Faith

As a lay preacher since 1986, and an ordained minister since 1999, I have preached over 900 sermons. Here’s a sample of some of the best. I’ve included transcripts of shorter devotional talks and Bible study notes. Click on sermon titles to read the full transcripts.

Reflections on Scripture for Advent & Christmas 2025

The five core purposes of the church

The end and the beginning: Understanding the end-times

A guide to the Beatitudes

Three Easter sermons

Sermons on selected psalms

Practicing the way of Jesus

Mountains of Scripture

Occasional addresses at Moore Theological College

Ministry advice from Paul to Timothy

Exploring themes in Luke’s Gospel (Bible study notes)

Managing changes in our lives

Significant sentences of Scripture

Help for troubled emotions

When Jesus returns

Thinking with Malachi about God

    • The love of God (Mal 1:1-14, Lithgow Baptist Church, 10 Dec 2017)
    • The justice of God (Mal 2:1-17, Lithgow Baptist Church, 17 Dec 2017)
    • The judgment of God (Mal 3:6-18, Lithgow Baptist Church, 24 Dec 2017)
    • The promise of God (Mal 3:1-5, Lithgow Baptist Church, 25 Dec 2017)
    • The salvation of God (Mal 4:1-6, Lithgow Baptist Church, 31 Dec 2017)

Fuel for a Reformation II: Reflections on Romans 4-6

The story of Jonah

Making peace: Tips for resolving personal conflicts

Selected Lithgow mid-week sermons 2016-2017

    • Our freedom in Jesus Christ (Lithgow Baptist Church, 6 Jul 2017; Gal 1:1-12)
    • The making of a kingmaker (1 Sam 1:1-28; Lithgow Baptist Church, 1 Feb 2017)
    • The display of God’s splendour (Isa 61:1-4; Lithgow Baptist Church, 2 Nov 2016)
    • Participation in the divine nature (2 Pet 1:1-4; Lithgow Baptist Church, 5 Oct 2016)
    • What’s in a benediction? (Jude 24-25; Lithgow Baptist Church, Wed 7 Sep 2016)
    • A biblical history of praise (Lithgow Baptist Church mid-week service, 6 Jul 2016)
    • Praying the prayers of Jesus (Lithgow Baptist Church mid-week service, 7 May 2016)
    • The consolation of Job (Lithgow Baptist Church mid-week service, 7 Apr 2016)

Fuel for a Reformation I: Reflections on Romans 1-3

    • What is the gospel? (Lithgow Baptist Church, 30 Apr 2017, Rom 1:1-7)
    • Paul’s missionary strategy (Lithgow Baptist Church, 7 May 2017, Rom 1:8-15)
    • The gift of righteousness (Lithgow Baptist Church, 14 May 2017, Rom 1:16-17)
    • God’s wrath and God’s love (Lithgow Baptist Church, 21 May 2017, Rom 1:18)
    • The peril of pagan religion (Lithgow Baptist Church, 28 May 2017, Rom 1:19-32)
    • The futility of enlightened religion (Lithgow Baptist Church, 4 Jun 2017, Rom 2:1-16)
    • Practice what you preach (Lithgow Baptist Church, 11 Jun 2017, Rom 2:17-29)
    • The faithfulness of God (Lithgow Baptist Church, 18 Jun 2017, Rom 3:1-8)
    • The human condition (Lithgow Baptist Church, 25 Jun 2017, Rom 3:9-20)
    • How God makes us good (Lithgow Baptist Church, 2 Jul 2017, Rom 3:21-31 – with guest speaker Prof John Dearin)

Easter sermons 2017

    • The glory of the cross (Good Friday, 14 Apr 2017, Gal 6:14-16)
    • Do not be afraid (Easter Sunday, 16 Apr 2017, Rev 1:9-18)

The message of 1 Samuel 1-17

    • A quiet achiever (Lithgow Baptist Church, 29 Jan 2017, 1 Sam 1:1-2:1)
    • The good, the bad, and the ugly (Lithgow Baptist Church, 5 Feb 2017, 1 Sam 2:2-36)
    • When God calls you (Lithgow Baptist Church, 12 Feb 2017, 1 Sam 3:1-21)
    • Journey of the ark (Lithgow Baptist Church, 19 Feb 2017, 1 Sam 4:1-7:2a)
    • A leader’s job description (Lithgow Baptist Church, 26 Feb 2017, 1 Sam 7:2b-17)
    • Give us a king! (Lithgow Baptist Church, 5 Mar 2017, 1 Sam 8:1-21)
    • Good beginnings (Lithgow Baptist Church, 12 Mar 2017, 1 Sam 9:1-11:15)
    • A covenant, a king and a prayer (Lithgow Baptist Church, 19 Mar 2017, 1 Sam 12:1-25)
    • A rebuke, a rout, and a rejection (Lithgow Baptist Church, 26 Mar 2017, 1 Sam 13:1-15:35)
    • Rise of a new leader (Lithgow Baptist Church, 2 Apr 2017, 1 Sam 16:1-23)
    • Swords, spears, and one smooth stone (Lithgow Baptist Church, 9 Apr 2017, 1 Sam 17:1-58)

Keys to effective personal discipleship and mission

    • The way of transformation (Lithgow Baptist Church, 1 Jan 2017, Psalm 1)
    • Why am I here today? (Lithgow Baptist Church, 15 Jan 2017, Rom 12:1-21)
    • Blooming where I’m planted (Lithgow Baptist Church, 22 Jan 2017, 1 Cor 12:1-31)

Before Bethlehem: Sermons for Advent 2016

    • The pre-existence of Christ (Lithgow Baptist Church, 4 Dec 2016 – Jn 3:13; 6:62)
    • The identity of Jesus (Lithgow Baptist Church, 11 Dec 2016 – Jn 1:1-3, 14)
    • Preparations for incarnation (Lithgow Baptist Church, 18 Dec 2016 – Mt 11:2-3; Lk 24:13-27)
    • The virgin conception of Christ (Lithgow Baptist Church, 25 Dec 2016 – Lk 1:26-38)

Mission 2017: Reflections on Luke 10:1-12

    • Getting our hands dirty (Lithgow Baptist Church, 30 Oct 2016)
    • Learning to travel light (Lithgow Baptist Church, 6 Nov 2016)
    • Becoming a person of peace (Lithgow Baptist Church, 13 Nov 2016)
    • Discerning where God is at work (20 Nov 2016)
    • Being part of the solution (Lithgow Baptist Church, 27 Nov 2016)

Walking Together with God: Deuteronomy 1-11

    • On the plains of Moab (Deut 30:11-20; Lithgow Baptist Church, 3 Aug 2016)
    • Time to move forward (Deut 1:1-8; Lithgow Baptist Church, 7 Aug 2016)
    • The tragedy of missed opportunities (Deut 1:9-46; Lithgow Baptist Church, 14 Aug 2016)
    • The power of past victories (Deut 2:1-3:29; Lithgow Baptist Church, 21 Aug 2016)
    • Loyal and true (Deut 4:1-31; Lithgow Baptist Church, 28 Aug 2016)
    • God is great, God is good (Deut 4:32-49; Lithgow Baptist Church, 4 Sep 2016)
    • Striking the balance (Deut 5:1-33; Lithgow Baptist Church, 11 Sep 2016)
    • Loving God with my whole person (Deut 6:1-25; Lithgow Baptist Church, 18 Sep 2016)
    • God’s sovereignty and my responsibility (Deut 7:1-26; Lithgow Baptist Church, 25 Sep 2016)
    • Our Father in heaven (Deut 8:1-20; Lithgow Baptist Church, 2 Oct 2016)
    • Sinners in the hands of a gracious God (Deut 9:1-10:11; Lithgow Baptist Church, 9 Oct 2016)
    • Saints in the hands of a holy God (Deut 10:12-22; Lithgow Baptist Church, 16 Oct 2016 – guest preacher)
    • The choices we face (Deut 11:1-32; Lithgow Baptist Church, 23 Oct 2016)

Christian basics: What do Christians really believe?

Five Baptist distinctives

Easter sermons for 2016

Connecting with God

Proverbs in the life of the church

Being Christian today

Four first-person sermons from the Book of Ruth

The message of 1 Timothy (series 2 of 2)

Knowing God in the Psalms

The message of 1 Timothy (series 1 of 2)

The social mission of the church

    • Care (Eastwood Baptist Church, Sydney, 25 Nov 2012)
    • Justice (Eastwood Baptist Church, Sydney, 18 Nov 2012)
    • Generosity (Eastwood Baptist Church, Sydney, 11 Nov 2012)

Occasional sermons 2002-2016

Sermons on consumerism for Advent 2001

The message of Job

    • A walk with God (Job 42:7-17; Blakehurst Baptist Church, Sydney, 18 Nov 2001)
    • A word from God (Job 38:1-42:6; Blakehurst Baptist Church, Sydney, 11 Nov 2001)
    • A young person’s wisdom (Job 32, 36-37; Blakehurst Baptist Church, Sydney, 28 Oct 2001)
    • Where Job got it right (Job 9:32-35; Blakehurst Baptist Church, Sydney, 2 Sep 2001)
    • Where Job got it wrong (Job 16-17; Blakehurst Baptist Church, Sydney, 19 Aug 2001)
    • When theology meets reality (Job 4-26; Blakehurst Baptist Church, Sydney, 12 Aug 2001)
    • Thin red line – part 2 (Job 1:1-3:26; Blakehurst Baptist Church, Sydney, 22 Jul 2001)
    • Thin red line – part 1 (Job 1:1-3:26; Blakehurst Baptist Church, Sydney, 22 Jul 2001)

Selected early sermons

Visit to Israel-Palestine, December 2007 (47 reflections)

Writings from my Grandfather John McCrindle

 

 

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