Sermon: Facing the World (1 Peter 1:13-19)

In this message, we discover how the Christian hope of heaven can help us to face the world, and how we will live in the world if we are conscious of the cost of our hope.

Welshpool Community Church · Facing The World

The Holy Spirit in the Old Testament (1 Peter 1:10-12)

What was the Holy Spirit doing before Jesus was born? And if the Christian faith is all about Christ, why should we bother reading the Old Testament? We consider the answers to these questions and others in this sermon, based on 1 Peter 1:10-12.

Welshpool Community Church · The Holy Spirit in the Old Testament

The Promise of Praise, Honour and Glory (1 Peter 1:3-5)

In this sermon, we discover the reasons why Peter begins with an exclamation of praise for God. He writes of the clear and concrete hope we have because of God's plan, God's promises and God's power.

Welshpool Community Church · The Promise of Praise, Honour and Glory

God's Perfect Plan for an Imperfect World (1 Peter 1:1-2)

We're beginning a series of sermons going through Peter's first letter in the New Testament. In this introductory message, we recognise that Peter was an imperfect person writing to Christians in an imperfect situation but telling them about God's perfect plan.

Welshpool Community Church · God's Perfect Plan for an Imperfect World

A Midweek Message: The Death of Christ

In this second part of our series, we consider the death of Christ as we focus on 1 John 4:10: "In this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his son to be a propitiation for our sin."

Jesus Christ came to die on a cross, so that the anger of God could be absorbed and the love of God could be outpoured.

A Midweek Message: The Lord who welcomes (Matthew 19)

The disciples of Jesus are surprised again as Jesus welcomes and prays for little children.  In this sermon, we consider what the response of Jesus tells us about how he will welcome anyone who approaches him "like a little child".

A Midweek Message: A Name for the Baby pt.1: Jesus

In this Christmas series, we will be looking at the different names and titles given to Jesus Christ around the time of his birth, and considering what meaning they have for us today.  We begin with the most obvious choice: the name "Jesus".

A Midweek Message: The Gravity of Sin (Joshua 7)

In Joshua chapter 7, we read about the sin of a man called Achan.  Through his example, we learn about the gravity of sin; the leaven of sin; and the consequences of sin.

Another Midweek Message: The Price of Admission to the Table (Matthew 16)

Salvation is offered freely to all - there is nothing we can do to earn it.  But there is a cost to following Jesus Christ.  In the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 16, Jesus calls us to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow him.  

In this sermon, preached before we shared bread and wine in Communion, we consider what we may have to sacrifice in order to sit at Christ's table.

A Midweek Message: Show Not Tell (Matthew 16)

In this sermon, we consider how Jesus was able to show (rather than just tell) his disciples that he would suffer, die and rise on the third day.  We explore the Old Testament Scriptures and see some of the evidence for God's plan of salvation.

The Midweek Message: From Beginning to End (Romans 8)

In this final part of our Christmas series of sermons, we consider how far back and how far forward God's plan of salvation reaches.

"For those whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers." (Romans 8:29)

A Midweek Message: Out of Darkness and into Light (Ephesians 5)

In this message, Roger Davies teaches from Ephesians 5, focusing particularly on the words in verse eight: "...for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light..."

Another Midweek Message: A Statement of Faith: Salvation

In this message, we focus on 2 Timothy 1:8-14 as we reach the fifth point of the FIEC Statement of Faith, "Salvation".

Another Midweek Message: Every Spiritual Blessing (Ephesians 1:3-14)

In this message, we take a whistle-stop tour of the spiritual blessings that we have in Christ, described in Ephesians 1:3-14.  There's a lot of ground to cover!  So, I've added the table below that I filled on-screen while preaching to help everyone see what the blessings are; where we find them; and why we receive them.

What is the blessing?	Where is it found?	Why do we receive it?
Innocence (v4)	In Christ (v4)	God’s Choice (v4)
Adoption (v5)	Through Christ (v5)	God’s Blessing (v5)
Unceasing Mercy (v6)	In Christ (v6)	God’s Navigation (v6)
Freedom (v7)	In Christ (v7)	God’s Grace (v7)
Forgiveness (v7)	In Christ (v7)	God’s Grace (v7)
Understanding (v9)	In Christ (v9)	God’s Purpose (v9)
An Inheritance (v11)	In Christ (v11)	God’s Will (v11)
Hope (v12)	In Christ (v12)	God’s Glory (v12)
Security (v13)	In Christ (v13)	Heard + Believed (v13)
Eternity (v14)	With Christ (v3-14)	God’s Glory (v14)

Just Another Midweek Message - A Statement of Faith: The Human Race

We reach the third part of our series going through the FIEC's Statement of Faith.  In this message, we consider the Bible's teaching on the human race, focusing particularly on what the Apostle Paul writes in Ephesians 2.

A Midweek Message: No Sting, Just Sweetness (An Easter Message)

On Easter Sunday, we celebrated the resurrection of Jesus Christ during our family service.  The children stayed in for the whole service rather than going out to Sunday school, so I split the message in three and involved and interacted with the children during the first two parts, hence only recording the third part of the message.

In the first part, we considered how to test Jesus' claim (Matthew 17) that he would die and rise from the dead.  We recognised that we could do this by comparing the "before-and-after" pictures.  We examined the evidence in the Bible, and concluded that Jesus' death had been witnessed and confirmed, and his life after his death had also been witnessed and confirmed.  His claim had been verified.

In the second part, we examined the lives of the people around him.  If Jesus had risen from the dead, then this would have changed the lives of his followers - in other words, they would have their own "before-and-after" pictures that we could examine.  We noticed how Peter had changed - before the resurrection, he lied about knowing Jesus (Luke 22), but after the resurrection he openly proclaimed his faith in Jesus Christ (Acts 4).  We also noticed the dramatic change in the lives of people who were convinced of the resurrection even though they hadn't seen the risen Christ (Acts 2) and how lives continue to be changed today by the message of Christ.

In the third part, we considered two reasons why we still celebrate the resurrection: it teaches me something about the death of Christ, and it teaches me something about my own death.

The Midweek Message: Grace Expectations (Matthew 11)

In the gospel of Matthew, chapter 11, Jesus forecasts sorrow for the communities that have rejected him.  He warns them of a day of judgment.  However, having said "woe to you", he goes on to say "come to me" and offers them an amazing alternative to God's judgment.  

In this message, we consider what the Bible says about judgment and what it means to find rest in Jesus Christ.

Just Another Melodic Monday - I Got Saved

I loved the album of hymns that Selah did several years ago, but this song is from their most recent album "Unbreakable".  It tells a wonderful story and, with it being recorded in Nashville, I'm loving the country & western vibe!