SERMONS
On Sunday Ben and Mikka Parker spoke on 'Worship' and highlighted 5 key things;
On Sunday Alastair McDonald preached on 'Have I Got a Witness?' He unpacked Philip's encounter with the Ethiopian and gave us seven helpful tips on having an effective witness.
1. God loves to bless the person who is obedient.
2. God rarely tells you everything He wants done all at once.
3. God is no respecter of persons, neither should we be.
4. Don't give up on religious people.
5. Never underestimate the power of God's Word.
6. Be prepared to explain the gospel.
7. Don't settle for converts, make disciples.
Acts 8:26- 40 ESV - 26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south[a] to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert place. 27 And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship 28 and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. 29 And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.” 30 So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31 And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this:
“Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter
and like a lamb before its shearer is silent,
so he opens not his mouth.
33 In his humiliation justice was denied him.
Who can describe his generation?
For his life is taken away from the earth.”
34 And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. 36 And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?”[b] 38 And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. 39 And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. 40 But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.
On Sunday we had Tom Shaw and his family with us. Tom is one of the leaders at The City Church where Hugh (pastor at Redeemer) served as an elder for 7 years before moving to Colchester to plant Redeemer. Tom spoke from Galatians 5 on 'Spirit-led Crucifixion'. Below is a fuller video on the same topic that Tom preached recently at his home church.
You can find many of Tom's preaches at the following links;
On Sunday Hugh preached on the Church being a FAMILY. God's manifold wisdom is displayed to the cosmos through the wonder of Jew and Gentile being brought together in one new man, forming the household of God - a new family!
We heard how families commit to;
Eph 4v 1-3 ESV I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain (making every effort to keep NIV) the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Ephesians 3v10 ESV …so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.
Heb 10v25 ESV 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
Ephesians 4v 15-16 ESV 15 … we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
