Category: - St Stephen's Whangaparaoa

Jesus is presented in the Temple - Lessons of trust, hearing God and faith

2/2/2020

Preacher: Ian Hardcastle [Texts: Luke 2:22-40; Malachi 3:1-4; Hebrews 2:14-18]

When the six week old baby Jesus was first taken to the temple, there were two people who had been waiting, waiting, waiting for him. They heard God, they believed, they were patience. Their faith was rewarded - they saw and held the Messiah; they told people. Let's learn from their good examples.

You can see more about the Alpha Course here.

200202_what_will_you_do.pdf
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Colossians 1:1-14 Faith and love growing from hope

14/7/2019

Preacher: Ian Hardcastle [Text: Colossians 1:1-14]
The Letter to the Colossians is a lovely epistle. The grand theme is Christ who is supreme and all sufficient. Join us as we explore it together.

190714_colossians_1.1-14.pdf
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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
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Do Not Fear

9/9/2018

Preacher: Helen Hardcastle [Isaiah 35:3-7a]
Do not fear! God commands his people over and again not to fear, yet we are very quick to become fearful of all sorts of things and people. Helen leads us into some strategies to counter fear.

180909_do_not_fear.pdf
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Stephen - full of the Spirit

5/8/2018

Preacher: Ian Hardcastle [Acts 6; Acts 7:55-60; Matthew 23:34-39]
Our church is named after Stephen. What has he to teach us today? What can we learn from his life and death?

180805_stephen_full_of_the_spirit.pdf
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For God so Loved the World

11/3/2018

Preacher: Ian Hardcastle Texts: John 3:14-21; Ephesians 2:1-10
Today we baptise a family and another seven of our people renew their baptismal vows. It is a celebration of life in Christ. It is worth remembering that we have this life because God so loved the world.....

180311_for_god_so_loved_the_world.pdf
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Strengthen Yourself in the LORD

4/2/2018

Preacher: Ian Hardcastle [Texts: 1 Samuel 30:1-6; Isaiah 40:21-31; Mark 1:29-39]
When things go sour, where do you turn? This week we follow David, Eric Liddell and Jesus in finding where they found strength to face the difficulties of life.

180204_strengthen_yourself_in_the_lord.pdf
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A New Beginning vs a Bad Ending

21/1/2018

Preacher: Ian Hardcastle [Texts: Mark 1:14-20, Jonah 3:1-5,10]
A New Beginning: Jesus starts his public ministry. The key to following him is to change our minds and trust what he says.
A Bad Ending: Some comments on the Euthanasia Bill before Parliament

180121_a_new_beginning_vs_a_bad_ending.pdf
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True Apostles

29/10/2017

Preacher: Ian Hardcastle [1 Thessalonians ]
As we look at this passage we see marks of a true apostle and consider too comparisons to Martin Luther as he ignited the Reformation 500 years ago.

171029_true_apostles.pdf
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Growing in Faith, Love and Mission

14/5/2017

Preacher: Ian Hardcastle [Text: Acts 7:55-60; 1 Peter 2:2-10; John 14:1-14]
Exploring our mission together through three unlikely texts!

170514_growing_in_faith_love_and_mission.pdf
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Advent 4 - Fear or Obedience?

18/12/2016

Preacher: Tony Jee [Texts: Isaiah 7:10-16; Romans 1:1-17; Matthew 1:18-25]
Who will you be like - Ahaz or Joseph?

Our God is a Consuming Fire

21/8/2016

Preacher: Ian Hardcastle [Text: Jer 1:4-10; Heb 13:12:18-29; Lk 13:10-17]
A great hope is set before us - but it is connected with faith and obedience. It is only through God's Word that we can know about it and we are warned not to ignore God's Word.

160821_consuming_fire.pdf
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Quit Ye Like Men

14/8/2016

Preacher: Helen Hardcastle [Texts: Isaiah 5:1-7; Hebrews 11:29-12:2; Luke 12:48-56]
These are times when we need to be courageous. Helen challenges us to stand for what is worthwhile.

quit_ye_like_men.pdf
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Resurrection

3/4/2016

Preacher: Ian Hardcastle [Texts: John 20:19-31; Acts 5:27-32]
John has carefully presented his eyewitness account to give us the evidence we need to believe. So what will you do with it? What will flow out of such belief?

160403_resurrection.pdf
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Trust God through the Storm

21/6/2015

Preacher: Ian Hardcastle [Texts: Ps 107:23-32; Job 38:1-11; 2 Cor 6:1-13; Mark 4:35-41]
When Jesus said, "Let's go across the lake," he meant it. He slept through the storm and expected more of his men than that they ask him to do something. What did he expect of them?

150621_trusting_god_through_the_storm.pdf
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You can view Andrew giving his account here.

The Annunciation

22/12/2014

Preacher: Ian Hardcastle [Texts: Luke 1:26-38; 2 Samuel 7:1-11,16; Romans 16:25-27]
The Annunciation: angel, miracle - what should we make of it? What might we learn from it?

141221_the_annunciation_web.pdf
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Virgin Birth

22/12/2013

[Preacher: Ian Hardcastle. Text: Isaiah 7:10-16; Romans 1:1-7; Matthew 1:18-25]
There is no getting away from it - the Bible presents us with a miraculous event in the conception of Jesus. How do we cope with the idea of miracles?

131222_virgin_birth.pdf
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God makes a way where there is no way.

9/6/2013

[Preacher: Ian Hardcastle. Text: 1 Kings 17:17-24; Acts 20:7-11; Luke 7:11-17]
It seemed impossible - her son had died. Yet God made a way where there was no way.

130609_god_makes_a_way.pdf
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The Prayer of Faith

2/6/2013

[Preacher: Ian Hardcastle. Texts: 1 Kings 17:1-16; James 5:13-20; Luke 7:1-10]
A new series on Elijah and Elisha. We start with Elijah's prayer of faith - what can we learn from him?

130602_prayer_of_faith_pub.pdf
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Eating in the Presence of God

21/10/2012

Exodus 24:9-11; 1 Corinthians 11:23-25; Luke 24:13-16, 28-35
Part 3 of the series on Communion - Communion brings the presence of God to us. But how do we understand what it is we receive? Ian looks at the different views Christians have held and how Anglicans may view that question.

121021_eating_in_the_presence_of_god.pdf
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