Sermons on Favouritism:

Most Highly Favoured Lady

Contributed by Malcolm Chester on Jan 3, 2008

A sermon considering the role and place of Mary in the birth of Jesus

Do you ever get sick and fed up of all those Christmas songs? I googled ’songs for Christmas’ and it gave me millions of possible places to go. All the old favourites were there – Christmas carols old and new; Christmas songs (Frosty the snowman, Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer, all I want for ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:46-55

Denomination: Methodist

Whom Do Ye Say That I Am? Series

Contributed by David Moore on Nov 7, 2008

This is the fourth message in a series looking at questions Christ asked. It underlines the responsibility of everyone to answer for themselves as to the Person of Christ.

A Series of Queries Whom Say Ye That I Am? Text: Matthew 16:13-15 Introduction: One of my favourite stories, (whether it is true or not I cannot really say – the Irish love telling “stories”), is about the golfer Seve Ballesteros when he was playing in the Irish Open Golf Championship at ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:13-15

Denomination: Baptist

7 Reasons To Reach The Lost For Christ

Contributed by Randy Bataanon on Oct 27, 2010

Zacchaeus was like many other people around us. Smiling in the outside but hurting and crying in the inside. All the wealth, power and luxury cannot mend the broken heart cause by rejections and inadequacy.

7 REASONS TO REACH THE LOST FOR CHRIST Reading: Luke 19:1-10 Luk 19:1 Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town. Luk 19:2 There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was one of the most influential Jews in the Roman tax-collecting business, and he had become very rich. Luk 19:3 He ...read more

Scripture: Luke 19:1-10

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I Am, Am I Willing To Allow Jesus To Stand In The Gap For Me?? Series

Contributed by Andrew Moffatt on Nov 12, 2010

Jesus is the Gate for the Sheep. Do we allow him to give us the spiritual protection he offers, does he complete us and are we watchmen who are open to his voice?

Sermon: I AM, Am I willing to allow Jesus to stand in the gap for me? Before I went off to train for ministry; I used to live in an old house in Oamaru with an acre and a half of land, I had the usual garden and lawn but I also had about an acre and a quarter of pretty rough hillside that was ...read more

Scripture: John 10:1-10

Denomination: Salvation Army

What About Human Freedom? Series

Contributed by Ian Du Pisanie on Apr 2, 2012

If God ordains whatsoever shall come to pass, what role do humans play in the greater picture? Are we merely puppets on a string or is the some sort of freedom we have to choose God?

What about human freedom? This is a very interesting topic, and there are a variety of answers that should actually be considered, and hopefully we will look at the main points during the course of our service this morning. I’m not going to be doing any recapping today, simply to say that ...read more

Scripture: Romans 3:10-20

Denomination: Baptist

Pentecost, Attributes Of The Holy Spirit Series

Contributed by Andrew Moffatt on Jun 19, 2011

Some of the attributes of the Holy Spirit as described in the New Testament.

The attributes of the Holy Spirit Interestingly last week we talked about the festival of Pentecost and referred to some experiences people had had of the Holy Spirit at work in their lives. If we look into the work and attributes of the Holy Spirit we see that the Holy Spirit does not work alone ...read more

Scripture: John 14:15-17, Galatians 5:21-23

Denomination: Salvation Army

The Divided Kingdom Series

Contributed by Chris Appleby on Jul 4, 2010

Solomon’s foolishness is repeated by his son who refuses to listen to the wise counsel of his advisers and instead turns to his younger peers who agree with him.

By Rev Roy Hamer About thirty years ago Jo and I were involved in Youth Adventure camping. In fact you could say it’s how we met. You see we had mutual friends who where rock climbers and Jo and I often went climbing with them. Jo was a great climber: nimble flexible and brave. On the other hand ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 12:1-33

Denomination: Anglican

Come And See, Follow Me

Contributed by Chris Appleby on Aug 31, 2009

People come to Jesus because others share with them the good news.

By Rev Bill Stewart Several years ago I had been invited to a dinner party at the home of some friends from Church. I had accepted the invitation the week before. But when the time came to get ready to go I really didn’t feel up to going. It had been a very busy week at work. When I got home about ...read more

Scripture: John 1:35-51

Denomination: Anglican

The God Who Encourages Series

Contributed by Christian Cheong on Nov 14, 2009

God encourages Paul when he was discouraged. Ministry is hard work, but God is in it with you. Your circumstances do not determine how you fare.

THE TOOL CALLED ‘DISCOURAGEMENT’ Once upon a time, the Devil decided to have a garage sale and sell all the tools of his trade. There were envy, jealousy, hatred, deceit, pride, idolatry and many others. Each of the tools was marked with its own price tag. On the day of the big sale, all were ...read more

Scripture: Acts 18:1-11

Denomination: Independent/Bible

A Tale Of Two Mothers

Contributed by C Vincent on Mar 22, 2010

A look at two Mothers and their role in the life of Moses. The natural mother and the adopted mother, both demonstrate love for the child.

A Tale of Two Mothers JCC Mother’s Day 14.03.10 am Exodus 2:1-10 Moses wrote this account about his own birth He shares with us who and what his family was like But he never discloses his parents names until later in Ex 6:20 Now Amram took for himself Jochebed, his father's sister, as wife; ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 2:1-10

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Dreams And Interpretations Series

Contributed by Jyoti Banerjee on Nov 27, 2006

God gave Joseph dreams and interpretations of dreams but he needed to work on Joseph’s life to bring those dreams alive.

If you have not been part of St Stephen’s morning services for the past few weeks, you might have missed our series on the life of Joseph. Here was a young man, born into a well-off family already well-equipped with sons. Yet his father Jacob favours him over the others, possibly because his mum ...read more

Denomination: Anglican

Community Connection Series

Contributed by Dale Pilgrim on May 7, 2012

This series addresses the value and need for small group ministry in the local church

THE W5 OF LIFE GROUPS “Community Connection” Philemon 1:2 – “to the church that meets in your home” INTRODUCTION In my teen years my brothers and I shared house chores. Both parents worked long hours so it was reasonable that we would help around the house and yard. ...read more

Scripture: Philemon 1:2

Denomination: Salvation Army

A Canaanite Woman Series

Contributed by Chris Appleby on May 15, 2012

Jesus responds to a woman, not simply because he loves all people, but because of the great faith she shows in Jesus.This can be an example for each one of us of how to persevere in prayer and faith in God.

We Christians often get criticised for our belief in the uniqueness of Christ. People accuse us of being exclusive because we believe that Jesus is the way the truth and the life and no-one comes to the Father except through him. We believe that there’s no other name given under heaven by ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 15:21-28

Denomination: Anglican

God Why Don't You Do Something

Contributed by Denn Guptill on Sep 2, 2007

As we stand at the foot of the cross it is easy to demand of God how could you allow this happen, why don’t you do something?

How many times have we asked ourselves the same question that Jesus asked as he hung dying on the cross? “God why don’t you do something?” Surely if we had of been standing by watching as this man of peaces, as the Son of God was humiliated in a sham of a trial, as he was scourged and beaten in ...read more

Scripture: Mark 15:33-39

Denomination: Wesleyan

My Two Adoption Stories

Contributed by Timothy Enns on Oct 5, 2011

My personal journey in realizing my part in God’s family

Spiritual Adoption Romans 8:12-17 I want to tell you a story today about a little fellow named Jason. The circumstances that Jason was born into not entirely clear. What we do know is that his birth parents, for what ever reason, decided not to care for him or could not care for him. Instead they ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:12-17

Denomination: Nazarene