Sermons for Ordinary Times
God’s Promises Are Fulfilled Despite What We Do Genesis 29:15-30 Jacob has been confronting the question that all of us from time to time must face. What does the future hold? Where is his life going? Jacob at one level knows better than most some of the answer to that question. He is the recipient, …
Wheat and Weeds Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 What is the kingdom of heaven like? What does God’s reign look like? Perhaps this is the most important theme which Jesus’ teaching addresses. From the outset Jesus announces that the kingdom has come very near, and is indeed present in his person, but that merely begs the question, …
A Sermon for the Seventh Sunday after Pentecost (19/07/20): Wheat and Weeds Read More »
No Condemnation Romans 8:1-11 There is therefore now no condemantion for those who are in Christ. . . . if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies. . . This is Paul at his most …
A Sermon for the Sixth Sunday after Pentecost (12/07/20): No Condemnation Read More »
Come to me, I will give you rest Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30 There’s no pleasing some people There is just no pleasing people! “You people!” Jesus says, “You people! What are you like. You are like squabbling children, who can’t decide whose game to play. You won’t kick a ball when we want you to. You …
Abraham’s Faith – the Binding of Isaac Genesis 22:1-14 Often when God speaks in the Bible it is to set a test. God speaks to Abraham, but what is the test which God sets? God said: “Abraham, Abraham!” . . . “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the …
Jesus Brings a Sword Matthew 10:24-39 Jesus repeats the most frequent commandment of the Bible. He says: Have no fear Typically for Jesus’ commandments, it can be read also as a promise or as an assurance. “Don’t be afraid, because you have no need to be afraid.” The context of Jesus’ commandment/assurance is the expectation that the Church …
A Sermon for the Third Sunday after Pentecost (21/06/20): Jesus Brings a Sword Read More »
Christian Philosophy of Life Romans 5:1-8 Everyone has a philosophy of life. That seems a bold claim, since most of us are not in the least bit philosophical. But everyone has a philosophy of life. In an informal sense what that means is that everyone has some basis for their character. There is something that makes each of us …
A Sermon for the Second Sunday after Pentecost (14/06/20): Christian Philosophy of Life Read More »
Trinity: Grammar and Puntuation Matthew 28:16-20 Today is Trinity Sunday. The Sunday which is famous, or infamous, as the one which preachers, if they can, try to avoid preaching. That is because this Sunday’s theme has the reputation as the most difficult one to address. Trinity is the Christian doctrine about God. This is the …
A Sermon for Trinity Sunday (07/06/20): Trinity, Grammar and Punctuation Read More »