Sermons on Simon On Cyrene:

"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

The King Long-Awaited Series

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Nov 27, 2021

Old Testament prophecies build our faith that Jesus is really God's anointed. We look at prophecies which give us the where, when and who of Jesus' birth.

Today we’re starting our Christmas series of talks. I’ve given the series the title ‘NOT YOUR USUAL KING’. After Jesus was born, magi – astrologers – came from the east to Jerusalem and asked, ‘Where is he who has been born KING OF THE JEWS?’ [Matthew 2:2]. After the magi found Jesus, ‘they fell ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 9:6-7, Daniel 9:25-26, Micah 5:2

Denomination: Baptist

What King Is Announced By A Star? Series

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Dec 4, 2021

Stars cause us to wonder. What was the star that appeared when Jesus was born? Was it a comet from a remote part of the solar system which happened to arrive at just the right time? Or was the universe itself acknowledging the coming of its creator and king?

Last Sunday we started our Christmas series of talks. I’ve given the series the title ‘NOT YOUR USUAL KING’. There are lots of ways in which Jesus is NOT your usual king. Last week we looked at some prophecies in the Old Testament that gave us the when, where and who of Jesus’ birth. No king ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 2:1-12

Denomination: Baptist

Three Big Reasons To Rejoice At Christmas

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Dec 24, 2021

Jesus' birth was cause for lots of rejoicing. But wasn't it a long time ago? Is it still cause for rejoicing for us? It certainly is!

[This is a short sermon / reflection for a short Christmas Day service.] Earlier in the service we reminded ourselves of the Christmas story. Perhaps we thought: that’s a nice story. But does it really affect me? In the Christmas story in the Bible there’s a constant note of joy. Elizabeth ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 9:7, Luke 1:32-33, Matthew 2:10

Denomination: Baptist

A Great Message Of Encouragement

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Jan 8, 2022

At the start of 2022 most of us probably feel that the future looks very uncertain. We want to hear God's message of encouragement. As the Israelites prepared to enter the Promised Land, God had a great message of encouragement for them.

THE SCENE I’d like you to imagine a scene. It’s about 1500 B.C. We’re in a wilderness a little to the south of the Dead Sea in what was then Moab and is now Jordan. Around us there are people, tents, and animals. The people look tough, weather-beaten. For forty years they’ve been living as ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 31:1-8

Denomination: Baptist

Great Messages Of Encouragement #2: Strength To The Weary

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Jan 15, 2022

In Isaiah's day Judah was invaded by Assyria, threatened by Babylon and ridden with sin. And yet, Isaiah offers a wonderful message of encouragement: 'they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles.' How is that possible?

Last week we started a series on ‘Great Messages of Encouragement’ in Scripture. Today we’re going to look at a great message of encouragement in Isaiah. It’s at the end of Isaiah 40. Isaiah writes: “He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 40:27-31

Denomination: Baptist

The Glory To Be Revealed Series

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Jan 22, 2022

Paul tells believers in Rome that ‘the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us’. But what is this glory?

PRE-TALK OR CHILDREN’S TALK Before Priscilla and I got married I used to keep a scrap book. In 1988 I cut out this picture from a newspaper. It’s of Linford Christie at the Seoul Olympics. He had never before competed in the Olympics but at Seoul, he won the silver medal. Four years later, he ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:18-25

Denomination: Baptist

A Passion For The Lost

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Feb 8, 2021

Jesus welcomed those who others rejected. The Pharisees and scribes pushed them away. The crowd just watched. Who will we be like?

We’re continuing our journey with Jesus and his disciples from Galilee to Jerusalem. This week we’re taking a big hop from Luke 12 to Luke 15. As Jesus and his disciples travelled, Jesus has been teaching [picture on slide]. He and his disciples have been healing and casting out demons. ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:1-7, John 10:1-4

Denomination: Baptist

Therefore, Do Not Be Anxious!

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Feb 11, 2021

Jesus isn't simply telling us not to be anxious. He's calling us to have a completely different attitude towards material possessions and material needs from the rich fool; to be confident in God and in that confidence, to be rich towards God and others.

‘Do not be anxious.’ That’s what Jesus told his disciples. If only! we might think. Can we banish anxiety from our hearts simply because Jesus tells us to? We’re in a series in Luke, following Jesus and his disciples on their journey from Galilee down to Jerusalem. Their journey starts in Luke ...read more

Scripture: Luke 12:13-34, Matthew 25:31-46, Luke 18:22, Luke 19:8-9, Matthew 10:29  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

The Parable Of The Prodigal Son

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Feb 20, 2021

The parable explains why Jesus received tax collectors and sinners and why we need to too. It's all about God's grace!

Today we’re going to look at the Parable of the Prodigal Son. It’s Jesus’ longest parable and one of the most famous. We can look at this story from several perspectives. We could reflect on the father in the story and what he shows us of God’s extraordinary grace. We could think about the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:33, Proverbs 12:26

Denomination: Baptist

God Saves Jonah, Nineveh, And Us.

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Aug 29, 2020

The story of Jonah tells the story of God rescuing Jonah, not FROM a whale, but BY a whale. It tells of God reaching out to one of the cruellest people in history, the Assyrians. And it prefigures the story of God reaching out to us, through Christ.

GOD SAVES JONAH, NINEVEH, AND US We’re in a series ‘Bible Stories for Grown-Ups.’ Today, we’re looking at the story of Jonah. I’m going to assume most of us are fairly familiar with the story of Jonah and not spend time revisiting it. I’m going to look at the story under three headings: the ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

The King Of Glory Comes In

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Sep 12, 2020

The earth is the Lord's. The Lord will return and enter our world as king of glory and mighty warrior. Ancient doors should lift up their heads in anticipation, and so should we.

Psalm 24 INTRODUCTION This month I’m going to take a look at three psalms: Psalms 24, 69 and 119. Today, we’ll look at Psalm 24. The words of the psalm are really moving: ‘Lift up your heads, you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in…’ We can ...read more

Denomination: Baptist