Sermons on C Proper 18:

When Israel Went Out Of Egypt.

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Feb 15, 2023

A defiant celebration of God's sovereign power.

WHEN ISRAEL WENT OUT OF EGYPT. Psalm 114:1-8. The exuberance of this Psalm is immediately evident. It is a recollection of Israel’s redemption story, beginning from when the descendants of Jacob made their exodus from Egypt. It is the prelude to the founding of what Stephen, the first Christian ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 114:1-8

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Now Faith

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Dec 27, 2019

Definition of faith. Abel, Enoch and Noah.

NOW FAITH. Hebrews 11:1-7. The night when I first came to faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the secret of my own room, I had been querying in prayer about the meaning of prayer, and about the meaning of faith. My Gideons Bible had a very helpful key by which I was directed on the first ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 11:1-7

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

This Pilgrim Way.

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Aug 17, 2021

The LORD's leading in the pilgrimage of this life.

THIS PILGRIM WAY. Psalm 84:1-12. At the end of the celebration of Passover, in Jewish homes scattered throughout the world, the parting toast is, ‘Next year in Jerusalem!’ The sentiment echoes a common consciousness, a restlessness if you will, which is forever drawing God’s people back ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 84:1-12

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Pharisee And The Sinner

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Jul 24, 2016

Jesus contrasts two men, and two attitudes in prayer.

A PHARISEE AND “THE” SINNER. Luke 18:9-14. Jesus had just told His disciples a parable to encourage them to importunity in prayer (Luke 18:1). Now He turned back to the Pharisees (cf. Luke 17:20-21) to warn them, and those like them, against despising others and approaching God in a ...read more

Scripture: Luke 18:9-14

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Please God, Stop Asking Me Difficult Questions

Contributed by Fr Mund Cargill Thompson on Sep 29, 2018

Are we putting anyone off God?

“Father Mund, If someone didn’t know you were a vicar and didn’t know you went to church, how would they know you were a Christian?” “Father Mund - have you ever said or done something that would have put someone off becoming a Christian?” “Father Mund, have you ever stopped someone from doing ...read more

Scripture: Mark 9:38-50, James 5:13-20, Numbers 11:4-29

Denomination: Anglican

Why Bother?

Contributed by Dr. Jerry Morrissey on Aug 3, 2001

Year C NINTH SUNDAY AFTER PENECOST (PROPER 13) AUGUST 5, 2001 Ecclesiastes 1:2; 12-14; 2:18-23 Title: “Why bother?”

Year C NINTH SUNDAY AFTER PENECOST (PROPER 13) AUGUST 5, 2001 Ecclesiastes 1:2; 12-14; 2:18-23 Title: “Why bother?” Written probably about three centuries before Christ, the Book of Ecclesiastes marks an advance over the doctrine of divine retribution. Simplistically put, that doctrine stated that ...read more

Denomination: Lutheran

Fire! Baptism! Discerning This Time

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Jun 1, 2016

Division: a declaration of how things will be, rather than an imperative of how they should be.

FIRE! BAPTISM! DISCERNING THIS TIME. Luke 12:49-56. There is a measure of dissonance as this passage comes crashing through Jesus’ symphony of peace. “Fire!” begins the Greek of Luke 12:49. “Fire I came to cast into the earth, and what will I if it be already kindled?” Fire speaks to us of ...read more

Scripture: Luke 12:49-56

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Pledge For A Sure Future.

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on May 10, 2022

A promise of a full redemption and restoration.

A PLEDGE FOR A SURE FUTURE. Jeremiah 32:1-3a, Jeremiah 32:6-15. The wonderful words of hope which are found in Jeremiah 30-33 were spoken whilst Jeremiah was shut up in the court of the prison in the king of Judah's house (Jeremiah 32:2). Jeremiah was accused of committing treason, no less, ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 32:1-3, Jeremiah 32:6-15

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Trust In The Lord.

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on May 10, 2022

Faith cures fretting.

TRUST IN THE LORD. Psalm 37:1-9. PSALM 37:1. Somebody is in trouble, fretting because of the unfairness of life: but the pastor’s responsibility is not to burden the poor soul with a ‘snap out of it’ sort of approach, which often only leads to further despair; but rather to present positive ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 37:1-9

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Leper Healed.

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on May 10, 2022

There is no true God in all the earth apart from the God of Israel.

A LEPER HEALED. 2 Kings 5:1-3, 2 Kings 5:7-15c. Naaman, as commander of the Syrian army, was a “great” man (2 Kings 5:1), expecting “great” things (2 Kings 5:13). The king of Syria held him in high esteem, because “through him the LORD had given deliverance to Syria.” It is good that, so early ...read more

Scripture: 2 Kings 5:1-3, 2 Kings 5:7-15

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

An Increasing Faith And A Growing Love.

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on May 10, 2022

Congratulations and compliments to men are here wrapped up in the praise of God.

AN INCREASING FAITH AND A GROWING LOVE. 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12. INTRODUCTION (2 Thessalonians 1-2). 1. Pauline Authorship (2 Thessalonians 1:1). 2. In/ from/ according to “God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thessalonians 1:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:2; 2 ...read more

Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Is Not My Word Like As A Fire?

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Jul 1, 2022

What is the chaff to the wheat, says the LORD.

IS NOT MY WORD LIKE AS A FIRE? Jeremiah 23:23-29. Speaking for the LORD, Jeremiah complained that his heart was ‘broken’ within him because of false prophets (Jeremiah 23:9-12). It is one thing to see such ‘folly’ among the Baal worshipers in Samaria. But even the prophets of Jerusalem ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 23:23-29

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Awakening To Worship.

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on May 1, 2022

Blessing the LORD for all His gracious benefits.

AWAKENING TO WORSHIP. Psalm 103:1-8. Psalm 103:1. Sometimes we are sluggish about praising God, so we have to stir ourselves up, searching within ourselves whether there might be anything hindering us from the right worship of the LORD. Having awoken our “soul” to the task, we must delve ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 103:1-8

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

How To Live As Exiles

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Aug 25, 2019

Seek the peace of the place in which you find yourselves, for in its peace you shall have peace.

HOW TO LIVE AS EXILES. Jeremiah 29:1-7. For forty years Jeremiah had been warning Judah and Jerusalem to submit to the LORD by submitting to Babylon. The prophet had been accused of treason, threatened with death, and put in the stocks. Now the inevitable had begun to happen. In ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 29:1-7

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Lord Our Shield

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Oct 10, 2013

Abraham chose to believe God rather than his own doubts and fears.

THE LORD OUR SHIELD. Genesis 15:1-6. After the battle of the kings, Abram no doubt would have had a rush of emotion. First of all, perhaps, elation: look what God has enabled me to do with a small household army (Genesis 14:14-16). Secondly, a sudden realisation: I’ve just picked a fight with ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 15:1-6

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational