Sermons on B C P Epiphany 4:

Turn Us, Shine Forth, Save Us.

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Oct 23, 2021

God is unchangeable, but our experience of His Providence may vary from time to time.

TURN US, SHINE FORTH, SAVE US. Psalm 80:1-7. Belief in the God of Israel is not blind faith, but an informed trust. One expression of our confidence that the LORD is in control of all things is to make our complaints known to Him. In Psalm 80 the writer bemoans the plight of the divided tribes ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 80:1-7

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

From Prayer To Praise.

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Feb 27, 2025

Be merciful. My heart is fixed. Be thou exalted.

FROM PRAYER TO PRAISE. Psalm 57:1-11. This is a beautifully crafted Psalm which, according to the title, was written by David ‘when he fled from Saul in the cave.’ The Psalm has two sections: first a prayer (PSALM 57:1-6); then second, praise (PSALM 57:7-11). Each section opens with a repeated ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 57:1-11

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Voice In The Wilderness.

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Sep 24, 2022

Never mind the preacher. Look to the One preached.

THE VOICE IN THE WILDERNESS. John 1:19-28. The witness of John is put on record (John 1:19) because the Council in Jerusalem sent a delegation to him, asking who he thought he was, preaching without licence (from them) out there in the wilderness. They surely knew he was a priest’s son, but ...read more

Scripture: John 1:19-28

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Annunciation Of The Lord.

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Jan 17, 2023

The grace of God favouring Mary. Nothing impossible with God. Mary's submission to the word of God.

ANNUNCIATION OF THE LORD. Luke 1:26-38. The angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, “a virgin espoused to man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David” (Luke 1:27). Gabriel hailed Mary as “highly favoured, the LORD is with thee: blessed art thou among women” (Luke 1:28). Mary was troubled at this ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:26-38

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Call Of Samuel And The Fall Of Eli.

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Oct 10, 2023

A young boy called into the service of God. An old priestly family rejected.

THE CALL OF SAMUEL AND THE FALL OF ELI. 1 Samuel 3:1-20. I). HE IS CALLING YOU BY NAME. 1 Samuel 3:1-10. The days of the Saviour-Judges were drawing to a close and, as in our own days, “the word of the LORD was rare” (1 Samuel 3:1). There was a dearth in the land, but not a famine of bread, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 3:1-20

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Bearing Up

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Jan 1, 2014

The sufferings of Jesus were unique in that He suffered once for all, the just for the unjust. But we are still sometimes called to bear up and endure grief, suffering unjustly. Our model was laid down in the patient pattern of His sufferings.

BEARING UP. 1 Peter 2:19-25. The Apostle Peter uses his address to domestic servants (1 Peter 2:18) to illustrate the calling of all Christians to share in the sufferings of Christ. “For this is grace,” he quite literally says (1 Peter 2:19): this is acceptable; this is thankworthy - if out of ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:19-25

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

4 Advent C

Contributed by Roger Haugen on Sep 20, 2001

"My Soul magnifies the Lord"

Here we are on the fourth Sunday of Advent. The morning of Christmas Eve. It’s hard not sliding right into Christmas. Snow, the excitement, the baby to be born, the manger, the Shepherds -- the whole nine yards. Christmas as we have come to know and love and expect. Gifts under the tree, a feast -- ...read more

Denomination: Lutheran

The Vain Confidence Of The Disobedient.

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Jul 21, 2025

We might hide our sins from men, but God knows our hearts.

THE VAIN CONFIDENCE OF THE DISOBEDIENT. Jeremiah 7:9-15. As Paul unfolded his doctrine of justification by grace through faith in his Epistle to the Romans, he uttered the phrase ‘But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound’ (cf. Romans 5:20), and he realised that he had to square up to ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 7:9-15

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Imprecations In Context.

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Feb 19, 2025

To attack God's people is to attack the LORD Himself!

IMPRECATIONS IN CONTEXT. Psalm 83:1-2, Psalm 83:13-18. Today’s Psalm begins, “Keep not silence, O God: hold not thy peace, and be not still O God” (PSALM 83:1). As if He ever would, when to attack God’s people is to attack the LORD Himself! ‘Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence,’ ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 83:1-2, Psalm 83:13-18

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Praising The Beauty Of Holiness.

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Jan 31, 2025

Before we can talk about the “city of our God” we must recognise and acknowledge the God of the city. The Bible does not begin with Jerusalem, but with God. The New Testament does not begin with the church, but with Jesus.

PRAISING THE BEAUTY OF HOLINESS. Psalm 48:1-7. This psalm begins with a simple statement of fact: “Great is the LORD” and, because of the greatness of the LORD, He is “greatly to be praised” (PSALM 48:1a). Where is the LORD to be praised? In the place that God has chosen (cf. 2 Chronicles ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 48:1-7

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Luke 4:18 - Part One.

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Dec 31, 2021

Bible reading: Luke 4:14-21.

LUKE 4:18 - PART ONE. Bible reading: Luke 4:14-21. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me” (Luke 4:18a). Jesus was “anointed” by the Holy Spirit following His baptism by John (Luke 3:21-22). After this, ‘Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost’ was ‘led by the Spirit into the wilderness,’ ...read more

Scripture: Luke 4:18

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Unity Of The Spirit.

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Jun 25, 2024

"Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (EPHESIANS 4:3).

THE UNITY OF THE SPIRIT. Ephesians 4:1-6. Our unity is based in the unity of all three Persons of the Godhead (EPHESIANS 4:4-5). EPHESIANS 4:1. We are asked to “walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called” How do we do that? EPHESIANS 4:2. “With all lowliness” = humility. Like the ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-6

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The God Who Knows Me

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Nov 13, 2013

The fear and the respect of the ever-present, all-knowing God.

THE GOD WHO KNOWS ME. Psalm 139. What convinced me of the reality of the God of the Bible - “the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 1:3) - was not intellectual argument, but personal encounter. This occurred in two phases: first in a sense of guilt and dread at the presence of ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 139:1-24

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Ephesians 4b

Contributed by Dean Rhine on May 8, 2008

Ephesians 4b

Ephesians 4 - August 20, 2006 Good morning. Join me in turning to the book of Ephesians, chapter 4. We have been going through this letter of Paul the Apostle, written to Christians in the town of Ephesus, the capital city of Turkey or Asia Minor as it was known back them. We mentioned that ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Serpent On A Pole, And A Man On A Cross

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Oct 18, 2013

The symbolism of the serpent on the pole, and the awful reality of the Man upon the Cross.

A SERPENT ON A POLE, AND A MAN ON A CROSS. Numbers 21:4-9. Much of the books of Exodus and Numbers tells the sad history of a people who for forty years - whilst being delivered, led, and provided for by God - made a profession of complaining. The turning point came when a pole was raised up in ...read more

Scripture: Numbers 21:4-9

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational