Sermons at St Aidan's

As we begin a new year at St Aidan's in the Old Testament book of Haggai, we find in God's word a similar challenge to "consider your ways". As we move into a new year, we are urged to consider first God's Kingdom, for His pleasure and His glory.

This week we continue to reflect on the Christmas story through Luke's gospel. In it, we see the hope that arrives at Christmas as we meet two elderly saints in the temple waiting for God to bring a saviour to his people. Christmas means hope for us because we can know who Jesus is.

Our final sermon in Isaiah before Christmas break, focuses on King Hezekiah and what chapters 38-39 present is a mixed portrait. We see a King who is impressive at points, and yet fundamentally flawed. Hezekiah leaves us longing for a better King and a better Kingdom.

Today, as we continue through the book of Isaiah we see that the Assyrian army arrives on Jerusalem's doorstep and in response to King Hezekiah's prayer, God promises to protect his people for the sake of his great name.

Big Idea: Today we continue through the book of Isaiah, we cover a large section describing God's role over all nations. The Lord who holds the whole world in his hands will be praised for his judgements and his salvation through which he will transform the world and renew all things.

Big Idea: God judges the Northern tribe Israel, then the tool of his wrath Assyria, to promise a purified people through the coming Messiah.

Ahaz, the King of Judah, is terrified by the threat of invasion. Isaiah calls on him not to fear but to trust God who will deal with his enemies, and God offers a sign as assurance. Ahaz rejects God's gracious offer and trusts in Assyria instead! So, God rejects Ahaz, and yet still gives a sign which involves the birth of a son to a virgin who is Immanuel. God with us.

Isaiah's vision expresses the peoples rebellion through a love song about a failed vineyard. Isaiah himself has a transforming encounter with the Lord, and a promise of hope emerges through atonement and God's mercy.

Today we continue a series in the book of Isaiah. The Day of the Lord is coming. For those who trust in God, a day of comfort and peace, but for those who put their hope in false idols, a day of fear and destruction.

This is the first in the new series in the book of Isaiah. It stands at the centre of our Bibles as a grand vision of God's plans for the world. It begins with a stinging rebuke calling God's people to repentance and true worship, and reveals how through God's mercy his plan is to transform his people into a city that will be a light to all people.

Today, we have a short change in focus after looking at 1 & 2 Peter in depth, for now, we look at our world today. As our culture becomes more decadent, our struggle for truth resembles that of the early church. Not only are there non-believers and openly hostile groups, but there are those who call themselves believers in Christ but are really Gnostics. After two thousand years, the conflict...

This is the finish of the series in the letter of 2 Peter. In it, we see that scoffers may doubt the return of Jesus Christ, but for the Christian its reality is embedded in the judgement and salvation events in God's word.

We continue a series in 2 Peter, and last week we heard about the True Word and were encouraged to pay close attention to it. But how do we tell the true word about Jesus from a false word?

As we continue in Peter's second letter he assures his readers that what he has taught them is true and that what we have in God's word is a light shining in a dark place, and so we must pay more careful attention.

This week we begin a series in 2 Peter. We see that as we know Jesus, as we dive deeply into his goodness, his glory, and his precious promised return, God's power flows into us bringing salvation, godliness, and assurance.

Today we come to the end of our series in Genesis, and we revisit the family that becomes the nation of Israel. The sons of Israel leave much to be desired as role models, and yet, these are the ones who the Lord calls "my people". We see today that God's people, both then and now, are those saved by grace as they are enfolded into his promises and given a future.

We continue with the series in Genesis and come to the story of Joseph. It is often the case that Joseph is held up as a great example to follow, he works hard, he flees temptation, and he forgives those who wronged him. But before we apply Joseph's example to our lives, let's first see how he points us to Jesus - the true saviour of the world.

As we continue in our series in Genesis, we come to the story of Jacob (later named "Israel"). We see that the whole of Jacob's life is about struggling to obtain the blessing of God. As we follow the contents of his story, we see a person transformed as he discovers that to know God and his grace is what it means to be truly blessed.

As God's covenant promises faithfully unfold, we come to one of the hardest passages of Genesis to stomach - the call to sacrifice Isaac. This seems wildly unreasonable and a sabotage of God's faithful provision. Nevertheless, we will see that faith in God's promises and provision revolutionises our reason when God provides himself in Jesus.

Today we hear the history-shaping promises that God made to Abraham. Today, we share in these promises as we put our faith in the true son of Abraham, who came to fulfill the promises and bring blessings to the end of the earth.

We continue this week with our series in Genesis and come to the story of the tower of Babel. It is here that humanity, speaking the same language, gather together in rebellion against God and as God sees their pride and arrogance he scatters them and confuses their language. We see that every attempt to build a kingdom, a community, or a life in our own name will be short-lived; but there is one...

We come to the story of Noah and the Ark. This part of God's word reminds us of some hard truths. It confronts us with the darkness of our hearts and God's coming judgement on sin. But it also points to the one who brings comfort to our hearts, and the only true place of safety in our world as we take refuge in Jesus Christ.

In Genesis 3 we are told of how sin entered the world and corrupted our relationship with God, one another, and even the creation. But in this tragic chapter we also see hints of mercy, grace, and hope for a restored and better future.

Today we begin a new series going back to the very beginning. In Genesis 1 and 2 we are told of the God who created all things, including us who are made in his image, and created to glorify him and enjoy him forever.

Joash Parker speaks about the King of Glory from Psalm 24.