12. Jesus in our Family (Ephesians 6:1-4)

Preached on Sunday 12th November 2023 by Rob Cardew, our minister in training.

The twelfth sermon in an occasional series in Ephesians.

1. Being a Christian in your family

2. Being joined to Jesus transforms your family role

i. Tenderness

ii. Discipline

iii. Instruction

1. Be involved in verbally instructing our children (keep talking to them).

2. Regularly leading them in family devotions and prayer (minister to the family).

3. Monitor and take responsibility for the input that enters their impressionable

minds.

4. Taking responsibility to help assure that church is a meaningful experience.

5. Be an example. We must make sure that the open book of our lives—our

example—demonstrates the reality of our instruction, for in watching us they

will learn the most.

3. Being a family that shares and serves Jesus

3. Rome (Acts 28:11-31)

Preached on Sunday 29th October 2023 by Gavin McGrath, a member of our congregation.

The third of a three sermon series: The Church in Acts: what, who and why?

1. The storms of human events cannot stop the Lord Jesus growing his church!

i. Storms of every kind (vv.11-13)

ii. Yet there are ‘brothers and sisters’ already (vv.14-16)

iii. Rejection by some, acceptance by others (vv.17-29)

2. The church of Jesus both subverts and answers the longings of Rome

i. A welcome (v.30)

ii. A message (v.31)

3. The church of Jesus has not stopped with Rome

iii. Luke’s brevity and Luke’s point

iv. The ongoing story…including us

2. Antioch (Acts 11:19-29 and 13:1-3)

Preached on Sunday 22nd October 2023 by Gavin McGrath, a member of our congregation.

The second of a three sermon series: The Church in Acts: what, who and why?

1. The church is attacked but attacks never ultimately win (11:19-21)

2. The church is strengthened by the grace of God (11:22-30)

3. The church is a wonderfully diverse people - even if this is complicated

(13:1-5; 15:1-5)

4. The church sends out people in the Spirit with the gospel (13:2-3)

For us at ENC now:

• …Let’s look for unexpected opportunities even in hard times

• …Let’s pray we increasingly be a grace-filled church

• …Let’s ask questions about our ‘culture’ and if we are welcoming outsiders

• …Let’s continue to be a sending out church

1. Jerusalem (Acts 2:40-47)

Preached on Sunday 15th October 2023 by Gavin McGrath, a member of our congregation.

The first of a three sermon series: The Church in Acts: what, who and why?

1. The church is built upon the Apostles’ witness to Jesus (1:1-11)

2. The church receives the faithful fulfilment of God’s promises (2:1-40)

3. The church is the people of God (2:41-47)

4. The church shares Jesus’ sufferings and resurrection (Acts 3-8)

For us at ENC now:

• Do we know what time we’re in right now?

• Do we long for a Spirit-enabled community life?

• Will we make the apostles’ witness and teaching central to everything we do?

• Do we know how to read the times in which live — this point in history?

Rejected by the World, Kept by the Spirit (John 15:18-16:15)

Preached on Sunday 8th October 2023 by Daniel Mackay. The second of two sermons in John’s gospel.

Being in Christ will have a cost… (15:18-25; 16:1-8)

i) Rejection from the world

ii) Persecution on Jesus’ account

iii) Causeless hatred

…but the Spirit bears witness (15:26-27; 16:8-10)

i) About Jesus

ii) Against the world

…and the Spirit preserves us (16:12-15; 16:5-7)

i) Revelation

ii) Real presence

John 15:1-17

Preached on Sunday 1st October 2023 by Daniel Mackay. The first of two sermons in John’s gospel.

Abiding in Jesus (1-6)

i) Attitude: Dependance

ii) Action: Obedience

…means we will bear (and enjoy) Christ’s fruit (7-11)

i) We can be assured that the Father listens (7)

ii) We will glorify God (8)

iii) We will remain in Jesus’ love (9-10)

iv) We have fullness of joy (11)

…means we have fellowship with God (12-17)

i) Friendship with God (12-15)

ii) Participation in his mission (16-17)