Preached a couple of weeks ago on James 1…

There’s that somewhat shocking, disagreeable, interesting, vexing, deep, confusing, enigmatic, truthful, heart-warming, [insert adjective here] verse which goes something like…

“Consider it pure joy my brothers whenever you face trials of many kinds”

I would say this verse is a little bit challenging, to preach, and even more so to live out!

Download the MP3 here

Script here

So, at Cornhill today we were thinking about Cross-Cultural Mission… and I should say I haven’t had a chance to reference in a Qu’ran

One of the things that came up in passing was about Final Judgement…

Isa (Jesus) according to Islam is the one who will execute final judgement. For the Muslim, as I understand (I may well be wrong), they hope (uncertain hope) that Muhammed will intercede, will give a good word to Isa.

So the question is quite simple…

Why follow the mediator (Muhammed), when you can be friends with the judge himself (Jesus)?

…it seems like a more certain way to approach final judgement?

About 10 days ago I spoke at an International Carol Service… a traditional English Carol Service put on for the local international students with an evangelistic message.

I spoke on 2 Corinthians 8:9  -  “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich”

• Jesus was rich before His birth, but chose to became poor
• We are poor and need to become rich
• Jesus became poor so that we might become rich

Points shamelessly stolen from Christopher Ash, but the talk is mine.

Talk notes (doc)

Apparently Ben Southall has “The Best Job in the World”… he’s the guy who is the caretaker of a tropical island off the coast of Australia. But the Apostle Paul would beg to differ… clearly the ministry of reconciliation, of bringing God’s New Covenant, the good news about Jesus to the world is the best job ever!

That’s the back drop for 2 Corinthians 4… where we get God shining light in people’s hearts and using weak people (clay pots) to do his work.

I spoke on this passage a couple of weeks ago, bit of a last minute .com job for Kingston CU who hadn’t got a weekend away speaker.

Talk notes here (pdf)

On Sunday night I preached at church on Leviticus 25. Felt pretty unprepared, but it came together on Sunday afternoon! Here are my three main points:

• Sabbath Year  -  looking at the theme of Rest

• Jubilee Year  -  looking at the theme of Redemption

• Grace  -  looking at how we respond to God’s grace…

You can listen to the sermon here  -  download MP3

You can see my notes here  -  download PDF

You can see my Powerpoint here  -  download PPT