2. His Rivals: The Tyrant on the Throne (Matt 2:13-23)

2. His Rivals: The Tyrant on the Throne (Matt 2:13-23)
Rupert Hunt-Taylor

CANCELLED | When the Carols Fell Silent

Four great threats to the joy of Christmas

Preached on 13th December 2020 by Rupert Hunt-Taylor

Sermon Notes:

1. Man’s response to Christmas... is terrifying

- Terrifyingly knowledgeable
- Terrifyingly normal
- Terrifyingly damaging

2. Christ’s response to man... is to enter in to our terror

1. His Foe: The Dragon in the Stable (Rev 12:1-12)

1. His Foe: The Dragon in the Stable (Rev 12:1-12)
Rupert Hunt-Taylor

CANCELLED | When the Carols Fell Silent

Four great threats to the joy of Christmas

Preached on 6th December 2020 by Rupert Hunt-Taylor

Sermon Notes:

On earth: a baby batters a beast (v1-6)

In heaven: a lamb conquers a liar (v7-12)

Three things to know when you pick a fight with a dragon:

  1. The Devil is dying

  2. The baby has bled

  3. His people are fed

Psalm 36: The Well and the Fountain

Preached on 29th November 2020, by Rupert Hunt-Taylor.

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

Sermon Notes:

1. The human heart:  a well of death and deceit (v1-4)

2. The God of love: a fountain of life and light (v5-9)

3. From the depths of the well, drink from the fountain (v10-12)

Psalm 35: The Darkest Stain

Psalm 35: The Darkest Stain
Rupert Hunt-Taylor

Preached on 22nd November 2020, by Rupert Hunt-Taylor.

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

Sermon Notes:

The worst miscarriage of justice in history... which side were we on?

How do Jesus’ true people respond to the world’s hatred of him:

1. Rage against the wrong

2. Rouse the one who cares

3. Rejoice in the righteous God

Psalm 34: The King Who Shares

Psalm 34: The King Who Shares
Rupert Hunt-Taylor

Preached on 15th November 2020, by Rupert Hunt-Taylor.

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

Sermon Notes:

A humiliating story... What king would so delight in sharing it?

1. Sing with the king: and share in God’s worth to Him (1-7)

2. Hear how to fear: and share in God’s love for Him (8-22)

Lest We Forget

Lest We Forget
Rupert Hunt-Taylor

Preached on 8th November 2020 by Rupert Hunt-Taylor

A brief reflection for Remembrance Sunday

Readings: Deuteronomy 6:4–12, Luke 23:32-43

On memory...

  1. We long for remembrance, because we are human

    • Memory values our past

    • Memory values our future

  2. Our memories fail, because we are human

    • Memory is a wonderful but finite gift

    • God also gives us means to preserve our memory of himself

  3. True hope lies in the one who remembers us


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

11. Happily Ever After (1 Cor 7:25-40)
Rupert Hunt-Taylor

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)

10. A better master, in a broken world (1 Cor 7:10-24)
Rupert Hunt-Taylor

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)

9. Make love, not prayers (1 Cor 7:1-9)
Rupert Hunt-Taylor

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)

8. The worth of your body (1 Cor 6:12-20)
Rupert Hunt-Taylor

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)

7. A crash course in anti-evangelism (1 Cor 6:1-11)
Rupert Hunt-Taylor

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)

6. How to Shock an Apostle (1 Corinthians 5)
Rupert Hunt-Taylor

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