Sermons

Hope is in Hearing God’s Word

Jeremiah 26

 

The ‘temple sermon’ is revisited as a reminder and summary of the serious situation

 

This time the glimmer of hope is highlighted

 

Hope that begins with hearing God’s word

  

And leads to 

taking risks to defend the proclamation of God’s word 

a desire to see justice done

 

Are we acting appropriately as we hear God’s word?

(Preacher: Steve Blencowe)

God’s Plans & God’s People

Jeremiah 11-25

(Bible Reading 23:1-8)

 

Punishment is part of a plan

 

A plan that includes hope, beyond judgement

 

 

God’s plan then and God’s plan now

 

 (Preacher: Steve Blencowe)

Trusting religious observance?

Jeremiah 7-10 (Bible Reading 7:1-20)

 

Jeremiah’s “Temple Sermon” 

 

A sermon with two points

 

      “reform your ways…”

 

      “do not trust in deceptive words…”

 

A sermon for then, and a sermon for now    

 

(Preacher: Steve Blencowe)

What it looks like to turn your back on God

Jeremiah 2-6 (Bible Reading 2:1-13)

 

God’s people commit two sins:

          i.          

        ii.          

 

We should learn from their unfaithfulness

(as the ‘prophet to the nations’ describes it for us) 

• 2v6         starts with not seeking God
• 2v20       moves to a declaration of independence
• 2v23       then self-deceit – I have not sinned
• 2v25       abandonment – I can’t help it
• 3v3         and hard-heartedness
• 4v1ff       God continues to call for them to return

 

And know the truth about:

          i.         ‘broken cisterns’ 

        ii.         ‘living water’  (John 4:13-14, Rev 7:17, 21:6)

(Preacher: Steve Blencowe

Human Hearts can be Hard of Hearing

Jeremiah 1, 36, 52

(Bible Reading, 36:1-8, 13-25, 27-28)

Human hearts can be hard of hearing

Jeremiah and the reality of God’s Judgement 

…for rejecting God and failing to listen to God’s word 

      …failing to listen to God’s powerful and effective word  (1:9-11)

God’s word and the reality of Judgement … for us!

(Preacher: Steve Blencowe)

Thinking about Elders

1 Tim 3:1-7, 1 Peter 5:1-5, Titus 1:5-9

 

Elders are everywhere, and in the Bible 

 

 

We have Elders in the Presbyterian Church

 

 

How should the Bible inform the way we think about elders for KPC?

You don’t need to be an elder to love and serve your church

(Preacher: Steve Blencowe)

What more do you need?

John 20

 

We often think we need to see to believe… 

 

But seeing can be hard to believe (20:14ff)

 

And we don’t really need to see to believe (20:29)

 

What more do you need, to recognise Jesus is your Lord and your God?

   

 

Dear God, 

I am sorry for ignoring the truth about Jesus. 

Thank you for sending Jesus to die my death and give me life. 

Please forgive me and change me to live with Jesus as my Lord and my God. 

Amen 

 

 (Preacher: Steve Blencowe)

The Inconvenient Truth? 

John 18-19

 

Pilate: a man who couldn’t handle the truth 

John 18:38 

John 19:8 

John 19:12-16 

 

The truth that Jesus is King 

John 18:36-37 

John 19:11 

 

The truth that means LIFE 

John 3:16-21 

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life…” 

 

 

Dear God, 

I am sorry for ignoring the truth about Jesus. 

Thank you for sending Jesus to die my death and give me life. 

Please forgive me and change me to live with Jesus as my King.

Amen 

(Preacher: Steve Blencowe)

Belief without signs and wonders

John 4:43-54

 

1. A desperate request

  

 

2. Seeing and believing

 

 

3. Jesus’ promises are fulfilled before they are seen, so we can believe without seeing

 

 (Preacher: Thom Herbert)

Thirsty?

John 4:1-42

John wants us to believe Jesus is the Messiah, that by believing we would have real life in Jesus

He shows a harvest of Samaritans who put their trust in Jesus’ words

As he teaches us about living water, real food and true worship

Are you thirsty for real life?

(Preacher: Steve Blencowe)