Sermons on Espiritual Ward:

Deliver Us From Evil

Contributed by Darryl Ward on Oct 18, 2010

How addiction is very closely related to possession, and how Jesus can set us free.

Some of you may know I have not been a faithfully worshipping churchgoer all my life. Not counting a brief flirtation with the Russian Orthodox Church, I was not part of any Christian community between the ages of 18 and 38. If you had asked me what my religious beliefs were, I would have probably ...read more

Scripture: Luke 8:26-39

Denomination: Anglican

Another Chance

Contributed by Darryl Ward on Oct 18, 2010

How second chances can change lives, and what is wrong with harsher sentencing of criminals.

The most positive person I have ever met is Billy Graham, and I am not talking about the famous evangelist. This Billy Graham grew up in Naenae. Back in the 1950s, the young Billy was something of a reprobate. He got up to horrendous mischief, often targeting Hoppy Hodges, the local cop. Once Billy ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 32:7-14

Denomination: Anglican

Every Day Will Be Christmas

Contributed by Darryl Ward on Dec 5, 2009

Miracles do happen when we hold onto the true meaning of Christmas.

It was 1914. The war to end all wars would not be over by Christmas as had been so optimistically predicted. On the western front, it had ground down to a barbarous war of attrition fought from muddy, waterlogged, vermin-infested trenches, where one had to be constantly wary of artillery and ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:1-20

Denomination: Anglican

Setting Ourselves Free

Contributed by Darryl Ward on Dec 5, 2009

When we forgive others, we are also setting ourselves free.

Whether we love it or hate it, we all will be familiar with Coronation Street, UK’s longest running soap opera. I am not much of a television watcher, but I do have a soft spot for the street. One reason is that the characters are like real people. They have flaws and blemishes, they do not wake ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 18:21-35

Denomination: Anglican

Neither Confused Nor Divided

Contributed by Darryl Ward on Dec 5, 2009

Sermon for Trinity Sunday on the Holy Trinity and the unity of the Church.

During the time of Oliver Cromwell, thousands of stained glass windows in English churches were destroyed, because the English puritans objected to objects of veneration, which they called ’abused images’. Of those stained glass windows that did survive, few were undamaged, and there was an ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:19

Denomination: Anglican

The Grateful Samaritan

Contributed by Darryl Ward on Dec 6, 2009

The importance of gratitude and humility.

We all know about the good Samaritan, but how many of us have heard of the grateful Samaritan? We are going to meet him today, but firstly I want to tell you about my friend Allen. Allen was quite different from most people. To have called him unconventional would have been an understatement, and ...read more

Scripture: Luke 17:11-19

Denomination: Anglican

Christmas In Ngaruawahia

Contributed by Darryl Ward on Dec 31, 2009

What if Jesus was born in New Zealand in 2009?

Hohepa sighed deeply as he changed gear on his cherished but somewhat tired Mazda 626. It was raining steadily as he drove through Huntly then south along the highway that followed every bend of the Waikato River. Every bump in the road could be clearly felt, but Hohepa was especially concerned ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:1-14

Denomination: Anglican

The God Of The Unexpected Series

Contributed by David Ward on Oct 3, 2009

An expository message from Acts 12 on how God "shows up" in response to his people’s faith, and lack of faith.

INTRODUCTION: Arthur Burns was chair of the Federal Reserve in the 1970s, and a Jewish economist of great influence in Washington during the tenure of several Presidents. Burns was once asked to pray at a gathering of evangelical politicians. Stunning his hosts, he prayed thus: "Lord, I pray that ...read more

Scripture: Acts 12:1-24

Denomination: Baptist

Under The Influence

Contributed by David Ward on Apr 1, 2010

"More filling--relate great!" When we have more filling of the Holy Spirit, we can relate great in our marriages, families, and workplaces.

INTRODUCTION: Tim Sanders—former chief solutions officer at Yahoo! and author of Love Is the Killer App—shares the following thought about establishing priorities: Take your life and all the things that you think are important, and put them in one of three categories. These three ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

The Writing On The Wall Series

Contributed by David Ward on Mar 8, 2014

Big Idea: Our days are numbered--how much will they weigh?

“The Writing on the Wall” Daniel 5 INTRODUCTION You might not want to listen to this message today. I’m serious—you might not want to know what I’m going to tell you. You may be happier not knowing, because once you know, then you are responsible for what you know. What the Scripture has to ...read more

Scripture: Daniel 5:1-31

Denomination: Baptist

Unquenchable Series

Contributed by David Ward on Jun 22, 2016

Big Idea: God don't want no worthless worship, so let's make our worship worth His while. Points: Worship is worthless to God when it isn't reverent, repentant, or real.

INTRODUCTION: Comedian Rodney Dangerfield, who died in 2004 at the age of 82, made a living making fun of himself and the difficulty of getting what we all desire: a little respect, please. Some of his best lines: • "I tell ya I get no respect from anyone. I bought a cemetery plot. The guy ...read more

Scripture: Malachi 1:6-14

Denomination: Baptist

Unqualified Series

Contributed by David Ward on Jun 27, 2016

BIG IDEA: Those who talk God's talk need to walk God's walk.

INTRODUCTION: In 2007, the I-35 bridge that crosses the Mississippi River in Minneapolis, Minnesota, collapsed suddenly during rush hour, killing 13 people and injuring 145. The investigation revealed that the gusset plates that connect girders together in the truss system were undersized, ...read more

Scripture: Malachi 2:1-9

Denomination: Baptist

Stay Awhile Series

Contributed by David Ward on Oct 31, 2015

From Paul's experience in Corinth, we find 3 keys to persevering through discouragement.

INTRO: Have you ever felt discouragement in your life as a Christ follower? If you’ve known him for any length of time, like a distance runner, I’ll bet you’ve “hit a wall” of discouragement. You think, “this is never going to work,” or “how long can ...read more

Scripture: Acts 18:1-17

Denomination: Baptist

Stoning The Elephant In The Room

Contributed by Darryl Ward on Mar 26, 2017

A sermon about scandal in the Church

The 2008 film ‘Doubt’, based on John Patrick Shanley’s Pulitzer Prize winning play of the same name, is set in a Roman Catholic church in the Bronx in the 1960s. Sister Aloysius, the principal of the attached school, played brilliantly by Meryl Streep, suspects Father Flynn, the parish priest, of ...read more

Scripture: John 8:1-11

Denomination: Anglican

When Christmas Isn’t Happy

Contributed by Darryl Ward on Mar 26, 2017

A sermon about when Christmas isn't happy

Just over two years ago, my Christmas preparations were following a familiar pattern. I had presents to organise, functions to attend, and travel to book. And a sermon to finish. Then, everything was thrown into disarray, when I found out my friend Steve had died in hospital, following an ...read more

Denomination: Anglican