Sermons by Chris Johnson

Themes in Hebrews: Maturity

Chris continues with our series looking at the themes throughout the book of Hebrews by this time highlighting maturity. We are told throughout scripture to have a strong foundation to our faith. This is undoubtedly important! But if we stay at that level and do not mature we are not living up to our true potential in God. Chris looks at how we can become more mature as Christians.

Susan leads the rest of the service whilst Pete and Nick lead our sung worship.

Themes in Hebrews: Faith

Chris continues with our series in Hebrews, this time looking at what the writer has to say on the topic of faith. How is our faith defined? Do we think that by having more faith will make God notice us more? No! The quantity of faith doesn’t matter, it’s what it prompts us to do that counts.

James leads the rest of the service as (another) James from YFC helps us to launch our new Monday night series “Battle Plan” around praying for children and young people. Mike leads our sung worship.

Themes in Hebrews: New Covenant

Today we continued our series looking at the themes that run through the book of Hebrews with Chris speaking on the concept of a new covenant with God. Thanks to Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice the Old Testament covenant of animal sacrifices and offerings is fulfilled and a new covenant has taken its place. We are free from the burden of sin and have uninterrupted access to the Father through the Spirit. Wow!

Susan leads the rest of the service as we reflect back on our away day that was held yesterday and what God is saying to us as a fellowship. Pete and Nick lead our sung worship.

Themes in Hebrews: Jesus is Better

This week we begin a new series looking at the themes that run through the book of Hebrews. Chris starts off by focussing on the first four verses of the book where the author is beginning to explain who Jesus is. Through these few short verses we see that Jesus is better than anything we could possibly imagine!

Andy leads the rest of the service as we respond to our previous series on prayer, whilst Pete and Nick lead our sung worship.

Jesus’ Teaching on Prayer: Ask, Seek, Knock

We continue our new series looking at what Jesus taught us about prayer by looking a bit further on in the Sermon on the Mount to where Jesus is speaking about persistence in prayer. Chris speaks about how our answers from God don’t always come immediately or all in one piece and we need to keep on praying in perseverence (but not too much!) until what God is saying to us is fully revealed.

Karen leads the rest of the service as we have an update from our new mission of the month, AIM, from Kath and Mike and Dave lead our sung worship.

No Greater Love: Easter 2025

For our Easter service for 2025 we’re trying something a little different, as we had no Good Friday service we are combining both the events of the last supper, crucifixion and resurrection all in one. In the service Chris speaks about the impact that the resurrection has through Jesus’ words to his disciples in John 15. We see how the resurrection means love, revelation and victory.

Andy leads the rest of the service as we hold communion with one another and think about that great sacrifice on the cross. Lynne and Dave lead our sung worship.

Acts 17, Part One

This week we conclude our series in Acts (for now) by looking at Paul, Silas, Timothy and Luke’s experiences in Thessalonica and Berea. We see how the enemy ignites opposition to the gospel, so much so that even in the town of “more noble character”, Berea, Paul has to flee down the coast to Athens to escape persecution. Prior to this we read that many of the Jews in Berea were receptive to the gospel and confirmed Paul’s teaching by reading through the scriptures for themselves. This is something we can learn from: don’t take teaching at face value, go and confirm it for yourselves by reading the Bible.

Ant leads the rest of the service whilst Mike leads our sung worship.

Acts 16, Part Three

Chris continues with our series in the book of Acts. This week we look at the circumstances surrounding Paul and Silas’ imprisonment in Phillipi and their miraculous route to freedom. We regularly discuss Holy Spirit but don’t always mention those spirits (small ‘s’) of evil. In Phillipi we see Paul and Silas dealing with such a spirit in posession of a slave girl. This is not like the films, they don’t make a fuss or use any form of incantations or chanting. How can we use their response as a model for our own?

James leads the rest of the service as we think about the women of the church on Mother’s Day. Pete and Nick lead our sung worship.

Acts 16, Part Two

This week Chris carries on looking at our series in Acts. As Paul, Silas and Timothy continue their journey through modern-day Turkey we see that – after visiting the churches that were planted when Paul visited the first time – may of their options for onward travel are intentionally blocked by the Spirit, directing them towards the coastal city of Troas and across the sea into Macedonia. In this journey God directs them not by speaking directly to Paul or through any kind of prophecy but through gentle nudges and the closing of doors to them. How often has that been our experience?

Susan leads the rest of the service as we invite Tasha, director of the local YFC centre, to speak about their work with young people in schools and churches in the local area and how we can support them in prayer. Pete and Nick lead our sung worship this week.

Parables of Jesus: The Samaritan

This week we held our All Age Service for March and start a new series looking at the parables that Jesus told. We begin with probably the most famous of them all! Chris speaks on the context surrounding Jesus’ telling of the parable and reveals to us that it’s not really about what you might…