Sermons

Forgiven and forgiving
Today I imagine a lot of people would be in the position of owing money to a finance company or bank, and some, due to unforseen circumstances, such as Covid 19, would be wondering how on earth they can meet the expected payments. Jesus told his disciples a parable (Matthew l8: 21-35) in which we hear of a man who must have felt like this because he had incurred a staggering debt. Read more

The Second Coming of Jesus (part 2)
In last Sunday’s message we began to think about our “blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ." Titus 2:13 In this message we will continue to think about this second coming of Christ. When he “appears a second time” Heb. 9:28 it won’t be like his first coming. Read more

The Second Coming
On our calendars or in our diaries we might have some special future dates - anniversaries, birthdays etc. There’s a special future date on God’s calendar too - the coming of his Son Jesus. “They will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory”. Read more

The Holy Trinity
Augustine, while puzzling over the doctrine of the Trinity, was walking along the beach one day when he observed a young boy with a bucket, running back and forth to pour water into a little hole. Augustine asked, ‘What are you doing?’ The boy replied, ‘I'‘m trying to put the ocean into this hole. Read more

Pentecost - the event, the explanation, the effects.
“Pentecost” - the event, the explanation, the effects. Over a number of Sundays since Easter day we have been thinking about the resurrection of Jesus, and last Sunday we thought about his ascension to heaven, to the right hand of his Father. Ten days after his ascension, the disciples of Jesus “were all filled with the Holy Spirit…” Acts 2:4 Read more

The Ascension of Jesus
‘The Ascension of Jesus’ Ps 8, Luke 24:44-53, Acts 1:1- Over several Sundays we have been thinking about the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ and what it means. So, where did we ‘go’ from here? Well, where did Jesus go? ‘Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. Read more

If Christ has not been raised then…
“If Christ has not been raised then… But in fact Christ has been raised”… 1 Corinthians 15: 1-28,58 In this message I’d like to conclude our recent series on the resurrection of Jesus Christ by looking at Paul’s teaching in his letter to the church at Corinth as we find it in 1 Cor 15: 1-28 and verse 58. Read more

Encounters with the risen Lord!
We are continuing our reflections on the wonderful, great truth of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. In this message let’s reflect on the story as we find it in Luke 24:13-49. The first part of this story or reading, could perhaps be summarised as : From burdened faces to burning hearts to bounding feet! Read more

“He is not here; for he has risen, as he said…”
Sunday 3rd May 2020 Alex Bainton “He is not here; for he has risen, as he said. Come see the place where he lay.” Matthew 28:6 Jesus has risen! He has been resurrected, but what is the significance of this? I’d like to explore this a bit. Firstly, resurrection isn’t resuscitation. Read more

Catch, Commissioned, Come
Catch, Commissioned, Come John 21:1-19 Alex Bainton. 26th April. ‘20 In today’s reading from John 21:1-19 there are three things in particular that I’d like to draw attention to; we could call them catch, commissioned, and come. Let’s consider each of these in turn. Catch. Simon Peter said to some of his fellow disciples, “I am going fishing”. Read more

The first Easter night
We are living in days when we may be fearful or disturbed or unsettled, because of the coronavirus, and how it is changing or upsetting our lives in many ways. In the bible reading for today from John 20verses 19-31, we hear how the first disciples of Jesus were fearful and disturbed and in their case it was because their Master had just been crucified. Read more

Easter Day
Someone asked Joseph of Arimathea, “That was a great tomb. Why did you give it to someone else to be buried in?” “Oh”, said Joseph, “he only needed it for the weekend”. Today we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus! And so I’d like to think with you about the Bible reading for today from John, because it is about this resurrection of Jesus. Read more

Good Friday
There’s a lovely old hymn with a chorus “Tell me the old, old story, tell me the old, old story, tell me the old, old story of Jesus and his love.” It’s the old, old story of the Cross of Jesus, followed by his resurrection. This morning being Good Friday, let’s ponder on his cross; and Easter Day, on his resurrection. Read more

The Cross Foretold
Back about this time in 2018 there was a news article with the title “Trebes supermarket shooting: Policeman who traded places with hostage dies in hospital”. A French policeman Arnaud Beltrame swapped himself for a hostage held by a gunman during a deadly siege of a supermarket in the southern French town of Trebes. Read more