Luke 13:31-35 Preaching the Gospel has its own agenda, and it creates its own relevance. This is true whether the Gospel is being preached from a pulpit, or being preached with the lives that are being lived by Christians. The announcement of the Kingdom of God, and living into that kingdom has its own timetable …
A Sermon for the Second Sunday in Lent (13/03/22):The Gospel Has Its Own Agenda Read More »
Luke 4:1-13 Jesus was led by the Spirit in the wilderness where for forty days he was tempted by the devilThe most important thing to remember about the devil, in all circumstances, is that the devil is a liar. Albeit at times he is a very subtle one. The lies which the devil tells often …
A Sermon for the First Sunday in Lent (06/03/22):The Devil’s Lies Read More »
Luke 9:28-36 Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish in Jerusalem. How did they know? As readers of Luke’s account of the transfiguration, one of the questions that must surely occur to is: how did …
A Sermon for the Last Sunday after Epiphany (27/02/22): How Did They Know? Read More »
Luke 6:27-38 There is a basic level of kindness which is probably common to all people. It is a sort of shared concern for our fellow human beings which might be present everywhere. It is that sense that if a person’s needs are great enough, for example if they were drowning, and that if the …
A Sermon for the Seventh Sunday after Epiphany (20/02/22): Love Your Enemies Read More »
Luke 6:17-26 Blessed are you who are poor for yours is the kingdom of God.This is a familiar line from Jesus’ teaching.It is the first of the Beatitudes.But woe to you who are rich for you have received you consolation.It is followed by a somewhat less familiar line from Jesus’ teaching. Luke recalls that for …
A Sermon for the Sixth Sunday after Epiphany (13/02/22): God speaks from among the poor Read More »
Luke 4:21-30 When John, rather than Luke recounts the story of Jesus’ life and ministry he says:“He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him.” (John 1:11)To begin with, when Jesus goes to those who were most his own, in the place where he had grown up, to begin …
A Sermon for the Fourth Sunday after Epiphany (30/01/22): Is Not This Joseph’s Son Read More »
Luke 4:14-21 At the synagogue in Nazareth Jesus reads a passage from Isaiah and then preaches a one sentence sermon:Then he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” We could think of Jesus’ life and career in conventional terms, in the way we would any other historical figure, …
A Sermon for the Third Sunday after Epiphany (23/01/22): Manifesto at Nazareth Read More »
John 2:1-12 Jesus did this, the first of his signs in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory, and his disciples believed in him.One of the characteristics of John’s telling of Jesus’ story are the “signs.” At key moments in his ministry Jesus does something, a miracle, a sign, which reveals, in action, some aspect …
A Sermon for the Second Sunday after Epiphany (16/01/22): His First Sign Read More »
Luke 3:15-17, 21-22 Now when the people were baptised and Jesus also had been baptised and was praying, the heaven was opened , and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”Luke’s report of …
Matthew 2:1-12 The wise men are some of the oddest characters in the Bible. They are almost out of place. They are from a culture that is alien to the Bible. They are in possession of knowledge, of a kind and a quality that makes them seem, to ordinary folk, like magicians. Their careful study …
A Sermon for the Epiphany (06/01/22): Following the Star and the Scriptures Read More »