Have we ever found ourselves in a wilderness and wondered whether God still sees us and will provide for us?Whether we are in a difficult place because we followed God or because we wandered, he has not abandoned us and is already at work shaping us. Like Elijah being fed by ravens, God often provides in unexpected ways while also using the wilderness to deepen our trust, strengthen our character and grow the fruit of his Spirit within us. As we seek him in prayer and his word, we can move forward with confidence, knowing he knows our situation, will guide our next step and will provide all that we need.

Sermon Notes:

- Slides: https://www.goldhill.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Firm-Faith-Slides-1-1-Kings-17.pdf

Stephen reminds us that the more we understand who God is and all he has done for us, the more our natural response should be wholehearted worship. Because God's wisdom, mercy and faithfulness are beyond our full understanding, we can trust him even when life raises difficult questions, offering every part of our lives to him as a living sacrifice. Worship is far more than singing on a Sunday; it is choosing to honour God in every part of our lives, every day. As we keep placing ourselves before God, our lives become an expression of worship as well as our words.

Sermon Notes:

- Slides: https://www.goldhill.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Romans-11.33-12.1-The-Only-Right-Response.pdf

Stephen reminds us that God invites us to come just as we are, bringing nothing but ourselves, because Jesus has done everything needed for us to know God.Romans 11 shows that God is bringing together one people through Jesus, joining Jewish and non-Jewish believers into his family, and warning us to remain humble because we stand only by God’s mercy.Although some of God’s purposes remain a mystery, we can trust his faithfulness, never lose the wonder of the cross, and pray with hope for people to turn to Jesus and receive his grace.

Sermon Notes:

- Slides: https://www.goldhill.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Romans-11v11-32-The-People-of-God.pdf

Romans 11 becomes a challenge not only to understand Israel’s story but to examine the condition of our own hearts. Stephen shows how hard-heartedness often grows gradually through pride, unbelief, bitterness, or spiritual numbness, while God continues to offer restoration and renewal through grace. God is faithful to his promises, keeps a faithful remnant, and does not abandon those who turn back to him. The challenge is to respond with humility and let whatever has become hard be made soft again.

Sermon Notes:

- Slides: https://www.goldhill.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Romans-11.1-10-June-21st.pdf

Stephen brings Romans 11 into sharp focus by showing that the real issue is not only Israel’s story but the condition of our own hearts. God is faithful to his promises, preserves a people for himself, and restores even those who seem far away, not through effort or religious performance but through grace. Yet there is also a warning: it is possible to be outwardly committed while inwardly growing hard and unresponsive. The invitation is to honestly examine our hearts and allow grace to soften whatever has become stubborn or closed.

Sermon Notes:

- Slides: https://www.goldhill.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Romans-11.1-10-June-21st.pdf

People are not made right with God by effort, but by trusting in Jesus. This has always been God’s way, yet many miss it because they try to earn what must be received. Jesus is described as both the foundation that holds life together and the one people can stumble over if they refuse to trust him. The good news is that this message is close to us, simple to respond to, and open to anyone who calls on God in trust.

Stephen’s  challenge to us is whether we will stop striving and instead live from faith, and whether we will carry that same message to others who still haven’t heard it.

Sermon Notes:

- Slides: https://www.goldhill.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Romans-9v30-10v21-Outstretched-hand-and-beautiful-feet.pdf

Stephen takes us into Romans 9–11, where Paul wrestles with the question of whether God has failed His promises to Israel, and answers that God’s word has not failed. He shows that belonging to God has always been about promise and mercy rather than ancestry or effort, and that God remains free and sovereign in how He shows compassion. Even Israel’s rejection of Jesus does not cancel God’s purposes, but reveals a wider plan that also includes those outside Israel being brought into God’s people.

The invitation is to stop sitting in judgement over God and instead trust His mercy and purposes, even when they stretch our understanding.

Sermon Notes:

- Slides: https://www.goldhill.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Gods-Heart-for-His-People-Romans-9v1-29.pdf

- Overview: https://www.goldhill.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/7-June-2026-Sermon-Overview-Stephen.docx

God’s choice rests on his mercy rather than on human effort, achievement, or birthright.

Vilmos shows that Israel was chosen to bring God's blessing and salvation to the world, and that purpose has now been extended to both Jews and Gentiles through Christ. God's sovereignty runs throughout history, yet his heart is patient and compassionate, desiring people to turn to him. We are invited to see ourselves as vessels of mercy, shaped and used for his purposes. As we open our hearts to him, we can become a blessing to the world around us.

Sermon Notes:

- Overview: https://www.goldhill.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/7-June-2026-Sermon-Overview-Vilmos.pdf

Nothing in life—not suffering, failure, fear, or uncertainty—can separate us from God's love. Stephen reminds us that God is for us, generous towards us, able to free us, and committed to us even in our hardest moments. When doubts and challenges come, we are encouraged to hold on to what we know rather than what we happen to feel. The invitation is to put our confidence in God's unchanging love and find security there.