Sermons on Simon On Cyrene:

What Motivated Paul Series

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Sep 23, 2023

Paul was extraordinarily determined to take the gospel to the Gentile world. He was full of passion and drive. He got knocked down but he got up and kept going. Why? What motivated him?

WHAT MOTIVATED PAUL We live in a world where a lot of people don’t believe in God. But not only that, many people who do believe in God are not exactly passionate about telling those who don’t believe in God about him. What will motivate us to tell people about Jesus? That’s our subject ...read more

Scripture: Acts 17:16-21

Denomination: Baptist

Six Things To Learn About The Holy Spirit

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Jun 7, 2025

This is a talk for a family service on Pentecost Sunday, reminding us of some of the most important things about the Holy Spirit, with lots of visual aids.

THIS IS A FAMILY SERVICE SO THIS ‘TALK’ IS MEANT TO BE SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN AND QUITE INTERACTIVE. The scripture quotations are from the International Children’s Bible. Today’s an important day in the Christian calendar. It’s day for celebrating! It isn’t Christmas. It isn’t Easter. So, what ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

What The Angel Told The Shepherds

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Dec 6, 2025

Do you believe that Jesus’ birth is ‘good news of great joy’? When we hear about some offer, we often subconsciously ask three questions. ‘Is it good?’ ‘Is it true?’ And, if it is good and true, ‘What should I do? We ask what Jesus' birth means.

At the time of Jesus’ birth, there were some shepherds out in the field, watching their flock in the night. An angel appeared to them and told them: ‘Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David A ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:1-11

Denomination: Baptist

A Gift For Jesus

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Dec 13, 2025

At Christmas, we celebrate Jesus's birthday. He gave US a great gift! What was it? And what gift would he like from us?

This was the talk for our 2025 carol service. The children would stay in, and it needed to be a maximum of ten minutes. On a particular day every year, my family makes a big fuss of me. They blow up balloons. They get a cake and put some candles on it. They sing a song. They give me cards. They ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:10-11, Mark 10:45

Denomination: Baptist

The Characters In Jesus's Birth

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Dec 20, 2025

This is a short talk in the context of a Nativity service in which we look at the characters in Jesus's birth and find many great examples to follow.

This talk follows a children’s presentation of the Nativity story. You children did a brilliant presentation of what happened at Jesus’s birth. Thank you so much! Let’s spend a few minutes now looking at the people who were part of that first Christmas and thinking what their stories mean for us ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:38, Matthew 1:20, Philippians 2:5-7, Revelation 3:20, Luke 2:10, Luke 2:15, Matthew 2:2  (view more)  (view less)

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

A Storm Called Fear

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Jan 4, 2025

Fear is one of the most common things Christians have to face. We need to distinguish between the enemy or danger and the fear that the enemy or danger produces, and know how to deal with the fear.

INTRODUCTION Today is the first Sunday of 2025. Happy New Year! I thought that at the start of the year I would review a couple of the most basic aspects of Christian life. I have given the title of today’s talk, ‘A storm called fear.’ It’s about fear, worry and anxiety. Next Sunday, we’re ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 64:1, Isaiah 41:10

Denomination: Baptist

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

Mary, David, Paul And Margaret: One Thing Series

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Sep 10, 2022

Mary, David, Paul and Margaret teach us to value One Thing above everything else. Indeed that One Thing is the only thing that's essential.

How important is Jesus in your life? QUITE important? VERY important? One of several things that are essential? Or, the ONE THING that is truly essential? Over the period to Christmas we’re mainly looking at Revelation. But we’re also having some talks about people in the Bible. In each case, ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 27:4, Luke 10:41-42, Philippians 3:13-14

Denomination: Baptist

The Armour Of God, Part 2

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Sep 27, 2025

We're in a war. God has provided us with armour. We need to think about it carefully if we're going to use it correctly. This second talk looks at the last four pieces of armour.

I’d like to start by reading two short passages from Sir Walter Scott’s novel, Ivanhoe. Ivanhoe is set in the 12th century, a time when soldiers fought with swords and arrows and knights wore chain mail armour. Ivanhoe is a young Saxon knight. He’s fighting alongside Sir Robin Locksley, who turns ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:13-20

Denomination: Baptist

Addressing Sin In The Church

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Apr 29, 2024

Jesus has just told the Parable of the Good Shepherd. The shepherd goes after the straying sheep. Then Jesus spells out what WE need to do when we see a member of our church falling into sin and straying.

INTRODUCTION We sometimes hurt people. I can think of times when I’ve hurt people. And people sometimes hurt us. I can think of times when I’ve been hurt. It happens in families, in workplaces and in churches. There was a time when Paul was planning to visit the church in Corinth. But he was ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 18:15-17

Denomination: Baptist

Forgive!

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on May 5, 2024

Jesus tells us that we MUST forgive. We have a fundamental moral obligation to forgive. There is a terrible consequence if we don't forgive. But what does it mean to forgive?

INTRODUCTION Today we’re looking at a passage about forgiveness. It may be the longest passage about forgiveness in the Bible and it’s extremely important. Forgiveness is a God-quality. It’s at the heart of what God is like. We find it very tough to do. But in this teaching, Jesus demands that ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 18:21-35

Denomination: Baptist

God's Awesome Plan

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Mar 16, 2024

At Easter we think of how Jesus, by dying on the cross, freed us from our slavery to sin. But we can't think, 'I'm saved and that's all that matters to me.' God saves us for a purpose. We need to grasp God's purpose and engage with it.

Do any of you like watching movies? Do you like action movies? How about prison escapes? There are two kinds of prison-escape movies. There are movies like Escape from Alcatraz or The Great Escape. In these movies the hero’s goal is to escape. There is no bigger goal. Then there are movies ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 2:2, John 8:34, Romans 7:6, John 1:29, Revelation 19:9, 1 Corinthians 2:9  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

A Warning And A Promise

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Mar 23, 2024

As Jesus rode into Jerusalem, he wept. His coming to Jerusalem would be a 'career-ending moment' for Jerusalem. There's a serious warning here for us. But there's also a promise. Jesus fulfilled Zechariah's prophecy - and Zechariah has more prophecies.

Today is Palm Sunday. It’s the Sunday in the year when we remember that a week before Jesus was crucified, he rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. People took palm branches and shouted out, ‘Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!’ It seems like a very ...read more

Scripture: Luke 19:41-44, Zechariah 9:9

Denomination: Baptist