Sermons on Simon The Magician:

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

Witnessing To The Angels

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on May 24, 2025

Paul wrote in Ephesians 3:10, 'So that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.' What does this mean?!

INTRODUCTION Today, we’re moving on to Ephesians 3. In my first talk, I showed you this picture. It’s produced by the BibleProject and it presents the structure of Ephesians. Ephesians 1 and 2 both get a lot of space. But look at Ephesians 3! It just gets a little corner! It seems that the ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 3:10

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

Dealing With Disagreements

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Jan 31, 2026

Paul entreats Euodia and entreats Syntyche to agree in the Lord. We look at just two verses but find in them a great example of how to deal with disagreements at church.

INTRODUCTION Some years ago, a minister named Chuck Thomas was invited to preach at a church in Oklahoma. This is the story I read. Thomas noticed that the church was split down the middle, with each side having its own communion table and elders who prayed and served their respective halves of the ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:2-3

Denomination: Baptist

Learning From Jonah

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Feb 8, 2026

The story of Jonah teaches us that God is a God of second chances and God of the impossible. When we do what God tells us to - as Jonah eventually did - God can bring about an amazing result. The story of Jonah is also a picture, a foreshadowing, of Jesus and God's great plan of salvation.

This was for a family service, meaning that the children stayed in. We had chairs set in the shape of a boat in the centre of the church. Jonah, sailors etc., were dressed for their parts and we had a short participatory reading of some of the key moments in the story of Jonah earlier in the ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

The Philippians' Giving

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Feb 28, 2026

The Christians in Philippi were great givers. In this talk, we look at six things we can learn from them as we consider our own giving.

Introduction Today is my fifth and last talk from Philippians. In the passage we’re looking at, Paul reflects on the Philippians’ support for him. He has some slightly complicated things to say, along the lines of, ‘I didn’t actually need your gifts, but I’m rejoicing that you gave them’! I’m going ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:10-20

Denomination: Baptist

From The Prison To The Palace Series

Contributed by Jefferson Williams on Nov 29, 2021

Joseph interprets Pharaoh's dreams and is made prime minister of Egypt!

No Ordinary Joe: From the Prison to the Palace Genesis 41 Pastor Jefferson M. Williams Chenoa Baptist Church 11-28-2021 Over Night Success At 8:00 pm February 9, 1964, a record 73 million people turned in to the Ed Sullivan show to watch four mop top Brits from Liverpool named John, Paul, ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

The Day The Aliens Came

Contributed by Mary Lewis on May 11, 2001

Christmas Sermon on the Magi: God reveals Himself to all kinds of people – and the least likely are often the most open.

Intro I haven’t seen them for a long time, but about this time of year when I was a kid, we would see ads on TV that informed immigrants that they had to fill out certain forms to register with the government. Which wouldn’t have been that memorable, except that they didn’t call them immigrants. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 2:1-12

Denomination: Baptist

Christmas Characters #4 - The Wise Men Series

Contributed by Darren Rogers on Dec 28, 2007

What’s at the end of the Star?

Christmas Characters #4 - The Wise Men - 9th December 2007 pm Matthew 2:1-12 From our earliest memories of the Christmas story, we have heard of the “Magi” (Wise Men) who came to visit Christ, but what do we really know about them? Where did they come from? Why were they interested in a King born ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 2:1-12

Denomination: Baptist

The Music Of Christmas

Contributed by Anthony Seel on Dec 25, 2005

Jesus is the Savior, the Christ, the Lord.

CHRISTMAS EVE 2005 December 24, 2005 St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church The Rev. M. Anthony Seel, Jr. Luke 2:1-14 “The Music of Christmas” “When he awoke, the song was there. Its melody beckoned and begged him to sing it. It hung upon the wind and settled in the meadows where he walked. He knew its ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:1-14

Denomination: Lutheran

Narnia: The Bearing Of A Lion Series

Contributed by David Sulcer on Nov 2, 2005

Jesus Christ is seen in the stately bearing of Aslan the lion.

NOT A TAME LION THE CHRONICLES OF CHRISTMAS – PART 2 THE KING OF THE BEASTS STRONG - "…What is stronger than a lion?" – Judges 14:18 NIV COURAGEOUS - “…the bravest soldier, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, …” 2 Samuel 17:10 NIV FEROCIOUS - “…Like a lion he crouches and lies down, like ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 49:9-10

Denomination: Church Of God

Making Decisions That Stick

Contributed by Jeff Davenport on Feb 22, 2006

How to make decisions that last so that you will recieve God’s blessings and power in your life!

Making Decisions That STICK! Daniel 1:8, Matthew 15:18 Da 1:8 ¶ But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. (KJV) He ...read more

Scripture: Daniel 1:8

Denomination: Baptist

It Ain't Over Yet

Contributed by Sheila Crowe on Jan 13, 2003

Ephiphany - keep Christmas all year

Sermon: “It Ain’t Over Yet” Matt 2:1-12 January 5, 2003 READ SCRIPTURE As I sat yesterday in my living room amidst a room full of broken after Christmas toys, stale goodies and dusty decorations I realized I am ready for the Christmas to be over, ready for the decorations to be put away. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 2:1-12

Denomination: United Methodist