Sermons on Simon The Sorcerer:

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

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

Temptation And The Reality Of The Devil

Contributed by Simon Rundell on Feb 16, 2002

Exegesis of the Temptation in the Wilderness and an examination of the reality of the Devil from a non-fundamentalist perspective. "The greatest achievement of the devil was to convince people he no longer existed."

Sermon: 1st Sunday of Lent, Year A: 17th February 2002. Text: Matthew 4:1-11 In the name of the +Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. “I can resist anything… except temptation!” So said the great wit, Oscar Wilde. Of all things in this world, temptation is something that we ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 4:1-11

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

Down From The Mountain...

Contributed by Simon Rundell on Feb 23, 2002

The Transfiguration is marvellous, but after that you have to get back down the mountain and get on with the job of being one of Jesus’ disciples

Sermon: 2nd in Lent, Year A, 23rd February 2002 Text: Matthew 17:1-9 In the name of the +Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. The Transfiguration of Our Lord is one of those epiphanous moments – an episode where Jesus Christ is revealed as he truly is – not merely a fairly ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 17:1-9

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

Hopes And Dreams At Christmas

Contributed by Simon Harrison on Apr 4, 2001

We all need to treat our own dreams and the hopes of those around us with respect, because it is easier to crush someone’s hope than to be with them as they look towards a difficult future.

Hopes and Dreams- Langdon Christmas Service (A Secure Forensic Hospital for patients with psychiatric and/or learning disabilities) Christmas is quite a strange time, full of contradictions. For many, it is a time of happiness and excitement- for others, a time carrying many sad memories. But ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 1:18-21

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

Prophesy- The Present Or The Future?

Contributed by Simon Harrison on Apr 4, 2001

Prophesy is less about strange words and more about speak God’s truth plainly to the present

Prophesy- The present or the future? Over the past few months, I have had many people talk to me about the prophesies found in the bible, especially those given in the Revelation of John. The millennium has made it quite a popular topic of conversation, and for some people the idea of God’s coming ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 19:5-10

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

When He Heard That John Had Been Arrested, Jesus Withdrew To Galilee'

Contributed by Simon Harrison on Apr 4, 2001

How do we cope with our guilt feelings about things we can’t change in the world?

I have recently been feeling a little guilty about failing to renew my membership of Amnesty International. This feeling particularly strikes when I hear in the news of some injustice somewhere in a far flung corner of the globe. I suppose that if I was still in amnesty, I would still ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:14-15, Matthew 4:12-23

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

Forgiveness- What Do We Carry And What Do We Let Go?

Contributed by Simon Harrison on Apr 4, 2001

Forgiveness is not about accepting that something wrong is somehow right, or trying to forget it: a prayerful reflection on Matthew 18.

Today I would like to say a few words about things in our lives that we carry and things that we let go. I find today’s Gospel reading one of the most challenging in the Bible. With any apology, Jesus talks quite bluntly about the forgiveness God offers to us, and the expectation God has of us, as ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 18:23-35

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

Palm Sunday- What Do We Expect?

Contributed by Simon Harrison on Apr 5, 2001

A simple exploration of what Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem might have been like without the benefit of hindsight- and what this teaches us today.

I remember as a small child really enjoying palm Sunday. At a small church in the middle of nowhere, I have this memory of being given a palm cross and being told to wave it about. Waving things about was what I was normally told NOT to do, so perhaps this is why it stuck in my mind. The other ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 21:1-11

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

Pentecost, Vocation And The Priesthood

Contributed by Simon Rundell on Jun 1, 2001

An exploration for Pentecost on the call of God to all Christians, as well as the obvious call to the priesthood, given as my last sermon prior to Ordination.

Pentecost, Vocation and the Priesthood Given at St.Barthomew’s Parish Church, Ripponden, West Yorkshire, England, 3rd June 2001 TEXT: “I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh: your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men shall see visions and your old men shall dream dreams” In the name ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:1-21

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

The Journey To Jerusalem

Contributed by Simon Rundell on Jul 6, 2001

Sermon preached on the first day of ordained ministry, likeneing the journey to Jerusalem to our spiritual journey.

Sermon: Ordinary 13, Year C Text: Luke 9:51-62 Given at Holy Spirit, Southsea, 1st July 2001 In the name of the +Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen. When Fr. Lewis [training incumbant] asks you gently to do something, you know that it would be best to do it. When he suggests ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:51-62

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

Whatever You Ask Of Me, I Shall Give You, Even Half My Kingdom!

Contributed by Simon Rundell on Jul 7, 2001

Rash promises compared with the promise of Christ

Address for Evensong & Benediction, 8th July 2001 Given at Holy Spirit, Southsea, Diocese of Portsmouth Text: Mark 6:7-29 In the name of God, the +Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen. Of course I love you. The Cheque’s in the Post. This won’t hurt a bit. It wasn’t my fault; and now: "Whatever ...read more

Scripture: Mark 6:14-29

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican