Proclaiming the Gospel: Impossible with Men, Possible with God

Peter Barnes | Mark 10:26, 27

SERMON  NOTES
Impossible  with  Men,  Possible  with  God
Psalm  130;  Mark  10:17-27

1. An  astonished  question.

– 10:26  –  yet  a  better  question  than  10:17

2. Salvation  is  impossible  with  man.

– 10:27a

(a)  Sinful  man  is  unable  to  be  perfect.

– Rom.3:20;  7:7-10;  …

Sermons on the Letter to the Ephesians: Christ’s Victory is Ours

Peter Barnes | Ephesians 1:20-22

SERMON  NOTES
Christ’s  Victory  is  Ours
(Eph. 1:19b-23)

– picks  up  on  the  power  in  v.19.

1. Christ’s  power  in  the  believer.

– 1:19b-20  (omit  the  NIV’s  ‘like’);  Rom.8:11

– Christians  often  work  in  the  dark,  as  it  were

– 2 Peter 1:3-4

2. Where 

Proclaiming the Gospel: The Parable of the Prodigal Son

Peter Barnes | Luke 15:11-32

SERMON  NOTES
The  Parable  of  the  Prodigal  Son
2 Chronicles 33:1-17;  Luke  15:11-32

Dostoevsky,  dying  in  1881,  wanted  it  read  to  his  children.

1. The  wild  sinner  repents.

– 15:11-13, 30,  14-16;  a  Jew  in  a  pigsty!  (Lev.11:7)

– sin  promises  pleasure  and  delivers  misery…

Sermons on the Letter to the Ephesians: Growing in Prayer

Peter Barnes | Ephesians 1:15-23

SERMON  NOTES
Prayer  for  Growth
(Eph. 1:15-19a)

– prayer  in  chapters  1, 3, 6.

1. What  is  a  Christian?

– 1:15;  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  and  love  to  all  the  saints  (written  to  a  Gentile  Church)

– Luke 6:32;  Martyn  Lloyd-Jones  rested  on  this  …

Proclaiming the Gospel: Remember your Creator in the Days of Your Youth

Peter Barnes | Ecclesiastes 12:1

SERMON  NOTES
Remember Your Creator in the Days of Your Youth
Eccles. 12:1-14;  1 Cor.15:12-19, 29-34

Joseph  Conrad:  ‘the  feeling  that  I  could  last  for  ever’.

1. There’s  something  wrong  with  everything.

– 1:2 –  vanity  or  futility  or  meaninglessness  –  36  times

(a)  wisdom  …

Sermons on the Letter to the Ephesians: Sealed by the Spirit

Peter Barnes | Ephesians 1:13, 14

SERMON  NOTES
Sealed  by  the  Spirit
(Eph. 1:13-14)

– already  and  not  yet  idea  in  Rom.8:23;  Heb.2:8;  1 John 3:2

1. We  become  Christians  through  believing  the  gospel  of  Christ.

– 1:13a;  1 Thess.1:9-10;  John 16:8, 14

2. A  Christian  is  sealed  with  the 

Proclaiming the Gospel: Knowing the Saviour of the World

Peter Barnes | John 4:1-42

SERMON  NOTES
Knowing  the  Saviour  of  the  World
John  4:1-42

1. The  desire  of  a  new  Christian  to  make  Christ  known.

– 4:28-29;  ‘the  expulsive  power  of  a  new  affection’  (Thomas  Chalmers);  she  begins  simply  by  asking  questions

– she  acknowledges  her  sin  (4:29, 39)…

Sermons on the Letter to the Ephesians: Redeemed by the Son

Peter Barnes | Ephesians 1:7-12

SERMON  NOTES
Redeemed  Through  the  Son
(Eph. 1:7-12)

– God  is  rich  in  grace  and  mercy  (1:7;  2:7)

1. Christians  are  redeemed in  Christ.

– 1:7a;  see  Deut.7:8;  Rev.5:9

– 1 Peter 1:18-19;  Thomas  Goodwin:  ‘Thou  needest  not  bring  one  penny.  God  is  rich  enough.’…

Proclaiming the Gospel: The Dangers of a Half Conversion

Peter Barnes | Luke 11:24-26

SERMON  NOTES
The  Dangers  of  a  Half-Conversion
1 Samuel 16:14-23;  18:1-16;  Luke  11:14-26

– Luke 11:24-26;  2 Peter 2:20-22

1. We  can  experience  some  blessing  from  God  without  being  converted.

– John 3:1-3;  Nicodemus  expected  some  improvement

2. In  the  long-term,  the  half-converted  are  worse