This sermon was preached in preparation for our Christmas 2024 sermons, which came from Luke’s gospel.
The Gospels
The sermon in today’s service looks at the topic of the gospels in the Bible. We have four: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The first three have lots of similarities and are referred to as the ‘synoptics’. Yet there are
Bittersweet finale
The end of Luke’s second book has a bittersweet taste to it. The bitterness comes from the rejection of Paul’s gospel by many of his fellow Jews in Rome, which highlights the power of sin in human hearts. The sweetness
Following the teacher
On the island of Malta, Paul makes a big impression with the locals as the Lord Jesus heals many through him. He and the others are then able to find another ship and make their way up to Rome, via
Christmas 2019 Talk 1
A talk given by our pastor, David Last, at our morning carol service on Sunday 22nd December 2019.
Misunderstood at home
Returning to our childhood home can be hard, especially if we have changed in ways which are not clear to those still there. Paul has this on a grand scale as he returns to Israel’s capital, Jerusalem, where he spent
The temple of life
Bezalel was gifted by the Holy Spirit to create a temporary temple for God, during the time of Moses (Ex 31:1-11). Over 1500 years later, Paul saw himself as a temple builder except of a grander kind: an eternal temple
Nobility
Rest is a lovely gift from God and, at times, a very necessary one for our well-being. The city of Berea (modern Veria) becomes a place where Paul, though still working as a travelling missionary, briefly has a more restful
Upside down world
Every person has their own traits and personality. But when people come together – such as in a town or a team – the combined group can have traits and personality too. Luke uses that in Acts as he describes
Nine step strategy
Philippi was a Roman colony which gave, in Paul’s time, much adoration to the deceased Caesar Augustus. It was also a Macedonian city linked to the earlier emperors of Greece: Philip II and Alexander. So saying ‘Jesus is Lord and