Sermons
Coronavirus update
While we are unable to meet in person, Rugby Baptist Church's services have gone online. You can find the sermons below, but please see our Video page for a fuller experience. We hope they will bless you, and God be with you in this season.
Sermon archive
| Title | Preacher | Date Recorded | File Size |
| Slavery and Freedom (Ephesians 6:1-9) | Milton Williams & Peter den Haan | 21st June 2020 | 19,011 Kb |
| Description | |||
| Karl Barth, the 20th century's greatest theologian, once said that preachers should have the bible in one hand and a newspaper in the other. Two events are shaking our society today: the Covid-19 pandemic, and the outpouring against racism in the wake of George Floyd's killing four weeks ago. It is time to speak to the latter. To see injustice and remain silent is to be complicit. We are the church, called to speak God's grace and justice in a world crying out for both. A conversation with Milton followed by an exposition of the passage from Ephesians. | |||
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| Title | Preacher | Date Recorded | File Size |
| A Shepherd in Every Season (Psalm 23) | Milton Williams | 13th June 2020 | 6,766 Kb |
| Description | |||
| Jesus is the Good Shepherd, and we are the sheep! As he reflects on Psalm 23, Milton urges us not to confuse a change of scenery or season with the end of the journey. The presence of the Good Shepherd makes all the difference. | |||
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| Title | Preacher | Date Recorded | File Size |
| Love (Ephesians 5:21-33) | Peter den Haan | 7th June 2020 | 17,956 Kb |
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| The family is a key building block of the church. Paul speaks in terms of mutual submission, an idea quite alien to our 'do whatever feels right' society. Christians differ in their opinion what to make of the headship language, but whatever your reading, one thing is clear: Kingdom relationships are very different both from patriarchy and from contemporary norms. | |||
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| Title | Preacher | Date Recorded | File Size |
| Pentecost (Ephesians 5:5-21) | Peter den Haan | 31st May 2020 | 14,413 Kb |
| Description | |||
| John Stott comments, 'in this section of scripture Paul moves on from models of Christian behaviour to motivation, adding powerful incentives to righteous living.' But how can we live as Jesus did, holy and righteous? The Holy Spirit. | |||
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| Title | Preacher | Date Recorded | File Size |
| Purity (Ephesians 4:17-5:4) | Peter den Haan | 24th May 2020 | 19,335 Kb |
| Description | |||
| The church is meant to be rooted in the truth, and walk and talk in purity. This is as important as is unity. Growth in truth and holiness is an essential part of the Christian life. But how does faith turn into obedience without descending into legalism? | |||
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| Title | Preacher | Date Recorded | File Size |
| Maturity (Ephesians 4:1-16) | Peter den Haan | 17th May 2020 | 20,257 Kb |
| Description | |||
| A mature faith community is one in Christ, confident in the faith, and living out of God's equipping. What does that look like? Are we on the journey? | |||
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| Title | Preacher | Date Recorded | File Size |
| A New Confidence (Ephesians 3:14-21) | Peter den Haan | 10th May 2020 | 13,962 Kb |
| Description | |||
| Paul prays for the church to be rooted in God's love by the power of the Holy Spirit. What is the source of his confidence and ours? What is our experience of that love and power? Listen, receive, and be blessed. | |||
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| Title | Preacher | Date Recorded | File Size |
| A New Ministry (Ephesians 3:1-13) | Peter den Haan | 3rd May 2020 | 15,747 Kb |
| Description | |||
| Paul's new ministry was to be used by the Lord to build his church. What is God's (new?) ministry for our church and each one of us as members at this time? | |||
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| Title | Preacher | Date Recorded | File Size |
| A New Humanity (Ephesians 2:11-22) | Peter den Haan | 26th April 2020 | 15,832 Kb |
| Description | |||
| The gospel breaks down the alienation between human beings, as well as our alienation from God. The church is one in Christ. What does that mean at a time of coronavirus? Do we manage to live it out? | |||
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| Title | Preacher | Date Recorded | File Size |
| A Life of Resurrection (Ephesians 2:1-10) | Peter den Haan | 19th April 2020 | 24,932 Kb |
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| We’re picking the 'We Are The Church' theme back up. Paul takes us from deep pessimism about the human condition to great optimism about the grace of God. This is as counter-cultural and truthful today as it has ever been, and needed more than ever at such a time as this. | |||
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| Title | Preacher | Date Recorded | File Size |
| Wonder at his grace (Luke 24:1-12) | Peter den Haan | 12th April 2020 | 14,063 Kb |
| Description | |||
| It’s Easter Sunday. The tomb stands empty. Bending over, Peter saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened. We spend some time in wonder at the empty tomb. | |||
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| Title | Preacher | Date Recorded | File Size |
| Lowly and Victorious (Zechariah 9:9–12) | Peter den Haan | 5th April 2020 | 11,834 Kb |
| Description | |||
| It’s Palm Sunday, and we’re reading a key prophecy behind Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. What would it look like for King Jesus to enter the town of Rugby, the streets we live in, at the present time? | |||
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| Title | Preacher | Date Recorded | File Size |
| Think About These Things (Philippians 4:4-8) | Peter den Haan | 29th March 2020 | 14,045 Kb |
| Description | |||
| We can choose to trust God with the weeks and months to come, and rather than spend our days in fear, we can focus on all that is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, or praiseworthy. This is how we position ourselves to join God's work in the world. | |||
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| Title | Preacher | Date Recorded | File Size |
| Be still and know (Psalm 46) | Peter den Haan | 22nd March 2020 | 17,856 Kb |
| Description | |||
| We can find a fortress in our God at a time of coronavirus. Let the situation of the day focus your mind and lead you back to God for refuge, whether for the first time or the 100th time. You are never too far gone. It is never too late. | |||
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| Title | Preacher | Date Recorded | File Size |
| A song in the valley (Psalm 23) | Peter den Haan | 15th March 2020 | 21,376 Kb |
| Description | |||
| 'The Lord is my shepherd… for his name’s sake.' God’s name is at stake in the way he walks us through the valley. | |||
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| Title | Preacher | Date Recorded | File Size |
| The fullness of Christ (Ephesians 1:15-23) | Peter den Haan | 15th March 2020 | 17,066 Kb |
| Description | |||
| 'I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened…' How often do we pray that prayer? We focus on the ways Jesus and the church relate. | |||
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| Title | Preacher | Date Recorded | File Size |
| A song in the desert (Psalm 22) | Peter den Haan | 8th March 2020 | 14,168 Kb |
| Description | |||
| Psalm 22 takes us from the agony of abandonment to victory. We together are the church because Christ has travelled that road to purchase redemption for us. | |||
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| Title | Preacher | Date Recorded | File Size |
| Coming home (Mark 4:1‒9) | Alison Mackay | 8th March 2020 | 12,691 Kb |
| Description | |||
| For our anniversary service, Alison reflects on four parables: the sower, the prodigal son, the lost sheep, and the good Samaritan. | |||
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