Pentecost – Church with UTB – 28th May 2023

I am away this week for Church with UTB, so I have suggested a sermon which I recorded in our church a couple of years ago about the Holy Spirit. (Sunday 28th May this year is Pentecost Sunday). I will be back on Sunday 4th June, and I have recorded a new sermon which will be available then.

Sermon

Apologies that this sermon is audio-only.

Suggested songs

Bible readings

Catechism

For a one-off Pentecost special, you might appreciate this session on the Holy Spirit from the Apostle’s Creed course.

Please do have a look at the Church with UTB page for a printable order of service and an online tool to help you find all the right videos / links etc.

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Adultery, lust and divorce – Matthew 5:27-32 – 21st May 2023

In the fourth week of Church with UTB we are continuing with our series on the Sermon on the Mount. This week, Jesus focuses on sexual purity – adultery and divorce. How do we obey God in a world where sexual sin is not only tolerated but also in some circles actively promoted? How can we shine as lights in a world where Jesus seems to set the standard so high?

Sermon

Suggested songs

Bible readings

Catechism

The catechism videos are undated, as it’s best to work your way through in sequence. Simply pick the next one from this playlist.

Please do have a look at the Church with UTB page for a printable order of service and an online tool to help you find all the right videos / links etc.

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Are we all murderers? – Matthew 5:17-26 – 14th May 23

It’s now the third week of Church with UTB. As promised, I have produced a printable order of service as well as an online tool which will fill in the links to songs etc for you. Do have a look at the page for more information.

This week we are continuing our series on the Sermon on the Mount, thinking about the purpose of the Law and the specific example of murder.

Sermon – Are we all murderers? (Matthew 5:17-26)

Suggested songs

Bible readings

Catechism

The catechism videos are undated, as it’s best to work your way through in sequence. Simply pick the next one from this playlist.

For more information about making use of this, see the Church with UTB page.

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Being an influencer for Jesus – Matt 5:13-16 – 7th May 23

It’s the second week of Church with UTB and we are continuing with the Sermon on the Mount. Please do have a look at that page if you need an explanation of how to make use of Church with UTB. I am working on some more resources, including a printable order of service and an online tool to generate your own, so hold tight. They will be available soon!

Sermon – Being an influencer for Jesus (Matthew 5:13-16)

Suggested Songs

Bible readings

  • Matthew 5:13-16 (sermon – the video includes the passage being read)
  • Psalm 103 (if too long just read the first half – verses 1-12)

Catechism

The catechism videos are undated, as it’s best to work your way through in sequence. Simply pick the next one from this playlist.

For more information about making use of this, see the Church with UTB page.

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What the Christian life is all about – Church with UTB 30-04-23

For the first proper week of Church with UTB, we’re going to be starting a new series on the Sermon on the Mount. Please do have a look at that page if you need an explanation of how to make use of Church with UTB – but I will be producing more resources soon.

Sermon – “What the Christian Life is all about” (Matthew 5:1-12)

Suggested songs

Bible readings

  • Matthew 5:1-12 for the sermon (the video starts with the reading so you don’t need to have it read first)
  • Psalm 98

Catechism

The catechism videos are undated, as it’s best to work your way through in sequence. Simply pick the next one from this playlist.

For more information about making use of this, see the Church with UTB page.

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Doubting Thomas: choosing faith over doubt

I’m sure you are familiar with the phrase “seeing is believing”. We often say that we need to see something with our own eyes before we can believe it.

That’s the subject of our Bible reading for the first week after Easter. It’s from John 20, the famous story of doubting Thomas. On the eve of that first Easter Day, Jesus appeared to his disciples while they were together – but Thomas was not present. When the other disciples told him what had happened, he said: “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

Thomas refused to believe the testimony of his friends, those he knew to be trustworthy and reliable. Instead, he chose to say that he would not believe unless he had seen Jesus with his own eyes.

Perhaps this is an attitude that we can sympathise with: as human beings we can find it hard to believe without the evidence of our own eyes. “Seeing is believing”, we say, and if we don’t see we don’t believe. Even if not believing means we have to distrust people we know well. Perhaps there is something of the “doubting Thomas” in each one of us.

So, how did things work out for our friend Thomas? Let’s look at what happens next in the story:

26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”

28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Jesus did not commend Thomas for his doubts. Thomas should have believed the other disciples, his closest friends. He should have listened to what Jesus had taught them before about how he was to be killed and then raised on the third day. Instead, Thomas made the conscious choice not to believe. I think this reflects a battle that we all face day by day.

We all face the choice every day to respond to our circumstances with faith or with doubt. We can choose which eyes to see with – eyes of faith, or eyes of doubt. We can choose to see the risen Lord Jesus at work in our lives and trust in his promises, or we can choose to deny him.

Jesus finishes by saying, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” It is a blessing to trust in the Lord, even though we do not see him. By faith we trust that our sins are forgiven. By faith we trust that he is able to care for us and provide for us. By faith we trust that he is able to direct our lives in the way that is best. By faith we believe that he is willing and able to answer prayer.

We cannot see the Lord Jesus with our eyes, yet with eyes of faith we believe and trust that he is there. And as we trust in him day by day, as we choose to see with eyes of faith, we come to experience that he is faithful, and that he is able to keep his promises to us.

I will leave the last word to the apostle Paul, from 2 Corinthians 4:

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

This was originally written as a ‘Thought for the Week’ for a local publication.

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“Which crisis are you celebrating this year?” – Christmas Message 22 – Romans 8:31-39

An honest Christmas message: given all the crises we seem to be dealing with, is there any real hope at the moment? We look at Romans 8:31-39 to see that Jesus gives us hope especially in times of hardship.

Looking for more?

Last year’s Christmas message is still available to watch, Can you find Christmas lights bright enough for 2021?

All Christmas content on Understand the Bible is under the Christmas category. You might also enjoy the advent series about the day of the Lord.

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Are you ready for the day of Christ? – Zechariah 14:1-21 Sermon

The third part of our Advent series on ‘The Day of the Lord’, looking at a picture of the end – the day of Christ. What will that be like, and are we ready for it?

Enjoyed this sermon? See more on the sermons page.

Sermons are also available on the podcast.

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