Sermons written for a variety of occasions, mostly following the Revised Common Lectionary
Corpus Delicti Acts 4:5-12 “Corpus delicti” is a Latin legal term. Translated is means, “The body of the crime.” It is the evidence that proves that a crime has been committed, which is necessary before anyone can be convicted of that crime. In the case of a murder, of course, that body of evidence is literally a …
A Sermon for the Fourth Sunday of Easter (25/04/21): Corpus Delicti Read More »
Peter Preaches Acts 3:12-19 The book of Acts contains a collection of early sermons preached by the apostles in the weeks and years following Jesus’ resurrection. Luke recalls, for later Christians, what the first Church proclaimed. He records for us what those first Christians announced to the world. We are given the first public testimony to Christ …
A Sermon for the Third Sunday of Easter (18/04/21): Peter Preaches Read More »
Responding to the Resurrection Acts 4:32-35 Luke reports the aftermath of the first Easter, he tells us: With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. Everything that follows in the Church’s history and in the lives of all the Christians begins with this and is build on …
A Sermon for the Second Sunday of Easter (11/04/21): Responding to the Resurrection Read More »
The Empty Tomb Mark 16:1-8 The first Easter morning is fundamentally different from every subsequent Easter morning. We don’t and we can’t approach the tomb as a place of disappointment and despair. There is no way for us to unknow what we have already heard about what the women find there. We already know what they do not know, …
A Sermon for Easter Day (04/04/21): The Empty Tomb Read More »
The Proclamation of the Cross John 18:16b-30 Executions are outside of our experience. There hasn’t been in an execution in this country for over 50 years. And for almost 100 years before that they had been done out of sight. So a public execution is something we can have no real knowledge of. But …
A Sermon for Good Friday (02/04/21): Proclamation of the Cross Read More »
A Triumphal Approach Leads to an Anti-climax Mark 11:1-11 Time and again throughout his ministry Jesus has demonstrated insight that others do not and even cannot possess. Often he knows what others are thinking without them speaking those thoughts out loud. All the way along he has recognised where his mission leads and what the conclusion of …
Those Who Hate their Life Will Keep It John 12:20-31 There is a paradox, an unresolvable contradiction, which lies at the heart of the human condition. But it is a paradox which also lies at the heart of God’s answer to the human condition, the gospel. “Those who love their life lose it, and those who …
Nicodemus is Puzzled by Jesus John 3:14-22 The evening had not got at all how Nicodemus had expected or wanted. He had come to Jesus looking for clarity. He wanted to get from the pious Galilean, of whom the ordinary folk seem so enthused and excited, and whose words seemed to impress even a few of the …
A Sermon for the Fourth Sunday in Lent (14/03/21): Nicodemus is Puzzled by Jesus Read More »
The Sign of Cleansing the Temple John 2:13-22 John’s Gospel is a book of signs. In it there is a series of miraculous occurrences which disclose just who Jesus is. The first of these signs is the Changing of Water into Wine. The series leads through the Raising of Lazarus and of course culminates …
A Sermon for the Third Sunday in Lent (07/03/21): The Sign of Cleansing the Temple Read More »
Take up your Cross Mark 8:31-38 Jesus has taken his disciples away from Galilee, into gentile territory. He has led them away from the press of the crowds and the busyness of his mission. You might almost call it a retreat, a time to take stock and reflect. He ask his disciples two questions: First: Who do people say that …
A Sermon for the Second Sunday in Lent (28/02/21): Take Up Your Cross Read More »