Crich Baptist Church

Peter closes his doxology in the opening chapter of his first epistle by confidently stating that those who have an inheritance reserved in heaven will also be kept by the power of God through faith unto final salvation. What a promise! Praise God from whom all blessings flow.

Solomon carries on in his sermon to say that to everything there is a season, and a purpose with that season. God's purposes do not change; we cannot add nor take away. God completes that to which He turns His hand. Eternity is in man's heart, but how does he fathom that in a world he cannot control and where time itself is vanity...Solomon has the answer in Chapter 3 of Ecclesiastes.

Peters doxology continues on from the mercy that God has shown in birthing many sons through Christs resurrection, to praising The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for the guaranteed inheritance that is incorruptible, undefiled, untainted, and more importantly reserved for YOU.

Solomon reviews his success in life and comes to the same disappointing conclusion, that it is vanity of vanities and grasping for the wind. What does this mean for us in 2025, what does the world see as success, how does the Christian measure their success in comparison?

Crich Baptist Church - Sunday, 23 March - Morning sermon. Moving on from Peters greeting to the dispersed pilgrims, we hear him break out into a wonderful doxology in relation to the fatherhood of God. "He" has begotten again the sons of glory, the pilgrims of all ages to "A living hope", through Christ and His resurrection. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Crich Baptist Church - 23 March 2025 - evening sermon: After chasing wisdom and knowledge, Solomon moves on to an extremely strange and dangerous path. He decides in his heart to test mirth and partake in endless pleasure. Whilst God has given us gifts to enjoy, our hearts and lives must be given over to Him and not the pleasures of this life. They are temporal; He is eternal. As Christians, we must guard ourselves against this vanity of pleasure.

.Crich Baptist Church -16 March 2025 - Morning Sermon. Peter greets his pilgrim hearers with great confidence. These are elect, sanctified believers by the Grace of God for purpose. What a greeting this must have been for those going through and facing persecution, what an encouragement it should be to us as we continue on as pilgrims in our foreign land.

Crich Baptist Church - 16 March 2025 - Evening Sermon: Human philosophers believe that the world can be put to rights by knowledge, wisdom, and human care. Solomon displays here that it is impossible to make the crooked straight through human wisdom. The fall has broken mankind, and it requires a deeper solution; that being the Wisdom of God through Christ...Anything else is vanity of vanities.

As we start to go through the first epistle of Peter, we begin by examining Chapter 1, Verse 1, looking at both the writer/sender, and also the intended recipients, " The pilgrims of the dispersion", those dwelling in a foreign land. This much needed encouragement to those persecuted early Christians has so much to offer the true modern day church, as they battle similar things in 2025.

Ryan Clarke, pastor of Watchorn Church, Alfreton, providentially revisits Acts Chapter 2 and those of the early church who "ate their food with gladness of heart." This is a huge statement in relation to their steadfast continuation in all things, with gladness and it encourages us to assess the Joy of our salvation.

We conclude our time together in Acts 2:40-47 "The four pillars of the Church", by looking at how the early church continued steadfastly in Giving. Although not directly mentioned it is clear that these 3,000 converts gave to a degree that we possibly do not understand, this is not about just coin, but about time, talent and indeed our very lives.

Alexander Pope is quoted as having said "A little knowledge (learning) is a dangerous thing." As we continue in our look at the book of Ecclesiastes we see how Solomons eagerness to pursue more Knowledge and wisdom than God had given him led to tragic consequences in his falling into sin. Whilst head knowledge is "Vanity of Vanities": True, Godly knowledge is needed and should be sought in Christ.

'Faith, through the righteousness of Christ - Do we have such faith, and if we do, do we consider it to be precious?

What way are you travelling to get to heaven? It leads through a 'narrow gate'. By God's grace, the way is though Christ alone.

The fourth Pillar of the church, Prayer(s). Why is this so difficult for many of us? why is the prayer meeting generally the least well attended meeting of the Church? The early Church shows us how critical this final pillar is as they continue steadfastly in it with the same desire and devotion as the other three. May we learn to be like them.

Join us as we walk through the Wisdom of Solomon in his sermonic book of "Ecclesiates." Solomon in his repentant and restored state turns from King to preacher as he warns others about the folly which He has found to be "The Vanity of Vanities." This week we look at Chapter 1 "The Vanity of Life"

What Happened directly after the Crucifixion of Christ and how can this be applied to our lives? Tom Hulland from Stanton Lees Chapel Derbyshire opens up Luke 23:44-56

Nathan Clarke, Pastor of Ashbourne Baptist Church asks a simple question...Are we on the road with Jesus? In Luke 13:22-35 Jesus brings a warning in relation to the narrow way, but brings confidence and comfort to those who are on the road with Him.

The last in this series on the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom is love; it was, is, and continues to be established on love. Paul tells us in Romans 14:14-23 that this kingdom is not eating and drinking but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit, which is our acceptable service to Christ and one another....In love

This week, we look together at the third pillar of the Church, The Breaking of Bread. This is more than just a badge, more than just the remembrance of the existence and life of Christ. The early Christians teach us this is something to continue steadfastly in, something which has deep meaning and application to the individual and to those in the body of Christ...The Church.