Audio files of Sunday talks: January - June 2019
Click on any of the links below to enjoy our recent Sunday talks.
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June 30, 2019
What is church? (15) John Sparkes Bible references - John 1:35-42 - Matthew 9:9-13 |
John continues to look at Jesus' interactions with his disciples and the vision he had for them, focusing particularly on Peter. He asked if we have a vision from God for ourselves and for our brothers and sisters in the church.
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June 23, 2019
What is church? (14) John Sparkes Bible references - John 1:40-42; John 6:5-9; John 12:20-22 |
John considers the life of Andrew, how he interacted with Jesus and the other disciples and what his attitude can teach us about how church should work.
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June 16, 2019
What is church? (13) John Sparkes Bible references - Matthew 26:14-25; 27:1-5 |
The accounts of the relationship between Jesus and Judas illustrate that Jesus continued to love and offer grace and acceptance, even when he knew Judas was on the wrong track.
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June 09, 2019
What is church? (12) Tim Sparkes Bible reference - John 11:38-57 |
Tim continues to explore why church is the best place to learn and grow and be strengthened in our walk with the Lord. It helps us to live the right way up in an upside down world.
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June 02, 2019
What is church? (11) Tim Sparkes Bible reference - John 11:1-44 |
Seeing Jesus' interactions and the way people responded to him gives us a clue to the importance of relationships and the benefits of understanding ourselves and others. Tim continued to explore why church is the place to learn and grow.
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May 26, 2019
What is church? (10) John Sparkes Bible reference - Mark 10:35-45 |
John continues his thoughts on the Apostle John in the context of the question 'What is church?', concluding that we are safe to go on a journey of discovery with the Lord, just as John was.
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May 19, 2019
What is church? (9) John Sparkes Bible references - Luke 9:51-56 - John 13:22-25 |
In his latest talk on 'What is church?' John considers the life of the Apostle John, emphasising that walking with Jesus enabled him to live in the fullness of who God had made him to be.
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May 12, 2019
What is church? (8) John Sparkes Bible reference - Luke 9:51-56 |
John continues to explore the relationships between Jesus and his disciples. Jesus wanted to be with his disciples and walk with them because he liked them. John asked if we believe that Jesus feels the same about us.
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May 05, 2019
What is church? (7) John Sparkes Bible reference - Luke 6:12-16 |
John shares his personal view of those elements of church which are important and stresses how important it is that a church knows how to be a family.
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April 21, 2019
Pressing in, pushing through Tim & John Sparkes Bible reference - John chapter 17 |
Tim and John both encourage us to push against those things which would stop us from leading the lives that the Lord wants for us.
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April 14, 2019
What is church? (6) Growing into maturity John Sparkes Bible reference - Ephesians 4:7-16 |
John continues to answer the question 'What is church?' by looking at Jesus' interactions with his disciples. As they walked through life with him it was a growing and learning experience which changed them.
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April 7, 2019
What is church? (5) On a journey John Sparkes Bible reference - Philippians 2:1-11 |
Jesus called people to 'follow me'. That implies a journey. Travelling with Jesus means journeying with one another. In this week's Sunday talk John explores what that looks like in practice.
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March 31, 2019
Hannah's anguish John Sparkes Bible reference - 1 Samuel 1:2-20 |
Using Hannah's anguish at being childless, John encourages us that God can use the very things which cause us pain to bring us to the place where God's purposes can be worked out in and through us.
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March 24, 2019
The framework in which we live Tim Sparkes Bible references - 2 Chronicles 20 - Philippians 3:15 |
Tim asked what is the framework within which we live. Using an illustration from his football coaching, he emphasised that when our framework is God-given, we are secure and can live in freedom and God's grace.
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March 17, 2019
What is church? (4) John Sparkes Bible references - Ephesians 4:10-13 - Acts 2: 42-47 |
John continues to look at what we can learn about church from the way Jesus interacted with his disciples by considering the practical benefits of church operating in small groups.
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March 10, 2019
Robust living Tim Sparkes Bible references - Galatians 1:1-12 - 1 Thessalonians 5:12-15 - Acts 23:1 |
Based on the example of Paul and drawing on what had been shared earlier in the meeting, Tim encourages us to take what the Lord says to us seriously and positively and use it to become robust. Click here to read what was shared during the service.
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March 03, 2019
What is church? (3) John Sparkes Bible references - Acts 2:42-47 - Acts 5:12-16 |
As church is intended to be a continuation of the ministry of Jesus, John challenges us to walk and talk with God so our attitudes and interactions reflect the life of Jesus.
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February 24, 2019
What is church? (2) John Sparkes Bible reference - Acts 2:42-47 |
The church is the means by which Jesus continues his work on the earth. What a responsibility!
In this talk, John shares how Halesworth Community Church came into being and has been shaped by the Lord over the years up to the present time. Click here to download the talk.
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February 17, 2019
What is church? John Sparkes Bible reference - John 17:1-26 |
John asks, 'What is the reason for doing church? and outlines a Biblical philosophy of church in his introduction to a new series on 'What is church?'.
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February 10, 2019
Who is Jesus? (5) Tim Sparkes Bible reference - John 12:1-11 |
We see a new depth of understanding of who Jesus is from his interactions with Lazarus, Mary and Martha. Tim urges us to respond to Jesus with our hearts, as they did.
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February 03, 2019
Who is Jesus? (4) - What's wrong with you? Tim Sparkes Bible reference - John 2:23 |
Tim encourages us to understand our human frailty but to know who we are in God and choose to let God live through our lives. We can then be as the Lord to people, speaking his words into hearts and lives that are broken.
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January 27, 2019
Who is Jesus? (3) Tim Sparkes Bible reference - John 12:25 |
John 12:25 and many more verses in John help to show how Jesus did God's will by putting him first. We are encouraged to do the same and recognise our purpose in life. To love God.
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January 20, 2019
Who is Jesus? (2) Tim Sparkes Bible reference - John 1:1-15 |
In his 2nd talk on 'Who is Jesus?' Tim encourages us to be fully who God made us to be and to and allow the power of the Spirit to work through us. He challenges us to walk with God this week until we can feel what God is saying to us, and then to share that with others.
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January 13, 2019
Who is Jesus? Tim Sparkes Bible reference - John 1:43-51 |
Using the account of Nathanael's encounter with Jesus, Tim asks how we really think and feel about Jesus and challenges us to have humble hearts and follow him, as Nathanael did. Jesus can change our hearts and situations and the effect we have in the world, as in this story.
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January 06, 2019
Taking responsibility (2) John Sparkes Bible reference - Genesis 45 |
In his 2nd talk on taking responsibility John shares some practical thoughts on how each one of us can fulfil the calling God has put on our lives. The recording starts with Kelly who shares a picture which she had during the communion.
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December 30, 2018
Taking responsibility (1) John Sparkes Bible reference - Genesis 37 |
Was Joseph just an annoying little tell-tale or was there something different about this young man from an early age? What was the key to his ability to be used by God to save a nation - and his own family? John explores this theme in the first part of two talks on what it means to take responsibility.
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