Category Archives: Ken Noakes

Sermon – Wisdom Through Suffering (Job 38-42) – God Knows

Read the text – Job 40:1-14 

It has been a long time in coming, but finally we hear the voice of God. In Job 38, God speaks from the midst of a storm (or whirlwind). It is not surprising that God speaks from a storm, but it is surprising that it isn’t the storm of judgement, but of wisdom. Two chapters of God describing the extent of his sovereignty conclude in 40:1. And Job’s response? Despite all that he had previously thought he would say if he could enter God’s presence, he is speechless. He recognizes his insignificance before God and keeps listening to what God has to say and stays attentive to what God will show him – God is not only sovereign, but just.

God has not given Job the answers he was looking for, but Job has seen him in a way that is clearer than ever, and without asking for any more answers, he trusts in God’s sovereignty, even though his circumstances still have not changed. It isn’t until we get to the New Testament that we can begin to understand what it cost Him to win the battle over evil and death on our behalf.

In this talk Ken Noakes helps us to understand the importance of living under the sovereignty of God – and that wisdom, even blessing can be found in suffering.

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Thumbnail Sketch of the Book of JobDownload

Sermon – Wisdom Through Suffering (Job 28) – Where is Wisdom?

Read the text – Job 28:1-28

Job’s ‘comforters’ have become more like his ‘accusers’. Chapter 28 acts as an interlude where all are invited to lift their eyes from Job’s problems and the arguments which have bogged them down. The cost of the search for the most valuable things is worth it. Yet, Wisdom is the most valuable thing and the most difficult to find. God is the only source of true wisdom.

In this Bible Talk, Ken Noakes helps us to unlock the wisdom of the Book of Job. And in doing so helps the listener to lift their gaze from suffering and trying to figure things out for themselves to understanding that answers can only be found in God.

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Sermon – Wisdom through Suffering (Job 3-27) – That’s what friends are for?

Read the text – Job 19:1-29

We have met the upright and blameless Job, and seen the tragedy and suffering which fell upon him. In the chapters that follow (Job 3-27), Job responds to the “comfort” (?) of his friends with words full of agony and pain. Job looks to his only hope: a sovereign and perfect God who cannot allow injustice. In spite of his circumstances and feelings, the small glimmer of hope from 9:33-34 which became a faint trickle of hope in 14:14-15 and 16:19-21, has become much more certain, to the point where declares “I know that my redeemer lives!”(19:25). This yet again reveals that the deepest desire of his heart is to be in the presence of the God he loves (19:27). In spite of what his friends have said, Job doesn’t fear death because he is sure that he will see the Lord face to face, and that there is the hope of a resurrection (19:26).

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Overview of the Structure of JobDownload

Sermon – The Call and the Commission (Matthew 9:35-38 & 28:16-20)

Read the texts – Matthew 9:35-38 & Matthew 28:16-20

‘The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few’, Jesus observed as he then called his disciples to prayer. In compassion he shows us a great need. ‘Go out and make disciples of all nations’, Jesus directed as he sent his disciples to work. By commission he gave all disciples a job to do.

In this talk Ken Noakes helps to show that it was by compassion for the lost that drives what disciples of Jesus do, and it is by commission of Jesus that we do it.

Sermon – Kingdom Coming: Moving Mountains (Matthew 17:14-27)

For the fifth and last time in Matthew’s Gospel Jesus speaks of what ‘little faith’ might look like – and he offers yet another description of what will happen to him as he heads into Jerusalem where he will be delivered into the hands of opposing men, killed, and then on the third day rise.

In these Bible talks both John Lavender and Ken Noakes look at what faith in the life of a believer might look like – it is not about the quantity of faith (as if that could be measured), but about the genuineness of faith in Jesus.

Preacher: John Lavender

Read the text – Matthew 17:14-27

Preacher: Ken D Noakes
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Sermon – Kingdom Coming: Son of Man Revealed (Matthew 16:13-28)

Read the text – Matthew 16:13-28

Famously Jesus challenges his disciples: ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me’ (Matt 16:24). What does it mean today to be a disciple of Jesus? In an age when we express our individualism in many and numerous ways, this message is a challenge for it asks us to put Jesus before ourselves. Yet, Jesus gives very good reasons to follow him.

In this talk, Ken Noakes helps us look first at the identity of Jesus – and as a result to consider what that should mean for anyone who wants to follow him.

Sermon – Kingdom Coming: Fish out of Water! (Matthew 14:1-36)

Read the text – Matthew 14:1-36

In this Bible Talk, Ken Noakes considers some very well-known passages: the beheading of John the Baptist, the feeding of 5000, and Jesus walking on water. In each of these accounts the question we as readers are effectively asked is ‘who do you think Jesus is?’ Herod gave his conclusion, the crowds made their approach, the disciples got a firsthand view of Jesus in action. The question: who sees Jesus as ‘truly… the Son of God’?

Sermon – Adoption and Fellowship (1 John 2:28-3:10)

Read the text – 1 John 2:28-3:10

Central to fellowship with God the Father is acknowledging his son and in turn living as a child of God. This talk is about confidence in the Christian faith – confidence that comes from being adopted as a child of God and experienced in the new birth that the Christian person enjoys.

In this talk Ken Noakes describes the process of moving towards a confident faith. And also, the process that person may go through in moving away from a confident faith.

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Sermon – Forgiveness & Sin (1 John 1:5-2:2)

Read the text – 1 John 1:5-2:2

Sin is serious, and even Christians can live as if it isn’t! In this talk, Ken Noakes looks at what the Bible calls sin and helps us to understand more of what sin is and means for our world, our church and our person. Yet to sit right alongside the trauma that is sin, is the wonder that is forgiveness in Jesus. Sin we love yet we should hate. Whereas Forgiveness we want and we all need.

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