11. Happily Ever After (1 Corinthians 7:25-40)

Preached on 1st November 2020 by Rupert Hunt-Taylor.

The eleventh talk in the "How to win at Christianity" series.

Sermon Notes:

- A ring or a noose?
- Paul’s aim: pastoral wisdom, that frees us from anxiety

However you decide...

  1. You are free

  2. This world is dying

  3. Life in it is difficult

  4. So devote that life to Jesus

10. A better master, in a broken world (1 Corinthians 7:10-24)

Preached on 18th October 2020 by Rupert Hunt-Taylor.

The tenth talk in the "How to win at Christianity" series.

Sermon Notes:

How do we find contentment, in a world of disposable things?

In a broken world, it’s enough...

1. …to fight for Jesus’ faithfulness (v10-11)

• so don’t dispose of your marriage!

2. …to live in Jesus’ peacefulness (v12-16)

• so don’t devalue your marriage!

3. …to belong to a better master (v17-24)

• so don’t despise your freedom!

9. Make love, not prayers (1 Corinthians 7:1-9)

Preached on 11th October 2020 by Rupert Hunt-Taylor.

The ninth talk in the "How to win at Christianity" series.

Sermon Notes:

Good, better, best:  a game of Spiritual Twister

A reassuringly complicated response

How do we “glorify God in our body”?

1. If God has given you marriage: make love, not prayers! (v1-7)

  • The command: a cross-shaped bedroom (v3-4)

  • The concession: a cautious exception (v5-6

  • Unwrap your own gift! (v7)

2. If God has given you independence:
 be wise about your weakness! (v8-9)

8. The worth of your body (1 Corinthians 6:12-20)

Preached on 4th October 2020 by Rupert Hunt-Taylor.

The eight talk in the "How to win at Christianity" series.

Sermon Notes:

On the love of our bodies...

Christianity: an earthy, bodily religion.

1. What you’ve got wrong (12-14)

  • Your life is more significant than you realise.

2. What you don’t know (15-17)

  • Your relationships are more powerful than they feel.

3. What it means now (18-20)

  • Your body is ‘you’, but not ‘yours.’

    • So flee...

    • So glorify...

7. A crash course in anti-evangelism (1 Corinthians 6:1-11)

Preached on 27th September 2020 by Rupert Hunt-Taylor.

The seventh talk in the "How to win at Christianity" series.

Sermon Notes:

A tragedy: Christians who don’t know where they’ve come from,
or where they are going.

How might we become non-verbal heretics?

1. What we tell the world

– “We don’t believe in the last judgement”

  • church is a place full of squabbles (v1-6)

– “We don’t believe in the cross”

  • church is a place for the strong (v7-8)

2. What we tell ourselves

– “We don’t believe in the last judgement”

  • Jesus doesn’t care about wrong (v9-10)

– “We don’t believe in the cross”

  • Jesus doesn’t know how to wash (v11)

6. How to Shock an Apostle (1 Corinthians 5)

Preached on 20th September 2020 by Rupert Hunt-Taylor.

The sixth talk in the "How to win at Christianity" series.

Sermon Notes:

The real scandal in Corinth:

  • One Corinthian disease, right through the letter

  • How do chapters 5 & 6 relate to it?

Dealing with sin in the church is hugely painful… so why bother?

1.  Some real ‘judgement’: A loving heart (v1-5)

  • For his sake:  your love for the sinner demands it

2.  Some real ‘knowledge’: A fresh start (v6-8)

  • For your sake:  the health of God’s temple demands it

3.  Some real ‘spirituality’: A brotherly part (v9-13)

  • For the world’s sake:  the mission you share demands it

5. Our Embarrassing Father (1 Corinthians 4)

Preached on 13th September 2020 by Rupert Hunt-Taylor.

The fifth talk in the "How to win at Christianity" series.

Sermon Notes:

A paternity test…

1.  When do we want our approval? (1-5)

– A true child of Paul…cares for Jesus’ ultimate verdict on his heart, not that of others now.

2.  What do we think of as success? (6-18)

– A true child of Paul… boasts in nothing more or less than the message Paul was trusted with  (6-7).

A true child of Paul… is willing to “lose” now, knowing that everything they have, they received  (8-13).

3.  Where do we look for our examples? (14-21)

A true child of Paul… follows his ways, not just his words.

4. Two Ways to Smell

Preached on September 6th 2020 by Rupert Hunt Taylor

Worth and Worship: Humanity Rediscovered

First Reading:  Mark 7:5-8

Second Reading:  Amos 5:21-24

Third Reading: Hebrews 12:28–13:16

Sermon Notes:

  1. When does worship make the heavens stink?

    - When we barge in, filthy and proud

      • Liturgy

      • Lives

  2. When does worship make our Father smile?

    - When the crucified one fills our lips and our love

      • Liturgy

      • Lives

3. The Exhausted Soul

Preached on August 30th 2020 by Rupert Hunt Taylor

Worth and Worship: Humanity Rediscovered

First Reading: Genesis 1:31-2:3

Second reading: Hebrews 3:12-4:11

Sermon Notes:

  1. Human souls need rest

  2. Jesus gives rest to the weary

  3. We rest in him through worship

[Please enjoy the sound of authentic Scottish seagulls, added into the background of this sermon at no extra cost.]

2. The Torn Photograph

Preached on August 23rd 2020 by Rupert Hunt Taylor

Worth and Worship: Humanity Rediscovered

Sermon Notes:

Stitching the fabric of creation back together…

  1. A Joyful Gathering: At the heart of this universe is a joyful celebration.

  2. An Aching Rift: That gathering is a dangerous place to be if you don’t belong.

  3. A Spiritual Homecoming: God gives his lost children ways to come home.

Psalm 33: Praise for Presbyterians

Preached over lockdown on 31st May 2020, by Rupert Hunt-Taylor.

Psalms | Book 1: Christ's battle for the kingdom

Sermon Notes:

A song for the times that praise doesn’t come naturally.

Two places to see God’s trustworthiness:

1) Creation (v4-9)

  • You can trust God… because planets pour out of His mouth.

2) Providence (10-19)

  • You can trust God… because your heart is stuck in His eye.

Psalm 31: God's Grip

Preached over lockdown on 10th May 2020, by Rupert Hunt-Taylor.

Psalms | Book 1: Christ's battle for the kingdom

Sermon Notes:

- Two perspectives on a death

- What could God’s king see, that will help us respond with v23 & 24?

Three things that God holds in his hands:

  1. Heavy souls (v5)

  2. Human times (v15)

  3. Hidden treasure (v19)

Love | Loyalty | Life: Redemption in three cups

Preached on Easter Sunday 2020, by Rupert Hunt-Taylor

Lockdown reflections on the atonement, from Mark’s Gospel

Redemption in three cups:

  1. The cup we couldn’t drink (Mark 10:35-45)

  2. The cup he wouldn’t drink (Mark 15:22-39)

  3. The cup all heaven will drink (Mark 14:17-25)

The Cross he Bore” by Frederick Leahy is published by the Banner of Truth Trust. This is a wonderful little book of Easter meditations drawn on (and quoted from) under Mark 14:23.