Sermons from May 2023

Sermons from May 2023

Exposition of Genesis Ch 2 (34 min)

Sandy Higgins summarises the first 5 books of the Bible before giving an exposition of Genesis chapter 2, a chapter in which the creation of Adam and the formation of Eve, and their placing in the Garden of Eden, are outlined. Reading: Genesis 2. (Message preached in North America) Complete series: Exposition of Genesis 1 Exposition of Genesis 2 Exposition of Genesis 3 Exposition of Genesis 4 Exposition of Genesis 5

Exposition of Genesis Ch 1 (44 min)

Sandy Higgins introduces Genesis and gives an exposition of Chapter 1, a chapter that is divinely inspired and must be taken literally. Reading: Genesis 1. (Message preached in North America) Complete series: Exposition of Genesis 1 Exposition of Genesis 2 Exposition of Genesis 3 Exposition of Genesis 4 Exposition of Genesis 5

How to Obtain Righteousness from God (23 min)

The key issue between God and you is righteousness. In your natural human condition, you are unrighteous. Says the Bible, “There is none righteous, no not one.” Religion cannot change this basic fact. Righteousness is not obtainable by law, works or human effort. However, as Frank Sona explains, through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God can declare you righteous, without works on your part. Place your faith for salvation in Jesus Christ alone and God will credit righteousness…

The Consequences of Our Heavenly Calling (44 min)

PART 7 – Michael Penfold preaches on the Christian’s citizenship. God has severed our links with a world under judgment. We are dead to the world, and are now a heavenly people, linked to a “Man in the glory”. But what are the consequences of our heavenly calling and how should we relate to the world in which we still live? Readings: John 12:31, 1 Cor 10:32, Phil 1:27-30, 3:20-21. (Message preached in Manchester, CT, USA, 30th Mar 2023) Complete…

Discovering and Using My Gift (51 min)

PART 6 – Michael Penfold preaches on the Christian’s stewardship of time, talent (gift), treasure and truth. Every Christian has one or more divinely given spiritual gifts, but how do you discover and use that gift? Readings: 1 Pet 4:10-11, 1 Cor 12:1, 4-6, 12-28. (Message preached in Manchester, CT, USA, 29th Mar 2023) Complete series on “critical assembly issues”: The evangelical revolution (Ownership and Lordship) Why are head coverings in only one chapter? (Headship) What’s involved in being part…

What is the Biblical Church Leadership Model? (54 min)

PART 5 – Michael Penfold looks at the issue of “church leadership” (identification, designation, qualification, classification). Today’s mainline denominations use a hierarchical form of governance involving regional bishops. Large independent evangelical churches tend to have a group of “Pastors” who are responsible to a “board of elders”. Are either of these models scriptural? If not, what is the biblical model for assembly leadership? Readings: Acts 20:17, 28, 1 Pet 5:1-4, Titus 1:5-9. (Message preached in Manchester, CT, USA, 28th Mar…

It Matters How We Worship (50 min)

PART 4 – Michael Penfold preaches on concept and character of worship in the present dispensation. How churches worship has totally changed in the past 70 years, as music and emotion have come to the fore, but the Scripture is clear that we cannot just worship as we please, we must worship “in spirit and in truth”. Readings: 1 Pet 2:4-5, 9, Heb 13:13-16, John 4:19-24. (Message preached in Manchester, CT, USA, 27th Mar 2023) Complete series on “critical assembly…

What’s Involved in Being Part of an Assembly? (51 min)

PART 3 – Michael Penfold preaches on the privileges and responsibilities of being in fellowship in a New Testament assembly. In light of what Scripture has to say on this subject, what are we to make of an “open table” and inter-denominationalism? Readings: Acts 2:41-43, 9:26-28. (Message preached in Manchester, CT, USA, 26th Mar 2023) Complete series on “critical assembly issues”: The evangelical revolution (Ownership and Lordship) Why are head coverings in only one chapter? (Headship) What’s involved in being…

Why Are Head Coverings in Only One Chapter? (52 min)

PART 2 – The present-day use of head coverings is sometimes questioned because “they are only in one chapter of the Bible”. Michael Penfold addresses this issue as he sets out the order, meaning, operation and symbols of the biblical doctrine of “headship”. Readings: 1 Cor 11:1-17, 1 Tim 2:8-15. (Message preached in Manchester, CT, USA, 25th Mar 2023) Complete series on “critical assembly issues”: The evangelical revolution (Ownership and Lordship) Why are head coverings in only one chapter? (Headship)…

The Evangelical Revolution (48 min)

PART 1 – The evangelical revolution of recent years has, in many places, turned “the church” into a reflection of the consumer culture that surrounds it. Michael Penfold looks at the topic of the relationship of Christ to the local assembly – He owns it, He dwells in it, He rules it – to refocus our thoughts biblically on this issue. Readings: 2 Tim 4:1-3, 1 Cor 14:37. (Message preached in Manchester, CT, USA, 25th Mar 2023) Complete series on…

He Must Reign (42 min)

Mark Sweetnam preaches on the topic of the “Millennium”, answering two questions: “Why must there be a Millennium?” Divine purpose demands it! The glory of Christ demands it! And secondly, what does it mean to me? Readings: 1 Cor 15:21-27, Rev 20:1-7, Eph 1:7-12. (Message preached in Ballymena, 24th Nov 2018)

The Uniqueness of Christ (47 min)

Jim Flanigan (1931-2014) preaches a richly doctrinal and devotional message on “the uniqueness of Christ”. Reading: Heb 7:4. (Message preached in Ballymena, 13th Mar 1982)

Antichrist – When and Where? (42 min)

Tom Bentley preaches on “Antichrist, when and where?”. Is the antichrist the first or second beast of Revelation 13? When will the antichrist appear, and from what part of the globe? Readings: 1 John 2:18-22, 4:3, Dan 7:7-8, 8:9-12, 11:36, Rev 13:1-2, 11. (Message preached in Ballymena Gospel Hall,  23rd Oct 1982)

4-Minute Overview of the 7 Feasts of the Lord

David Vallance gives a 4-minute overview of the 7 Feasts of the Lord – from Leviticus Ch 23 – and their spiritual and dispensational significance. The 7 feasts are: Passover, Unleavened Bread, Firstfruits, Pentecost, Trumpets, Day of Atonement and Tabernacles. (Presented in Stark Road Gospel Hall, Livonia, MI, USA, 10th Nov 2022)

The Old Testament in John (63 min)

David Gilliland preaches on how the Lord Jesus expounds the Old Testament Scripture in the Gospel of John. He highlights the finality of Scripture, the function of Scripture and the fulness of Scripture in this Gospel. Readings: John 2:20-22, 7:37-39, 10:33-36, 12:14-16, 20:8-10. (Message preached in North America) Complete series: How the Lord uses the Old Testament in Matthew How the Lord uses the Old Testament in Mark How the Lord uses the Old Testament in Luke How the Lord…

The Old Testament in Luke (60 min)

David Gilliland preaches on how the Lord Jesus expounds the Old Testament Scripture in the Gospel of Luke. He who fulfils Scripture in Matthew, and applies it in Mark, expounds it in Luke. Readings: Luke 4:3-4, 16-21, 5:1, 5-6, 6:47-48, 7:2, 6-7, 8:11, 15, 9:35, 10:38-39, 24:25-27, 44-49 (Message preached in North America) Complete series: How the Lord uses the Old Testament in Matthew How the Lord uses the Old Testament in Mark How the Lord uses the Old Testament…

The Old Testament in Mark (57 min)

David Gilliland preaches on the beginning, the boundaries and the breadth of the Lord’s ministry in the gospel of Mark as it relates to the Old Testament. Readings: Mark 1:1-4, 9-11, 7:10-3, 5-8, 10:1-9, 11:15-18, 12:10-12, 24-27, 35-37. (Message preached in North America) Complete series: How the Lord uses the Old Testament in Matthew How the Lord uses the Old Testament in Mark How the Lord uses the Old Testament in Luke How the Lord uses the Old Testament in…

The Old Testament in Matthew (59 min)

David Gilliland preaches on allusions to Old Testament Scripture, and accomplishments of OT Scripture, and answers to OT Scripture in the Gospel of Matthew. Readings: Matt 1:1, 21-23, 21:1-7, 26:47-48, 51-56. (Message preached in North America) Complete series: How the Lord uses the Old Testament in Matthew How the Lord uses the Old Testament in Mark How the Lord uses the Old Testament in Luke How the Lord uses the Old Testament in John

David’s Loyal Friends (43 min)

Stephen Gilfillan preaches on David’s loyal friends who came to his aid during the time of the rebellion of Absalom, like Ittai the Gittite, Barzillai the Gileadite and Mephibosheth, the son of Saul. Readings: 2 Sam 2:1, 3-4, 5:3-5, 15:1-2, 4, 6, 13-14, 18-22, 30, 17:24, 27-29, 19:10, 14-15, 24-30. (Message preached in Ballymena, 9th Mar 2019) Complete series: David in the School of God David as a type of Christ David in the cave David’s loyal friends

David in the Cave (44 min)

Stephen Gilfillan preaches on the experiences of David during the time of his preservation in the Cave of Adullam – his preservation, separation and probation. Readings: 1 Sam 22:1-5, 7, 20-23, 2 Sam 23:8, 13-17, 20, 23, Psa 57:1-3, 7-11 (Message preached in Ballymena, 2nd Mar 2019) Complete series: David in the School of God David as a type of Christ David in the cave David’s loyal friends

David as a Type of Christ (40 min)

Stephen Gilfillan preaches on the life and experiences of David and draws out many ways in which he is a type of the person of our Lord Jesus Christ. Readings: 1 Sam 13:13-14, 15:28-29, 16:1, 10-13, 18, 17:49, 51, 54, 57, 18:1, 3-4, 16, 30, 2 Sam 15:23, 26, 30-31, 19:10, 14-15. (Message preached in Ballymena, 23rd Feb 2019) Complete series: David in the School of God David as a type of Christ David in the cave David’s loyal friends

David in the School of God (48 min)

Stephen Gilfillan preaches on three schools that God put David through in his lifetime: the school of obscurity, the school of adversity, and the school of prosperity. The last school proved to be the hardest. Readings: 2 Sam 7:8, 11:1-5, 27, 12:5-7, 10, Psa 142:1-7. (Message preached in Ballymena, 13th Oct 2018) Complete series: David in the School of God David as a type of Christ David in the cave David’s loyal friends

There is Much Rubbish (23 min)

Michael Penfold preaches on the phrase in Nehemiah 4:10 – “There is much rubbish”. Rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem involved recognising the rubbish, removing the rubbish and reviving the stones out of the rubbish. (Message preached in Ballymena, 31st Dec 2018)

Unforgettable Stories (32 min)

In a recording from 1983, Mr Eddie Fairfield (1902-1994) tells a number of stories about his conversion, baptism, service and call to the mission field of Venezuela. In the group photograph, taken in Venezuela in 1957, Mr Fairfield is 4th from the left on the row of seated men. 5th from the left is William Williams, author of “It Can Be Done”, a book relating the spread of the gospel in Venezuela in the early 20th Century. The lady in…

The Second Coming of Christ (49 min)

John  Fleck preaches on the second coming of Christ for the church and to Israel and distinguishes between these two aspects of the return of Christ as revealed in Scripture. Readings; John 14:1-3, 1 Cor 15:51, 1 Thess 1:9-10, 4:13-5:9, 2 Thess 1:7-10, 2:1-3. (Message preached in Ballymena 26th Oct 2019)

The Trump of God (51 min)

In the last of four messages entitled “Truth worth fighting for”, Mervyn Hall preaches on “the trump of God” and sets out the events that lie ahead in Bible prophecy, distinguishing between the pre-tribulation rapture of the church and the coming of the Son of Man in glory to set up His Kingdom. Readings: 1 Thess 4:13-18, 1 Cor 15:50-58, Phil 3:17-21, John 14:1-3. (Message preached in Helions Bumpstead Gospel Hall, 9th April 2023) Complete series: The Christ of God…

The Church of God (68 min)

In the third of four messages entitled “Truth worth fighting for”, Mervyn Hall preaches on “the Church of God” and outlines its pattern, purpose and definition. The 4 conditions for local assembly testimony are set out from Matt 18: plurality, locality, regularity and authority. Readings: 1 Cor 1:10-3, 1 Tim 3:14-16, Matt 18:1-22. (Message preached in Helions Bumpstead Gospel Hall, 8th April 2023) Complete series: The Christ of God The Gospel of God The Church of God The Trump of…

The Gospel of God (60 min)

In the second of four messages entitled “Truth worth fighting for”, Mervyn Hall preaches on “the Gospel of God” and sets out the fundamentals in relation to the origin, subject and purpose of the gospel. He highlights “righteousness” as the key concept at the heart of the truth of the gospel. Reading: Romans Ch 3. (Message preached in Helions Bumpstead Gospel Hall, 8th April 2023) Complete series: The Christ of God The Gospel of God The Church of God The…

The Christ of God (49 min)

In the first of four messages entitled “Truth worth fighting for”, Mervyn Hall preaches on “the Christ of God” and sets out the fundamentals in relation to the person of Christ – His deity and humanity. Readings: Luke 9:18-22, John 1:1-5, Heb 1:1-5, 2:2-18, Col 1:15-19, 2:8-10, 1 John 4:1-3, 2 John 1:7-9. (Message preached in Helions Bumpstead Gospel Hall, 8th April 2023) Complete series: The Christ of God The Gospel of God The Church of God The Trump of…

Why Pray to Pictures on the Wall? (9 min)

Kevin Doskocil grew up in Wisconsin, USA, sometimes going to Mass in the Roman Catholic Church, and sometimes attending the gospel meeting in the Gospel Hall, depending on which parent or relative he was with. As a child, he couldn’t understand why people he knew would pray to pictures of saints on the wall, rather than praying to God. Mercifully God worked in His life to show him the truth of the finished work of Christ through Romans 5:6-9. (Testimony…