Sermons by James Stone (Page 2)
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…
Church Discipline
Church Discipline – 1 Corinthians chapter 5 verses 1 to 8 Discipline – the Dirty ‘D’ Word? – at home, at work, at church? Responding to Sin: verses 1-2 – How NOT to do it, and how it should be done. Love for the Individual: verses 3-5 – for their everlasting good. Love for the Church: verses 6-8 – for whom Jesus our good Lord died. Living out Church Discipline: – 5 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality…
Evangelism and the Great Commission
Evangelism and the Great Commission – 1 Peter chapter 2 verses 9 and 10 9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 1 Peter 2:9-10 New International Version –…
Saving the Lost (Good Friday)
Saving the Lost (Good Friday) – Luke’s Gospel chapter 19 verses 1 to 10 Zacchaeus the tax collector 19 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.…
Sticking with Jesus
Sticking with Jesus – Colossians chapter 2 verses 6 to 23
Topsy-Turvy Christianity 3 – Least is Greatest
Topsy-Turvy Christianity – Least is Greatest – Luke’s Gospel chapter 9, verses 46 to 48 Christianity says the cross is a symbol of the powerless triumphing over the powerful. It’s the symbol of the slave triumphing over the master; of the victim triumphing over the torturer. This is such a radical notion that it’s hard to adequately express how radical it is. The idea that the last shall be first, that there is an inherent dignity and value and indeed power in being…
Topsy-Turvy Christianity 2, Weakness is Strength
Topsy-Turvy Christianity 2, Weakness is Strength – 2 Corinthians chapter 12, verses 7 to 10 7 or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I…
Topsy-Turvy Christianity 1 – Lose Your Life to Save It
Lose Your Life to Save It – Matthew’s Gospel chapter 16, verses 24 to 26 24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. 26 What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in…