Sermons on Simon On Cyrene:

God's Power At Work Series

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Sep 18, 2023

Luke starts Acts with, 'In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus BEGAN to do and teach...' Now he's going to talk about what Jesus CONTINUED to do. In Acts 16 we have a great example of Jesus witnessing to himself - and Paul and Silas fitting in.

Acts 16 God’s power at work Let’s suppose you hear God speaking to you, telling you to do something. You do what God tells you. But then, within a short time, the situation looks a complete mess. What would you think? Did you hear wrong? Has God let you down? Let’s suppose God calls you to ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

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

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

Using Money To Direct Our Hearts Series

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Jul 25, 2022

Jesus tells us not to store up treasure on earth but to store up treasure in heaven. Doing that is certainly a much better investment! But an even bigger reason to do that is that where we put out treasure directs our hearts.

We’re continuing in our series in the Sermon on the Mount and today we’re having the last talk in the series for the time being. Today, I’m going to focus on the first three verses of today’s passage, verses 19-21, and one phrase in particular. In v.19, Jesus says, ‘DON’T store up treasure on ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:19-24

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

The Eighth And Ninth Beatitudes Series

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Mar 26, 2022

Like it or not, being persecuted is in Jesus' list of the characteristics of the Christian. If we follow Jesus, it's inevitable that we'll be persecuted. But the persecution proves the genuiness of our faith. And it leads to great reward.

Jesus starts the Sermon on the Mount with nine Beatitudes – sayings that start ‘Blessed are’. Jesus wants us to be blessed – meaning, happy or fortunate. In the Beatitudes, Jesus presents us with the key characteristics of the Christian. Some people have said they’re the blueprint of the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:10-12

Denomination: Baptist

Do Not Resist Series

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Jun 25, 2022

Many Christians believe that in Matthew 5:39 Jesus is calling us to pacifism. If that was the case, he would be negating the Old Testament! Jesus does call us to nonresistance, but in certain situations only - as his examples show. He isn't pacifist and he doesn't call us to to pacifism.

INTRODUCTION I trained to become a Baptist minister at Bristol Baptist College. While I was there, a Canadian couple called Tom and Rebecca Yoder Neufeld gave a talk. The Yoder Neufelds are Mennonites. Mennonites trace their origins to the Anabaptists, and the Yoder Neufelds were at Bristol ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:38-42

Denomination: Baptist

"Be Perfect” Series

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Jul 9, 2022

Jesus said, 'You therefore must be perfect'. What an unreasonable demand! And yet, there are so many reasons to strive for it.

INTRODUCTION We’re continuing in our series in the Sermon on the Mount. In our passage for today, Jesus starts by saying, ‘Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.’ What do you think of that!? Back in March I told you about an interview I heard on Radio 4. The reporter was ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:43-48

Denomination: Baptist

Witness And Prayer

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Jul 10, 2023

Prayer is essential to witnessing. Only God can change other people's hearts. Only God can give us the strength and courage we need.

This was a fairly short talk in the context of a family service Back in March I got an email through our church website. It was from an American called Tagg Wolverton. He works for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. Tagg Wolverton explained that Billy Graham’s son Franklin would be ...read more

Scripture: John 1:41, Acts 1:14, Ezekiel 37:1-10, Matthew 9:37-38

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

Our Greatest Passion

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Apr 13, 2024

Are we clear on what our greatest passion must be?

NOTE: This was a family service. Early in the service I tell the children’s story ‘Wherever you go, I want you to know’ by Melissa Kruger. You can download the images for the story free from the Good Book Company. I made them into a PowerPoint to accompany the story. EARLY IN THE SERVICE: Today ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 22:37-38

Denomination: Baptist

Ackowledge Your King Series

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Apr 10, 2022

Palm Sunday reminds us that the message of the cross, the message of salvation, must be set in the context of Jesus being king. And we must recognize Jesus as the king he is, not the king we might like him to be.

In a typical year about 3.5 million people visit Jerusalem. It’s one of the most historic cities in the world. It has been continuously inhabited since about 1,800 B.C. So it’s been worth visiting for a VERY long time! But in the time of Jesus, there were certain times of the year when Jews had ...read more

Scripture: John 12:12-16

Denomination: Baptist

Maundy Thursday Series

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Apr 14, 2022

Maundy Thursday reminds us of Jesus 'mandate' - his new commandment. Not just to love one another, but to love one another as he has loved us. It can be humiliating, demeaning and messy. But it brings blessing.

The Friday when Jesus was crucified is called Good Friday. On Good Friday we remember that Jesus offered himself as the final, complete sacrifice for our sins, freeing us from a slavery we could never have freed ourselves from. The day before Good Friday is called Maundy Thursday. That Thursday, ...read more

Scripture: John 13:34, John 13:14-15, John 13:17

Denomination: Baptist