is in fact the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven – he who in grace makes it possible for all to come to into the kingdom of heaven confident in their forgiveness.

Sermon – Kingdom Coming: Transfigured (Matthew 17:1-13)

Read the text – Matthew 17:1-13

The disciples Peter, James and John travel up the mountain with Jesus and come face to face with those key Old Testament figures of Moses and Elijah – yet it is Jesus who stands out. A voice from heaven declares: ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!’ (Matt 17:5). This is not the first time such a pronouncement has been made.

In this talk, Dave Swan helps to show why it is so important to listen to Jesus – the son of God, and the one who is going to suffer (to the point of death) and then be raised from the dead.

Sermon – Kingdom Coming: Clean & Unclean (Matthew 15:1-28)

Read the text – Matthew 15:1-28

In Matthew 15 we see Jesus interacting with a few different groups of people – the Pharisees and teachers of the law, the crowds, the disciples and a Canaanite woman – quite a demographic spectrum! The role of traditions verse the role of the Word of God comes into focus as Jesus shows them what it means to truly be a person of faith in Jesus.

In this Bible Talk, Dave Swan helps us check our heart – for what comes out of a person either shows a hypocrisy or a faith that honours Jesus.

Sermon – Kingdom Coming: More than a Prophet (Matthew 11:1-19)

Read the text – Matthew 11:1-19

In this Bible Talk series, we cover a large block of the teaching from Jesus about the coming Kingdom of Heaven – chapters 11 through to 18. There is much to learn about the King and what it will mean for those who live in this kingdom. Knowing about this King and this kingdom is different to living for this King and Kingdom.

In this talk, Dave Swan reacquaints us with the gospel of Matthew as a historical and reliable source of knowing Jesus. And we, along with John the Baptist we ask the question: ‘Are you [Jesus] the one who is to come to save us?’

Sermon – The Wisdom of Living for Eternity (1 Corinthians 15:35-16:24)

Read the text – 1 Corinthians 15:35-16:24

This is not the age for the self-fulfilment and glory of human beings – there is an eternity for that (we will be changed and given a new resurrection body). This is the age for the work of the LORD – our labour in the Lord, though it looks weak now, is not vain (like the death of Jesus and like our bodies).

In this talk Dave Swan, warns us from the last section in the first letter to the Corinthians, to not be driven by the present age and by what we see. For now is not the time for the work of the gospel to look splendid, it is the time for gospel work and that work will look weak (v58).

Listen to this world, have your life shaped by the resurrection, so that when you do experience death you might also know the wonder of the resurrection.

Sermon – The Foolishness of Living for Now (1 Corinthians 15:12-34)

Read the text – 1 Corinthians 15:12-34

The Corinthians live for the ‘now’ as they deny the resurrection, so they have always focused on looking good now, but the Apostle Paul shows how foolish this is. Paul shows instead that our glory comes through weakness, just as life comes through death, so his ministry is marked by weakness and death. As Paul commands in 1 Corinthians 15:33-34, Christians we must be careful of being led astray by those who would have us focus on living for now.

In this talk Dave Swan, wants to help the listener fix their eyes on eternity. To have a life shaped by the resurrection, so that you don’t live for the now, but for eternity, and so that you can take steps to encourage others to live for eternity as well.

Sermon – A Confounded World: Jesus’ Goodness (Matthew 9:18-34)

Read the text – Matthew 9:18-34

Whilst Jesus appears to have the power to do anything, he uses it to demonstrate his compassion on all who come (regardless of their station in life) – and the outcome: faith. In this talk, Dave Swan, considers how Jesus shows his goodness and compassion to those who had faith during his time on earth, and they were healed. Just like those who met Jesus during his time as a man, everyone should also put their faith in him and trust his goodness. Not everyone does.