Sermons on menno simons: showing 526-540 of 11,152

Paul’s Charge To The Ephesian Elders Series

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Oct 14, 2023

Paul sees the elders of the Ephesian church for the last time. He gives them a charge: 'Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock.' It's a message the church needs to hear today.

Today’s passage has a lot to tell us about the job of a minister or pastor or elder. Maybe you think, ‘I’m not a minister or pastor or elder. This doesn’t apply to me’! But all of us have responsibilities towards other people. This passage has something to say to all of us. Before I get ...read more

Scripture: Acts 20:17-38

Denomination: Baptist

Would You Have Gone? Series

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Oct 29, 2023

God leads Paul to Jerusalem. It doesn't seem to make sense. It will be costly. Friends advise against. Would you have gone? We see God's priority is mission.

INTRODUCTION Have you ever been in a situation where you felt that God was asking you to do… Something that DIDN’T MAKE A LOT OF SENSE to you? Something that was COSTLY? Something that all your friends URGE YOU NOT TO DO? That was the situation the apostle Paul was in. Many years previously ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

God Of Restoration

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Jul 24, 2021

Jonah is angry; God helps him to deal with it. God's action is a great example to us in how to help someone who's hurting. We also see how God sometimes speaks to Jonah. We should be aware that God may speak in this way.

Over the past four weeks we’ve been following a series on Jonah. Today we move on to the last chapter in the book of Jonah and the last talk in our series. Since some of you haven’t been with us as we’ve gone through the book of Jonah, I’d like to fill you in on what’s been happening. The prophet ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

"Is Not Life More Than Food And The Body More Than Clothing?” Series

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Aug 2, 2021

Anxiety is a huge issue today. Jesus shows us how to deal with it – by asking key questions!

For the last two Sundays we’ve looked at two questions a lawyer asked Jesus: ‘What must I do to inherit eternal life?’ and ‘And who is my neighbour?’ They’re both really important questions. The two questions are connected. In order to be saved we need to love our neighbour – so we need to know ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:25-30

Denomination: Baptist

Gathering For Encouragement Series

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Aug 2, 2021

Hebrews 12:1 tells us to 'run with endurance'. Only long races need endurance - marathons, for example. In a marathon, encouragement makes all the difference. The Christian life can be tough. We need encouragement and we need to encourage others.

Today we’re starting a new series. We will have four talks on the theme of ‘Why we gather’. Last Sunday we met back at church after sixteen months of having our morning services online. That’s a significant moment. But something else has been happening. About four months ago we started a new ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 10:24-25

Denomination: Baptist

Why We Gather, No.2, Rhythm

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Aug 15, 2021

God wants human life to have a rhythm to it and meeting together on Sunday helps us to establish that rhythm.

INTRODUCTION Two weeks ago we started a new four-talk series titled ‘Why we gather?’ I got the idea for the series from a website called SermonCentral. For the past 16 months most of us haven’t been gathering, or at least, not in person. Two weeks ago we started to meet again. So I think ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 1:14, Genesis 2:1-3, Isaiah 58:13-14

Denomination: Baptist

Gathering For Strength Series

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Aug 28, 2021

Paul calls the Philippians to stand firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel. His relationship with the church in Philippi illustrates what he's talking about. It's challenging!

[INTRODUCTION AND RECAP] We’re doing a series on ‘why Christians gather together.’ We’re emerging from the Covid pandemic and the various lockdowns and we’ve started to meet together in person so it seems a good time to ask why we gather together. I am loosely following a sermon series I found on ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 1:18-30

Denomination: Baptist

A Disturbed Woman Series

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Jan 29, 2023

Jesus meets a Samaritan woman at a well. Jesus is absolutely willing to break cultural norms. He is led by scripture. And the meeting brings great results.

We’re in the third talk in our series on ‘Encounters with Jesus in John’s gospel.’ Last week, we looked at a passage in John 3. A man called Nicodemus met Jesus. He was a Pharisee and a member of the Jewish ruling council. In short, he was a very respectable man. Jesus told him that he needed ...read more

Scripture: John 4:1-26

Denomination: Baptist

Reflection A.1 / Coronavirus - First Response / Go To God First

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on May 9, 2020

In Isaiah 22, Isaiah imagines Jerusalem's response to a crisis - an enemy attack. The city prepares - but forgets God.

This is an approximately daily reflection in response to coronavirus. As of 9th May, the number of people infected has passed four million and the number of deaths is 275,000. In the UK, we've passed the peak. But around the world the graph of infections against time is showing little sign ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 22:8-13

Denomination: Baptist

Reflection A.2 / Coronavirus - First Response / Prayer Brought An End To A Plague

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on May 9, 2020

Three examples of God's people praying in response to a plague

Some Christians are asking why we’re experiencing this pandemic. Is coronavirus a judgement from God? Are we living in end times? Interesting questions! But I started yesterday on the subject of prayer and I want to continue with that theme a little longer. First and foremost, we as God’s ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 8:30-31, Numbers 16:32, 2 Samuel 24:15

Denomination: Baptist

Reflection A.3 / Coronavirus - First Response / We Should Grieve

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on May 9, 2020

Scripture calls us to 'weep with those who weep’. We grieve over suffering. We should also grieve over sin.

In my first two Reflections I considered prayer. Our first response to coronavirus, as a church and as a nation, should be to pray. Another response we must make is to grieve. Paul wrote in Romans 12:15, ‘Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep’. Some weeks ago I travelled up ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:15

Denomination: Baptist

Reflection A.4 / Coronavirus - First Response / We’re All Lepers Now

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on May 9, 2020

Jesus was amazingly sensitive to a leper. It's a great example of how we need to be, because, in a sense, we're all lepers now.

Early on in the coronavirus outbreak in the UK Boris Johnson sent a letter to every household in Britain. The fact that he did this, and the content of the letter, highlighted the gravity of our situation. Boris Johnson’s key instruction was: stay home. We stay home in order not to pass on, or ...read more

Scripture: Luke 5:12-13

Denomination: Baptist

Reflection A.5 / Coronavirus - First Response / We Ask Why. But We’re Cautious In Forming An Opinion

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on May 9, 2020

Looking at coronavirus - is there a bigger picture? We need to look, but we also need to be cautious in interpreting what we 'see'.

There are many ways to ‘see’ things, not with our physical eyes, but with the eyes of understanding. In the previous 'Reflection' I reflected on Jesus’ sensitivity to different people he met: a leper, someone who was deaf, someone who was blind. Jesus ‘saw’ each person as an individual ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:28

Denomination: Baptist

Reflection B.1 / Does God Have A Purpose In Coronavirus? / How To Approach The Question

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on May 11, 2020

We should ask whether God has a purpose in coronavirus. It's a logical and reasonable question to ask. But we first need to think about how to even approach the question.

In my second Reflection I wrote: “Some Christians are asking why we’re experiencing this pandemic. Is coronavirus a judgement from God? Are we living in end times?” In my fifth Reflection I noted that the Daily Express [an English newspaper] had asked another question: “What does the Bible say ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:10-11

Denomination: Baptist

Reflection B.2 / Does God Have A Purpose In Coronavirus? / God Responds To Sin And Oppression

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on May 11, 2020

The title is 'God responds to sin and oppression'. That's a very basic thing to understand in our process of thinking about coronavirus! Not only that, God responds to sin and oppression in an appropriate way. The plagues of Egypt show us this.

We’re looking at three questions. Is coronavirus a judgement from God? Are we living in end times? And, what does the Bible say about COVID-19? Today we’ll look at some general principles about how God responds to a situation he doesn’t like. 1 Kings 6:1 tells us that ‘In the four hundred and ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 3:7

Denomination: Baptist