[Matthew]: Ask, Seek, Knock
Joe looks at Jesus' teaching from Matthew 7:7-12 regarding asking, seeking and knocking...
Aug 12, 2024•24 min
Sermons from All Souls Church
Services at All Souls are at 10am and occasional 6pm (see website for details). Our services bring together children and adults of all ages for a relaxed and informal time, characterised by a friendly welcome, contemporary music, lively children’s groups, opportunity for personal prayer and a relevant bible-based talk. You don’t have to fit a particular mold to come along – whether you’re coming with children or on your own, as someone living locally or visiting the area, looking to join or to visit just once, you will find a friendly welcome. Our groups for children are imaginatively led, fun and safe environments for the young to explore faith.
The church is led by Joe Sellers , Vicar of All Souls, together with a range of teams that oversee the various aspects of the church’s life and work.
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Episodes
[Matthew]: Judging others
Joe continues our series in the gospel of Matthew looking at judging others...
Aug 12, 2024•25 min
[Matthew]: Don't worry
Ritesh looks at Matthew 6:25-36 to explore what Jesus had to say about not worrying...
Aug 12, 2024•20 min
[Matthew]: Generosity
Joe talks about eyes as the receivers and transmitters of light. We are constantly looked upon by God even if - like Garfield (according to the movie) - you aren't aware of your father's presence. Knowing you are cared for you see the world - counter-culturally - as a place of abundance rather than one of scarcity and share accordingly. Learn to look with care and see the world as God sees you.
Jun 23, 2024•25 min
[Matthew]: Lasting treasure
Joe confronts us with Jesus's teaching on money - what does how we invest tell about who we are and what we believe? Heaven is here and now and everytime we spend we vote for the kind of world we want to live in. So what does our spend profile say about who we are? Take a look at your bank statement to sense how anchored to the future (or rooted in the past) you now/still are. Jesus lived a life of simplicity, generosity and concern for the poor; do we? Challenging teaching today as it was way b...
Jun 23, 2024•21 min
[Matthew]: Fasting
Ritesh takes a look at fasting - starting with his own journey. Being a food lover, he was initially reluctant but, with some family nudging, he joined in too. Ritesh reflects on the sincerity and humility Jesus is looking for through this discipline. The health benefits of fasting have received considerable interest but it is primarily about creating a space for spiritual nourishment; making a space for us to receive.
Jun 16, 2024•24 min
Pentecost
Acts 2:1-13
May 31, 2024•23 min
[Matthew]: Prayer
Matthew 6:9-15. Mike takes a look at what Jesus had to say about our prayer lives.
May 31, 2024•20 min
[Matthew]: The approval of others
Matthew 6:1-4
May 31, 2024•24 min
[Matthew]: Enemy Love
Joe looks at Matthew 5:43-48 and tries to uncover what it truly means to us today to love our enemies.
May 31, 2024•27 min
[Matthew]: Faith
Maf starts with a parallel - 007 expected to protect the British way of life (but acting contrary to it) and the Jewish Messiah - expected to arrive as an all-conquering military hero but manifested in a carpenter's son who preached peace and forgiveness. Maf looks at 3 familiar examples of how Jesus encouraged us to be freed from bitterness and resentment. Overcome evil with good - by turning the cheek, handing over your coat, going the extra mile; confront evil with grace, humility and humour.
May 05, 2024•24 min
[Matthew]: Integrity
Joe encouragingly points us to the most sense-making decades of our lives - our 70s, our 80s and our 60s - which most of us have to look forward to :-). He then goes on to talk about truth - a timely topic in our swirl of post-truth, deep fakes, filters and curated content. Do as you would be done by; do what you say you will; be truthful (no spin) - Jesus puts us straight - it is either "yes" or "no".
May 05, 2024•26 min
[Matthew]: Lust
Joe teases apart a thorny topic; Jesus's teaching on human failures ranging from lust and adultery to divorce. How are we to deal with our impulses? "You can not stop the birds from flying overhead but you can stop them from nesting in your hair", Joe reflects, recalling the wisdom of Martin Luther. Grace, repentence and a God-given change of heart are what is needed.
May 05, 2024•31 min
[Matthew]: Beyond behaviour - dealing with anger
Joe joins up recent sermons to show how Jesus' stretching expectations - e.g. righteousness beyond that of the pharisees - can (only) be fulfilled through a change of heart. Personal affront (holding a grudge) may result in expressions of anger which reflects the state of one's heart. What starts with a thwarted will can lead to personal insult, self-righteousness, contempt, a lack of appreciation for others, resentment and violence - what starts small can kill us. Jesus gives practical instruct...
Mar 17, 2024•30 min
[Matthew]: Live like the kingdom is near
Bishop Emma reflects on her favourite passage. She takes apart the word Jesus used for "blessed" (separating it from the conditional "you will be blessed if...") and goes through each of the "Good on you when..." statements that comprise "the beatitudes". Full dependence is what we need; to recognise our reliance on God, generate genuine gratitude and be in right relationship with our peers.
Mar 17, 2024•20 min
[Matthew]: Fulfilling the law
Ritesh continues our series showing how Jesus fulfilled the law. Jesus showed how to live a righteous life from the heart. Ritesh takes us back to God's choice of David - a man after his own heart. We then go back to Jeremiah and Ezekiel and God's promise to transform us from inside to out. Don't pretend - confess - yield and be changed. This is what matters.
Feb 24, 2024•22 min
[Matthew]: Salt and light
Having looked at the four different perspectives of the four gospel writers Jon zooms in on salt to start today's session. Salt's role then was primarily as a preservative - to slow deterioration and decay. We are called to preserve what is good and wholesome. With a vivid recollection from the darkness of the nightime desert Jon goes on to show how light similarly needs to be exposed to keep darkness away and help people see the way to God.
Feb 24, 2024•27 min
[Matthew]: Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near
Joe picks up the story in Matthew where Jesus leaves the wilderness and starts teaching. What does Jesus call us to do in 2024? Are we to talk about his ethics, his love for the lost, his exhortation to love your neighbour? Well, repentance is the foundation, in recognition of the king and his kingdom. Having allowed humans the freedom to choose God is reclaiming his world; so repent (respond!) for the kingdom of heaven is near...
Feb 18, 2024•24 min
[Matthew]: Soft-hearted in a hard-hearted world
Mike takes us through a familiar passage (when Jesus was led to a solitary place) and asks "What is the wilderness?", "What is temptation?" and "So what?". He compares Jesus's experience to that of the people of Israel being led from the abundance of fertile Egypt and out into the desert. Mike bounces us through parallels - from the Post Office to Potiphar to his own hospital bed experience - to illustrate how God works through empty times; giving us strength to endure as we hear our hearts beat...
Feb 18, 2024•21 min
[Matthew]: Recognising Jesus
Joe starts us off with context - recognising the bible was built by many authors and whose architect is God. He then invites us to consider Matthew through 3 focal lenses - our visionary cornerstones - being with Jesus, learning to be like him and doing as he did. With that backdrop he then takes us through how John prepared the way for the coming king... who then humbles himself and asks to be baptised by John. God with us.
Jan 29, 2024•24 min
[Matthew]: What does success look like?
Joe takes on a challenging passage to push through January. Not a common Nativity story but it is there in the book - child murder, sudden departure, being refugees. Becoming like Jesus - a whole and integrated life - this may not play out as we expect... Joe draws upon the teachings of wise Christian leaders as well as a personal encounter with a shooter in the shadows to highlight how we should expect to fight through life - take heart!
Jan 29, 2024•25 min
[Vision]: All things come from God
All Souls welcomes Richard back to finish off our vision series. Remembering camping excursions and the "collecting the kit" stage he reflects on stuff - for a church that is people buildings and money - and encourages us each to ask not "What do we do with what we've got?" but "Why has God given this to us?". Using a passage from 1 Chronicles he highlights how a sense of scarcity (for some) and a sense of pride (for others) are both anxiety inducing. Realising that it is all God's anyway helps ...
Jan 27, 2024•23 min
[Mission]: guarding safety
On safeguarding Sunday Joe, Katherine and Eva take us through why as well as how we are to honour all members of the church body. We all go through times when we are particularly vulnerable due to our own unique circumstances. As a church we need to continually be watchful; looking out for one another and looking after one another. We need to be mindful of past failings and the positive role of safeguarding, an outworking of God's heart - we all have roles to play.
Nov 26, 2023•25 min
[Mission]: growing younger
Joe starts this week by asking how we'd advise our younger selves - what would you tell younger you? Asaph, in Psalm 78, talks about the responsibility to share testimony from generation to generation - "teach them to know God and follow his ways". God searches you, knows you and loves you; we need to instill this sense of connection and appreciation in the next generation. Joe encourages and commits us to inter-generational church - it's challenging as well as fun.
Nov 12, 2023•22 min
[Mission]: creative growth
Maf talks about home improvements. It can seem like the work never stops - as soon as one job is done another begins... In the church, given that Jesus is the builder and we need to keep growing, individually and collectively, this is a good thing(!). Maf reflects on how we respond to change - resisting it, tolerating it or embracing it. He parallels church growth with lego construction - it may not be clear exactly how we'll look but we are all pieces to build with.
Nov 12, 2023•17 min
[Mission]: compassionate communities
Joe talks about what it is to be hands and feet. He asks us to think about a familiar story - the tale of the good samaritan - differently. Identify first with the one cared for rather than those who encountered him. We love because Jesus first loved us. Joe then familiarises us with opportunities in our own neighbourhood - including Ivybridge - to contribute once we have seen ourselves as cared for and want to share.
Nov 12, 2023•22 min
[Mission]: confident disciples
On this baptism day Maf eases us into the sermon with 3 short readings and Joe acquaints us with the wider church's London 2030 vision - confident disciples forming compassionate communities leading to creative growth. Being baptised into God's expansive family we learn to be confident of God's rescue and confident sharing the good news.
Oct 22, 2023•20 min
[Mission]: sending, joy and purpose
Parallel bible passages from the old and new testaments launch us into this sermon on being sent. Joe shares family stories of superhero appeal - being part of something bigger - and his own honest response to the prospect of leading mission. We live in a society that seeks self satisfaction but risk missing out on the joy of mission. We are called out for a higher purpose - will you respond as Isaiah (and Joe) did?
Oct 21, 2023•25 min
[Vision]: Become my disciples
Concluding this short September series Joe starts with the tale of a dampened Bible - open on Isaiah 35. What does it mean to do what Jesus did (then and now)? Lots of topics - preach the gospel, teach the way, heal the sick, cast out demons, eat and drink with those far from God, pray, prophesy, stand against corruption, etc. - and there are lots of options to connect and explore these together - find out more on our website:https://www.allsoulschurch.org.uk/diary/ and be in contact: https://ww...
Sep 24, 2023•27 min
[Vision]: Be like me
Joe dips again into Isaiah 35 to refocus us on Jesus. Our formation depends on our focus and we are constantly subject to temptation and distraction. If we are to be like Jesus we need to practice long obedience. There is a highway. It is for the redeemed (not to redemption). Find it. Focus. Follow. Be like Jesus to find freedom, community and meaning. Whose disciple are you?
Sep 23, 2023•30 min
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