The Semper Reformata Podcast

They Were Hindered by Satan.1st Thessalonians 2:18-19The first disciples were hindered in their work by Satan. Who is 'Satan?' and how does he hinder the Lord's work? What is his ultimate end. when judgment day comes?This sermon was recoded in Ballymacashon Old Reformed Church (Congregational).Notes are available at www.Semper-Reformata.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Human Brokenness Lesson 8The Origin and Purpose of MarriageMarriage is a serious subject. At a wedding service, God is present, and is our witness. Not just the minister, or the civic registrar, or some humanist celebrant. God has a part in every real marriage ceremony, whether we like it or not. Why is that?The reason is found in the book of Genesis. so in this lesson you'll need to have your Bible open at Genesis chapter 2.Read the NOTES HERE. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

SASRA REPORT.A SASRA report by ASR Paul Somerville. Paul is one of the Army Scripture Readers working among the men and women of the armed forces here in Northern Ireland. On Sunday 2nd November, Paul visited Ballymacashon Church to talk about his work, and the work of SASRA, the Soldiers and Aviators Scripture Readers Association. With his permission I recorded his report, and I want to share some of it, just an extract, with you today. Have a listen, and please make time in your prayers to pray for these faithful evangelists…Find out more about the work of SASRA HERE. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

They Were Saved.1st Thessalonians 2:13-20 Paul has declared that they were BOLD IN THE GOSPEL. They were REAL in their ministry, for unlike the travelling professional philosophers and preachers of their day, they truly loved their people, they longed for their people, they lived for their people, they laboured for the people and they lead the people. See what a dramatic effect that consistent, steady ministry leading by example and faithfully preaching the Word, had upon the people who lived at Thessalonica. They were Saved. They were saved:-By the WORD of God Alone.By the GRACE of God Alone.For the GLORY of God Alone.Our whole lives, our leisure, our career, our church life our family life… Everything should bring GLORY to God. Do we live our lives Soli Deo Gloria? Can we truly say that what delights God delights in us?READ THE NOTES HERE. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

HB7 Can a Person Change Sex?To 'change sex' – let's call it ‘transgenderism' – requires a complete denial of human biology – and last time I checked biology was still a science. So, since we have already established that the biblical belief is that God made us as we are, male or female, man or woman, let's just do some science. Let's think about some of the branches of science where transsexualism conflicts… Read the NOTES HERE. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday Extra - 27th October 2025That BAPTISM ThingTalking to some friends on Thursday 23rd October, the subject of Baptism arose, - again - and it reminded me of a sermon I had preached in 2022 - in a church that is by its constitution, Reformed Baptist - subscribing to the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith. Part of the sermon addressed the subject of Baptism, and I extracted that section for a podcast episode in 2022. I have reprised that episode here, as a bonus 'Monday Extra' - because it is an important issue. Baptism should UNITE Christians, not divide them. Listen to find out why. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

They Were Real1st Thessalonians 2:5-12 Amos 7Paul has been verbally attacked by some of his enemies in Thessalonica. To those accusations Paul insisted that they were BOLD in the Gospel. He had also been accused of being deceitful. To prove the point that he was not a charlatan, he embarks on a series of distinctions, to differentiate between a professional philosopher and a passionate pastor.This message was recorded live at Ballymacashon Congregational church.Read the NOTES HERE. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Gent With The Godly Gait.Read Genesis 5:18-23, Hebrews 11:5-6, Jude 14-15.Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and was not found, because God had taken him” Enoch had a godly walk, in communion and fellowship with God, and as someone once said, - he was so much in the company of God, that at the end of his life, he didn't die, he just walked straight into heaven! That's Enoch's claim to fame, and that is what makes him an person of interest to us, as Christians, seeking to live in the presence of God also. Let's try to learn just a little about this remarkable Old Testament man. Read the NOTES HERE. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Human Brokenness - Lesson 6. Sex and Gender - Are They The Same Thing?Before we begin, please read Psalm 100, and spend a few minutes meditating on verse 3, where the psalmist writes, Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Find the notes at www.Semper-Reformata.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

They Were Bold1st Thessalonians 2:1-4These first believers prayed for boldness, right from their earliest days… Acts 4:29-31 When Paul and Silas preached at Thessalonica, they preached with great boldness. One of our great needs in the visible church today, is BOLDNESS IN THE GOSPEL.Recorded at Templepatrick Reformed Church, and reproduced here with their kind permission. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TableTalk, 14th Oct 2025Read Genesis 3:13-21.Welcome to this week's digital version of TableTalk. The Reading is from Genesis 3:13-21 In our last TableTalk I left you with a puzzle of sorts; a bit of a teaser, - the question, “Will we meet Adam in heaven?” Is there any hope in eternity for Adam? How could such a man ever be in heaven? And of course, we have a similar situation with Eve, his wife, and the one who was initially tempted by the serpent. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Human Brokenness - Lesson 5How Do Christians Relate to People with Gender Issues?New Ref. Catechism on Human Sexuality? 4. Q. What does God require of us in making us in his image?A. God requires that we love him as he created us, male or female, with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and our neighbour as ourselves. In the Bible Christians are told, over and over again, that they are to love others, as Christ has loved us, and given himself for us. As far back as Leviticus we read, Leviticus 19:18 Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the Lord. Deuteronomy 6:5 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. In the NT, Matthew 22:37-40 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.So, we are to love our neighbour as ourselves - and do good to our neighbour, and seek to rescue our neighbour from a lost eternity, but what if the neighbour in question is a gender confused man, dressed as a woman? Human Brokenness, Part 5How Do Christians Relate to People with Gender Issues? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday ExtraThis week my motivation for putting pen to paper, and switching on the recording equipment has been different and a bit unusual. I was listening to an audiobook - a reading of a novel! I had been driving down to Belfast in the car, listening to a book, when one of the characters mentioned a particular artist, Tom Waite, and it brought back memories of a song that the artist had performed, back in the 1990s. It was a song called' “Jesus Blood Never Failed Me Yet” and it has an interesting story, and if you give me a few minutes. I'd like to share the story with you this morning… The song went:-Jesus' blood never failed me yetJesus' blood never failed me yetFor this one thing I know,That He loves me so.Jesus' blood never failed me yetListen to the podcast for the story, and you can find the song on Spotify https://tinyurl.com/57emjrt5Or search on YouTubeRead a full transcript with links HERE. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We Would See JesusJohn 12:20-26This is set in the very last week in the earthly ministry of Jesus – just before He went to Calvary, and just after His triumphant entry into Jerusalem. It is the feast of the Passover, and this passage is just at the start of John's account of Jesus' last days on earth with His disciples, a week which takes up about 8 chapters of John's gospel. Sermon from Ballymacashon, Harvest Morning Service, 5th October 2025.Read the NOTES HERE. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How Many Genders?Read Genesis Chapters 1 & 2 please!In today's post-truth western world, identity is no longer a matter predetermined by God, but something YOU get to decide, usually based on your feelings, rather than on physical reality. And of course, gender is no longer a case of man and woman. In modern society, just how many genders are there? A simple internet search revealed that “There are many genders beyond just male and female, with some sources listing over 70 different gender identities. Gender is understood as a spectrum, allowing individuals to identify in various ways that may not align with traditional binary classifications.” In the New Reformation Catechism on Human Sexuality, the author, Christopher Gordon asks, in Q3. How many sexes did God make at creation? "in the image of God, he created them, male and female, he created them.'Q4. What does God require of us in making us in his image? A. God requires that we love him as he created us, male or female, with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and our neighbour as ourselves.It's that phrase ‘love him as he created us, male or female' that is important and relevant to the Christian view on gender identity, for you cannot be a true Christian believer and live a lie… Read the NOTES HERE. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Harvest Reflections - The Great ThirstJohn 7:37-39. Cf Isaiah 12:3. Jesus is at the feast of Tabernacles, appointed to begin on the 15th day of the 7th month, and lasting 7 or perhaps 8 days. This was the harvest festival, and one of the ceremonies of the feast was connected with water. Jesus used that unusual ritual as an illustration, - to show that He is the Well of Salvation, that nothing in this world can satisfy the thirst of the soul, yet when brought to understand our need, we can find hope in Him alone.Read the NOTES HERE. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Repentance1st Thessalonians 1:9-10, Acts 14:8-15Something drastic had happened within these Thessalonians believers. They had been saved by grace, converted to Christ. Now Paul explains another part of that process of conversion, in 1 Thess. 1:9-10 He is speaking of something which is an essential part of every true conversion, and that is REPENTANCE! In this sermon, preached and recorded at Ballymacashon, we see:The PROCESS of Repentance.The RESULTS of Repentance.(Recorded live - please excuse the background noise) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Human BrokennessOur Identity in Christ Christian Identity is.Being made all over again, to be in the image of Christ! Only because of God's graceJesus has delivered us from Satan's lie in Eden. And now, Christ protects us! Before you listen, read John 8:44, and 1 Corinthians 6:19-20. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Digital ID - A Biblical Warning and ResponseRevelation 13:17,A warning to the sleeping church - wake up, for the tyranny of digital ID's is drawing ever closer...This message was preached at Templepatrick Reformed Church and is used here with their kind permission.Read the NOTES HERE. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Echoes of Grace1st Thessalonians 1:6-10The Thessalonians had RECEIVED the Word of God – not just listened to it, or heard it, but had actively accepted it into their hearts and lives, through the work of the Holy Spirit. The Greek word for ‘having received' is based on the root amen. They had heard the word, and in their hearts they had said AMEN. So be it Lord, and what a marvellous effect that great spiritual amen had in the lives of those Thssalonian believers.Read the NOTES HERE. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Human Brokenness - Identity - Creation and Fall.Laying the groundwork for who we are, in God's eyes.Before you play this episode, please read Colossians 1:16, Psalm 100:3, Revelation 4:11, Psalm 8:3-6 and Psalm 139:13-16.We're starting with a short introduction to 'Identity' - considering the basics, who made us, how he made us and why, and bringing that right down to the individual level, learning that it is God who shapes us in the womb, who weaves us, intricately and skilfully forms us, and who knows and predetermines the composition of our body parts, who thus assigns us our gender before we are born. He makes us what we are physically meant to be.Read the NOTES HERE. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gospel Preaching1st Thessalonians 1:4-5Paul is writing to remind his readers of the events of Acts chapter 17.He reminds them of the events of their conversion, in 1 Thessalonians 1:6 And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost: how he had preached the Gospel, and they had been saved. His words give us a glimpse into his practice of evangelistic homeletics – his preaching and teaching ministry…This sermon was recorded at Templepatrick Reformed Church, and is reproduced here with their kind permission. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TableTalk, 16th Sept 2025. - Facing Up To Our Shame Read Genesis 2:7-8 and Genesis 3:9-12.Adam is hiding in the Garden. It was customary, in the cool of the evening for God to come down into this garden paradise, and to walk in fellowship with Adam. But why was Adam so ashamed? What had Adam squandered when he surrendered to sin? Has Adam's shame brought shame upon all of us, and how can that shame be dealt with?Read the NOTES HERE. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Human Brokenness, Healed, redeemed and ForgivenIn this season, running throughout Autumn and winter 2025-26, we're going back to our studies in Biblical Ethics, with short weekly lessons, as the Lord permits, on Human Sexuality. The series title will beHuman Brokenness - Healed, Redeemed & Forgiven.In each lesson, which will be shorter than before, maybe just 10 or 12 minutes, in the hope that perhaps we can attract a teenage audience, as well as the regular listeners, - we will be looking at Human Sexuality through the prism of a biblical worldview. We will deal with edgy topics, with ethical dilemmas that will certainly confront us in this modern age, and maybe even more so in the future. Join me, Bob McEvoy, for Human Brokenness, Healed, Redeemed & Forgiven, every Tuesday, as the Lord wills, at 1pm UK time. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Prayer, Practice and Predestination.1st Thessalonians 1:2-4In this passage of Scripture, we can learn three valuable lessons.A Lesson in Christian Devotion.A Lesson in Christian Demeanour.A Lesson in Christian DoctrinePaul teaches the Thessalonians about Prayer, Practice and Predestination.This sermon was recorded live in Ballymacashon - Please forgive the poor sound quality.Read the NOTES HERE. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TableTalk - An On-Line Mid Week MeetingBeing aware of Satan's TacticsGenesis 3:1-8As Christians we need to be aware of the tactics of the devil, who would try to distract us from the straight and narrow way, to divert us into by-paths and cause us to stumble. The Apostle Paul writing to the Corinthian Christians, in 2 Corinthians 2:10-11 We should not be ignorant of Satan's devices. And he is aggressively pursuing the Christian believer. 1 Peter 5:8.Read the NOTES HERE. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What is a Church?ist Thessalonians 1:1When Paul greeted the congregation at Thessalonica, he began the letter with a recognition that he was writing to a really good church. We cannot attain perfection, but Paul's letter to the Thessalonians can help our local assembly to be a great church too! A church that is singleminded in pursuing its goal, to love and serve the Lord. In Paul's greeting we see four simple observations:-A church is a Partnership of Ministry.A church is a local assembly, in the place where God has placed it.The church is a congregation of God's people.The church has a particular declaration.Any local assembly of believers can be as great in God's sight as the Thessalonians obviously were, if we make sure that the work of the church is done on the basis of PARTNERSHIP, that we are in the PLACE that God wants us to be, both geographically and spiritually, BUILDING ourselves up in the Lord, and making sure that every activity in the church has the common purpose of boldly and loudly PROCLAIMING the grace and peace of God to sinners.Read the NOTES here.The sermon was recorded live at Ballymacashon, - apologies for the background noise and echo. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Disciples' Authority and SupportMatthew 10:40-42We have been working our way through Matthew chapter 10, where we find the names of the twelve disciples, and where Jesus commissions them and trains them to go out into the world to serve him, as his ambassadors, his representatives. Let's see how Jesus concludes this lesson by giving them AUTHORITY and SUPPORT.Recorded live at Ballymacashon.Read the NOTES HERE, Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Plain Unvarnished Truth about Jesus and UsMatthew 10v34-38 as Jesus speaks to his disciples, he never sugar-coats his words, or plays down the difficulties or promises them that life as a Christian will be easy. He's not the ‘gentle Jesus meek and mild' person some people think him to be. Jesus said: ‘…he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.' How different! According to Jesus, the Christian Life is a:-CONFLICTCOMMITMENTthis sermon was recorded at Ballymacashon, - so it has some echo and background noise.Read the NOTES HERE. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Idolatry1st John 5:21Little children, keep yourselves from idols. AmenAs we come to the very last phrase in John's first letter, we are driven back to the most basic premise of the Christian faith. That there is only one, True, Holy, God who will not tolerate the worship of any other god that we might invent. John warns us to guard our lives from idols. There is a deep pastoral concern that the believers watch their lives, be so careful, for idolatry can present itself in so many forms, and can draw us away from faithfully following the Lord.Read the NOTES HERE. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Clarity, Conviction and Confidence.Matthew 10:26-30The disciples are being sent into a world that contains great dangers for them. They will be hated by everyone in the world. Yet despite all of that, they are being tasked to preach the Gospel despite the fact that doing so will inflame and antagonise the world even more! Surely a better approach would be for the disciples to keep their heads down, preach behind closed doors, don't offend anyone. Jesus certainly didn't envisage that His disciples would do anything of the sort. Here he tells them to stand up and shout!Recorded live at Ballymacashon - Apologies for echo, poor sound quality and extraneous noise.Read the NOTES HERE. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Three Things that the World Needs but Hasn't GotText. 1 John 5:18-20.John is going to remind Christians of three things we know, three blessings of the Christian life and they are all found in Christ alone. They are freedom from sin, victory over the world and a new perspective on life and death, AND these are what every person in the world really needs! I know they won't admit it, for what they THINK they need is greatly different from what they REALLY NEED, but, you see, what we think people need, and even what they think they need, is nowhere near as important as what THE BIBLE says they need! Look again at the blessings we have in Christ, blessings that everyone needs to have, and which we should be telling them about...read the NOTES HERE. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Seek the Lord.Text . Isaiah 55:6-7. Luke 19:1. Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: 7Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.We are all to be seekers…. but who will search for God?recorded live at Ballymacashon Congregational church.Read the NOTES HERE. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

PRAYER - A CASE STUDYText: 1 John 5:16-17.John has been speaking about prayer, and how we may have confidence in prayer, and then he adds this next verse, perhaps as a case-study for what he has just taught us; praying for sinners! What does John mean when he says that there is a sin not unto death, and a sin unto death?Read the NOTES HERE. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Living in a Hostile WorldMatthew 10:16-22Christians are living in a hostile culture But it's NEVER been any different, and it never will, until Jesus returns. In Matthew's account of the ministry of Jesus, he records the words of the Saviour as he sends his disciples out to witness for him. Let's see how he prepares them for the hostile environment they will be living and working in…This message was delivered at Ballymacashon - please excuse the sound quality, extraneous sounds and echo. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fearfully and WonderfullyPsalm 139:14-16In this special bonus episode, we look briefly at these very important verses from Psalm 139, verses 14-16, – to make a prophetic statement on events that have occurred over the past few days in our sovereign UK parliament, when MPs voted in strength for an amendment which will in certain circumstances, make legal the abortion of babies up to the moment of birth. In such times as these, we would want to raise a standard, publicly, for biblical truth and Christian ethics. Read the NOTES HERE.Recorded live at Templepatrick Reformed Church, and reproduced here with their kind permission. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How to Pray with Confidence.1 John 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: 15And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.Prayer is an essential part of the Christian life, so as soon as John has established that we KNOW that we are eternally saved, with a heavenly destiny, through faith in Christ, he moves on to prayer… and that same confidence that we have in our eternal salvation applies to our prayers. And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will... Listen for more!Read the NOTES HERE. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ministry EthicsMatthew 10:8-17Jesus has called his disciples, and now they get some really practical good advice for ministry, part of their ‘Seminary Evangelism Module' – and its not just good advice for them, but for us also as we seek to represent the Saviour in this godless world:-Wisdom in AccountingWisdom in AssociationWisdom in Abandoning Apologies for the sound quality of this recording. this sermon was recorded live at Ballymacashon, and there is some echo and extraneous noise.Read the NOTES HERE. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Internal Witness1 John 5:9-12 V10 He that believed; on the Son of God hath the witness in himself…For this week's Bible Study I've reprised an episode from October 2024, recorded at TRC. No point recording the same thing again!Do you know for sure that you are saved and forgiven, through repentance and faith in Christ, and that because of his atoning death on the cross you have forgiveness of all your sins and a certain home in heaven? The record is there for us! The testimony is available for all to see! Changed lives, the Word of God, all the objective tests. But to be saved and have eternal life, we must know the Lord Jesus Christ personally!Read the NOTES HERE.This sermon was recorded at Templepatrick Reformed Church and is reproduced here with their kind permission. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Polycarp the MartyrIn this episode were going to be thinking about the persecution of the early church, and focusing in on the martyrdom of Polycarp, the pastor of the church at Smyrna, in what is now called Turkey. Polycarp's testimony for Jesus Christ led to his arrest and to his death in the city of Rome in the 2nd century AD. May his perseverance and steadfast determination to follow Jesus whatever the cost be an inspiration to us also, in these days, when many Christian throughout the world still face persecution for the faith. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ministering in Word and SacramentMatthew 10:5-8Christ's were being trained in the school of the master, and they were to go forth as ambassadors, and missionaries, sent out to represent Christ in their words and acts. Now we see a little more detail about that commission…The margins of their ministry. To LOST SHEEP.The message of their ministry. The KINGDOM is at hand!The method of their ministry. To minister in WORD and SACRAMENT.Apologies for the sound quality of this recording. this sermon was recorded live at Ballymacashon, and there is some echo and extraneous noise.READ THE NOTES HERE. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Water and the Blood1st John 5:6-8What does John mean by ‘ Water and Blood?' There are four possibilities:The Wounded Side of Christ.The SacramentsA Witness to the Historicity of Christ's Baptism and Death - as an answer to gnosticism.The Application of the Cleansing Power of Christ to the believer.We look at these four possibilities - all of them views held by reformed evangelical commentators.Read the NOTES HERE. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Day of PentecostActs 2:1-4We look at the account of how God poured out his Holy Spirit upon the first Christian disciples, and its effects and results.This sermon was recorded live at Ballymacashon Congregational Church, and contains some extraneous noise and echo. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Overcomers1st John 5:4-5 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?We know that we are Christians because we have overcome the world, and we are overcoming the world! This is John's next point. So, what is the WORLD that we have overcome, how have we overcome it, and when did that happen?Read the NOTES HERE. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Can We Die Before Our Time?Here's some seemingly opposed and contradictory texts:Ecclesiastes 7:17 Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy timeHebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: Psalm 31:15 My times are in thy hand:Which statement is right? Or are both? Let's unravel the mystery of Ecclesiastes 7:17! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Victory1 Corinthians 15:50-58 It is only because Jesus rose from the dead, that we too will also rise – on that final day of this earth's history, when the trumpet of God shall sound, and the Lord Jesus will return to judge this world. The Apostle Paul turns his attention to the events and results of that last day.Bob's sermon for Easter Sunday morning, 2025.Recorded at Ballymacashon - so please excuse the echo.Read the NOTES HERE. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Christian ObedienceText. 1 John 5:2-4a Is there an objective test for brotherly love? John suggests that there is. It is obedience. We will know that we love God's people, when we love God, and obey him. So we need to examine these verses and see what John is speaking about:The Legal Background to Christian Obedience.The Light Burden of Christian Obedience.Read the NOTES HERE. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

REPARATIONS - Britain, the Bible, and the Slave Trade.You can't have missed the increasing demands for the British government to pay ‘reparations' for its part in the slave trade. It was an issue that confronted me when we were studying Ephesians, working our way through the book, verse by verse in an expository manner. When we came to chapter five, we were confronted by these verses, Ephesians 6:5-8 Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; 6 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; 7 With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: 8 Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free. Here's the issue, - when Paul wrote to servants (KJV), he was in fact writing to SLAVES! Slaves who mostly had horrendous working conditions, and who had no rights whatsoever of their own. So, in this lecture, delivered at Templepatrick Reformed Church (and reproduced here with their kind permission) we look at the issues surrounding this important subject and seek a biblical response to the demands for financial compensation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Love Is… Text: 1 John 4:19-5:5 John has been spending much time and ink on the importance of love. God's love for us, and our love for God, and the resulting love that we have for each other. He tells us that:Love is a REACTION (To Christ's love for us)Love is a REVERSAL (Of the opinions and values of the world)Love is a RESPONSIBILITY (To obey the commandment even by Jesus)Love is a REINFORCEMENT (of sound doctrine)Read the NOTES HERE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Disciples in the School of Christ.Text. Matthew 10:1-4In Matthew chapter 10, Jesus begins to prepare his disciples for ministry. Before we see his particular instructions to them, his teaching on their ministry, lets see how he chooses and calls them…Read the NOTES HERE,APOLOGIES - THIS RECORDING WAS MADE LIVE AT BALLYMACASHON AND CONTAINS ECHO AND BACKGROUND NOISE. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

John's Sermon on 4:12Text. 1 John 4:12-21John preaches a sermon, for the next few verses, v13-21 are actually a commentary and expansion on what he has taught in verse 12. Now, the biblical authors did not preach to amuse you or to tickle your ears – John is going to talk about the Christian's confidence in the day of judgement. That will require some explanation, – and it won't be casual listening. Read the NOTES HERE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.