ENC Sermons

Three Essential Gospel Truths (Luke 24:13-35)

The Old Testament is the foundation of all that we believe The cross of Christ is at the heart of God’s redeeming love The work of The Spirit is to bring understanding and selfless action

Easter: THE Great Game Changer (1 Corinthians 15:1-11)

The resurrection of Jesus is at the very heart of the gospel (vv 1-4) The resurrected Jesus was seen by eyewitnesses (vv 5-7) The resurrection of Jesus is the future certainty seen in part now (vv 8-11)

Forgiven by God (Psalm 32)

The crime The warning The invitation

Where Does Your Help Come From? (Psalm 121)

A real problem A real power A real person

The Unhappy Business of Busyness (Ecclesiastes 1)

Dealing with the problem of no personal gain Dealing with the problem of not making a difference

The Pursuit of Happiness (Psalm 1)

The way that leads to blessing (v1-3) The way that leads to perishing (v4-6

Learning to Live with Lady Wisdom (Proverbs 9)

Lady Wisdom’s banquet (v1-6) Lady Folly’s banquet (v13-18) The banquet guests (v7-12) Rebuke Reverence Reward

3. An Unexpected Bump in the Road? (1 Kings 19)

An unexpected result (v1-8) A trip to the mountain (v9-14) A new task (v15-21)

2. The Decision (1 Kings 18)

1. The Way God Works 2. The Decision God Demands 3. The Prayer God Answers

1. Elijah's Training School (1 Kings 16:29-17:24)

1. God’s word rejected (16:29-17:1) 2. God’s word removed (17:2-7) 3. God’s word received (17:8-24

Worship as True Humanity (Revelation 4)

1. On His throne 2. On our knees

Walking as True Humanity (2 John)

1. More than truth 2. Born to walk 3. Destined for glory

3. Settle Down (2 Thessalonians 3:1-18)

1. Bound together in prayer (1-5) 2. Bound together in work (6-15) 3. Bound together in truth (14-18)

2. Don't become easily unsettled (2 Thessalonians 2: 1-17)

1. Don’t let anyone deceive you (1-4) 2. A powerful delusion but Christ is Lord (5-12) 3. Stand firm, …hold to the teaching of Christ’s apostles (13-17)

1. Counted Worthy of the Kingdom (2 Thessalonians 1:1-12)

1. Perseverance is more precious than we know (1-4) 2. Perseverance is focused on the future (5-10) 3. Perseverance is fuelled by prayer (11-12)

Christmas Morning (Luke 2:1-21)

The Glory of God (John 1:14-18)

1. John’s experience of Jesus’ glory 2. John’s vision of Christ’s glory 3. John’s appeal to us his readers

The rejected by many yet received by others Messiah (John 1:10-13)

Why Christmas? 1. Because he came into the world (v.10a) • Who he is • Who he is to the world 2. The world in which he was and is rejected (vv.10b-11) • The world which will not know him but should • Even those who should know him but didn’t 3. Yet in the world he was and is received by some (v.12) • Reception is believing in his name • Reception is through nothing less than a new creation 4. Because we are in this world • Who he is to us • What he offers us He is why Christmas

The True Light (John 1:6-9)

1. Jesus is the true light 2. Jesus is the light of God in our hearts 3. Jesus is the light giving eternal life to our soul

The Eternal Son (John 1:1-5)

Q. Why Christmas? Q. Who is Jesus? 1. The Eternal Word (1-2) 2. The Source of Being (3) 3. The Source of Life and Light (4-5) ✴ Investigate Jesus ✴ Receive Jesus ✴ Proclaim Jesus

14. Incorruptible Love (Ephesians 6:10-24)

1. Stand together 2. Stay alert Five things the Devil wants to destroy: i. The Word of God and its reliability ii. The character of God and his generosity iii. The righteousness of God and his absolute dependability iv. The enjoyment of God and its abundant pleasures v. The fellowship of the people of God and its harmony and unity 3. Put on God’s armour 4. Pray for each other

13. A Servant of Christ (Ephesians 6:5-9)

1. A New Attitude of Submission 2. A New Motivation of Love 3. A New Perspective of Equality

12. Jesus in our Family (Ephesians 6:1-4)

1. Being a Christian in your family 2. Being joined to Jesus transforms your family role i. Tenderness ii. Discipline iii. Instruction 1. Be involved in verbally instructing our children (keep talking to them). 2. Regularly leading them in family devotions and prayer (minister to the family). 3. Monitor and take responsibility for the input that enters their impressionable minds. 4. Taking responsibility to help assure that church is a meaningful experience. 5. Be an example. We mu...

Where does hope come from? (Psalm 33)

1. We praise the God who has forgiven us (1-3) 2. Because his words and his works are one (4-11) 3. And he rules over all things (10-19)

3. Rome (Acts 28:11-31)

1. The storms of human events cannot stop the Lord Jesus growing his church! i. Storms of every kind (vv.11-13) ii. Yet there are ‘brothers and sisters’ already (vv.14-16) iii. Rejection by some, acceptance by others (vv.17-29) 2. The church of Jesus both subverts and answers the longings of Rome i. A welcome (v.30) ii. A message (v.31) 3. The church of Jesus has not stopped with Rome iii. Luke’s brevity and Luke’s point iv. The ongoing story…including us

2. Antioch (Acts 11:19-29 and 13:1-3)

1. The church is attacked but attacks never ultimately win (11:19-21) 2. The church is strengthened by the grace of God (11:22-30) 3. The church is a wonderfully diverse people - even if this is complicated (13:1-5; 15:1-5) 4. The church sends out people in the Spirit with the gospel (13:2-3) For us at ENC now: • …Let’s look for unexpected opportunities even in hard times • …Let’s pray we increasingly be a grace-filled church • …Let’s ask questions about our ‘culture’ and if we are w...

1. Jerusalem (Acts 2:40-47)

1. The church is built upon the Apostles’ witness to Jesus (1:1-11) 2. The church receives the faithful fulfilment of God’s promises (2:1-40) 3. The church is the people of God (2:41-47) 4. The church shares Jesus’ sufferings and resurrection (Acts 3-8) For us at ENC now: • Do we know what time we’re in right now? • Do we long for a Spirit-enabled community life? • Will we make the apostles’ witness and teaching central to everything we do? • Do we know how to read the times in which...

Rejected by the World, Kept by the Spirit (John 15:18-16:15)

Being in Christ will have a cost… (15:18-25; 16:1-8) i) Rejection from the world ii) Persecution on Jesus’ account iii) Causeless hatred …but the Spirit bears witness (15:26-27; 16:8-10) i) About Jesus ii) Against the world …and the Spirit preserves us (16:12-15; 16:5-7) i) Revelation ii) Real presence

John 15:1-17

Abiding in Jesus (1-6) i) Attitude: Dependance ii) Action: Obedience …means we will bear (and enjoy) Christ’s fruit (7-11) i) We can be assured that the Father listens (7) ii) We will glorify God (8) iii) We will remain in Jesus’ love (9-10) iv) We have fullness of joy (11) …means we have fellowship with God (12-17) i) Friendship with God (12-15) ii) Participation in his mission (16-17)

Don't be Afraid (Luke 12:1-12)

Introduction: Yeast & its big impact 1. The truth will out (3) 2. So do not be afraid (4-7) 3. Here is the real perspective 4. Future certainty (8-10) 5. Disciples Apostles (11-12) Application Because we know truly… …we can truly live.

Can't see the Wood for the Trees (Luke 11:33-54)

Introduction: Light & Darkness (33-36) 1. Key cause of hypocrisy (37-41) 2. Obsession with detail (42) 3. Impressive spirituality (43-44) 4. False piety (45-46) 5. A very heavy burden (47-51) 6. Worst of all…. (52-53) Application This is not exaggeration This is repeated throughout church history So… don’t switch off the light

Precision in the Christian Life (Philippians 1:27-2:11)

11. God's Design for Unity in Marriage (Ephesians 5:22-33)

1. The Best and Most Beautiful Love Story (22-33) 2. The Medal of Honour (22-24) 3. The Crown of Thorns (25-30) 4. The Profound Mystery (31-33)

10. The Household of God (Ephesians 5:1-21)

1. God’s Children Walk in Love (1-6) 2. God’s Children Walk as Light (7-14) 3. God’s Children Walk as Wise (15-21)

Who is on the Lord's Side? (Revelation 13-14)

1. Opposition from the devil is real and dangerous… (13) 2. …But Christ the Lamb has conquered (14:1-5) 3. …and will return to judge the earth (14:6-20)

Psalm 126

How can we be the church we want to be? (Colossians 1:9-14)

On our own, we can’t! But following Paul’s prayer, we pray we may… 1. Be filled with all knowledge, wisdom, and understanding (v.9) 2. Be fully pleasing to the Lord (v.10) 3. Be strengthened with all power (v.11) 4. Be thankful for redemption (12-14)

What kind of church do you want to be? (Colossians 1:1-8)

1. A people marked out by faith in Christ 2. A people with love for one another 3. A people with hope through the gospel 4. A people encouraged by the sufficiency and supremacy of Christ Q. Why should we be this kind of church?

9. God's Beloved Children (Ephesians 5:1-6)

1. We are God’s dearly loved children (1-2) a. As God’s children we imitate Him b. We imitate God by walking in His love c. We walk in love as a pleasing sacrifice to God 2. We walk in a love that reflects God’s holiness (3-6)

8. Transformation (Ephesians 4:17-32)

1. Put on the new self (17-24) 2. The new self is selfless (24-32)

7. Unity (Ephesians 4:1-16)

1. We’re all living members of Christ’s body (1-6) 2. Christ provides, protects, and preserves us (7-10) 3. We work together to grow together (11-16)

Christ Amidst His Lampstands (Revelation 1:10-20)

1. Christ is with us to purify us 2. Christ is with us to bless and to curse 3. Christ is with us so do not fear death

6. The Crucified Apostle (Galatians 6:11-18)

1. A ministry of self-love 11-13 • Its motive: v12 • Its mark: v13 2. A ministry of self-giving 14-18 • Its motive: v14 • Its mark: v17 Embrace the cross: your only pride in death, and your only pattern in life

5. God’s Precious Gift for a Passing Age (Galatians 5:26-6:10)

1. Brothers carry each-other through a shared struggle 5:26-6:5 2. Brothers invest together in a shared salvation 6:6-10

4. Strange Fruit (Galatians 5:13-25)

1. Those who are beautifully free in Christ 13-15 can be slaves to one-another 2. Those who know beautiful friendship with Christ 16-25 will know war within themselves.

3. Brothers from Another Mother (Galatians 4:12-5:1)

1. Two Ministries 4:12-20 One that serves Christ, one that serves self 2. Two Mothers 4:21-5:1 One who bears free sons, one who bears slaves

2. A Coming of Age Story (Galatians 3:19 - 4:11)

1. This world is a dangerous place for children 3:19-24 2. The nursery is a tragic place for a grown son 3:25-4:11 Enjoying all that it means to be a true son… • To come of age, in the Only Son • To belong, no matter what, in the Spirit • To be known, by the Father

1. No Man's Gospel (Galatians 1:1-2:10)

Life in the Awkward Age… 1. Nothing in this age 1:1-9 can pull you out of this age 2. Nothing in Jesus’ Gospel 1:10 – 2:10 can be improved by flesh and blood • Anything slipped in to Paul’s gospel will enslave you to a dying age • Any pressure to please flesh & blood can become pressure to desert Jesus

25: The Invisible Prison (John 8:31-59)

1. The depth of our need 31-47 Even though you don’t know it, you really do need to be set free by a true son. 2. The height of Jesus’ grace 48-59 Even though you insult him, there really is still time to rejoice with the Eternal Son.

24: This Dark World's Light (John 8:12-30)

“Why should we listen to you?” We should follow where Jesus leads, because 1. Only Jesus is Light from Light 12-20 We must follow where Jesus leads, because 2. Without Jesus, we will die with the darkness 21-30