Sermon for Pilgrim Church September 2022 1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the great … Continue reading →

Sermon for Pilgrim Church on Revelation 21 We are reaching the end of the book and the end of the age.  We have repeatedly looked at God’s judgment of the wicked in the church age and his protection of his … Continue reading →

Sermon for Pilgrim Church on Revelation 20 In chapter 17 and 18 Babylon was judged.  In chapter 19, the armies who tried to fight against the Lamb were defeated completely and the beast and the false prophet were thrown into … Continue reading →

A sermon for Pilgrim Church July 2022 In the last two chapters (17&18) we saw the fall of Babylon.  The fall of the beast, the false prophet and the dragon will be described in chapters 19 and 20.  But before … Continue reading →

A sermon for Pilgrim Church July 2022 Chapter 17 began the narrative of the fall of Babylon, the great prostitute.  She has great earthly splendour.  But her allies turn against her and fight against her before turning to fight against … Continue reading →

Sermon on Revelation 17 As we get towards the end of Revelation, we are introduced to two contrasting women: the prostitute and the bride.  The prostitute and her demise are described in chapters 17 and 18.  We must wait until … Continue reading →

Sermon for Pilgrim Church June 2022 re Rev 15-16 Chapter 14 was both wonderful and sobering at the same time.  Those who trust in Christ as Saviour and Lord have a reward waiting for them with Jesus on Mt Zion, … Continue reading →

A Sermon for Pilgrim Church on Revelation 14 We have come full circle and reached the end of the age again.  The last chapter in which the end of the age was reached was the final part of chapter 11.  … Continue reading →

Sermon for Pilgrim Church May 2022 We know from chapter 12 that the one behind the persecution of Christians is the devil.  Chapter 13 gives us an explanation of how the devil accomplishes his evil work.  He does so through … Continue reading →

A sermon for Pilgrim church on Rev 12 In chapters 12 and 13, the power behind the persecution of the saints is revealed as Satan or the devil.  This is hinted at earlier because the letters which mention persecution also … Continue reading →

A sermon for Pilgrim Church on Rev chs 10-11 A pattern is developing in the book.  We have already seen seven seals, seven trumpets, and seven bowl plagues are yet to come.  In the case of the seals, the first … Continue reading →

Sermon for Pilgrim Church 20/3/22 This week we have arrived at a new set of plagues, announced by trumpets.  The first six of these are described in chapters 8 and 9.  We have already discussed the first five verses of … Continue reading →

A blog post from 2017. Perhaps you are wondering why I have asked such an outrageous question as the title of this blog post.  For those of you who have never met me and don’t know what I look like, … Continue reading →

This previously appeared in my blog (2018). Yesterday I went to speak to someone because I am trying to promote my upcoming book.  It was a worthwhile conversation even if it did not result in exactly what I was hoping … Continue reading →

This previously appeared in my blog (2018). In the NIV (1984) Paul instructs the Corinthians, “Aim for perfection” (2 Cor 13:11).[1]  This set me thinking about the ways in which perfection has been misunderstood by Christians over time and what … Continue reading →

This previously appeared in my blog (2017). Last week I noticed that one of the people in our street had a large, actually huge, pile of mulch in their driveway.  It had a sign stating that the mulch is free: … Continue reading →

This previously appeared in my blog (2017). What can Star Trek teach us about our own humanity?  Occasionally sci-fi makes some astute observations about human nature.  In the movie First Contact (1996), the antagonists are the Borg.  The Borg is … Continue reading →

Sermon on Rev 6:1-8:5 for Pilgrim Church 27/2/22 “I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, ‘Come!’” (Rev 6:1). In chapter … Continue reading →

Sermon on Rev 4-5 for Pilgrim Church 20/2/22 In chapters 2&3, the focus is on the churches in Asia.  But in chapter 4, John is not focusing on the earth anymore or on what is going on in the churches.  … Continue reading →

Revelation Chapter 1 (Sermon for Pilgrim Church 6/2/22) Revelation reveals to us who Jesus is as the one who has overcome death for the sake the church, his bride.  He will punish all the enemies of his bride and usher … Continue reading →

A sermon for Dalkeith Road Church of Christ 22/8/21 In this message I plan to continue with the theme of prayer that I have been speaking about in the last couple of messages.  This time I want to discuss the … Continue reading →

Sermon for Pilgrim Church 15/8/21 6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. The word … Continue reading →

A blog post from 2017. Although complaining and lamenting have some things in common, they should not be mistaken for one another.  The Bible is plainly against complaining and grumbling.  But lamenting is common and acceptable.  Jesus never grumbled but … Continue reading →

A blog post from 2017. A couple of weeks ago something great happened.  It was something which I had been praying about for seven months and it finally happened.  You would think that this answer to prayer would make me … Continue reading →

A blog post from 2018. There is an interesting passage in 1 Kings about two prophets—one called “the man of God” and the other “the old prophet”.  We are told very little about either of them; neither of them is … Continue reading →

A blog post from 2017. I found myself thinking about money lately.  In Acts there are two significant interactions between preachers of the gospel and people concerned about their ability to make money.  The first story involves Paul and some … Continue reading →

A blog post I wrote in 2018. People often tell me, “I don’t know what my spiritual gifts are.  Should I do a spiritual gifts test?”  I have no objection to spiritual gifts tests, but I don’t think that they … Continue reading →

A blog post I wrote in 2017. In 1993 we visited the Bundaberg rum factory in Bundaberg Queensland.  Bundaberg rum is made from molasses, which is a by-product of sugar production.  The interesting thing about molasses is that although it … Continue reading →

Sermon for Pilgrim Church 25/7/21 “21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless … Continue reading →

Sermon for Pilgrim Church 13/6/21 ESV Colossians 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, 2 To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from … Continue reading →