St Stephen's Whangaparaoa - Sermons

Christ: the Divine Shepherd

12/5/2019

Preacher: Ian Hardcastle [Texts: John 10:22-30; Revelation 7:9-17]
The leaders of the people ask Jesus to clarify whether or not he is the Christ but instead He tells them He is ... God! This is the one who assures us of his care and leading of us and calls us to follow him!

190512_christ_the_divine_shepherd.pdf
File Size:	460 kb
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Three Responses

5/5/2019

Preacher: Ian Hardcastle [Texts: Acts 9:1-20; Revelation 5:11-14; John 21:1-19]
We are given the responses of three different people to Jesus: Thomas who struggled to believe; Peter who had denied Jesus and Saul who had persecuted the church. As we look at their responses, what is our own?

190505_three_responses.pdf
File Size:	463 kb
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All for Jesus ...

7/4/2019

Preacher: Ian Hardcastle [Text: John 12:1-8]
As Lent draws on towards Good Friday, the readings start to introduce undertones of what is to come. Mary the sister of Lazarus offers Jesus her worship. What does this call forth from us?

190407_all_for_jesus.pdf
File Size:	388 kb
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Lamenting - with Confidence

17/3/2019

Preacher: Ian Hardcastle [Texts: Psalm 27; Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18 with Phil 3:17-4:1; Lk 13:31-35]
Two days ago our nation was rocked by the news of a terrorist massacre in Christchurch. We are shocked, frightened and appalled. We feel violated. Yet as we turn to the readings for today we find all of them concern lament: Lament when under attack; Lament for barrenness; Lament over worldly Christians and Jesus lamenting over the People of God's unwillingness to come to him. We find that God does not object to lament and indeed responds positively. We find the Psalmist embraces lament with confidence and seeking God.

190317_lamenting_with_confidence.pdf
File Size:	430 kb
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Under the Cover of His Wings

10/3/2019

190310_under_the_cover_of_his_wings.pdf
File Size:	464 kb
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Tame the Tongue

3/3/2019

Preacher: Helen Hardcastle [Isaiah 55v6-13; Luke 6:39-49]

190303_tame_the_tongue.pdf
File Size:	604 kb
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Love Your Enemies

24/2/2019

Preacher: Ian Hardcastle [Texts: Luke 6:27-38; Genesis 45:5-12, 15]
We continue hearing Jesus' challenging ethical teaching.

190224_love_your_enemies.pdf
File Size:	452 kb
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Blessings and Woes

17/2/2019

[Psalm 1; Jeremiah 17:5-10; 1 Cor 15:12-20; Luke 6:17-26]
We pick up Jesus' ethical teaching with his declaration of what it is to be blessed - and not blessed!

190217_blessings_and_woes.pdf
File Size:	428 kb
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Called to Obey

10/2/2019

Preacher: Helen Hardcastle [Texts: Isaiah 6:1-8, Luke 5:1-11]
Both Isaiah and Peter were called by God. They were called to obey and called to preach. Both of them were overwhelmed with awe in the presence of God and gave a whole-hearted response. What about us?

190210_called_to_obey.pdf
File Size:	460 kb
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Epiphany: Presentation of Christ in the Temple

3/2/2019

Preacher: Ian Hardcastle [Texts: Hebrews 2:14-18; Lk 2:22-40]
The season of Epiphany culminates with the Presentation of Christ in the Temple, when two prophets recognise who the baby is - the fulfillment of their longings for the Messiah.

190203_epiphany_-_presentation_of_christ.pdf
File Size:	470 kb
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Epiphany: Wedding at Cana

20/1/2019

Preacher: Ian Hardcastle [Text: John 2:1-11]
When Jesus turned water into wine, John recorded it as the first of his signs. The Messiah was being revealed to his people. Epiphany is the season of the revelation of Jesus as the Messiah - God with us.

190120_wedding_at_cana.pdf
File Size:	415 kb
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Epiphany - Good news to the rest of the World

6/1/2019

190106_epiphany.pdf
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Jesus grew ...

30/12/2018

Preacher: Ian Hardcastle [Texts: Luke 2:41-52; 1 Sam 2:18-20,26; Col 3:12-17]
Jesus grew in stature, wisdom and the favour of God and men. Growth is part of God's creation ordinance we needn't despise the processes of growth and development. We can learn from what Luke records about Jesus as a boy.

181230_jesus_grew.pdf
File Size:	470 kb
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What are We Celebrating?

25/12/2018

Preacher: Ian Hardcastle [Text: Isaiah 9:1-2, 6-7; Titus 3:4-7; Luke 2:8-20]
I love the celebrations of Christmas but what are we celebrating? Let's turn back to the Bible to find out...

181225_what_are_we_celebrating.pdf
File Size:	452 kb
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Becoming the Dwelling Place of God

23/12/2018

Preacher: Helen Hardcastle [Texts: Luke 1:39-45; Hebrews 10:5-10]
How do you choose a new house? God chose a simple Hebrew girl to be the mother of his Son. He looks for those in whose heart He can dwell today.

181223_becoming_the_dwelling_place_of_god.pdf
File Size:	462 kb
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What is Advent?

2/12/2018

Preacher: Ian Hardcastle [Jeremiah 33:14-16; 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13; Luke 21:25-36]
As we come into the Advent season, it is a time of preparation, of hoping, of looking forward - to Christmas, yes but also beyond that to the time when Jesus comes again.

181202_advent.pdf
File Size:	492 kb
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Armistice Day: Debt and Hope

11/11/2018

Preacher: Ian Hardcastle [Texts: John 15:12-17; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Isaiah 2:1-5]
WW1 was devastating yet there is hope - hope proclaimed at every ANZAC service and silently at countless memorials. What is that hope?

181111_armistice_debt_and_hope.pdf
File Size:	480 kb
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Pray!

4/11/2018

Preacher: Ian Hardcastle [Text: Luke 11:1-10; Philippians 4:15-20]
Let's look again at Jesus' instructions for prayer and come back to him asking boldly.

181104_pray.pdf
File Size:	563 kb
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Bold, Persistent Prayer

28/10/2018

Preacher: Ian Hardcastle [Texts: Mark 10:456-52, 2 Chronicles 7:11-15, Hebrews 7:23-28]
Blind Bartimaeus gives us a model of passionate, bold and persistent prayer; Jesus intercedes for us before God's throne; from 2 Chronicles we are encouraged to seek God's face. Let's turn to God for help in all our needs.

181028_bold_persistent_prayer.pdf
File Size:	594 kb
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Service and Ransom

21/10/2018

Preacher: Ian Hardcastle [Texts: Mark 10:35-45; Isaiah 53:4-12]
Jesus teaches us again about service and the ransom he was about to make for all humanity.

181021_service_and_ransom.pdf
File Size:	581 kb
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