Kenmore Presbyterian Church

Church: Gospel motivated generosity  Reading: 1 Cor. 15:58-16:9 & 2 Cor. 8:1-9   When it comes to church finances…   In the New Testament generosity is the overriding principle…   Lessons to learn from long letters to another church…   (Preacher: Steve Blencowe)                      

The Conclusion: Fear God! Ecclesiastes 11:7-12:14   These words of the wise compel us to fear God.      What does fearing God look like?     What does fearing God look like in the light of the Gospel of Jesus?       What does fearing God look like – for you?    (Preacher: Steve Blencowe)

Poverty and Riches Ecclesiastes 5:8-6:12 Poverty brings misery (Eccl. 5:8-9)     …but riches don’t satisfy (Eccl. 5:10-17; 6:1-6)   …only God bestows joy (Eccl. 5:18-20; 6:7-12)   (Preacher: Cornelis du Plessis)

Life and Death under the Sun Ecclesiastes 9:1-12 (and Romans 8:38-39) Keep a foot on firm ground, while we explore two more observations of life ‘under the sun.’ 1. The only certainty is death: this is ‘evil’. 9:1-3 - But, while there’s life, there’s hope. 9:4-6 - So, enjoy what you can, while you can. 9:7-10 2. You can’t predict or control what comes your way. 9:11-12 The firm ground of the Gospe...

Chasing Politics Ecclesiastes 8 Ecclesiastes didn’t get the memo. Idealism <<<<<<<>>>>>>> Cynicism 1. Power & politics are complicated, tread wisely & humbly (v2-9) 2.  Justice is painfully slow, tread fearfully & joyfully (v10-17) “On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.” (Revelation 19:16) (Prea...

Chasing Wisdom Ecclesiastes 7:1-29     We chase wisdom to make life better.     1. We’re chasing something valuable: wisdom helps us navigate life. (v1-12)     2. We’re chasing something limited: wisdom can’t straighten life. (v13-22)      3. We’re chasing something beyond ourselves: wisdom leaves us searching for more. (v23-29)     “In Christ is hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”...

Chasing Work Ecclesiastes 2:12-26 The search for meaning continues with an exploration of wisdom and work – “under the Sun”. The conclusion remains – they are a “chasing after the wind.” The best we can do, is to enjoy the present. Yet even that is in God’s hands. What should we take to heart from Ecclesiastes, as we now live – “under the Son”?

Chasing Time Ecclesiastes 3 In a world of opposites…   …there is a  time  for everything.     Yet a burden remains – a longing for something outside the cycle of  time .    And Jesus speaks into it with  timeless  words of  eternal  life.  (John 6:68)   (Preacher: Steve Blencowe)

Encore! The Teacher's Pleasure Project 1. The Methodology (1:12-13) 2. The Experiment (2:1-9) 3. The Findings (2:10-11) Enjoying the Gift & the Giver Two Perspectives Preacher: Sam Hemming

Just Hevel It shocks & soothes 1. The Characters (Eccl. 1:1; 1:12; 12:12) 2. The Core Concept (Eccl. 1:1-11) 3. The Conclusion (Eccl. 12:8-14) True, but limited. Preacher: Sam Hemming

Peter Meets Jesus John 21 Jesus asks Peter: “Do you love me?” Consider what Jesus is asking o in the light of God’s love for the world and Jesus’ love for his ‘sheep’ o and what Jesus has taught his disciples about love How would YOU answer Jesus? (Preacher: Steve Blencowe)

Nicodemus meets Jesus… John 2:23-3:12, 7:45-52, 19:28-42   Is Nicodemus born again?   What would it mean for Nicodemus to be born again?    Are you born again?   (Preacher: Steve Blencowe)

Mary Meets Jesus (John 20:1-18) looking for one thing but finding something better Mary Magdalene meets the risen Jesus 1. Mary looks for something She sees … (v1 – 2) She sees … (v11 – 13) She sees … (v14 – 15) … but doesn’t believe. 2. Then Mary finds something better. He calls her by name (v16) Everything changes(v17 – 18) 3. Who are you looking for? (Preacher: Sam Hemming)

  Do you need to see?  John 20   We often  think  we need to see to believe…   But we don’t  really  need to see to believe (20:20)   What more do YOU need, to recognise Jesus is your Lord and your God?     Dear God, I am  sorry  for ignoring the truth about Jesus Thank you  for sending Jesus to die my death and give me life. Please  forgive me and change me to live with Jesus as my Lord and my Go...

  Pilate’s Politics: What is Truth?  John 18:28-19:16 A bad dream  Pilate’s politics   Jesus: the inconvenient truth   What will you choose?    (Preacher: Sam Hemming)

Learning to Pray John 17   Jesus prays in the hearing of his disciples He asks God the Father to:  -       Glorify  His Son                                 v1 -       Keep /protect the disciples                   v11 -       Sanctify  them                                  v17 -      And  unite  all who will believe              v21   What can we learn from Jesus’ prayer? (Preacher: Steve Blencowe)

Unavoidable Grief. Unstealable Joy. John 16:16–33 (Preacher: Sam Hemming)

  Good, Jesus is Leaving John  16:1 – 15   For your good?   Exclusion and Execution (v1 – 3)    Grieving Hearts (v4 – 6)   1.         The coming Spirit 1.1             The Spirit will come and convict (v7 – 11)    1.2             The Spirit will Guide and Glorify (v12 – 15)    The Spirit and our hearts   (Preacher: Sam Hemming)  

Expect to be hated! John 15:18-27   Why Christians should expect to be hated…       Because we no longer belong               (v18-19)       Because Jesus is our master                (v20-21)       Because many hearts are hardened       (v22-24)       Because it fulfils what God wrote          (v25)   And how we should respond?                 By trusting God to do His work             (v26) By b...

Faithful Friends of Jesus? John 15:1-17   Context: Seven signs and seven “I am” statements   (15:1) John writes - so we would believe and have life  (20:30-31)  And Jesus prepares His disciples to really live (ch13-17) To really live, means remaining/abiding in Jesus (15:1-8)  bearing much fruit  in prayerful dependence on God  and bringing glory to God the Father   Remaining in Jesus means remain...

  Truth for Troubled Hearts (Part 2) John 14:15-31    Okay, now what?    1. Not orphaned      2. Not homeless       3. Not afraid   Love and loved (Preacher: Sam Hemming

  Truth for Troubled Hearts (Part 1) John 14:1-14   Jesus is leaving?   Truth for troubled hearts  1.  Place (v1 – 4)  2.  Path (v5 – 11) 3.  Promise (v12 – 14)     Don’t let your hearts be troubled   (Preacher: Sam Hemming)

Church: What are we doing? Hebrews 10:19-25 & Ephesians 4:11-16   As a church we encourage each other to keep living with Jesus as our Lord and Saviour (Hebrews 10)     And we’re all involved in serving to that end (Ephesians 4)   We are a Bible teaching Church that seeks to grow followers of Jesus, as we each:  grow in  knowing  Jesus,  grow in  living   for  Jesus, and  grow in  making Jesus...

  Church: Clear on who we are? Ephesians 1:15-23   We have been made alive in Jesus by responding to the Gospel.   We gather around Jesus and His Gospel - as people who belong to Jesus and want to live for Him.     We seek to grow in knowing Jesus, living for Jesus and sharing the Gospel of Jesus.     (Preacher: Steve Blencowe)

 KPC 20 years later…  Hebrews 12:18-29   The sermon back then… Let’s not go chasing Shadows The shadow:  a church at a mountain (12:18-21) The reality:  the Church around God in heaven (12:22-24) The warning:  fear and worship God (12:24-13:1ff)   KPC 20 years later!   (Preacher: Steve Blencowe)