Calvary Chapel

1 Timothy 3:1-16 - Leaders: Organised for God’s Mission

Series: Dangerous Church - 1 Timothy

Preacher: Simon Lawrenson

Sunday Morning

Date: 21st October 2025

Passage: 1 Timothy 3:1-16

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The church doesn’t exist to maintain structures — it exists to fulfil God’s mission. In this message, we explore how Paul’s instructions about overseers and deacons in 1 Timothy 3 aren’t just a checklist of leadership qualities, but a blueprint for how the church can be organised to carry the gospel into the world.

We’ll see that:

Overseers (elders and pastors) provide spiritual direction and safeguard the mission.

Deacons create systems and service that make mission possible.

And together, the church becomes “the pillar and foundation of the truth,” holding up the good news of Jesus to a watching world.

Join us as we discover that healthy leadership isn’t about power or hierarchy — it’s about creating a gospel-shaped culture where every person and every ministry helps the church fulfil God’s mission.

For more bible resources please visit www.calvarysoton.co.uk

1 Timothy 3:1-13 - Dangerous Leaders

Series: Dangerous Church - 1 Timothy

Preacher: Simon Lawrenson

Sunday Morning

Date: 5th October 2025

Passage: 1 Timothy 3:1-13

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When the gospel is distorted, leadership in the church becomes dangerous in all the wrong ways—about power, status, and control. But when the gospel is guarded, leadership becomes dangerous in all the right ways—threatening sin, darkness, and despair with the hope of Jesus.

In this message from 1 Timothy 3, we see why God gives leaders to His church and what kind of leaders we are called to follow. Leadership is not about charisma or prestige—it’s about gospel-shaped character, sacrificial service, and stewarding God’s mission.

🔑 Key points:

The gospel purpose for leadership

This sermon is part of our series “Dangerous Church”—walking verse by verse through the book of 1 Timothy.

📖 Scripture: 1 Timothy 3:1–16

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👍 If this message encouraged you, like and share it with a friend!

#DangerousChurch #1Timothy #ChurchLeadership #Gospel

For more bible resources please visit www.calvarysoton.co.uk

1 Timothy 1:12-17 - The Power of a Dangerous Testimony

Series: Dangerous Church - 1 Timothy

Preacher: Simon Lawrenson

Sunday Morning

Date: 21st September 2025

Passage: 1 Timothy 1:12-17

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Every one of us is telling a story. Sometimes it’s through social media posts, sometimes in conversations, sometimes just in the way we live. But here’s the question: what story are you telling about yourself?

Most of us curate our story to highlight the good and hide the bad. We put a filter on it, emphasise our strengths, and downplay our struggles. But in 1 Timothy 1:12–17, Paul does the opposite. He doesn’t edit. He doesn’t spin. He doesn’t make himself the hero. His testimony is powerful—and even dangerous—because it puts all the focus on God’s mercy.

This sermon explores The Power of a Dangerous Testimony and shows us how Paul’s story is really God’s story of grace overflowing in the life of a sinner. He reminds us that a dangerous testimony is not about our achievements but about God’s mercy that:

Changes People – God transforms the least likely and calls them into His mission.

Confronts Sin – God’s mercy meets us in honesty, not in the fake version of ourselves.

Magnifies Grace – Mercy saves us, but grace overflows into faith, love, and mission.

Creates a Testimony – Our lives become living evidence of Jesus’ perfect patience.

Leads to Worship – Mercy ultimately points us to the eternal, immortal, invisible God who deserves all glory.

Paul’s testimony is dangerous because it shatters pride, exposes hidden sin, and points to Jesus as the only Saviour. It’s a reminder that no one is too far gone for mercy, and no one is too “good” to not need grace. Whether your sins are loud and public or quiet and hidden, the gospel is the same: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—and that includes you.

If you’ve ever wondered whether God could use someone with your past, or if you’ve doubted His patience with your failures, this message will remind you: His mercy is bigger, His patience is longer, and His grace overflows.

Calvary Chapel is a church in Southampton focused on Bible teaching and making disciples. For more bible resources please visit www.calvarysoton.co.uk

1 Timothy 1:1-11 - Dangerous Gospel

Series: Dangerous Church - 1 Timothy

Preacher: Simon Lawrenson

Sunday Morning

Date: 14th September 2025

Passage: 1 Timothy 1:1-11

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Every church is dangerous—the question is, dangerous for what?

In this sermon from 1 Timothy 1:1–11, we see that the gospel makes the church dangerously good, not dangerously toxic. Paul calls Timothy (and us) to guard the gospel personally, doctrinally, and missionally—because a distorted gospel doesn’t just confuse, it enslaves.

The true gospel, however, tears down pride, dismantles fear, and sets people free. It’s dangerous to the powers of darkness, to injustice, and to the lie that we can save ourselves. And it is gloriously good news for anyone who feels unworthy, ashamed, or far from God: Jesus is enough.

📖 In this message you’ll learn:

Why the gospel is more than doctrine on paper—it’s discipleship in people.

How false teaching distracts with speculation instead of building faith.

What it means to use the law lawfully and how it points us to Christ.

Why guarding the gospel results in love flowing from a pure heart, good conscience, and sincere faith.

🙌 Whether you’re new to faith or a long-time follower of Jesus, this passage calls us to hold fast to the dangerous gospel and display it with joy.

Matthew 6:9-15 - How Should We Pray?

Preacher: Simon Lawrenson

Sunday Morning

Date: 12th September 2025

Passage: Matthew 6:9-15

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In this sermon on Matthew 6, the pastor explores Jesus’ teaching on prayer, focusing on how Christ diagnoses six heart-level issues that prevent effective prayer while simultaneously providing the gospel cure for each problem.

The first diagnosis is our pursuit of individualism. Jesus counters this by teaching us to pray “our Father,” not “my Father,” emphasising that Christianity is inherently communal, not merely individual. The pastor points to Acts 1:14 where the disciples “with one accord devoted themselves to prayer,” resulting in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. The gospel cure is that God has placed us in a family, and our response should be to pray together in life groups, prayer meetings, and with prayer partners.

The second diagnosis is our misunderstanding of God as Father. Many view God primarily as judge, sovereign, or king, but Jesus teaches us to approach Him as Father. The pastor notes that in every recorded prayer except one (when forsaken on the cross), Jesus addressed God as Father. The gospel cure is that through Christ’s sacrifice, we have been given “the right to become children of God” (John 1:12), allowing us to approach God with confidence rather than fear.

The third diagnosis is “self on the throne” instead of God. Jesus teaches us to pray “hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done,” exposing our tendency to make ourselves the centre of our prayers. The pastor uses the analogy of microscopes and telescopes: “Oftentimes we come to God like we use a microscope… our small, insignificant problems, we make them look huge… Instead, we should come to God like a telescope, because telescopes make those things that seem small but are actually massive, look big.” The cure is found in Christ who perfectly submitted to the Father’s will.

The fourth diagnosis is the illusion of control. By teaching us to pray for daily bread and forgiveness, Jesus reminds us that we are dependent creatures, not sovereign rulers. The gospel cure is seen in Jesus’ submission in Gethsemane: “Not my will but yours be done.” Our response should be to surrender control of those areas we’ve been trying to manage without God.

The fifth diagnosis is unconfessed sin. Jesus teaches us to pray “forgive us our debts,” acknowledging that prayer is for the broken, not the perfect. The pastor emphasises, “Sin should not keep us from God. Sin should be the very thing that drives us to God.” The gospel cure is that through the cross, God has made a way for sin to be dealt with, and our response should be to extend that same forgiveness to others who have sinned against us.

The sixth diagnosis is complacency toward spiritual warfare. By teaching us to pray “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,” Jesus reminds us that we face a real enemy who “prowls around like a roaring lion” (1 Peter 5:8). The gospel cure is that Christ has equipped us with the Word of God as our sword and the Holy Spirit as our power to face temptation.

The sermon concludes by emphasising that prayer isn’t about perfection but about coming to God in our brokenness: “It’s not bad news to admit that we need help. It’s good news because what Jesus is saying is that sinners can come to the Father and the redeemed can come to the Father. And both can say, ‘Help me.'” Every failure becomes an invitation to return to God and be filled with His Word and Spirit.

Psalms 42-49 - CANCELLED By GOD!

Series: Psalms Storyline

Preacher: Simon Lawrenson

Sunday Morning

Date: 31st August 2025

Passage: Psalm 42:1-49:20

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What do you do when it feels like God has cancelled you? When prayers go unanswered? When God seems distant—or even against you? That’s exactly the experience Psalms 42–49 capture. This powerful cluster of psalms doesn’t shy away from the raw ache of exile, the longing for God’s presence, and the crushing weight of feeling forgotten.

👉 Exile (Psalms 42–44):

👑 The King (Psalm 45):

🏰 The Kingdom (Psalms 46–49):

At the heart of it all is this gospel truth: Jesus was cast out so we could be brought in; He was cancelled so we could be crowned.

✝️ If you’ve ever felt forgotten, rejected, or spiritually dry—this message is for you. Discover the hope that carries you from exile to kingdom, through the King who reigns forever. For more sermons please visit this link

Psalm 72-73 – The King We Long for, the God who is Enough

Series: Psalms Storyline

Preacher: Simon Lawrenson

Sunday Morning

Date: 24th August 2025

Passage: Psalm 72:1-73:28

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Why do the wicked prosper while the righteous suffer? Psalm 73 wrestles with one of life’s hardest questions—and finds its answer not in wealth, success, or envy, but in the presence of God Himself.

In this sermon, we trace Asaph’s journey from doubt and despair to hope and worship, and we see how it points us forward to Jesus Christ:

The truly Righteous Sufferer who bore injustice on the cross.

The true Temple, God’s presence with us.

The coming Judge, who will set all things right.

Our eternal Portion and Treasure forever.

📖 If you’ve ever felt frustrated by injustice in the world or discouraged by your own struggles, this psalm speaks directly to you—and in Christ, it offers unshakable hope. For more bible resources please visit www.calvarysoton.co.uk

Mark 15:1-15 - Barnabas and Pilate

Series: Authority - Gospel of Mark

Preacher: Zac Prosser

Sunday Morning

Date: 10th August 2025

Passage: Mark 15:1-15

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In this message, we explore the fateful exchange between Jesus and Barabbas before Pilate — a moment that reveals the depth of human brokenness and the wonder of God’s grace. Pilate wrestles with truth, the crowd chooses a criminal over the Saviour, and Jesus takes the place of the guilty. This passage challenges us to see ourselves in the story and to embrace the freedom Christ secured for us.

Mark 14:66-72 - Peter’s Denial

Series: Authority - Gospel of Mark

Preacher: Joseph Diaper

Sunday Morning

Date: 6th August 2025

Passage: Mark 14:66-72

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In Mark 14:66–72, Peter—once bold and loyal—denies Jesus three times as fear overtakes him. Despite his earlier promises of faithfulness, he crumbles under pressure. When the rooster crows, Peter remembers Jesus’ words and breaks down in tears. This moment reveals the fragility of human strength and the depth of God’s grace. It reminds us that even in our failures, repentance opens the door to restoration.

Mark 14:32-42 - Let this Cup Pass from Me

Series: Authority - Gospel of Mark

Preacher: John Malunga

Sunday Morning

Date: 6th August 2025

Passage: Mark 14:32-42

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In Mark 14:32-42, Jesus prays in the Garden of Gethsemane, overwhelmed with sorrow as He faces the suffering to come. This passage captures His deep humanity—pleading for the “cup” to pass, yet fully submitting to the Father’s will. It’s a powerful moment of anguish, obedience, and divine purpose. This reflection invites us to trust God even when the path is painful, knowing that surrender leads to redemption.