Sermons: June 2008

We have started to publish our sermons on a weekly basis. Please return regularly to find new sermon updates. Click on the sermon subject line to view the sermon. You may email the preacher to discuss any questions or comments that you might have about the sermon and its content. DATE CHURCH SUBJECT PREACHER BIBLE REF. 29.06.08 All Saints' Church Onward Christian Soldiers: Now I am passionate about peace and reconciliation, especially in the Holy Land where we used to live and minister.  I abominate the violence in the history of Christianity. But I shall sing the traditional militant version with enthusiasm! Rev. Tony Higton Acts 12:1-18 22.06.08 All Saints' Church Coping with Financial Worries: What would you think of me if I visited a wife who had just been left by her husband for another woman or parents who had just lost a baby or a man who has been told he has terminal cancer and I said: “I know how you feel”?  You’d have me sacked for profound insensitivity and clear incompetence! Rev. Tony Higton Mathew 6:25-33 01.06.08 All Saints' Church If We Love God We Will Obey Him: I always remember an experience I had as a boy on holiday in Mablethorpe on the Lincolnshire coast in the 1950s.  At the far North end of the beach there was an RAF bombing range, littered with debris from shells and bombs. Rev. Tony Higton Matthew 7:21-29

Sermons: May 2008

DATE CHURCH SUBJECT PREACHER BIBLE REF. 25.05.08 All Saints Church Justice and Beyond Justice: Sex is an important subject because it deeply affects the lives of individuals and families, and therefore society. I myself for 14 years campaigned on various subjects including sexuality (but I am not a single issue person). But sadly the church does sometimes seem to have a fixation on sexuality, particularly homosexuality. Tony Higton Lev. 19: 1-2 Matt 5: 38-60 18.05.08 All Saints Church Trinity Sunday: The Mystery of God: Trinity Sunday speaks of the complexity and mystery of God. Have a quick read through the following ancient attempt to define the Trinity. Tony Higton Isaiah 40: 12-31 11.05.08 All Saints Church Pentecost: If Ever We Need the Power of the Holy Spirit, It's Now!: We live in a very needy nation. There is widespread breakdown of the family with all the trauma and social problems that produces. There is a very high abortion rate. There is a growing problem of violent crime, particularly amongst young people. Tony Higton 1 Cor. 3. 3-13

Sermons: April 2008

DATE CHURCH SUBJECT PREACHER BIBLE REF. 20.04.08 St Mary's Church The "I Am" Sayings: Quite frequently these days we need to produce documentation to prove we are who we say we are – the other day I wanted to open a savings account and had to show my passport and a notice of tax coding. Patricia Higton John 14:1-14 20.04.08 All Saints' Church What is Christianity? Christianity is not primarily church buildings, hymnbooks, prayer books, communion tables, candles and the like. Christianity is Christ. When Thomas asked Jesus the way to heaven, Jesus replied that he is the way. Rev. Tony Higton John 14:1-14 13.04.08 All Saints' Church What is Church For? What’s the purpose of the church? What’s it all about? Is it just for people who have nothing better to do on a Sunday morning? Is it just a cosy religious club? Is it a gathering of those who like singing hymns? Rev. Tony Higton Acts 2: 42-47

Sermons: March 2008

DATE CHURCH SUBJECT PREACHER BIBLE REF. 30.03.08 All Saints' Church Christ Our Hope: The word “hopeless” is one of the most negative in the English language. Sometimes we use it superficially. But hopelessness is an extremely negative condition. It is not only emotionally traumatic it has a powerful psychosomatic effect too. Rev. Tony Higton 1 Cor. 15:19-26 23.03.08 All Saints' Church Jesus Always Comes to Us: They had heard what the women, Peter and John had found. The tomb was empty and Mary claimed to have seen Jesus alive. But they still felt in limbo. They locked the doors “for fear of the Jews Rev. Tony Higton John 20:19-31 12.03.08 All Saints' Church Palm Sunday: The full significance of Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey may be lost on us if we do not know the background to his action. It was, in fact, a public claim to being the long-awaited Messiah. Rev. Tony Higton Matt 21:1-11

Sermons: February 2008

DATE CHURCH SUBJECT PREACHER BIBLE REF. 24.02.08 All Saints' Church Rejoicing Every Day: The teenage suicides in Bridgend have vividly conveyed the hopelessness which some young people feel. There is all too much hopelessness out there in the world. How many people out there are hopeless as we sit here in church? Maybe some are contemplating suicide and our hearts should go out to them. Rev. Tony Higton Rom 5:1-11 17.02.08 All Saints' Church How to be a Part of God's Chosen People: Abraham lived many centuries before Jesus. He didn’t have the Bible (it wasn’t written then). He didn’t have the church (it hadn’t started). He didn’t know about Jesus. But he had faith and... Rev. Tony Higton Romans 4:1-5, 13-17 09.02.08 All Saints' Church What's Wrong with Human Beings?: Did Jesus really have an encounter in the wilderness with a personal Devil? That is how the story of Lent – Jesus’ 40 days and 40 nights in the desert – puts it.  I can’t go into that in great depth here. But, like the Church of England, I do believe in a personal Devil. Rev. Tony Higton Gen 2:15-37 03.02.08 All Saints' Church A Sermon for Older People: I think I’m beginning to feel depressed. Even more so when I read Cicero: ”As I give thought to the matter, I find four causes for the apparent misery of old age: first, it withdraws us from active accomplishments; second, it renders the body less powerful; third, it deprives us of almost all forms of enjoyment; fourth, it stands not far from death.” Rev. Tony Higton Luke 2: 22-40

Sermons: January 2008

DATE CHURCH SUBJECT PREACHER BIBLE REF. 20.01.08 All Saints' Church The Kingdom of Justice: Who is the Servant of the Lord?  Isaiah writes about him several times.  Initially, it could be that it was a corporate servant, i.e. the people of Israel were God’s Servant. Rev. Tony Higton Isaiah 42: 1-9 06.01.08 All Saints' Church God is Working His Purpose Out: God brought about the incarnation of his son through the virgin birth in Bethlehem, attended by a heavenly choir, and the subsequent visit of the Magi from the East. Then King Herod hears of it and acts to destroy the infant Jesus, slaughtering other small boys in the process. On the face of it, is God really in control? Rev. Tony Higton -

Sermons: December 2007

DATE CHURCH SUBJECT PREACHER BIBLE REF. 23.12.07 St Mary's Church Is Jesus God? Sometimes I feel as if my brain is buzzing with questions, from as mundane as ‘Did I switch the oven on before I came out’ or ‘Have I done everything I’m supposed to do to be ready for Christmas?’ Patricia Higton Matthew 1.20 16.12.07 All Saints Church Mary's Example There is a major problem with the Christmas story in Britain: it tends to be ignored – even by Christians. Everyone knows that it is ignored amidst the commercial festivities. But it should also be noted that, because the story is so familiar, it can wash over Christians like warm shower water. Rev. Tony Higton Matthew 1.18-25 09.12.07 All Saints' Church The Generosity of God Challenges Us to Generosity: Are you finding life difficult?  Are you hanging on by your finger tips- not sure if you can carry on? Perhaps just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse: it did.  I’ve been there, and sympathize.  Rev. Tony Higton Romans 15: 4-13

Sermons: November 2007

	DATE CHURCH SUBJECT PREACHER BIBLE REF. 18.11.07 All Saints' Church Signposts of the End: The implication of Jesus’ teaching is that when we hear of such things we should have two thoughts in mind. One is of compassion towards those adversely affected as to how we can help them.  But the second thought is to remember that Jesus said these are repeated reminders of the fragility of life, of the End and of his coming. Rev. Tony Higton Luke 21:5-12, 24-28 04.11.07 St Mary's Church A Different Kind of Kingdom: We remember all the saints today – that doesn’t just mean those depicted in stained glass windows, because Paul wrote to the saints in Rome, the saints in Ephesus, the saints in Philippi – and he could just as well have written to the saints in the Woottons. Patricia Higton Matt. 5:1-12

Sermons: October 2007

	DATE CHURCH SUBJECT PREACHER BIBLE REF. 28.10.07 All Saints Church Doers of the Word: Jesus said (verse 21) "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” We go to church and sing all the hymns. We say the set prayers. We recite the creed But this can be merely words, words, words? Rev. Tony Higton Matt 7:15-29 07.10.07 All Saints Church A Harvest Challenge: I know of a clergyman who was preaching on this passage and couldn’t understand why the congregation became highly amused. He was speaking of Jesus teaching about the seed (of the word of God) falling on rocky (shallow) ground, where it soon stopped growing and was killed off by the hot sun. Rev. Tony Higton Luke 8: 1-15

Sermons: September 2007

	DATE CHURCH SUBJECT PREACHER BIBLE REF. 30.09.07 All Saints Church Unity in Diversity: We are celebrating this special occasion today with a birthday cake and a display of work done by our children.  Rev. Tony Higton & Patricia Higton 1Cor 12: 7-31  23.09.07 All Saints Church You Cannot Serve Both God and Money: Has anyone got any savings with Northern Rock? Anyone with a mortgage from Northern Rock?  Testing times this week if you have, or had. Rev. David Tate John 3:17-8  Preached on: 19.08.07 (published:  on website 07.09.07) All Saints Church Why Are We Here?: Because Jesus was the perfect sacrifice, he was the means of God’s complete forgiveness of our sins. That means every sin (past, present, and future) can be forgiven completely. Through Him, God did for us what we could not do. Jesus removed the barrier of sin between us and God.   Rev. David Tate   02.09.07 All Saints Church "Life is not fair": I don’t know how many times I’ve stood in front of grieving family and friends and acknowledged: “We’re all asking the question ‘why?’” Rev. Tony Higton -

Sermons: August 2007

DATE CHURCH SUBJECT PREACHER BIBLE REF. 26.08.07 All Saints Church A God who weeps: in this last sermon in the series we look at another reason – He is a God who weeps.  Jesus shows us what God was like. That is the principle of the incarnation. And we see that: Firstly, Jesus was moved with compassion over the hungry (and needy)  Rev. Tony Higton Luke 19:41-44 19.08.07 All Saints Church A God Who Seeks: Firstly, he seeks those who have not yet come to faith in Christ or who have not yet become involved in the church. Jesus uses three illustrations of this. He tells the story of the lost sheep. Rev. Tony Higton Luke 15 12.08.07 All Saints Church A God Who Rescues: Why do we do evangelism? Why do we carry out mission? It is because we have a God who loves and wants all human beings to love him. It is also because we have a God who communicates. Rev. Tony Higton John 3:17-8 John 3:36 1 John 5: 10-13

Sermons: July 2007

DATE CHURCH SUBJECT PREACHER BIBLE REF. 15.07.07 All Saints Church How do you inherit eternal life? Over the years I have spoken at meetings in many places and many countries. On occasions I have had someone come up to me to check out if I am orthodox.  They tend to be more Evangelical believers. “Do you believe in the authority of the Bible?” Rev. Tony Higton Luke 10:25-37 08.07.07 All Saints Church A God Who Identifies: God loved us so much that he became one of us, experiencing all the pressures, suffering, disappointments, humiliation, injustice, unrequited affection and temptations that we do. Rev. Tony Higton Phil. 2:6-8 Col. 1:12-13 Heb. 4:15 01.07.07 All Saints Church The Only Organisation Which Exists Primarily for Non-Members: Why is the church the only organisation which exists primarily for non-members! Is it to get a higher income for the church? Rev. Tony Higton Amos 4:13 Isaiah: 43:10 Psalms 98:2

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