Sermons by James Stone
Truth That Will Set You Free
Truth That Will Set You Free – John’s Gospel chapter 8, verses 31 to 47 Catchcries- Truth and Freedom! But Truth with a capital “T” has become just any old truth – “You have your truth and I have mine!” But it doesn’t deliver. We still feel restricted, searching for more truth. The truth will set you free. 31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you…
Trusting God in the Darkness
Trusting God in the Darkness, Isaiah chapter 50, verse 4-11 10 Who among you fears the Lord and obeys the word of his servant?Let the one who walks in the dark, who has no light,trust in the name of the Lord and rely on their God.11 But now, all you who light fires and provide yourselves with flaming torches,go, walk in the light of your fires and of the torches you have set ablaze.This is what you shall receive from my hand: you will lie down in torment.…
A Maritime Mystery
A Maritime Mystery – John’s Gospel chapter 6 verses 16 to 21 Prove it! – Jesus “outrageous” claims A rough night out! 16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, 17 where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. 18 A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. John 6:16-18 Jesus commanded them to go. Why did He do this?It…
A Surprising Solution to Suffering
A Surprising Solution to Suffering – John’s Gospel chapter 5, verses 1 to 15 A surprising solution to suffering. The problem of suffering is ever with us. What could be worse than being sick? A miraculous poolside healing 5 Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals. 2 Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. 3 Here a great…
Whoever You Are, Whatever You’ve Done
Whoever You Are, Whatever You’ve Done – John’s Gospel chapter 4, verses 1 to 26 Too Far Gone? Does “whoever believes in Him” really include me? (John 3:16) 3 Important bits of information She was a Samaritan, Jesus a Jew, and she was shocked that He should speak to her. Then, they were beside Jacob’s Well, the heritage of both. And it was midday, the hottest time of the day. 7 When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said…
God Dwelling Securely with Us
God Dwelling Securely with Us – Psalm 16 We live in insecure times. Money, house, things and even relationships are never wholly secure. God is for us, yes. But He is also with us. With Him we will not be shaken. Seeking refuge in God, v1-8He is ultimately all we need, “the overflowing source of all good” Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure.6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I…
Dwelling Securely with God
Dwelling Securely with God – Psalm 15 Security in insecure times? Wealth, health, youth and relationships are all fragile, and easily shaken. A Crucial Question. The things we think matter the most end up not mattering at all. Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent? Who may live on your holy mountain? Psalm 15:1 The Searching Answer – always truthful, always kind, always generous, always honest, always reliable, always honours God. Oops! Doesn’t sound like me 🙁 Only one Man…
Christmas Day – 2023
Christmas Day – 2023 – John’s Gospel chapter 1, verse 14 to 18 14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, ‘This is the one I spoke about when I said, “He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.”’) 16 Out of his…
Jesus, the God Revealer
Jesus, the God Revealer – John’s Gospel chapter 1, verses 6 to 18 The search for God What would it be like if He did show up before our eyes? The Witness to the Light 6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the…
Paradise Lost
Paradise Lost – Genesis chapter 3 verses 1 to 13 The Temptation Here in Genesis we see real history where things fall apart. 3 Now the snake was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, ‘Did God really say, “You must not eat from any tree in the garden”?’ 2 The woman said to the snake, ‘We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, “You…
The Goal of Creation
The Goal of Creation – Genesis chapter 2, verses 1 to 3 1 Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. 2 By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done. Genesis 2:1-3 New…
The Pinnacle of Creation
The Pinnacle of Creation – Genesis chapter 1, verses 24 to 31 “Being human” – what does it mean? The greatest wonder in the world, striding across it like a god? Or just a vanishing footnote on the record of history? So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:27 Day 6 – Similar but different: the pattern is the same – the method (“God said”), the…