Russ Grinter asked us to consider what is noteworthy about the new year. More than wishing “happy new year” and resolving to seek happiness ourselves, in 2 Corinthians 5:11-21 we read that Jesus makes us really new. From now on, our identity should be in Christ – not what we do or how the world sees us. We should not depend on our effort but on what Jesus has done as our substitute. By faith, God looks at us and sees Jesus’ righteousness. Jesus makes us really new.
Sermons
‘Is anybody listening?’ (Psalm 81)
At the end of a year, Hugh Price encouraged us from Psalm 81 to focus on God and listen to him. God’s people ought to celebrate him and his goodness to them. God gives those who do not listen what they want – but it is not good. We are invited to open ourselves to God, ready to receive.
‘Jesus, the best gift’ (Matthew 2)
On Christmas morning, Andrew Kerr preached from Matthew 2 about God’s greatest gift. Wise men searched for him, the chief priests should have known more about him and Herod felt threatened by him. In his son, Jesus, God gives the world what it really needs: a better king, a better priest and a better saviour. Matthew shows us how God has promised him all those years ago. After all these years since, wise men still seek Jesus.
‘Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world’ (John 1:29-34)
Rory Weightman spoke from John 1:29-34 about the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. John the Baptist gets our attention (“Behold!”) and uses the imagery of the Old Testament to tell us about Jesus. God provided a lamb to be a substitute payment for sin, to buy back an unfaithful people. Proven to be of God by the Spirit, Jesus willingly gave himself once and for all. He showed power over sin and death by rising again. As we read later in John 3:16, this promise is for whoever believes.
‘On being a more-than-useful signpost’ (John 1:19-28)
In this message on John 1:19-28, Rev Philip Burns highlights the actions and words of John the Baptist in his ministry just before Jesus burst onto the scene. John was a successful ‘signpost’ in that he pointed people to Jesus without drawing too much attention to himself.
‘The down-to-earth-in-the-flesh God’ (John 1:14-18)
John 1:14-18 is an amazing text of John’s gospel, ‘the Word became flesh’. By these words, John tells us something of the some of the motive of love that God had in sending his Son, Jesus, something of the rescue mission he enacted for our sake, and something of God’s presence beside us in the birth of Emmanuel (God with us) – all beyond our full understanding but not our appreciation!.
‘Jesus: as He really is’ (John 1:1-18)
John’s Gospel is the ‘gospel that is different’. 1:1-18 brings out some of the major themes that John introduces to his readers. John presents Jesus as the Living Word, the One who is fully divine, eternal,the creator of all things and the one who became flesh (man). John’s purpose in writing is that we might believe in Jesus and so have life in His Name and all who do that are granted the privilege of being called His children.
‘The unpopular (but still very true) truth’ (Matthew 7:13-29)
Jesus was a popular preacher when he spoke these words in Matthew 7:13-29, but his words are very unpopular today. He spoke of the road to life being one that has a narrow gate, of those who profess faith but do not have the fruit to show that their profession is true and of those who hear his words but do not do them. The end result of all this remains that some people who might profess to be believers, may be deluding themselves! All that Jesus taught remains the truth, no matter how unpopular it has become.
‘Contentment in a world that never has enough’ (Matthew 6:25-34)
Matthew 6:25-34 is well known and loved because it contains truth that the world often denies or forgets. Because God has promised to look after the needs of His people, we can live free of the love of money and this will enable us to live worry free under God’s care, confidently under His hand and entirely for His Kingdom in this world. In a world that promotes the idea that you can never have enough, Jesus reminds us that putting God’s Kingdom first in our priorities will reap a different kind of riches that will last for all eternity.
‘Heaven or earth? Treasures true and false’ (Matthew 6:19-24)
In Matthew 6:19-24 Jesus gives some counter-cultural teaching in relation to the way God’s people ought to view money. He spoke of a different place to invest, reminding us that heavenly treasures will never be stolen, eaten or fade away. He also spoke of a different Master to serve, reminding us that we cannot serve God and money. It should be obvious to the world that believers do not view money the same way as the world does, simply because we are called upon to have a whole different set of values to the world and give as much as we can for the advancing and growth of the Kingdom of God.