Sermons on anthony hopkins:

Reformation Sunday

Contributed by Michael Hopkins on Oct 22, 2009

A Sermon for Reformation Sunday - the last Sunday in October

At St. Columba’s United Reformed Church in Oxford, where I spent many happy years, the premises are a little bit old and rambling. In a far away corner, not often visited was a hidden away toilet. This was always known as the Calvinist toilet, because it was very dark and gloomy. It’s a sure ...read more

Scripture: Mark 12:28-31

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Armour Of Light

Contributed by Michael Hopkins on Nov 3, 2008

Thinking more about the phrase, "the armour of light"

There’s a proverb which says, "It’s better to light a candle than curse the darkness". I want to reflect, this evening, upon a phrase of Paul’s in that reading from Romans: the armour of light. As well as our usual, longer, silence after the sermon, there will some shorter silences as part of the ...read more

Scripture: Romans 13:8-14

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Four Weddings And A Funeral

Contributed by Michael Hopkins on Nov 3, 2008

1 Corinthians 13’s message about Christian community

In the film Four weddings and a funeral, during the first wedding, the reader begins the well-worn reading of 1 Corinthians 13, saying, "if I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal". As the reader pauses for breath, someone ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Remembrance And Holy Communion

Contributed by Michael Hopkins on Nov 11, 2008

A sermon linking themes of Remembrance Sunday and Holy Communion - an uncommon combination in English Free churches

This evening is something rather unusual in our church. Very rarely has our calendar so fallen that we celebrate Holy Communion on Remembrance Sunday. At first sight it seems very odd to mix something so religious, Holy Communion, with something with so many secular overtones, Remembrance Sunday. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Who?

Contributed by Michael Hopkins on May 26, 2013

Use of Jeremiah, John, and Luke, to bring out three persons of the Trinity, and an analogy with TV programme Dr Who - different faces and mystery.

Luke 19:1-10 Jeremiah 32:21-25 John 20:19-23 As a child, I always enjoyed Dr Who on a Saturday teatime. For me, Tom Baker was the doctor - the others who came after weren’t quite the same. Perhaps, for you it was Jon Pertwee who was the doctor, or Patrick Troughton, or William Hartnell; or ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 32:21-25

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Mystery Of The Incarnation Made Real

Contributed by Michael Hopkins on Jan 4, 2013

A short sermon contrasting a new born baby with the depth of the wonder of God's nature.

As some of you know, my wife and I had our first baby in August - Joanna. She’s such a little thing: defenceless, can’t move very far on her own, can’t feed, drink or clothe herself, can’t talk, and doesn’t know the Christmas story. But she has got out attention, not ...read more

Scripture: John 1:1-14

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Was Was Hidden Has Been Reveled

Contributed by Michael Hopkins on Jan 7, 2013

A sermon for the epiphany

A man was once eating fish and chips at the bus stop, and a lady with a small dog came along to wait for her bus. The dog clearly liked the smell of the fish and chips, and kept jumping up around the man’s legs to try and get at them. In the end the man smiled at the lady and asked, “do you mind ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 2:1-12

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Father's Day 2012

Contributed by Tyler Hopkins on Aug 31, 2012

A Father's Day sermon where I focus on Noah and how he honored God as a father.

Now I am not a father so I can't speak from personal experience about father-type things. I have worked in children's ministries for a few years, so I like to think that counts for something. The best example for fathers is, of course, found in scripture. I'm going a little unorthodox with what ...read more

Denomination: United Methodist

Storms Of Life

Contributed by Tyler Hopkins on Aug 31, 2012

I talk about how Jesus is with us through our storms and what we need to do in our storms.

I want to open this sermon with the scripture from Mark 4:35-41,"35 As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” 36 So they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind (although other boats followed). 37 But soon ...read more

Scripture: Mark 4:35-41

Denomination: United Methodist

Keep Calm And Carry On - A Sermon For Ash Wednesday

Contributed by Michael Hopkins on Feb 17, 2013

A sermon for Ash Wednesday - for a UK congregation

Joel 2:1-2 & 12-17 John 8:1-11 I’m beginning, totally unsuitably for Lent, with an expression of pride. I’m very proud of my collection of the complete set of Carry On films - it’s the earthy British humour of the 1960s and 1970s at its best (or worst, depending upon your point ...read more

Scripture: Joel 2:1-17

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Calling In The Wilderness

Contributed by Michael Hopkins on Feb 17, 2013

A sermon for the first Sunday of Lent

Luke 4:1-13 Deuteronomy 26:1-11 Romans 10:9-13 I’m told that it’s impossible to be hungry in the desert because of the sand which is everywhere. Today our readings take us into the desert, or the wilderness if you prefer (the words are the same in the Greek and Hebrew). Why is this ...read more

Scripture: Luke 4:1-13

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Taking A Leap

Contributed by Michael Hopkins on Jan 26, 2020

A challenge to take leap of faith - a risk - for God

Genesis 12:1-9 Hebrews 11:1-3 & 8-12 Psalm 91 Mark 1:16-20 This year is a leap year. 29 February is a special day which comes round only once every four years. 29 February is considered by some as a day to do something out of the usual, such as women proposing marriage to men. Radio 4’s PM ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 12:1-9

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Psalm 1

Contributed by Michael Hopkins on Sep 7, 2021

A short sermon exploring Psalm 1

Psalm 1 Charles Wesley wrote the hymn O for a thousand tongues in 1739 on the anniversary of his conversion experience. It was published in the first collection of Methodist hymns in 1780 where it was number one, and for two centuries it was number one in every Methodist hymnbook since then until ...read more

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Heartbreaking Messiah

Contributed by Michael Hopkins on Sep 7, 2021

A sermon exploring heartbreak and suffering through peter and the disicples

Mark 8:27-38 Have you ever heard the sound of a heart breaking? Do you remember what it sounds like? Maybe it was your child's heart breaking when they found that the job market had disappeared? Maybe it was your sister or brother's heart breaking when the test results were worse than ...read more

Scripture: Mark 8:27-38

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Lent 2021

Contributed by Michael Hopkins on Feb 17, 2021

A sermon for the start of Lent 2021

I think this is the point where I am supposed to talk about Lent being a penitential time, and time for giving things up, but that seems patent nonsense in 2021. In the last eleven months we have given up more than we ever wished for longer than we would have wished. And we have lost some people ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:9-15

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed