Sermon – Clash of Kingdoms: Be Ready for the Kingdom (Matthew 25)

Jesus’ disciples ask of Jesus: ‘Tell us… what will be the sign of your coming and the end of the age?’ (Mt 24:3). His answer to the first part of the question (his coming) was answered in the rest of Chapter (see last post), the answer to the second part of the question (the end of the age) is found in Matthew 25.

Here are two Bible Talks looking at the whole of Matthew 25. Whilst both start the same way – the content of each looks at the chapter in two parts.

Talk 1 – Matthew 25:1-30. The Parable of the Bridegroom & the 10 Virgins + The Parable of the Master and the 3 Servants.

Read the text – Matthew 25:1-30

Talk 2 – Matthew 25:31-46. The Shepherd King & the Sheep and the Goats.

Read the text – Matthew 25:31-46

What Jesus teaches as recorded in Matthew 25 is not complicated, but it can be very hard to hear. What will the end of the age look like? The answer will involve a division. In these two Bible talks Ken Noakes unpacks this extraordinary chapter – to help us hear what can be very hard to hear.

Sermon – Persevere: Contending for the Faith (Jude 1-4, 17-25)

Read the text – Jude 1-4, 17-25

Jude is a short little letter which packs a punch. It is written to those who know what faith in Jesus is about – and urges them to ‘contend for the faith’ in the face of what are known challenges. This letter is as valuable today as it would have been for those who originally received it and will help equip believers to persevere as we walk in Jesus.

In this sermon, Ken Noakes encourages us to “be in it to win it”, because there is an urgent, pressing need that we fight for our faith. But we aren’t left to our own devices: we have the firm foundation of God’s word, and we have the power of the Holy Trinity behind us, so we can be built up by God’s word, pray in the Holy Spirit, keep in God’s love and wait on the Lord Jesus.

Bible talk outline

Sermon – Apostles’ Creed: A Day of Darkness and a Day of Light

Read the texts – Amos 5:18-271 Thessalonians 5:1-11

We continue working through The Apostles’ Creed and in this talk we focus on the line ‘He ascended into Heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father; from there he will come to judge the living and the dead’. For those who love Jesus the day he returns will be a day of light. For those who do not it will be a day of darkness.

Nick Lindeback is eager in this talk to help us to know that it is because of what Jesus has done that the day of darkness (Amos 5:18) will be a glorious day of light (1 Thess 5:4-5) and that we can look forward to light, offer light to others, and live in light forever.

Sermon – Stand Firm: No Time to Nap! (1 Thess. 5:1-28)

In this two-part Bible Talk, Dave Swan helps us to see how the Apostle Paul teaches his friends that when Jesus returns, he will come like a thief in the night. This truth should motivate them to stay awake and sober. His exhortation is to continue in the Lord Jesus, encouraging one another as they are already doing.

We are still waiting for the return of the Lord Jesus and so Paul’s encouragement should be practically considered by us today.

Read the text – 1 Thessalonians 5:1-28