Sermons on Simon On Cyrene:

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

The Gospel. Part 1: The Problem

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Oct 9, 2020

To understand why the gospel is such great news (the very best news, in fact!) we need to understand why the problem that the gospel solves is such bad news.

INTRODUCTION Today we’re starting a series of four talks titled ‘the gospel.’ The word ‘gospel’ means ‘Good News.’ We like good news! People complain about the press and say that the press really prefers bad news to good news. But I think most of us like good news. • Your friends have a ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

The Gospel. Part 2: The Solution

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Oct 25, 2020

Jesus deals with our debt and with God's anger. He makes it possible for our relationship with God to be restored. But there is something we have to do. We have to repent.

Two weeks ago, I gave the first of four talks titled ‘the gospel.’ I said that the word ‘gospel’ means ‘good news.’ What is this good news? We looked at a passage in John 6 in which Jesus said, absolutely clearly, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes HAS ETERNAL LIFE.’ Jesus then ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 53:1-6

Denomination: Baptist

Overcoming Fear

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Nov 6, 2020

Before his crucifixion Jesus gave his disciples some instruction on how to overcome fear. His instruction to them is applicable to us too.

[Note, this series started to follow the SermonCentral ‘Fear Not’ series, but this week I went in a different direction.] Today we have the second talk in our series ‘Fear Not.’ Last week we started by thinking about healthy and unhealthy fears. [This talk was given by someone else.] A healthy ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-4

Denomination: Baptist

God's Great Compassion

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Jun 19, 2021

Jesus calls us to be merciful as God is merciful, and in the way God acted towards the people of Nineveh, he set the bar very high. The Assyrians were among the cruellest people in history.

INTRODUCTION Jonah is one of the shortest books in the Bible. It’s just 48 verses long. That’s shorter than a lot of chapters in the New Testament. Because it’s such a short book, when Bible translators begin work translating the Bible into other languages they’ll often start with Jonah. They ...read more

Scripture: Jonah 1:1-3

Denomination: Baptist

The Supreme Fact

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Apr 5, 2021

Jesus' resurrection is the supreme fact in history and the supreme fact for every believer.

INTRODUCTION I’d like to start by telling you a bit about the time in my life after I became a Christian. I became a Christian when I was about ten. For a few years life went on much as before. Then I went on to secondary school. It was a private boarding school. When I started it was an ...read more

Scripture: Luke 24:1-12, 1 Corinthians 15:12-19

Denomination: Baptist

The Gospel. Part 3: What Happens If We Accept Jesus?

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Nov 15, 2020

When we accept Jesus we ARE a new creation and the old passes away. There is new birth and death. But we shouldn't imagine for a moment that the job is done. Just as a new baby needs nurturing, our new spiritual selves need nurturing. And our old selves need to be shown the door.

The Gospel, Part 3 We have now reached the third of our four talks in our series ‘the gospel.’ Part 1: The problem Part 2: The solution Part 3: What changes if we accept Jesus? Part 4: What happens if we reject Jesus? [Slide of Adam and Eve] In part 1 of this series on ‘the gospel’ we first ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:17

Denomination: Baptist

The Gospel. Part 4: What Happens If We Reject Jesus?

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Nov 24, 2020

Without Jesus in our lives, sin takes hold; weeds start to grow up in the garden of our lives. But the consequences for eternity are much more serious. However, does scripture really lead us to expect the 'pains of hell for ever'?

Please note. The passage for this talk is Matthew 25:31-46, however the main focus of the talk is v.46. Part 4: What happens if we reject Jesus? Today we have the fourth and last talk in my series on the gospel. We’re thinking about the question, ‘What happens if we reject Jesus?’ Quite a ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 25:31-46, Matthew 25:46

Denomination: Baptist

Christmas: Reason To Hope

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Nov 28, 2020

Simeon hoped to see the messiah before he died and he did. His story teaches us something about why we hope and how to hope.

We’ve just sung that great song by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend, ‘In Christ alone my hope is found.’ That’s quite a declaration! Getty wrote the music and Townend wrote the words. Townend isn’t merely saying that Jesus is A source of HOPE. He’s saying that Jesus is the ONLY source of hope! ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:22-35

Denomination: Baptist

Jesus, Prince Of Peace

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Dec 5, 2020

Peace is central to Christmas. Jesus came to heal the age-old fracture and bring us peace with God and he's the only one who can.

What does Christmas mean to you? What do you like best about Christmas? Spending time with family and friends? Christmas trees? Turkey roasts? Christmas puddings and brandy butter? Stockings? Santa? Presents? Carols? A season of goodwill when we put past hurts aside? I certainly like all ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:8-10, Isaiah 9:6-7, John 14:27, Luke 2:29-30, Luke 2:14, Luke 12:50-52, John 16:32-33  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Joy To The World

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Dec 12, 2020

The angel proclaimed ‘good news of great joy.’ Sounds great! But what exactly is this good news? What kind of joy should we experience? Do you have that joy?

In the lead-up to Christmas this year we’re focusing on four great themes: hope, peace, joy and love. Many churches have Advent candles and they associate these four themes with the first four Advent candles. The fifth candle is for Jesus. The last two Sundays we looked at hope and peace; today ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:8-11, Luke 2:23, Luke 1:50, Luke 1:54, Luke 1:72, Luke 1:76-78  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Why David Is So Important Series

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Aug 18, 2024

David is a hugely important figure in the Bible. But if we're going to learn from him we need to have an understanding of why he is so important.

Part 1: Is David important? Over the next few months, we’re going to have eight studies on David, the shepherd who became king. We could easily give David much more time than that – he’s such an important person in the Bible, but we can’t fit in more than eight studies between now and December ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 1:1, Revelation 22:16, Acts 13:22

Denomination: Baptist

The Good Shepherd Series

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Aug 18, 2024

Jesus said 'I am the Good Shepherd.' This is one of Jesus' most famous descriptions of himself. It gives us a lot of encouragement. But there are some things he calls us to do: follow, listen and flee.

INTRODUCTION A couple of weeks ago, we started a new series for the afternoon services, looking at WHO JESUS IS. In the Bible, God the Father and Jesus have many titles and descriptions. They tell us something about God the Father or Jesus. When Jesus was crucified, Pilate had a notice prepared ...read more

Scripture: John 10:1-17

Denomination: Baptist

Anointed Fugitive Series

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Aug 23, 2024

Samuel anointed David. But now, he's a fugitive, holed up in a cave! He isn't happy. But he does exactly the right thing. We can learn from him for the times when we feel everyone has abandoned us, when we're in a dark, damp, smelly metaphorical cave.

Last week we started a new series looking at David in the Old Testament. I made two very simple points. First, David is a huge figure in the Bible. There is loads about him in the Old Testament. That alone means that David must be really important. But even more significant is the way the New ...read more

Denomination: Baptist