Sermons on B Epiphany 1:

Peace Is Restored Series

Contributed by Thomas Clawser on Dec 17, 2017

Shalom is God’s peace made alive in the life of the believer. It guides, comforts, quiets, restores and sustains, regardless of life circumstances. Shalom is found nowhere apart from God.

It is possible not to see it, to miss it, to turn just as it brushes past you. And you begin to grasp what it was you missed, like Moses in the cleft of the rock, watching God's [back] fade in the distance. So stay. Sit. Linger. Tarry. Ponder. Wait. Behold. Wonder. There will be time enough for ...read more

Denomination: Other

Jesus Speaks Of Marriage, And Blesses The Young Children.

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Jun 16, 2024

From One Flesh (Mark 2:8) to a Child-like Faith (Mark 2:15).

JESUS SPEAKS OF MARRIAGE, AND BLESSES THE YOUNG CHILDREN. Mark 2:2-16. (I). A NAUGHTY QUESTION. Mark 10:2-12. The Pharisees’ question about divorce was worse than mischievous in that it, like many of their questions addressed to Jesus, was asked with the intention of “tempting” Jesus into ...read more

Scripture: Mark 2:2-16

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Royal Nativity. Revised.

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Dec 18, 2022

The most significant census of all history.

A ROYAL NATIVITY. Luke 2:1-7. Caesar Augustus sent out a decree that “all the world” should be “registered” (Luke 2:1). Unbeknown to the mighty Emperor, this was going to be the most significant census of all history. After all, even the most powerful of potentates are subservient, whether ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:1-7

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Rich And Poor In The Church Of Jesus Christ

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Dec 31, 2013

There are no 'untouchables' with God!

RICH AND POOR IN THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST. James 2:1-17. James 2:1. The Greek of this section of the letter of James begins somewhat abruptly: “My brethren, not with partialities!” The impact of the whole sentence is: “Do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ with respect of persons.” ...read more

Scripture: James 2:1-17

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Feeding Five Thousand And Walking On Water

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Aug 22, 2018

Hunger in the wilderness and wind at sea BOTH can kill: but the Rescuer comes.

A. THE FEEDING OF THE 5,000. John 6:1-15. It was now nearly a year since Jesus had cleansed the Temple in Jerusalem, and Passover was fast approaching (John 6:4). Jesus and His disciples had tried to withdraw from the throng in Galilee, and sought some rest and relaxation in the Golan Heights: ...read more

Scripture: John 6:1-21

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Storm A Calm.

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Oct 24, 2020

Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and He bringeth them out of their distresses. Psalm 107 verse 28.

THE STORM A CALM. Psalm 107:1-3. Psalm 107:1. This Psalm, from the outset, is a summons to thanksgiving. The LORD is good, and His mercy everlasting. We are perhaps quick enough to pray, to 'make our requests known unto God' (Philippians 4:6) when we are in trouble: but do we remember ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 107:1-3, Psalm 107:23-32, Mark 4:35-41

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Hope Amid Chastening

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Oct 25, 2020

The outworking of the mercies and compassion of the LORD, in the context of chastening.

HOPE AMID CHASTENING Lamentations 3:22-33 “It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed” (Lamentations 3:22a). The Hebrew word translated “mercies” is “hesed”, and speaks of God’s steadfast love, His covenant mercy. The fact that “we are not consumed” is based in the ...read more

Scripture: Lamentations 3:22-33

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Arrest Of Jesus.

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Mar 4, 2022

The willingness of Jesus to die for us.

THE ARREST OF JESUS. John 18:1-14. After the Passover meal, the institution of the Lord’s Supper, the Upper Room discourse, and Jesus’ great high priestly prayer, Jesus led His disciples over the brook Kidron to the garden of Gethsemane (John 18:1). Judas, possessed by Satan (cf. John 13:2; ...read more

Scripture: John 18:1-14

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Ark Brought Up To Jerusalem.

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Apr 13, 2024

All our actions should be regulated by the word of God.

THE ARK BROUGHT UP TO JERUSALEM. 2 Samuel 6:1-5, 2 Samuel 6:12-19. No sooner had David been anointed king over all Israel, than the Philistines came up against him. David’s instinct back then was to ‘enquire of the LORD’ as to what he should do (cf. 2 Samuel 5:17-19). And David ‘did as the LORD ...read more

Scripture: 2 Samuel 6:1-5, 2 Samuel 6:12-19

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Prayer For The King.

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Jan 23, 2024

The LORD accept thy burnt sacrifice. Psalm 20.3.

A PRAYER FOR THE KING. Psalm 20:1-9. Jesus took with Him Peter, James and John and instructed them to ‘watch’ with Him (cf. Matthew 26:38), and to ‘watch and pray’ (cf. Matthew 26:41). I wonder what prayers they might have made on His behalf if their sleepy heads could have stayed awake long ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 20:1-9

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Inside The Prayer Of Jesus.

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Apr 22, 2021

Entrusted to the Son by the Father.

INSIDE THE PRAYER OF JESUS. John 17:6-19. Jesus was aware of the power invested in Him to bring “all flesh” (John 17:2) under the sound of the Gospel (Matthew 28:18-19), and to give eternal life to such as the Father gave Him (John 17:2). This is a great mystery, wrapped up as it is in what we ...read more

Scripture: John 17:6-19

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

This Is The Commandment.

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Oct 15, 2021

Hear O Israel: the LORD our God, the LORD is one. Thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. Deuteronomy 6:4-5.

THIS IS THE COMMANDMENT. Deuteronomy 6:1-9. “This is the commandment” (Deuteronomy 6:1) is emphatic. The whole law is boiled down to the one commandment to “love the LORD thy God” (Deuteronomy 6:5). The outworking of this commandment is seen in our ‘loving our neighbours as ourselves’ ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 6:1-9

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Behold Your King.

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Mar 11, 2022

The humiliation of Jesus, the frustration of Pilate, and the treason of the Jewish priesthood.

BEHOLD YOUR KING. John 19:1-16. The nineteenth chapter of John’s Gospel opens in the midst of the ridiculous drama of Pilate’s darting back and forth between the hypocritical Jewish leadership on the doorstep, who refused to come into the judgment hall of the palace ‘lest they be defiled and ...read more

Scripture: John 19:1-16

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

From Alienation To Reconciliation.

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Nov 15, 2023

"For through Him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father" (Ephesians 2:18).

FROM ALIENATION TO RECONCILIATION. Ephesians 2:11-22. EPHESIANS 2:11. Paul addresses the Ephesian church as being “in times past Gentiles in the flesh.” and he points to the historic antagonism between Jews and non-Jews. On the one hand, Gentiles were scorned as “the Uncircumcision;” on the ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:11-22

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

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