1 Three Sermons on the Creeds
the Jesus section of the Apostles and Nicene Creeds
To download a comparison of the Creeds go to 1-1 below
For a sermon by Molly Dow on God our Father go to the website section More-MOLLY
1-1 How Big is My Vision of Jesus? Romiley 31 mins. 31.03.19
The Creeds are the ancient paths, agreed by all the major churches for 15 centuries. 'I believe', 'we believe', what does believing in Jesus mean for my life? How fully is Jesus God? The eternally generated Son, Jesus, is the complete and full expression of God, who is love, who both created everything and now sustains the whole universe.
Click here to download or listen to the sermon, and to download and print the leaflet to accompany the sermon; also to download a comparison of the Creeds, and to read or download and print the full text of the sermon
1-2 God's Monumental Act to Save Us Romiley 26 mins. 07.04.19
God's daring plan to repossess our world in the face of human rebellion. Jesus came down from heaven (self-emptying) for us and our salvation. Through virgin conception and birth he took our full humanity (incarnate). He lived a fully human life, without sin, full of glory, to make God known and to bring us God's heavenly life. 'He took our humanity that we might share his divinity', Gregory of Nyssa.
Click here to download or listen to the sermon, and to download and print the leaflet to accompany the sermon, and to read or download and print the full text
1-3 Did Jesus Really Take My Place? Romiley 27 mins. 14.04.19
Jesus was crucified for our sake.There are two important ancient traditions about how we are to see ourselves as sinners before God: a going astray (Irenaeus), or children of wrath (Augustine). Bible texts can support both views. To appreciate the love of God in sending Jesus to death we must see our position of no hope. Jesus was crucified in our place under Pontius Pilate. The Bible gives several illustrations to enable us to understand his death and be filled with gratitude.
Click here to download or listen to the sermon, and to download and print the leaflet to accompany the sermon, and to read or download and print the full text
2 The Gospel Advances-With Mighty Works, Confusion, Persecution 33 mins 10.05.15
Queens Rd Baptist Ch. Coventry Acts 14.8-20
Paul and Barnabas are thrown out of Antioch and come to Lystra. Miracles are normal. Paul sees that a man who was crippled from birth has the faith to be healed and is healed. We need to see and have faith to pray for healing. The apostles are thought to be gods, but Paul insists on the one God. Persecution still follows
Click here to download or listen to the sermon, and to read or download and print the full text
4 Jesus Teaches the Secret of Happiness All Saints Marple 17.11.19 Ecclesiastes 11.9; Matthew 5. 3-10. Confirmation service
'Be happy, young man while you are young.' The sermon follows Pope Francis' book 'Happiness in This Life'. He explores the universal quest for happiness: it can oly be fulfilled by opening the door to Jesus. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gives us 8 challenging ways to be happy, starting with those who know how spiritually poor they are, and in need of God.
Click here to download or listen to the sermon, or to read or download and print the full text.
Romiley Sermons By Year
2023
2018
3 What Makes a Good Gospel Worker 28 mins. 18.11.18 Philippians 2.19-30
If we want to be effective workers for the gospel we must learn from others. Paul shows us Timothy's outstanding pastoral concern for others, and he becomes a son to Paul. Epaphroditus is a courageous fellow-soldier who cares for the well-being of others. Paul himself is deeply concerned for his infant churches and fully appreciative of his fellow workers.
Click here to download or listen to the sermon, and to read or download and print the full text
2017
4 What Jesus Says About the Bible and the Holy Spirit 31 mins. 04.06.17
Matthew 6.17-30; Ezekiel 36. 23-27
Jesus' scriptures were the Old Testament, and on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24) he expounds them as all about him, the Messiah. His coming fulfils their promises. Jesus fully recognises the authority of the scriptures but expands the scope of their commands. He corrects his accusers from them and asserts them against the devil. Jesus promises that the Spirit will make the truth of Jesus known to his followers.We must seek for the Spirit to give us the understanding of the Bible that Jesus had.
Click here to download or listen to the sermon, and to download and print the leaflet to accompany the sermon, and to read or download and print the full text
5. Why Jesus' Life-Giving Words Are Difficult. 27 mins. 22.10.17 John 6.60-71
The feeding of the 5000 is a sign that Jesus feeds us with the life of God. In a reference to sacramental communion he says that he gives us his flesh. But the Jews, the crowd and even his disciples don't get it. He asserts that he has come from heaven and will return to heaven. People today are offended by his exclusiveness and his challenge to our self-determination.
Click here to download or listen to the sermon, and to read or to download and print the full text
6 Confidence That Jesus Truly is God's Messiah 25 mins. 19.11.17 John 7.40-53
Chapter 7 is a murder story: they are waiting to arrest and kill Jesus. Jesus asserts his Messiahship from his words, his signs and his origins. His words have power; his signs are recorded that we might believe, and his origin is from his father, God. The crowd is fickle and divided. We must be confident and follow Thomas, 'My Lord and my God.'
Click here to download or listen to the sermon, and to read or to download and print the full text
7. Right Into the Abyss of Death Jesus Brings Life 27 mins. 03.09.17 John 11
The midpoint of John's gospel, the Raising of Lazarus, is a focus in miniature of the whole gospel. Martha is challenged to see Jesus as the Resurrection and the Life and she confesses him to be The Messiah. From outside, Jesus comes into the most deathly of human experiences and transforms it with Life. And just as the Father sent Jesus, so Jesus sends us in the power of the Holy Spirit to take Life into the most challenging human situations.
Click here to download or listen to the sermon, and to read or to download and print the full text
2016 or earlier Romiley Sermons
8 Wrong Attitudes That a Christian Leader Must Challenge 30 mins. 31.07.16 Titus 1.10-16
Crete was a difficult place and Paul left Titus there to sort out the church. He must deal firmly with rebellion, corruption of character and false teaching. If we know Jesus in a personal relationship, then we will take guard against these aspects of hollow religion however they flourish today.
Click here to download or listen to the sermon, and to read or to download and print the full text
10 How Work Fits Into God's Plan 28 mins. 19.04.15 Proverbs 8.12-15; Matthew 20. 1-16
Work has been greatly neglected in the teaching of the Church. Genesis 1 reveals God as the Perfect Worker. As we are created in his image, the work of all human beings reflects God. We are given 'creative management' of the earth, to work with joy and satisfaction, but with moral responsibility. The goal of work is the kingdom of God on earth, and is seen not so much in fairness, but in generosity.
Click here to download or listen to the sermon, and to download and print the leaflet to accompany the sermon and to read or download and print the full text
11 The Cross in the Book of Revelation 27 mins. 21.02.12. Revelation 5.1-10; 7.9-17
Why is Jesus called the Lamb? Our eternal destiny is to live for ever in the light of God and the Lamb. He is the Conquering Lamb, the Saving Lamb and the Married Lamb.
Click here to download or listen to the sermon, and to read or download and print the full text
Coventry Sermons
Challenging sermons at Holy Trinity Coventry in the 1980s. The issues are still very relevant today.
Reclaiming our Nation for God..a series of 8 sermons in the Autumn of 1988
1 Prayer is Invading the Impossible 29 mins. Acts 12.1-11
The title is from Jack Hayford's challenging book. How do we learn to pray effectively in intercessory prayer on social justice. We are God's assault troops. 'Your kingdom come' is an aggressive prayer. The Church has responsibility on earth to enforce God's order of peace. But our prayers are mostly too feeble. Every time we pray we make inroads for the take-over of God's just rule. We are being priestly, the go-between from heaven to earth. Prayers follow.
Click here to download or listen to the sermon
2 We Repent of Our Wrong Ways 29 mins. Ezra 9 and 10
In scripture, repentance is at the heart of prayers for the nation. Those already back in Jerusalem had wrongly taken pagan wives. Ezra, the priest, is appalled that they had broken the words of God. It is the same today, but we are not appalled. Ezra is ashamed: he identifies with his nation; it has been punished. But God's judgment always aims to restore. Daniel, in a similar situation, appeals to God for mercy. 'We bear your Name and we are in ruins. Listen and act. In response to Ezra the people made a covenant with God to put it right. The sermon finishes with a repentance statement for the Church today.
Click here to download or listen to the sermon
3 From Our Obsession with Sexuality 27 mins. Song of Solomon 7, Revelation 17
Our culture is heavily sex orientated; sex is everywhere. Sex is for the moment, which is extremely damaging. According to the Song of Songs, as God gave it -sex is Special: it is delight, beauty, intimate. 'There I will give you my love'. It is God's Sacred Symbol of marriage and permanent joining; it is exclusive. But it has been Scarred by Satan, with control and enticement. Satan has behind it a great power beast. We pray, and resist, and want people to be free.
Click here to download or listen to the sermon
4 From Making Possessions Our God 29 mins. a family service talk
Four drama excerpts illustrate how we worship our possessions rather than God. Worshipping possessions reveals our priorities, makes us possessive and covetous in our attitudes, and has taken control of Christmas. Creating things is good, but they are to be shared. We are in danger of liking our possessions more than God. The disciples were astonished that the rich might not enter the kingdom. The sermon is followed by a prayer of repentance.
Click here to download or listen to the sermon
6 From Our Neglect of Young People 24 mins. 20.11.88 Matthew 18.1-14
Children have a natural openness to the kingdom of God. They are models for adults. To young people God wants to give an experience of his Kingship, his Intimacy, his Defence and his Salvation (KIDS). We have not taught our children to depend on the Father's kingship, which has laws, but also glorious values. Children need authority with intimacy, both at home and at school. Jesus identifies with them, and rebukes those who cause them to stumble, as is so frequent in our society.
Click here to download or listen to the sermon
7 From Distortion of Freedom 24 mins. 27.11.88 John 8. 31-47
Our society is not as free as it thinks it is. Popular claims to freedom are unmasked by Jesus as self confidence, self-righteousness, self-sufficiency and self-deception. Everyone who commits sin is a slave. In contrast Jesus shows true freedom to be experience of God's truth- to be as he created us to be; experience of God's sonship for ever, experience of God's nature -his character, his holiness. Then we need have no fear of our accountability to him.
Click here to download or listen to the sermon
8 From Unbelief in the Power and Word of God 19 mins. 04.12.88 2 Timothy 3.14-4.5;
John 5.36-47 Second Sunday in Advent and a Learning Healing Ministry Weekend
As a nation in 1988 we believe in God, but not in his Word or his laws. Few believe in the return of Jesus (Advent). The Word of our King calls us to account, leads us to salvation, and equips us to serve. Scripture is useful for teaching the truth. God shows us how to live and we don't do it. The promised return of Jesus is hope: it assures us that God will overcome evil, call the world to account, and good will ultimately triumph. God, the shepherd-king, saves us completely; it is good if he rules over our lives. The whole congregation then receive the laying on of hands with the prayer, ' Receive the power of God to rule your life.'
Click here to download or listen to the sermon
9 From Our Attitudes to Women mins. 11.12.88
This powerful sermon changed some women's lives
Women in Britain have a low sense of their own worth. Many causes give rise to this. The Church has reinforced this and must now hear the legitimate cries of women. he responded God called Mary directly and she responded directly to the angel without consulting Joseph. There is no sign of Joseph ruling over her. God gave her predominance in spirituality and in courage. God has all the female attributes or he would not be God. The sermon was followed by an act of repentance on behalf of men, with forgiveness declared by the women.
Click here to download or listen to the sermon.