Audio feed of sermons from St James's New Barnet, London. Audio feed of sermons from St James's New Barnet, London. http://www.stjamesnewbarnet.com/sermon_rss.xml en-gb clean Sermon yes St James's Church St James's Church barry@stjamesnewbarnet.com barry@stjamesnewbarnet.com St James's Church sermon, mark, jesus,st james new barnet My Jesus, My Saviour - a journey through Mark's gospel with Jesus Every story has a beginning Every story has a beginning http://www.stjamesnewbarnet.com/mp3/170509am.mp3 0:25:03 14 Jun 2009 23:27:16 GMT clean Sermon barry@stjamesnewbarnet.com Barry Unwin Mark 1, Jesus The beginning of a new sermon series on Mark's gospel A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet. A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet. http://www.stjamesnewbarnet.com/mp3/240509am.mp3 0:27:29 14 Jun 2009 23:30:35 GMT clean Sermon barry@stjamesnewbarnet.com Barry Unwin Mark 1, Jesus Refreshment for even the driest soul A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet. A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet. http://www.stjamesnewbarnet.com/mp3/070609am.mp3 0:22:01 14 Jun 2009 23:33:37 GMT clean Sermon barry@stjamesnewbarnet.com Barry Unwin Mark 1, Jesus Words that change lives forever A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet. A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet. http://www.stjamesnewbarnet.com/mp3/140609am.mp3 0:22:50 14 Jun 2009 23:35:01 GMT clean Sermon barry@stjamesnewbarnet.com Barry Unwin Mark 1, Jesus Words that bring hope to the hopeless A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet. A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet. http://www.stjamesnewbarnet.com/mp3/210609am.mp3 0:25:55 23 Jun 2009 08:56:47 GMT clean Sermon yes barry@stjamesnewbarnet.com Barry Unwin Mark 2:1-12, Jesus,sin,salvation Words that deal with our biggest problem of all A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet. A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet. http://www.stjamesnewbarnet.com/mp3/280609am.mp3 0:31:53 28 Jun 2009 20:16:01 GMT Sermon barry@stjamesnewbarnet.com Barry Unwin Mark 2:13 to 3:6, Why God hates religion Why God Hates Religion - it makes him sound like he doesn't love us. A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet. A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet. http://www.stjamesnewbarnet.com/mp3/050709am.mp3 0:25:04 05 Jul 2009 12:03:33 GMT clean Sermon barry@stjamesnewbarnet.com Barry Unwin Mark 3:7-19, What Jesus expects of his followers - an investment in eternity. Jesus calls his followers to do the things he does - to spend their lives building for eternity A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet. A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet. http://www.stjamesnewbarnet.com/mp3/120709am.mp3 0:28:57 12 Jul 2009 20:10:59 GMT clean Sermon barry@stjamesnewbarnet.com Barry Unwin Mark 3 v 20 to 35, Why Jesus Matters More than your Family Following Jesus is all about priorities - and this is never more so than when times are hard. Jesus faces two persecutions here - from his family, and from the bureaucrats in Jerusalem. A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet. A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet. http://www.stjamesnewbarnet.com/mp3/190709am.mp3 0:21:15 26 Jul 2009 20:37:51 GMT clean Sermon info@stjamesnewbarnet.com Geoff Fletcher Mark 4:1 to 20 Kingdom Response - The Parable of the Sower Lay reader Geoff Fletcher explores the Parable of the Sower, Mark 4:1 to 20. A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet. A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet. http://www.stjamesnewbarnet.com/mp3/260709am.mp3 0:21:34 26 Jul 2009 20:39:46 GMT Sermon info@stjamesnewbarnet.com Joan Ball Mark 4:21 to 34, What is the Kingdom? Joan Ball explores the significance of the three short parables Jesus uses to teach us about the kingdom in Mark 4:21 to 34 A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet. A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet. http://www.stjamesnewbarnet.com/mp3/020809am.mp3 0:23:35 02 Aug 2009 20:00:50 GMT clean Sermon barry@stjamesnewbarnet.com Barry Unwin Mark 4:35 to 41, Who is this king? Jesus calms the storms of life Barry Unwin explores the difference Jesus can make to us during life's storms, using Mark's account of the crossing of Lake Galilee. Note, we had some audio recording problems on this one, so there are a couple of gaps. A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet. A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet. http://www.stjamesnewbarnet.com/mp3/090809am.mp3 0:29:51 09 Aug 2009 15:33:33 GMT clean Sermon barry@stjamesnewbarnet.com Barry Unwin Mark 5:1 to 20, the King who reaches those who don't want to be reached Barry Unwin explores the challenges we face as a church when it comes to evangelising New Barnet A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet. A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet. http://www.stjamesnewbarnet.com/mp3/160809am.mp3 0:27:26 29 Aug 2009 22:06:01 GMT clean Sermon barry@stjamesnewbarnet.com Barry Unwin Mark 5:21 to 43, Kingdom for All Barry Unwin explores the challenges we face as a church when it comes to evangelising New Barnet A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet. A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet. http://www.stjamesnewbarnet.com/mp3/300809am.mp3 0:19:50 30 Aug 2009 14:34:12 GMT clean Sermon info@stjamesnewbarnet.com Simon Vincent Mark 6:30 to 44, The Cost of Kingdom Growth, part 2 (The Feeding of the 5000) Simon Vincent explores the feeding of the 5000 A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet. A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet. http://www.stjamesnewbarnet.com/mp3/060909am.mp3 0:25:59 06 Sep 2009 19:46:11 GMT clean Sermon barry@stjamesnewbarnet.com Barry Unwin Ephesians 1:1 to 10 - The big answer to life, the universe and everything. The beginning of a new sermon series in the book of Ephesians Barry Unwin explores God's big answer to the meaning of life. A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet. A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet. http://www.stjamesnewbarnet.com/mp3/230809am.mp3 0:19:00 06 Sep 2009 20:05:09 GMT clean Sermon info@stjamesnewbarnet.com Alistair Heagerty Mark 6:1 to 30, The Cost of Discipleship part 1 - the death of John the Baptist. Alistair Heagerty reflects on Mark 6:1-30, the death of John the Baptist A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet. A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet. http://www.stjamesnewbarnet.com/mp3/130909am.mp3 0:27:52 13 Sep 2009 23:44:01 GMT clean Sermon barry@stjamesnewbarnet.com Barry Unwin Ephesians 1:11 to 14, Predestination, Free Will, Choice and all that jazz Barry Unwin reflects on what Paul teaches the church in Ephesus about Predestination and choice. A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet. A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet. http://www.stjamesnewbarnet.com/mp3/200909am.mp3 0:26:19 22 Sep 2009 20:44:00 GMT clean Sermon info@stjamesnewbarnet.com Simon Vincent Ephesians 1:15 to 23, Simon Vincent shows us how Paul wants us to experience God in a new way Experience God in a new way, Ephesians 1:15-23 A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet, on 27 Sept 2009, Back to Church Sunday A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet, on 27 Sept 2009, Back to Church Sunday http://www.stjamesnewbarnet.com/mp3/270909am.mp3 0:29:38 27 Sep 2009 19:41:56 GMT clean Sermon barry@stjamesnewbarnet.com Barry Unwin Ephesians 2v1 to 10, Grace, The Paradise Problem, Back to Church Sunday Dead People people can't raise themselves, Ephesians 2:1 to 10, Back to Church Sunday A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet. A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet. http://www.stjamesnewbarnet.com/mp3/111009am.mp3 0:21:08 12 Oct 2009 22:26:21 GMT clean Sermon info@stjamesnewbarnet.com Alistair Heagerty Ephesians 2v11 to 18, One New Race - how Christ, through his death, breaks down the dividing wall of hostility between all people One New Race A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet. A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet. http://www.stjamesnewbarnet.com/mp3/181009am.mp3 0:27:13 24 Oct 2009 19:21:56 GMT clean Sermon barry@stjamesnewbarnet.com Barry Unwin Ephesians 2v17 to 22, Don't go to church, be church. What is the church? A call to be the people of God, not just to go to a building. One New Race A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet. A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet. http://www.stjamesnewbarnet.com/mp3/251009am.mp3 0:26:07 26 Oct 2009 22:24:41 GMT clean Sermon barry@stjamesnewbarnet.com Barry Unwin Ephesians 3:1 to 13, The Purpose of the Church. What is the church here for, what do we do, how does being part of the church impact our lives? Being together, anyone together, acting together A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet. A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet. http://www.stjamesnewbarnet.com/mp3/011109am.mp3 0:18:28 07 Nov 2009 18:06:46 GMT clean Sermon info@stjamesnewbarnet.com Geoff Fletcher Ephesians 3:14-21, God's love at work in us I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet. A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet. http://www.stjamesnewbarnet.com/mp3/081109am.mp3 0:27:56 08 Nov 2009 23:48:28 GMT clean Sermon barry@stjamesnewbarnet.com Barry Unwin Ephesians 4:1 to 6, Learning to live in unity Ephesians 4:1 to 6, Learning to live in unity, a sermon preached on Remembrance Sunday 2009 A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet. A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet. http://www.stjamesnewbarnet.com/mp3/151109am.mp3 0:25:33 16 Nov 2009 13:59:36 GMT clean Sermon barry@stjamesnewbarnet.com Barry Unwin Ephesians 4 v 11 to 16, Gift Day, Learning to be Mature Ephesians 4 v 11 to 16, Learning to be Mature. Preached on Gfit Day 2009, 15/11/09. The first recording of this sermon suffered a technical problem. This is a re-recording without an audience (and that's why its not as good as the original...) A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet. A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet. http://www.stjamesnewbarnet.com/mp3/221109am.mp3 0:28:47 23 Nov 2009 12:04:36 GMT clean Sermon info@stjamesnewbarnet.com Carol Unwin Ephesians 4:17 to 24, Carol Unwin, Learning to overcome sin Ephesians 4:17 to 24. As we come to the last sermon in part 1 of our journey through the book of Ephesians, Carol Unwin explores the practical reality of overcoming sin, looking at Ephesians 4:17 to 24 A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet, on Bible Sunday on behalf of the BIble Society, by Carol Akiwumi A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet, on Bible Sunday on behalf of the BIble Society, by Carol Akiwumi http://www.stjamesnewbarnet.com/mp3/291109am.mp3 0:22:38 29 Nov 2009 20:15:24 GMT clean Sermon info@stjamesnewbarnet.com Carol Akiwumi Bible Sunday, Bible Society Visiting speaker, Carol Akiwumi uses Bible Sunday (and Advent Sunday) to tell us something of the work of the Bible Society, and to share something with us from Isaiah 55 A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet, by Oakhill placement student Fiona Gibson A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet, by Oakhill placement student Fiona Gibson http://www.stjamesnewbarnet.com/mp3/061209am.mp3 0:21:12 06 Dec 2009 13:17:54 GMT clean Sermon info@stjamesnewbarnet.com Fiona Gibson Advent, Luke 3:1-6, John the Baptist, Prepare the way Fiona Gibson, Oakhill placement student, preaches her first sermon at St James's Church, looking at Luke 3:1-6 A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet, by Oakhill placement student Dave Crofts A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet, by Oakhill placement student Dave Crofts http://www.stjamesnewbarnet.com/mp3/131209am.mp3 0:29:41 13 Dec 2009 20:36:03 GMT clean Sermon info@stjamesnewbarnet.com Dave Crofts Advent, Luke 3:7-18, John the Baptist, You Brood of Vipers! Dave Crofts, Oakhill placement student, preaches his first sermon at St James's Church, looking at Luke 3:7-18 A sermon preached at St James's Church, by visiting missionary Alison Fletcher. Also an interview with her. A sermon preached at St James's Church, by visiting missionary Alison Fletcher. Also an interview with her. http://www.stjamesnewbarnet.com/mp3/100110am.mp3 0:30:22 13 Jan 2010 22:49:13 GMT clean Sermon info@stjamesnewbarnet.com Alison fletcher Chiwoko, Uganda, Alison Fletcher Alison Fletcher, a CMS missionary in Chiwoko, Uganda, visits St James's Church to tell us about her work there. Funeral of Janet Murdoch, 13 January 2010 Funeral of Janet Murdoch, 13 January 2010 http://www.stjamesnewbarnet.com/mp3/janetmurdoch.mp3 0:43:26 13 Jan 2010 22:51:31 GMT clean Sermon info@stjamesnewbarnet.com Barry Unwin Funeral of Janet Murdoch A complete record of the funeral of Janet Murdoch, 13/1/2010 A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet. A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet. http://www.stjamesnewbarnet.com/mp3/170110am.mp3 0:34:53 17 Jan 2010 18:40:39 GMT clean Sermon barry@stjamesnewbarnet.com Barry Unwin Learning to be godly - how we can stand together as a Christian family and resolve our differences. Be generous, Speak words that build not destroy, and forgive one another quickly A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet. A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet. http://www.stjamesnewbarnet.com/mp3/240110am.mp3 0:29:14 24 Jan 2010 19:33:02 GMT clean Sermon info@stjamesnewbarnet.com Carol Unwin Dealing with sexual immorality Ephesians 5 v 3 to 7, 3But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. 4Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7Therefore do not be partners with them. A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet. A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet. http://www.stjamesnewbarnet.com/mp3/310110am.mp3 0:28:51 31 Jan 2010 19:20:47 GMT clean Sermon info@stjamesnewbarnet.com Simon Vincent How we can overcome sin. Ephesians 5 v 8 to 20, 8For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9(for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10and find out what pleases the Lord. 11Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, 14for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said:     "Wake up, O sleeper,        rise from the dead,     and Christ will shine on you."  15Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. 18Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. 19Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, 20always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet. A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet. http://www.stjamesnewbarnet.com/mp3/070210am.mp3 0:36:10 07 Feb 2010 13:51:16 GMT clean Sermon barry@stjamesnewbarnet.com Barry Unwin Marriage, headship, authority, self-sacrifice,church, Christ Ephesians 5 v 21 to 33, …21Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. 22Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. 23For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Saviour. 24Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. 25Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church— 30for we are members of his body. 31"For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." 32This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband. A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet. A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet. http://www.stjamesnewbarnet.com/mp3/140210am.mp3 0:29:00 14 Feb 2010 15:24:53 GMT clean Sermon barry@stjamesnewbarnet.com Barry Unwin Parenting, children obey your parents, parents don't drive your children crazy! Raising thriving children. Ephesians 6:1-4 1Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2"Honor your father and mother"—which is the first commandment with a promise— 3"that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth." 4Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet. A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet. http://www.stjamesnewbarnet.com/mp3/210210am.mp3 0:17:34 22 Feb 2010 12:22:28 GMT clean Sermon info@stjamesnewbarnet.com Rosemary Leaver Tear Fund, Water, Woman at well John 4:4-14, "4Now [Jesus] had to go through Samaria. 5So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour. 7When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, "Will you give me a drink?" 8(His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) 9The Samaritan woman said to him, "You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?" (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) 10Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water." 11"Sir," the woman said, "you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water?12Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his flocks and herds?" 13Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet http://www.stjamesnewbarnet.com/mp3/280210am.mp3 0:30:22 01 Mar 2010 12:21:08 GMT clean Sermon info@stjamesnewbarnet.com Dave Crofts Work, slavery, ephesians, paul Ephesians 6:5-9, "5Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. 6Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. 7Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, 8because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free. 9And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him." A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet A sermon preached at St James's Church, New Barnet http://www.stjamesnewbarnet.com/mp3/070310am.mp3 0:28:28 09 Mar 2010 19:19:12 GMT clean Sermon info@stjamesnewbarnet.com Fiona Gibson Learning to defeat the devil Ephesians 6:10-18, " 10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.11Put on the full armour of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints." A sermon preached at St james's Church A sermon preached at St james's Church http://www.stjamesnewbarnet.com/mp3/210310am.mp3 0:30:26 22 Mar 2010 08:28:40 GMT clean Sermon barry@stjamesnewbarnet.com Barry Unwin Learning to pray Ephesians 6:19-24, "19Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should. 21Tychicus, the dear brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will tell you everything, so that you also may know how I am and what I am doing. 22I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage you. 23Peace to the brothers, and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love." Big Answers to Big Questions Big Answers to Big Questions http://www.stjamesnewbarnet.com/mp3/270310pm.mp3 0:15:34 31 Mar 2010 15:56:46 GMT clean Sermon barry@stjamesnewbarnet.com Barry Unwin How could a good God allow suffering? It should have been the best weekend of his life. On Friday Paul proposed to his girlfriend. She accepted. They planned to go out to celebrate. So he had a bath. And it was the heat of the bath that killed him. As his blood rushed to the surface of his skin to cool, a previously undiagnosed weakness in his heart exploded and he died almost instantly. His poor fiancée Sarah found him in the bath an hour later. Paul was my best friend. He was 22 when it happened. And what was my immediate response? Well clearly it was to say "Why would a loving God allow a thing like that to happen to a great Christian bloke like Paul?" Actually I'm lying. I wasn't asking that at all. When I wasn't crying, I was trying to find something to say to his fiancée, to help her recover from the worst weekend of her life. Help has got to be our first response to suffering hasn't it? I mean if our first response to Haiti or the Tsunami or the death of a dear friend, is to pontificate about the theology of suffering, just maybe there's something wrong with us. 1) Atheism Unless you're an atheist that is. Listen to Professor Richard Dawkins on the topic of suffering, "Blindness to suffering is an inherent consequence of natural selection. Nature is neither kind nor cruel but indifferent." What he's saying is that natural selection - the evolutionary, scientific worldview - says we are wrong to care about Haiti. The caring atheist, at least according to the High priest of Atheism, is wrong to care. Or perhaps not wrong, just deluded. Now I disagree profoundly with Dawkins, its good and right to care. But I do not understand why atheists care (except perhaps that they've realised the hopelessness and despair of Dawkins position). 2) Agnostics struggle with suffering. Here's a second group of people who struggle with suffering: people who aren't quite sure what they believe. And when people aren't quite sure what they believe, they tend to fall back on an assumption that good stuff happens to good people, and bad stuff happens to bad people. Its an approach to life which says, "Look God, in case you are there, I'll live a good life, now you keep me healthy, okay?" Last year my Dad nearly died from cancer of the oesophagus. He's recovering still, and will be for many more months. He's a good person, never murdered, never raped, and so on. So why did my dad get sick? Well for the agnostic there's no answer to that question. Except perhaps to blame yourself, or to despair of any way forward - either way its not a helpful response to the situation. So what about the Bible? How does it handle suffering? Well let's start by thinking where the Bible says suffering comes from. The atheist says it comes from evolution. The agnostic says they're not sure. And the Christian says that God is all powerful and all loving and passionate about justice, and that he gives us real, meaningful choices in life. As a consequence of those choices the good creation God made, was spoiled by bad human choices. And all suffering and evil and pain follows from this. So that's everything from disease to a tsunami, via all categories of human evil - the white lie to the holocaust. All of it follows from that initial rejection of God. Christians call this "the fall." So for the Christian, suffering wasn't there in the beginning - we created it. But that begs the obvious question: if God is loving and all powerful, why doesn't he prevent suffering? And God's answer is twofold - its a promise, and a person. Let's think about the promise first. The promise is that rather than simply eliminate suffering, God is going to use suffering to produce a greater good. Now I'm immediately wary of saying that. You could easily look at the Holocaust and say, "Okay, what greater good has emerged from that?" And I don't have a complete answer. Though I think you could make a case for saying that some of the military interventions to prevent Genocide, for example in the Balkans, have arisen out of the memory of the Holocaust. And that's a good thing. But that's only a partial answer, a fraction of the total answer. But I do believe God has a total answer. And I also believe that he's shared some of it with us. So let me give you four reasons the Bible gives why God allows suffering, four reasons why suffering isn't always bad. 1. God allows suffering to alert us to a greater danger. (2Cor.12:7) Not all pain is bad. For example, how did we discover my dad's cancer? From the pain in his body. Was that a good pain or a bad pain? Well if it hadn't been there he'd be dead now. Some suffering can function as a warning to alert us to greater danger. 2. God allows suffering, to direct us into paths we wouldn't otherwise have taken. (2Cor.12:9) In 1967 an enthusiastic young swimmer dived in Chesapeake Bay in the US. The dive went wrong, she broke her neck, and as a consequence lost the use of her arms and legs. Initially she blamed God. wondering what had she done wrong? And yet in time she came to realise that God had allowed it to happen for a reason: to give her a far more fulfilling life than she'd ever dreamed possible. Joni Eareckson Tada has now written over 35 books on being disabled and Christian. She runs an international speaking and teaching ministry, has her own radio show, and runs a huge charity helping disabled people in the United States. Could she have done that without first suffering? I doubt it. Let's look at a third reason God might allow suffering: 3) God allows suffering to build character.(Rom.5:3-4) This is the no-pain, no-gain approach to suffering. Take a look back at your life. If its anything like mine - when have you really grown as a person - in the easy times or the hard? No pain, no gain. Suffering builds character. Let's look at another reason. 4) God allows suffering, to unite us.(Gal.6:2) If I mention the Spirit of the Blitz, you'll know just what I mean. Its a simple truth, but suffering does unite people. It gets them bearing one another's burdens. And that's a great thing. Now I don't know what you'll make of those four reasons: they aren't a complete answer, but they're a starting point to help us accept that not all pain and suffering is bad. Sometimes it can produce a greater good. Let me give you an example. Corporal Sean Binnie was a 24-year old Scot killed in a fire-fight in Helmand province in May last year. He died storming an enemy position with no thought for his own safety. In so doing, he saved five trapped colleagues from death. "Greater love has no on than to give his life for his friends." We rightly apply that saying of Jesus to heroes like Sean Binnie. But when we do that we run the risk of missing what Jesus' really meant when he said it. Which brings me to my second thought, not a promise, but a person, Jesus Christ. You see when Jesus said these words, he was pointing forward to the brutal death he knew he would one day die, and to the good that would come of it: a perfect death to rescue countless imperfect people, if they ask to be rescued. Now I don't know what you think of that, but for me its one of the most compelling reasons to trust Jesus in the face of suffering. You see one of the unique things about Christianity is that it's God suffers exactly the same pain and shame and humiliation and wretchedness of being human that the rest of us do. I mean, if you're in pain, how's God going to understand, unless he's been through it? And Jesus has. If you're dying, how's God going to understand, unless he's been through it, and Jesus has. If you've been betrayed. If you've been abandoned. Abused. Beaten. Stabbed. Slashed. Insulted. Mocked. Falsely accused and imprisoned. Well, Jesus has been through all of that, he understands and stands with you in your pain. Greater love has no one than to give his life for his friends. That's why I find Jesus so compelling. You see I don't want some God who sits aloof in heaven like Allah, or aloof in academia like Dawkins, or who tells me to become detached from suffering, like Buddha. Instead I want a God who understands what I'm going through and who promises to transform what I'm going through into something better: a God who takes the old life and makes something new out of it. All those eggs and bunnies at Easter - they're symbols of new life. And that's what Jesus offers, in the face of suffering, pain and death. A personal, you-sized solution, to the problem of pain and suffering, a solution that lasts forever and gets better and better. My time is up. Suffering is a massive topic and here's some things you might want to do to help you think more about it: 1) Grab me and let's talk afterwards. 2) Or if you've got more questions, come and hit us with them at next Wednesday's Question Time event. We love questions here at St James's. 3) and this might just apply to one or two of you here tonight - maybe you want to know more about Jesus Christ and his claims. Well if that's you, get hold of one of these booklets from the back of church and sign up for our 5-session Journeys course, which begins next month. Thanks for listening, Big Answers to Big Questions Big Answers to Big Questions http://www.stjamesnewbarnet.com/mp3/280310am.mp3 0:27:43 31 Mar 2010 16:00:01 GMT clean Sermon barry@stjamesnewbarnet.com Barry Unwin How can we know what is true? 1) Does it describe the world I see around me? 2) Does it describe me when I'm being honest about me? 3) Is it consistent? 4) Is it liveable? A sermon preached at St James's Church 2/5/2010 A sermon preached at St James's Church 2/5/2010 http://www.stjamesnewbarnet.com/mp3/020510am.mp3 0:14:28 14 May 2010 20:07:08 GMT clean Sermon info@stjamesnewbarnet.com Alistair Heagerty John 13:31-35 Alistair Heagerty preaches John 13:31-35 Judges: Step Up or Sell Out Judges: Step Up or Sell Out http://www.stjamesnewbarnet.com/mp3/090510am.mp3 0:34:05 14 May 2010 20:08:46 GMT clean Sermon barry@stjamesnewbarnet.com Barry Unwin AN introduction to the book of Judges (incl. Judges 2:10-19) and the baptism of Natasa Rayyes 10 After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up, who knew neither the LORD nor what he had done for Israel. 11 Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD and served the Baals. 12 They forsook the LORD, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of Egypt. They followed and worshiped various gods of the peoples around them. They provoked the LORD to anger 13 because they forsook him and served Baal and the Ashtoreths. 14 In his anger against Israel the LORD handed them over to raiders who plundered them. He sold them to their enemies all around, whom they were no longer able to resist. 15 Whenever Israel went out to fight, the hand of the LORD was against them to defeat them, just as he had sworn to them. They were in great distress. 16 Then the LORD raised up judges, [a] who saved them out of the hands of these raiders. 17 Yet they would not listen to their judges but prostituted themselves to other gods and worshiped them. Unlike their fathers, they quickly turned from the way in which their fathers had walked, the way of obedience to the LORD's commands. 18 Whenever the LORD raised up a judge for them, he was with the judge and saved them out of the hands of their enemies as long as the judge lived; for the LORD had compassion on them as they groaned under those who oppressed and afflicted them. 19 But when the judge died, the people returned to ways even more corrupt than those of their fathers, following other gods and serving and worshiping them. They refused to give up their evil practices and stubborn ways. Judges: Step Up or Sell Out Judges: Step Up or Sell Out http://www.stjamesnewbarnet.com/mp3/160510am.mp3 0:27:41 19 May 2010 10:39:51 GMT clean Sermon info@stjamesnewbarnet.com Simon Vincent Judges: things are going downhill fast Simon Vincent takes us through Judges 1 to 2:5 Judges: Step Up or Sell Out Judges: Step Up or Sell Out http://www.stjamesnewbarnet.com/mp3/300510am.mp3 0:20:33 01 Jun 2010 18:36:09 GMT clean Sermon info@stjamesnewbarnet.com Geoff Fletcher Judges: the pattern of our failures. Othniel the judge Judges: Step Up or Sell Out Judges: Step Up or Sell Out http://www.stjamesnewbarnet.com/mp3/060610am.mp3 0:25:18 06 Jun 2010 17:20:05 GMT clean Sermon barry@stjamesnewbarnet.com Barry Unwin Judges: Ehud - It Takes Guts Judges 3:12-31 NIV Text 12 Once again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD, and because they did this evil the LORD gave Eglon king of Moab power over Israel. 13 Getting the Ammonites and Amalekites to join him, Eglon came and attacked Israel, and they took possession of the City of Palms. 14 The Israelites were subject to Eglon king of Moab for eighteen years. 15 Again the Israelites cried out to the LORD, and he gave them a deliverer—Ehud, a left-handed man, the son of Gera the Benjamite. The Israelites sent him with tribute to Eglon king of Moab. 16 Now Ehud had made a double-edged sword about a foot and a half long, which he strapped to his right thigh under his clothing. 17 He presented the tribute to Eglon king of Moab, who was a very fat man. 18 After Ehud had presented the tribute, he sent on their way the men who had carried it. 19 At the idols near Gilgal he himself turned back and said, "I have a secret message for you, O king." The king said, "Quiet!" And all his attendants left him. 20 Ehud then approached him while he was sitting alone in the upper room of his summer palace and said, "I have a message from God for you." As the king rose from his seat, 21 Ehud reached with his left hand, drew the sword from his right thigh and plunged it into the king's belly. 22 Even the handle sank in after the blade, which came out his back. Ehud did not pull the sword out, and the fat closed in over it. 23 Then Ehud went out to the porch ; he shut the doors of the upper room behind him and locked them. 24 After he had gone, the servants came and found the doors of the upper room locked. They said, "He must be relieving himself in the inner room of the house." 25 They waited to the point of embarrassment, but when he did not open the doors of the room, they took a key and unlocked them. There they saw their lord fallen to the floor, dead. 26 While they waited, Ehud got away. He passed by the idols and escaped to Seirah. 27 When he arrived there, he blew a trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites went down with him from the hills, with him leading them. 28 "Follow me," he ordered, "for the LORD has given Moab, your enemy, into your hands." So they followed him down and, taking possession of the fords of the Jordan that led to Moab, they allowed no one to cross over. 29 At that time they struck down about ten thousand Moabites, all vigorous and strong; not a man escaped. 30 That day Moab was made subject to Israel, and the land had peace for eighty years. 31 After Ehud came Shamgar son of Anath, who struck down six hundred Philistines with an oxgoad. He too saved Israel. Judges: Step Up or Sell Out Judges: Step Up or Sell Out http://www.stjamesnewbarnet.com/mp3/130610am.mp3 0:28:26 13 Jun 2010 16:02:24 GMT clean Sermon barry@stjamesnewbarnet.com Barry Unwin Judges: Deborah - A Smashing Salvation Judges 4 and 5 - Facing God's control the right way up Judges - Step Up or Sell Out - Part 6 - Gideon the Coward Judges - Step Up or Sell Out - Part 6 - Gideon the Coward http://www.stjamesnewbarnet.com/mp3/200610am.mp3 0:29:16 20 Jun 2010 15:32:51 GMT clean Sermon barry@stjamesnewbarnet.com Barry Unwin Judges: Gideon the Coward Judges 6 - Four marks of authentic faith, learning from Gideon's life. Judges: Step Up or Sell Out Judges: Step Up or Sell Out http://www.stjamesnewbarnet.com/mp3/270610am.mp3 0:27:51 27 Jun 2010 12:56:48 GMT clean Sermon barry@stjamesnewbarnet.com Barry Unwin Judges: let the glory go to God Judges 7 - Where God and not Gideon gets the glory for defeating the Midianites Judges: Step Up or Sell Out Judges: Step Up or Sell Out http://www.stjamesnewbarnet.com/mp3/040710am.mp3 0:29:06 04 Jul 2010 15:26:55 GMT clean Sermon info@stjamesnewbarnet.com Fiona Gibson Judges: Gideon and the wet blanket brigade Judges 8:1-21, Gideon deals with those who won't help unless they get the glory, or are too scared to risk helping. Judges: Step Up or Sell Out Judges: Step Up or Sell Out http://www.stjamesnewbarnet.com/mp3/110710am.mp3 0:35:27 11 Jul 2010 12:15:16 GMT clean Sermon barry@stjamesnewbarnet.com Barry Unwin Gideon gets big headed Judges 8:1-21, Gideon deals with those who won't help unless they get the glory, or are too scared to risk helping. Judges: Step Up or Sell Out Judges: Step Up or Sell Out http://www.stjamesnewbarnet.com/mp3/180710am.mp3 0:28:03 08 Aug 2010 17:10:29 GMT clean Sermon info@stjamesnewbarnet.com Dave Crofts Trust God When Things Look Dicey Judges 8:33 to 9:57 the terrible reign of Abimelech Judges: Step Up or Sell Out Judges: Step Up or Sell Out http://www.stjamesnewbarnet.com/mp3/080810am.mp3 0:32:52 08 Aug 2010 17:14:03 GMT clean Sermon info@stjamesnewbarnet.com Dave Crofts Will the real king please stand up Judges 10:1 to 16, the trouble with judges is that they keep dying, and the people keep turning from the true God. Dave Crofts offers some solutions... Judges: Step Up or Sell Out Judges: Step Up or Sell Out http://www.stjamesnewbarnet.com/mp3/150810am.mp3 0:27:07 15 Aug 2010 15:56:09 GMT clean Sermon info@stjamesnewbarnet.com Simon Vincent Jephthah: be careful what you wish for Judges 10:17 to 11:40 Judges: Step Up or Sell Out Judges: Step Up or Sell Out http://www.stjamesnewbarnet.com/mp3/220810am.mp3 0:35:32 22 Aug 2010 19:47:11 GMT clean Sermon barry@stjamesnewbarnet.com Barry Unwin Jephthah slaughters the wet blanket brigade Judges 12 Judges: Step Up or Sell Out Judges: Step Up or Sell Out http://www.stjamesnewbarnet.com/mp3/290810am.mp3 0:23:04 29 Aug 2010 15:34:17 GMT clean Sermon info@stjamesnewbarnet.com Alistair Heagerty Judges 13, Samson The Judges narrative slows right down to take in the birth of a new "saviour": Samson, the cartoon Superhero of Israel's history. Judges: Step Up or Sell Out Judges: Step Up or Sell Out http://www.stjamesnewbarnet.com/mp3/050910am.mp3 0:37:57 29 Aug 2010 15:35:15 GMT clean Sermon barry@stjamesnewbarnet.com Barry Unwin Samson, Sovereignty, Judges 14 Samson: don't waste your gifts. A tale of two stories - the one everyone sees, and the one that no one except God sees, but which dictates the purpose of both.