Sermons for Ordinary Times
Luke 10:38-42 Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him [Jesus] and asked, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself?” The evening has been a long one. And through it all Martha has not had a moment’s rest. Since before …
A Sermon for the Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (17/07/22): The One Thing Needful Read More »
Amos 7:7-17 How does a Christian preach or even read the book of Amos? What message could Amos possibly have for us now? Amos is very nearly unrelentingly bleak. He delivers condemnation after condemnation. In his pronouncements no one is safe from the judgement of God. His words are almost all destruction by fire and …
A Sermon for the Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (10/0722): Amos and Amaziah Read More »
Galatians 6:1-16 Not so long ago I had reason to say in a sermon: “If your preaching of grace isn’t causing offence, you’re not preaching it hard enough.” I stand by that declaration. And I think it is important enough to bear repeating. Christianity is a religion of grace. It is all about what God …
A Sermon for the Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (03/07/22): God Is Not Mocked Read More »
Luke 9:51-62 As Jesus turns towards Jerusalem and begins to plough his furrow in that direction, he says to his would-be followers:No one who puts a hand to the plough and looks back is fit for the Kingdom of God. One of the hardest things for Christians to grasp is what kind of leader it …
Luke 8:26-39 Possessions, indeed any sickness or any evil, affect not only an individual but whole communities. On the face of it the Gerasene demoniac is the victim of “Legion.” It is he who is tormented to the point of nakedness. It is he who has no home except among the dead. It is he …
Romans 5:1-5 Today is Trinity Sunday. This is the one Sunday in the year when we are invited to consider, directly, the doctrine of the Trinity. That is, the preacher is called to speak, and the congregation is invited to reflect on, the distinctively Christian doctrine of God. There is no doubt that it is …
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 »