Sermons on In Adam:

Judging Like Jesus

Contributed by Joseph Neil Adams on Jan 17, 2008

God looks beyond the outward appearance and He wants us to be the same.

James 2:1-10, 14-17 1 Corinthians 1:26-29 The problem with human beings is that too often we judge things by how they appear and miss the bigger picture. We take notice of all sorts of things like what colour people are, where they were born, how they talk, how much money they have, what car ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 16:7

Denomination: Methodist

The Cost And The Coin

Contributed by Joseph Neil Adams on Jan 17, 2008

We should never play down the joy and peace of the relationship Jesus wants with us, but equally we should never underestimate cost.

Luke 15:8-10, 14:25-35 Today if you will follow me we shall walk backwards through Luke’s story and I pray encounter something of the power of God’s message for us today. The lost coin parable is a wonderful lesson for us. In it we find a woman who represents God loosing a day’s earnings. The ...read more

Denomination: Methodist

Parable Of The Sower

Contributed by Joseph Neil Adams on Jan 18, 2008

Its not all about the soil - its about the sower too.

Matthew 13:1-9 (The Message) Parables are stories Jesus told that tell us something about the Kingdom of God. They are though about concealing and not just revealing the truth. If you want to understand the message you have to be prepared to delve deeper than the simple story. But the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:1-9

Denomination: Methodist

The Sacrament Of Holy Communion

Contributed by Joseph Neil Adams on Jan 18, 2008

Too many people in Church have never understood that HC is such a powerful mission event. In this celebration we don’t just proclaim Jesus we meet Him so the rail is the safest place on earth

The Sacrament of Communion 1 Corinthians 11:17-29 I have talked about many times how we encounter God in all things but also in specific things. Our experience of love isn’t of love in general, but rather it is specific; like the affection & love of a child or parent or partner for instance. ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 11:17-29

Denomination: Methodist

The Widow & The Judge

Contributed by Joseph Neil Adams on Jan 18, 2008

Its obvious what this is all about – yes, no. Another challenging way of reading this passage.

The widow & the judge Its obvious what this is all about – yes? Actually just in case we didn’t get it, Luke tells us Jesus gave His own interpretation. So, its a story about persistence in prayer and God’s compassion and responsiveness. Isn’t it? Well let’s just think a little about it. There ...read more

Scripture: Luke 18:1-8

Denomination: Methodist

Palm Sunday - All The Way

Contributed by Joseph Neil Adams on Feb 22, 2008

Everybody that first Palm Sunday misunderstood what was going on. Will we see the real Jesus or go along with the crowd & see Jesus like the latest political hero?

Palm Sunday - All the way John 12: 12 - 19 Obviously when you made your way here today you knew that we would be thinking about Palm Sunday, so it is no surprise that our reading retells the story of that amazing day. I chose to focus though on John’s story because of the text we have today ...read more

Scripture: John 12:12-19

Denomination: Methodist

Easter Day - Family Worship 2008

Contributed by Joseph Neil Adams on Feb 22, 2008

All ages service where I want to think about some of the mistakes made on first Easter day so we don’t make them too, because ‘Jesus isn’t dead He is alive.

Easter day - Family Worship 2008 Mark 16: 1-8 Service to begin with challenge to children & adults that every time I say ‘Jesus isn’t dead’ they have to shout out loud ‘No He’s alive’. Talk #1 A quick quiz to begin - hands up if you know who Orville & Wilbur Wright were? Yes the Wright ...read more

Scripture: Mark 16:1-8

Denomination: Methodist

Easter Day

Contributed by Joseph Neil Adams on Feb 22, 2008

Mark’s original ending has been seen as controversial yet it is so powerful & real & full of challenge.

The Easter resurrection story in Mark offers us a different slant in a way on old story. It offers us an ending where the feeling is not spontaneous joy & praise, but fear & confusion & doubt. It is a ending that has troubled the Church for generations, indeed it made the people who put together ...read more

Scripture: Mark 16:1-8

Denomination: Methodist

Easter - Ghosts

Contributed by Joseph Neil Adams on Feb 22, 2008

A message thinking about life, death, resurrection & ghosts because that lie the devil has used about Jesus not being really alive but just a ghost must be dispatched back to hell.

Ghosts Luke 24:36b-48 Perhaps because we hear this Easter story so often we loose some of the power. We loose something of the sense of how fantastic & ridiculous an idea this truly is - Jesus dead now alive. How can that be because dead people stay dead, we all know that to be true don’t ...read more

Scripture: Luke 24:6-48

Denomination: Methodist

Pentecost Tongues

Contributed by Joseph Neil Adams on Feb 25, 2008

A message about why the Spirit gave those first Christians the ability to speak in other languages.

Pentecost #3 - Tongues Acts 2:1-21 Some people find the story of Pentecost quite difficult & disturbing - why? I think because the Bible says that the Holy Spirit (HS) came & the disciples heard saw & experienced the HS. They are all gathered on the day of Pentecost in prayer & HS came both ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:1-21

Denomination: Methodist

The Vision Thing

Contributed by Joseph Neil Adams on Feb 25, 2008

An ecumenical message in 2 parts for Pentecost - my last one in my last appointment.

Pentecost 2006 Ecumenical Service : The Vision thing CTW – Acts 2:1-13 PP 31 Come on & celebrate PP 35 Father God Prayers Wildfire x2 Reading - Isaiah 43:14-21 Talk 1 PP 69 Holy Spirit we welcome you Testimony – Good news slot?? The Peace Jane - Father Spirit Jesus Reading -2 Corinthians ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:1-13

Denomination: Methodist

Is It Nothing To You?

Contributed by Joseph Neil Adams on Feb 25, 2008

Good Friday address with the text - Lamentations 1:12“Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look around & see. Is any suffering like my suffering that was inflicted on me, that the Lord brought on me in the day of His fierce anger”

In parts Matthew’s passion & death narrative is read throughout the service which had the sermon very near the end & was followed with an extended period of silence. Text - Lamentations 1:12“Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look around & see. Is any suffering like my suffering that was ...read more

Denomination: Methodist

Maundy Thursday - Judas & Peter

Contributed by Joseph Neil Adams on Feb 26, 2008

A message for Maundy Thursday which compares Peter & Judas.

(Matthew 26: 17 – 35 or John 13) Text - Luke 22:31-32 (NRSV) ‘Simon, Simon, listen! Satan has demanded to sift all of you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your own faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned back, strengthen your brothers & sisters.’ We focus today maybe ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 26:17-35

Denomination: Methodist

Emmaus - Surprising God

Contributed by Joseph Neil Adams on Mar 24, 2008

Do we understand our calling to be Christ to the needy & poor? Francis of Assisi & Mother Theresa are illustartions in this message that links the parable fo teh sheep & goats to the Easter Emmaus story.

Luke 24:13-35 Matthew 25:31-46 Isaiah 53:1-3 This Emmaus scripture is a strange one isn’t it? Friends walking with not just a close friend but their leader; yet despite knowing him so well they fail to recognise Him. Yet it is not just a case of the risen Christ being so different to the Jesus ...read more

Scripture: Luke 24:13-35

Denomination: Methodist

Rediscovering Our Voice - Stephen

Contributed by Joseph Neil Adams on Apr 16, 2008

Look at Stephen the martyr & how we are called likewise to rediscover our voice in sharing our faith & speaking prophetically too

2 Peter 2:1-10 Acts 7: 51-60 Summary prior to Acts reading Stephen is in Jerusalem around AD 30. He is one of the most trusted men in the Church; a very good man who the Bible says was full of both the Holy Spirit and love. The early Christian community trusted him & chose him to be treasurer of ...read more

Scripture: Acts 7:51-60

Denomination: Methodist