Sermons on louis armstrong:

Why Religion Doesn't Work

Contributed by Mark Armstrong on Aug 3, 2009

The folly of false religions. Only fullness and freedom are found in Christ.

The setting is the front of a small church. The pastor says from the pulpit, ‘I’ve misplaced my sermon notes, so I’m just going to read from this devotional—if I can find it here. While I look, maybe the choir can lead us in a hymn’. He glances at the choir which has one person.   The choir ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 2:16-23

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Trinity And Creation Series

Contributed by Mark Armstrong on Jun 24, 2010

The Trinity foreshadowed in creation.

The well known Christian author, Jim Packer, lectures in systematic theology at Regent’s College in Vancouver. One of his former students says that Packer started every class by saying, ‘Arise, friends, let us sing the Doxology!’ After singing and a word of prayer, he would then say to his ...read more

Scripture: Romans 1:18-20

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Trinity In The Scriptures Series

Contributed by Mark Armstrong on Jun 24, 2010

Scriptural support for the Trinity. The contribution of Tertullian.

Augustine said, ‘if you deny the Trinity you lose your soul, if you try to explain it you lose your mind’. The hope today is to avoid both of these pitfalls. But in order to do this, you will need to put your thinking caps on. And you’ll need to think because we are moving around the Bible and ...read more

Scripture: John 1:1-18

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Circumstances Changed Character's Concepts Series

Contributed by Mack Armstrong on Jul 6, 2010

Naomi undergoes a changed perspective.

RUTH 1:20-22 CIRCUMSTANCES CHANGED CHARACTER’S CONCEPTS I. CHANGE: RUTH 1:20 A. Concepts. B. Character. C. Continuum. II. CIRCUMSTANCES: RUTH 1:21 A. Comparative. B. Charging. C. Constructive. III. ...read more

Scripture: Ruth 1:1-22

Denomination: Methodist

Fortunate Foreigner Finds Future Fulfillment

Contributed by Mack Armstrong on Aug 3, 2010

Ruth Finds happiness by working and obeying God

RUTH 2:1-3 FORTUNATE FOREIGNER FINDS FUTURE FULFILLMENT I. FAMILY: RUTH 2:1 A. Fortune. B. Famous. C. Forlorn. II. FOREIGNER: RUTH 2:2 A. Fervor. B. Fearless. C. Favor. III. ...read more

Scripture: Ruth 2:1-3

Denomination: Methodist

Trinity And Controversy Series

Contributed by Mark Armstrong on Aug 10, 2010

A sample of trinitarian controversy in church history and its application to Jehovah’s Witnesses and the book "The Shack".

I remember a less than flattering incident when I was young. My sister and I wanted to watch different programs on TV. I think she wanted to watch ‘The Patty Duke Show’ and I wanted to watch ‘Lost in Space’. This was before the days of remote controls. So we sat in front of the TV for a whole hour ...read more

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Trinity In Salvation Series

Contributed by Mark Armstrong on Aug 10, 2010

The persons of the Trinity working for our salvation.

On Saturday May 15, 2010, Jessica Watson arrived in Sydney after sailing around the world. It was a wonderfully inspiring effort. I once got sea sick sitting on a surf ski waiting for waves off Warriewood Beach. So you can imagine how I feel even thinking about sailing through huge seas on a yacht ...read more

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Trinity In Relationships

Contributed by Mark Armstrong on Aug 10, 2010

How the Trinity shapes our relationships.

Today we come to our last study on the Trinity. Three things we shall be doing (1) looking at the Trinity as a model for understanding ourselves; (2) then the Trinity as the foundation for building godly relationships; (3) the priority of trinitarian love.   opening prayer   ‘I’m not a ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 2:15-25

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Pray, Give, Go

Contributed by Mark Armstrong on Feb 22, 2010

Designed as a short, punchy talk to motivate people for mission.

Naomi Reed writes a regular column in ‘The Pulse’ magazine. The article is called, ‘Pray, Give, Go’. We ought to be praying for mission, we ought to be giving to mission, and we ought to be sending workers into the field.   I think Naomi has missed the most common response ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 4:19-31

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

A Faith That Lasts Series

Contributed by Mark Armstrong on Jun 2, 2009

The necessity of ongoing faith in Christ Jesus.

Imagine going into a BANK, innocently filling out a withdrawal slip, and within MINUTES being arrested by the police. When RON SCHATZ filled out a withdrawal slip in an American bank, he had no idea that HANDCUFFS would soon be place upon him. It took a while to straighten out the story. The teller ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 1:19-23

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Lord, My King Series

Contributed by Mark Armstrong on Jun 2, 2009

The absolute supremacy of Christ means we are safe in his arms.

We all like to feel safe and secure. When I was a young lad, I had this dream that has stayed with me for 45 years. I dreamt about a large house with a flight of external stairs. For some reason I was scared, I couldn’t work out why. Then I felt compelled to climb the flight of stairs—step by scary ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 1:15-18

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

United In Love Series

Contributed by Mark Armstrong on Jun 2, 2009

Setting a purpose for Christian living.

Christians without goals are a little like Alice in the fairy tale ‘Alice in Wonderland’. In a conversation between her and the Cheshire Cat, Alice asked, ‘Would you tell me please, which way I ought to go from here’? ‘That depends a good deal on where you want to get to’, said the cat. ‘I don’t ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 2:1-5

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Hope Of Glory Series

Contributed by Mark Armstrong on Jun 10, 2009

Learning from Paul’s personal testimony to the Colossian CHurch

When I was at university—I sweated and groaned and struggled to get through my studies. One day a mate left an major project we were working on in the train. He rang every station from Hornsby to Campbelltown hoping it was handed in. Alas, our major assignment was gone forever! After the lecturer ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 1:24-29

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Four Seasons

Contributed by Mark Armstrong on Jan 7, 2010

A Christmas sermon from the angle of Vivaldi's four seasons.

Poets and artists have always been interested in depicting the seasons of the year. There’s a beauty known only to each season which engages and sparks the imagination to creativity. In 1725, Vivaldi composed his most known work The Four Seasons, the texture of each concerto resembling its ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 3:1-2

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Everything Held Captive Series

Contributed by Mark Armstrong on Apr 23, 2009

Introduction to Colossians plus exposition of Col 1:1-2.

The game ‘Dungeons and Dragons’ first came to light in 1974. Players of D&D create characters which they live out in an alternative reality. And so D&D is a fantasy role playing game where players embark upon imaginary adventures in a created world. Although there’s a few variations of the game, a ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 1:1-2

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed