Highfields Baptist Church

"Baptism - What Prevents You?"
Acts 8:26-39

We hear the story of the Ethiopian eu**ch, a powerful court official, a genuine seeker of God, and a man who had every reason to believe that he would always be kept at a distance from God. The law of Moses said he could not enter the assembly. And yet here he is, returning from Jerusalem, sitting in his chariot on a desert road, reading the prophet Isaiah.

He does not understand what he is reading, but he keeps reading and seeking. What happens next is a reminder that the Father notices genuine seekers. And he doesn’t leave them wondering; he sends answers.

In this story, He sends an angel, who sends Philip. The Spirit directs him to the chariot. Philip hears the man reading Isaiah 53, the chapter about the suffering servant, cut off from the land of the living. The eu**ch asks the question every genuine seeker eventually asks: “Of whom does the prophet say this?”

Philip preaches Jesus. What happens next is an example for us all. They come to water, and the eu**ch stops the chariot and asks: “See, here is water. What prevents me from being baptised?”

The answer, in his case, was nothing. He believed and he confessed. He went down into the water and he came up rejoicing. That question is for every believer who has not yet followed the Lord in baptism: What prevents you?

"Baptism - What Prevents You?" - Acts 8:26-39 Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

"Who Are The Sheep?" - John 10:22-27

Have you ever read a passage of Scripture and walked away more anxious than when you started? Jesus says something in John 10 that has unsettled believers for centuries. Standing in the Temple courts, surrounded by religious leaders demanding answers, he looks at them and says: "You do not believe because you are not my sheep".

For some people that verse is a source of deep comfort, they assume they are on the list, that God chose them before time began, and that nothing can change that. For others it produces anxiety, what if I was never really chosen? What if I only think I belong to him?

What if both of those responses are missing what Jesus is actually saying? The shepherd and sheep metaphor didn't begin in John 10. It runs like a thread through the entire Old Testament; through the Psalms, Ezekiel, Jeremiah and Micah; and in every one of those passages, being one of God's sheep means something very specific. It means something relational and responsive. Something that has everything to do with how you have been living toward God.

So when Jesus says "you are not my sheep" to the Pharisees, men who have studied the scriptures their entire lives, who pray in public, who fast twice a week, what exactly is he diagnosing? And why does their unbelief not surprise him at all?

Then there is verse 27. "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me." Those verbs in the original Greek are present tense. Continuous and ongoing. Not, my sheep once heard my voice. Not, my sheep signed a declaration. But my sheep are currently, habitually, actively hearing and following. Which raises the most personal question of all: are you? Not, did you once. Not, do you intend to. But right now, today, this week, is the voice of Jesus actually shaping how you live?

We are going to let Jesus define his own sheep in his own words. No theological labels. Just the text, the context, and the question the Good Shepherd is asking every one of us.

"Who Are The Sheep?" - John 10:22-27 Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

"The Good Shepherd" - John 10:11-21

What kind of shepherd dies for his sheep? Think about it, a shepherd who dies has failed because the flock is left exposed and the predators win. Death is defeat, unless, the shepherd is also something else entirely.

In John 10, Jesus makes one of the most provocative claims in all of Scripture: "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." But that's not the only claim He makes. Earlier in the same passage, He says He is the door. A shepherd cannot be both the one who enters through the door and the door itself; unless He is something no shepherd has ever been before. Who exactly is this man? As Christians we know the answer, but each of us can start to look to other 'false doors, or 'false shepherds' without even realising it. We need to refocus on the great Shepherd of the sheep each and every day.

We’ll also meet another figure in the passage: the hired hand. He might not appear like a bad person most of the time, he shows up, he does the work. You might not be able to tell him apart from a true shepherd. One moment reveals the difference, and by then, it may be too late for the sheep. Have you ever trusted a leader, a pastor, or a community that eventually let you down? Jesus has something important to say about that.

A question that has divided Christians in the past: Is God’s plan for humanity one story or two? Is there one people/flock of God, or are Israel and the Gentiles on separate tracks toward separate destinations? Jesus drops a quiet but powerfully clear line in verse 16 that cuts through the debate, and the implications reach back to Abraham and forward to every person. Jesus says that there is one flock and one shepherd. Through Him, all who have faith are united!

The passage ends not with resolution but with a crowd forced to make a choice. Some call Jesus a madman. Others can’t quite dismiss what they’ve seen. The apostle John shows us again and again, that we must make a choice because there is no middle ground with Jesus.

May the Lord bless us, but also convict us where needed.

"The Good Shepherd" - John 10:11-21 Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

"Are We Ready To Meet God Face To Face?" - Ecclesiastes 7:1-12
Rev J Winkley

The Apostle Paul says "If our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." Are you ready to meet God face to face? We have to make the decision about where we are going while we are alive, it's too late when we die.

I remember a lady who I had shared with about Jesus and she said "I don't believe all that stuff. As long as a I live a good life, and do the right thing, I will get to heaven. There are many ways to Heaven.” I said that the only way to Heaven was by putting our trust in Jesus Christ and receiving Him as our Saviour. The Bible says that. "I don't believe what you have said, I will make it my way. You are a minister and you have to say that."

I pray that you will be able to understand and realize that there is only one way to heaven. None of us know if we will be alive tomorrow, it doesn't matter how young or old we are, we are all going to face death. The decision you make while you are alive will decide where you are going when you die, heaven or hell. Make a decision today. Your destiny depends on it!

"Are We Ready to Meet God Face to Face?" - Ecclesiastes 7:1-12 Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

"I Am The Door" - John 10:7-10

There is a moment in Exodus 33 that gives helpful background information. Israel has just committed one of the great acts of covenant betrayal in her history, the golden calf, and God's response is to move. The Tent of Meeting, which was meant to sit at the centre of the camp, is pitched outside, at a distance. And when Moses goes out to meet with God, the people watch from their own tent doors. They rise, they worship, but they do not follow.

Only one man crosses the threshold on their behalf. It is a picture of what sin does. It creates distance between a holy God and an unholy people. The door is there, but it is out of reach. That image hung over Israel for fifteen centuries. For over 500 years the second temple stood without the glory of God returning to fill it. For 400 of those years, not even a prophetic voice broke the silence. And into that silence, different groups offered their solutions, stricter regulation, wilderness separation, political revolution. Every one of them was making the same promise: our door is the only way. But Jesus makes a profound claim: I am the door. Not a gatekeeper, not someone who holds the key, the door itself.

We are now looking at four verses that carry the weight of the entire Old Testament behind them. John 10:7-10 is not simply Jesus claiming to be the best route to God among several options. It is the claim that the long exile is over, that the glory which left the camp has returned, not to a building, not through a system, but as a person. "I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture." John 10:9

"I Am The Door" - John 10:7-10 Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

“The True Shepherd and the Sheep” – John 10: 1-6

Jesus speaks about a shepherd and his sheep. It is a simple picture, but it asks a very searching question: whose voice are we listening to?

Most of us know what it is like to live with lots of noise around us. We are surrounded by opinions, advice, and influence. Some of it is helpful, and some of it is not. Some voices sound convincing but can be deceptive. It can be hard to tell the difference at first.

Jesus uses an everyday image from the world of shepherds and sheep. At first, it may seem distant from our world, because not many of us have owned sheep, but it quickly becomes clear that He is speaking about something deeply personal. He is showing us the difference between a true shepherd and false ones, between a voice that can be trusted and voices that cannot. Jesus is speaking about Himself. He wants us to see who He is, how He relates to His people, and why hearing Him matters so much.

This passage also encourages us. Jesus does not speak of His people as if he doesn't know who they are. He speaks of a shepherd who knows his sheep, calls them, and leads them. That means the Christian faith is not mainly about going through religious motions or picking up spiritual ideas here and there. It is about knowing Christ, hearing His voice, and following Him.

At the same time, this part of John’s Gospel also gives us a warning. Not every voice should be trusted, not every spiritual guide is safe, and not everything that sounds impressive is true. Jesus helps us think carefully about who we are following and why. Ask God to help you hear Christ clearly in His Word. Ask Him to give you a heart that is ready to listen, ready to trust, and ready to follow.

"The True Shepherd and His Sheep" - John 10:1-6 Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

3pm prayer meeting is cancelled today. See everyone next week.

The Sight That Saves and the Sight That Condemns - John 9:35–41

We continue in John 9, where we’re faced with a confronting but deeply important question: What are you doing with the light Jesus has already given you?

We see two very different responses to Jesus. There is a man who began physically blind. He doesn’t have all the answers. He doesn’t have deep theological understanding. But what he does have is a humble willingness to respond to what he knows. As the story unfolds, Jesus seeks him out, reveals more of Himself, and the man moves from simple acknowledgement to full worship.

Then we see the Pharisees. These are men who have knowledge, Scripture, status, and influence. They have far more “light” than the blind man ever did. But instead of responding with humility, they resist. They question. They defend themselves. And in the end, Jesus exposes their true condition: they claim to see, but remain blind in their sin.

This passage reminds us that spiritual blindness is not just about lacking information. It’s about the heart. It’s possible to know a lot about God and still reject Him. It’s also possible to know very little, but respond with genuine humility and faith.

Jesus makes it clear that the same light has two very different effects. For those who respond with humility, it leads to greater clarity, deeper faith, and true worship. But for those who resist and cling to pride, that same light exposes and ultimately condemns.

That’s what makes this so personal. This isn’t just a story about a blind man and some Pharisees. It’s a mirror held up to every one of us. Are we responding to what God has already shown us? Or are we holding onto pride, assuming we already see clearly? We will be challenged to examine our own hearts. It will encourage those who feel like they only have a small understanding to come to Jesus anyway. And it will warn us of the danger of familiarity with truth without real repentance or worship.

Highfields Baptist Church "The Sight That Saves and the Sight That Condemns" - John 9:35-41

"What Will You Do With Jesus?" - John 9:13-34

In this passage, we get to see how different people respond to Jesus. The blind man has been healed, that much is clear. But the real question quickly shifts from what Jesus did, to what people will do with Him. A helpful way to think about this is through three kinds of responses we often see when truth confronts us.

First, there are those who would rather protect their system than face the truth. The Pharisees see the miracle, but they focus on the fact that it happened on the Sabbath.

Second, there are those who respond honestly, even if imperfectly. The healed man doesn’t have everything figured out. At first (v.11) he simply calls Jesus “a Man,” then later (v.17) “a prophet.” His understanding slowly grows. But he refuses to deny what he knows even when put under pressure. He doesn't understand everything, he simply gives an honest testimony. It reminds us that following Jesus doesn’t begin with knowing everything, but with being truthful about what He has done in our lives.

Third, there are those who know enough to speak, but remain silent out of fear. The man’s parents confirm the miracle, but when it comes to Jesus, they step back. Following Jesus has a cost. If we are honest about Jesus with others in our lives, we will in some way, shape, or form, end up being cast out like the man in this story. The Pharisees protect their position but lose the truth. The parents avoid conflict but miss the moment to stand with Christ. So where does that leave us today?

Jesus is still the dividing line. He still confronts our hearts. And the question remains just as pressing today as it was then: What will you do with Jesus?

Highfields Baptist Church "What Will You Do With Jesus?" - John 9:13-34

"God is a Relational God" - 1 Kings 19:9-13
Rev J Winkley.

As we live in this troubled world, every day seems to be getting worse. We are a nation trying to live without God. To most people He is unimportant, not relevant in today's world. How we need Jesus more in our lives to be a light shining in the darkness. As Christians we need encouragement to help us with the daily stress in life.

We all need encouragement, especially in our walk of faith. God loves each of us with all of our faults and failings. He encourages us through His Word. He is our Shepherd, our help everyday if we put our trust in Him. We may expect God to do great miracles in our lives, and many times He doesn't work that way. We need to give thanks for all the little things God does for us, things we may not realise that it was God at work in our lives. Give thanks to God for our home, family, friends, church family, transport. Let us be an encourager to each other.

Blessings
Highfields Baptist Church

Highfields Baptist Church Rev J Winkley - "God is a Relational God" - 1 Kings 19:9-13