Category Archives: Sermons

Reflection: When the things of God and the Emperor conflict

As Christians, we too need to refuse to give our obedience and loyalty to ‘the emperor’ if the emperor is defacing the image of God by mistreating human beings. In such cases it is only by resisting the emperor that we can give to God the things that are God’s. Continue reading

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Reflection: What is that ‘wedding robe’ all about?

I hope that I have made it clear that while Matthew and Paul might disagree on the route of the journey, they are in full agreement about the destination. Continue reading

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Reflection: Matthew versus Paul?

Matthew and Paul might have vehemently disagreed about whether we need to obey the Torah, whether we had freedom from the Law, but when it comes to how we should live they are in complete agreement. We are to love one another. Continue reading

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Reflection: From prison comes joy

Reflection for North Balwyn Uniting Church27th of September, 2020 Matthew 21:23-32Philippians 2:1-13 Between last week’s reading from the Gospel according to Matthew, when Jesus told those around him the parable of merciful employer, and this week’s reading, in which there … Continue reading

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Reflection: To argue or not to argue?

Reading this passage, we might think that we are left with a church in which nothing is to be condemned. However, compare today’s reading with Paul’s response to another question about food, the question of whether Jews and Gentiles can eat together. Continue reading

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Reflection: At sea in a storm

Reflection for Western Heights Uniting Church August 9, 2020 Matthew 14:22-33 The church has from its very beginning been considered metaphorically to be a boat. This is unsurprising when we consider that Jesus’ first followers were fishermen and that the … Continue reading

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Reflection: Wrestling with God

Reflection for Western Heights Uniting Church 2nd of August, 2020 Genesis 32:22-31 I am writing this reflection on the day when the Victorian government announced that more than 723 Victorians had tested positive for Covid19, the highest daily count since … Continue reading

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Reflection: Comfort during Covid19

Contrary to the theology of the wackier fringe churches we do not believe that our faith will keep us safe from the Covid19 dangers faced by others, any more than their faith in God protected Jesus or Paul from execution by the Romans. Continue reading

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Reflection: The children of God

We are not just children of God; we are co-heirs with Christ. Everything that is his is ours. We could not be more important or have a higher status in the world than this. Continue reading

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Reflection: THIS is who we are

when we make mistakes, when the evil we do not want is what we do, we are still, always, no matter what, God’s children Continue reading

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