Sermons on Simon On Cyrene:

Going The Wrong Way - Faster

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Jan 25, 2025

We look at some recent news items about global warming. The world is going the wrong way - faster. How should we respond?

Today, we’re continuing in the series we started last week, looking at items that have been in the news recently and thinking about how we respond to them as Christians. This week, we’re going to look at some items that have been in the news recently, related to global warming. I’ve titled this ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 24:1-4, Revelation 9:4, Revelation 11:18

Denomination: Baptist

Camels And Needles

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Feb 8, 2025

Jesus said that it is harder for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven than for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle. Totally impossible - and yet, not for God. We explore the idea in a children's / family service with the help of some glass ships in glass bottles.

THIS WAS A TALK FOR A FAMILY SERVICE, GIVEN IN THREE PARTS. PART 1: A glass ship in a glass bottle Perhaps you have a jug at home that’s made of Pyrex. [EXAMPLE.] This kind of jug can withstand high temperatures. You can put it in the oven and you can put it in the freezer. That’s because it’s ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 19:16-26

Denomination: Baptist

David The Judge: Justice In A Messy World Series

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Oct 28, 2024

Many people see David as a failure as a judge. But the world of David's time was a messy place. There were reasons why David couldn't do all that he would have liked to do or, we might think, should have done. The Bible doesn't see David as a failure as a judge.

We’re coming towards the end of our series, ‘Learning from David’. Last week, we looked at David the king. We saw that in the Bible, the foundation of God’s throne is righteousness and justice. I suggested that if righteousness and justice are the foundation of GOD’S throne – the key ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Jesus The Bridegroom

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Nov 9, 2024

We don't talk enough about Jesus the bridegroom. It's one of Jesus' most wonderful titles. It helps us to understand who he is, the kind of relationship he wants with us, and who we are.

Some of us have been Christians for a long time and we’ve heard that Jesus is sometimes called the bridegroom. But perhaps some of us have never heard this title of Jesus. I don’t think churches talk about it often enough. It’s one of the most important and wonderful titles of Jesus. When we ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 54:5-6, Isaiah 62:5, Hosea 2:16, Mark 2:18-22, John 3:25-29, Revelation 19:6-7, Revelation 21:9  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Remembrance Sunday - What We Should Remember

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Nov 9, 2024

On Remembrance Sunday let's remember, first, that there are things to SACRIFICE for. Second, that there are things to FIGHT for. And third, that there are things to HOPE for.

INTRODUCTION EARLIER IN THE SERVICE Today is Remembrance Sunday. It’s a time for remembering. In Britain, I think we’re good at remembering the people in the armed forces who gave their lives in conflicts over the past century or so. Yesterday, the Royal British Legion held Festivals of ...read more

Scripture: John 15:13, Micah 6:8, Micah 4:1-4, Hebrews 6:19

Denomination: Baptist

David: Zealot For God's House Series

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Nov 16, 2024

David and Jesus were both zealots for God's house. What did that look like in practice for David? And are WE willing to be zealots for God's house?

INTRODUCTION Earlier in today’s service I showed the video, ‘David the worshipper’ [Angel Studios]. I’ve really liked all the videos in this series but I especially liked this one. Young David in the video loves to sing praise to God! He’s joyful, exuberant! His joy and exuberance are ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 69:9, John 2:17

Denomination: Baptist

Philemon

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Nov 22, 2024

Paul's letter to Philemon is short but it has some wonderful lessons for us, especially about how we address something that's wrong.

I’d like you to imagine a scene. It’s about 60 A.D. We’re in the home of a wealthy man named Philemon. Philemon lives in the city of Colossae, in the south-east of what is now Turkey. Some time back, he met the apostle Paul and became a Christian, and he’s now one of the leaders of a church. ...read more

Scripture: Philemon 1:1-25

Denomination: Baptist

Isaiah's Vision Of Jesus' Coming

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Dec 6, 2024

At Christmas, Christians often look forward to Jesus' second coming. Isaiah's vision relates both to Jesus' first and second comings. He tells us one thing about Jesus (an example for us); one thing Jesus does (a warning to us); and one result (an encouragement for us).

INTRODUCTION How optimistic are you about the future? For a number of years, a market research company, IPSOS, has been doing a survey at the start of the year. One of the questions they ask is whether people expect the coming year to be better for them than the previous year. In Britain, about ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 11:1-9

Denomination: Baptist

Cut Out The Light Pollution!

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Dec 7, 2024

At Christmas, Christians need to cut out the light pollution - the many things which can prevent us from focusing on the Light of the World.

INTRODUCTION WHILE THE CHILDREN ARE WITH US: ‘HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS!’ Somewhere around about the beginning of 1957, Dr Seuss started to write the story, ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas!’ It was published later that year. That was almost 70 years ago! Today, ‘How the Grinch Stole ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

The Most Important Thing About Christmas

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Dec 21, 2024

The most important thing about Christmas is that Jesus entered the world as king. And when we remember the humble circumstances of his birth, we remember that Jesus - although the great king - was committed to being Immanuel, 'God with us.'

In 1717, King Louis XIV of France died. When he was alive, Louis XIV demanded that he be addressed as ‘Louis THE GREAT.’ It’s said that he once declared, ‘L’État, c’est moi’ – meaning, ‘I am the State!’ Louis XIV’s court was the most magnificent in Europe and his funeral was the most ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 9:7, Luke 1:30-33

Denomination: Baptist

The Word Became Flesh

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Dec 24, 2024

At the beginning of John's gospel John makes many striking claims about Jesus. One is that he was Logos, the word. Another is that he became flesh. Isn't 'the flesh' bad? Why did Jesus take on flesh? And should we do anything?

At Christmas, Christians think of the fact that Jesus, though he was God, became man. But John expresses things differently. Rather than saying that God became man, John tells us that THE WORD – in Greek, Logos – became FLESH. John starts his gospel by talking about ‘Logos’ – the word. John ...read more

Scripture: John 1:14

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

Jesus The Rock Series

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Aug 24, 2024

The Old Testament knows God as the Rock. But Jesus is also The rock. He is the only firm foundation to build our lives on. But we need to learn from the ancient Israelites. They were unfaithful and most were destroyed. We must not make the same mistake.

INTRODUCTION We’re in a series looking at descriptions of Jesus. The Bible is full of descriptions of God the Father, of Jesus, and of the Holy Spirit. Last week, we looked at one of Jesus’ descriptions of himself. He said, ‘I am the good shepherd’ [John 10:11]. We looked at what shepherds were ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:4

Denomination: Baptist