Sermons

This sermon explores the profound meaning of Revelation 3:20, addressing a debate on its interpretation and extending its application beyond conversion to the fervent love and fellowship Jesus desires with each believer. It challenges the notion that Christ's knocking at the door is solely an invitation to non-believers, emphasising also His call to believers to rekindle their first love and commit to a deeper relationship with Him. By juxtaposing this with references to the Song of Solomon, the preacher illuminates the mutual love between Christ and the believer, advocating for a personal response to Jesus' gentle but persistent invitation. This call to both conversion for non-believers and renewal for the lukewarm believer underscores the sermon's core message: Jesus seeks a passionate, loving relationship with each of us, inviting us personally to open the door to a more profound fellowship with Him.

This sermon is about living a Christ-centred life amidst adversity. It is drawn from 1 Peter 2:11-12. The speaker highlights the early Christian community's resilience and compassion in the face of ridicule and persecution, emphasising how these virtues led to the exponential growth of the faith despite societal opposition. Through the lens of historical persecution, both in the early church and in modern examples like South Sudan and Pakistan, the sermon challenges believers to embody their faith through honourable conduct, compassion, and engagement in good deeds, as prescribed by Peter and illustrated by the grace of Jesus Christ. The key message centres on the transformative power of living out one's faith through actions that align with God's call for justice, kindness, and humility, even in the most challenging circumstances.

The sermon intricately weaves through the concepts of “Kenosis” and “Plerosis” (emptying and then returning to fullness) in the life, incarnation and exaltation of Jesus. The message highlights Jesus' journey from self-emptying humility to being exalted by the Father as Lord of all. It focuses on Christ's ascension, His ultimate authority, and the impact of His humility, then exaltation on our understandings of salvation and discipleship. The preacher calls for repentance, urging believers to reverse their verdict on Jesus — moving from being outside the Divine favour to acceptance within the “Beloved” — in the salvation that Christ has achieved. This message not only recounts the theological significance of Jesus' actions, but also emphasizes the practical implications for believers, calling them to a life of humility, repentance, and a deeper dedication to the exalted Christ as Lord and Savior.

This sermon emphasises the profound impact of Jesus' resurrection, not only as a historical event but as a transformative reality in the lives of believers. It delves into the Apostle Paul's teaching on knowing the resurrected Jesus intimately and experiencing the empowering resource of His resurrection in our daily lives. The sermon outlines how Jesus' resurrection serves as the foundation for our justification, ushering us into a new life in Him, assured of eternal life. Through Christ's victory over death, and consequent ongoing life, believers are invited into a personal relationship with Him, marked by empowered Christian living and the ultimate fulfilment of eternal fellowship with God. The message invites individuals to embrace the risen Christ, enabling them to live lives characterised by His resurrection's power and the certainty of God's love and salvation.

This sermon delves into the central theme of Christianity: the significance of Jesus Christ's once for all time sacrifice on the cross. The sermon emphasises how the Gospels march us on to arrive at the scene of the crucifixion, highlighting its pivotal role in our faith. The narrative slows down, almost to a full stop leaving us gazing up at the cross as Christ shouts “It is finished!” We are brought to a profound understanding that Christ's death is not just an event but the culmination of God's ongoing redemptive plan. The sermon illustrates how this singular act of love and sacrifice serves as the foundation for our sanctification, offering a path from the shadows of the Old Testament laws to the reality of a new covenant fulfilled in Jesus. It calls believers to recognize the completeness of this sacrifice — how it not only absolves us of our sins but also perfects us for all time, ushering us into a life of ongoing sanctification empowered by the Holy Spirit. Through this message, the listener is invited to embrace the full assurance of faith that comes from trusting in the finished work of Christ on the cross.

This sermon delves into core reasons behind Jesus Christ's mission on Earth, culminating in His death and resurrection, particularly focusing on the issue of human depravity. It emphasises the deceitful and desperately wicked nature of the fallen human heart, as illustrated in Jeremiah 17:9-10, and our incapability of self-redemption. The preacher underscores the necessity of divine intervention, where the only solution to this profound problem is the regeneration of the heart through Jesus Christ. Highlighting the essence of Easter, the sermon calls for a personal reflection on one's spiritual condition and the biblical invitation to experience the transformative power of Christ's love and sacrifice, promising a new, redeemed heart capable of truly reflecting God's image.

This sermon explores the transformational journey from adhering to the Old Covenant and Pharisaical interpretations of the law to embracing Jesus' teachings of unconditional, divine love (agape). It highlights Jesus' call for His followers to love not just their neighbours but also their enemies, reflecting God's perfect love and progressing in personal sanctification. Through the exploration of key biblical texts, the sermon underscores the importance of letting God's love extend beyond familial or brotherly love to include even strangers, showcasing a radical hospitality rooted in divine love. It challenges believers to rely not on their strength but on God's, to live out this high calling of perfect love in their daily lives, involving a sanctification process that moulds them to be more like the Father.

The sermon emphasises the importance of truly knowing Jesus beyond mere belief in God or adherence to religious practices. The preacher recounts an anecdote about a bumper sticker and explores how superficial expressions of faith can sometimes misrepresent our deeper convictions. Through key scripture references, including a poignant interaction between Jesus and His disciple Philip, the sermon underlines that being a Christian is fundamentally about having a personal, transformative relationship with Christ. This relationship goes beyond simply knowing about Jesus or following religious rituals; it involves an intimate, experiential knowledge that impacts one's entire life and identity. The sermon invites listeners to reflect on the depth of their faith and encourages a journey towards truly knowing and experiencing Jesus.

This sermon delves into the Beatitudes, focusing on Jesus' call for Christians to respond with grace and patience to those who wrong them, as a part of their sanctification journey toward perfection. Drawing on the metaphor of going the extra mile, as instructed in Matthew 5:41, the preacher emphasises the importance of not being reactionary but rather embodying Christ's teachings in everyday interactions. The sermon highlights the story of Simon of Cyrene, who was compelled to carry Jesus' cross, as an ultimate example of serving without expectation of recognition, embodying the essence of Christian sacrifice and humility. Through these teachings, listeners are encouraged to embrace a life of non-retaliation, patience, and grace, aligning closer with the perfection of the Heavenly Father.

The sermon explores the concept of salvation as depicted through biblical stories, particularly focusing on the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. This narrative emphasises faith, judgement, and God's grace. Abraham's intercessory prayer for Lot is used as an example of how faith and prayer play crucial roles in salvation of others. The sermon warns against complacency and the dangers of ignoring God's call, using Lot's wife as a poignant reminder of the consequences of looking back. It encourages the audience to embrace a full commitment to faith, akin to Abraham, and to be mindful of the generational impact of their spiritual lives. The key point is that salvation is not automatic but requires a responsive heart to God's grace and a willingness to separate from the world's values in the outworking of sanctification.