Understand the Bible

What is the purpose of the clergy? Social workers in collars? Entertainment? Providing food for thought? Titus was written to a pastor, and it helps the whole church to understand their purpose and importance.  

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We are living in the era of the Selfie. Recently two American academics wrote a book called "The Narcissism Epidemic" - everyone is obsessed with themselves and their own 'brand'. But that is not Jesus' way - what he says in this passage is very counter-cultural and we need to hear it.  

See https://understandthebible.uk for more like this.

The quote from No Little People at the end which I unfortunately missed off is this. Just to explain, in this sermon he has been looking at Moses' staff (or stick / rod) - how God even managed to use a stick of wood:  

"The people who receive praise from the Lord Jesus will not in every case be the people who hold leadership in this life. There will be many persons who were sticks of wood that stayed close to God and were quiet before him, and were used in power by Him in a place which looks small to men.  

"Each Christian is to be a rod of God in the place of God for him. We must remember throughout our lives that in God's sight there are no little people and no little places. Only one thing is important: to be consecrated persons in God's place for us, at each moment. Those who think of themselves as little people in little places, if committed to Christ and living under His Lordship in the whole of life, may, by God's grace, change the flow of our generation. And as we get on a bit in our lives, knowing how weak we are, if we look back and see we have been somewhat used of God, then we should be the rod "surprised by joy."

Jesus disabuses us of our notions about what life in the future will be like - it's so much more than we think, not less!

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Jesus' words in this passage are famous: "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's". But what does he mean, and what is the Bible's view of how Christians should relate to earthly authorities?

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Who is your authority in life – who do you listen to? A sermon on Luke 20:1-19.

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This is a sermon which is traditionally preached on Palm Sunday before Easter (Jesus comes to Jerusalem as King) - but we're going to be thinking about the question: what is true spirituality?

This is the first of a series on "Encouraging Prayer" at our church. In this sermon we look at Jesus' prayer from John 17 and how it encourages us to pray - both that we should pray, and what we should be praying for.  

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Great Clacton on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4IHJzq_Dc-txp8oE0DlUhg

How does God want us to use the things he gives us? Lessons from a slightly puzzling parable.  

Originally recorded as part of the Wednesday Worshippers livestream on the Great Clacton Parish channel.  

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They say "A picture is worth a thousand words" - well in this case, we are given a picture of salvation.

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The last of our lent series on repentance - turning from sin. How do we walk as children of light? The answer is actually quite surprising...  

The passage is online here: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=ephesians+5&version=NIVUK  

The Doctrine of Repentance is available in lots of places online e.g. as a PDF here: http://www.onthewing.org/user/Watson%20-%20Repentance%20-%20Modern.pdf  

The Understand the Bible website is here: https://understandthebible.uk

Facebook: http://facebook.com/bible.understand

Twitter: http://twitter.com/UnderstandTheB1  

Sermon recorded as part of a livestream on the Great Clacton Parish YouTube channel.