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Tag Archives: Advent
Reflection: Rejoice!
One hundred and six years earlier Charles Dickens wrote of the reborn Scrooge, who had become ‘as good a friend, as good a master, and as good a man, as the good old city knew,’ that ‘it was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge’. Keeping Christmas well does not just mean rejoicing ourselves, as the prophet Isaiah reminds us. Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged Advent, Advent 3, Gaudete Sunday, Isaiah 61:1-4 8-11, Joy, Psalm 126, Third Isaiah
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Reflection: Called to make peace
Perhaps this year, 2020, is the year when comfortable middle-class Australians like me are most aware that the grass withers and the flowers fade and that we, human beings, are grass. Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged Advent, Advent 2, Isaiah, Isaiah 40:1-11, Isaiah 85: 1-2 8-13, Mark 1:1-8, Peace
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Reflection: Hope at the End of the World
Reflection for North Balwyn Uniting ChurchAdvent One, 29th of November 2020 Isaiah 64:1-9Mark 13:24-37 Happy New Year! And to those of you here, in the nave, welcome back to worshipping in the church building after months of lockdown. In previous … Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged Advent, Advent 1, apocalypse, Apocalyptic, eschaton, Isaiah 64:1-9, Mark 13:24-37, second coming
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Sermon: Love Sunday
In Jesus’ birth, as in Jesus’ death and resurrection, God is defeating death and hopelessness. Continue reading
Sermon: Joy Sunday
God is not well-behaved! Continue reading
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Tagged Advent, Advent 3, Book of Ruth, Ruth and Naomi, women behaving badly
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Sermon: Hope Sunday
The creation story speaks of light and order and life not because it is ignoring the reality of darkness and chaos and death but in response to it. Continue reading
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Tagged Advent, Advent 1, creation, creation story, Hope, Hope Sunday, Jesse Tree, Parousia
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Sermon: The greater righteousness (2)
Matthew’s story is a story of social conventions being overturned and of mercy outweighing merely-legal righteousness. Continue reading
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Tagged Advent, Advent 4, Matthew 1:18-25, Righteousness, sin, Year of Matthew
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Sermon: The greater righteousness (1)
it is the story of a righteousness that doesn’t stand on the letter of the law, but instead offers justice and mercy and faith Continue reading
Sermon: ‘Even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise’
Sixteen-year-old me wanted to be Enjolras and take to the barricades. Forty-three-year-old me prays that God will enable me to live like an elderly bishop who can welcome and forgive a thief who steals his silver. Continue reading
Posted in Addictions, Books, Sermons
Tagged Advent, Isaiah 2:1-5, Les Misérables, Matthew 24:36-44, Parousia, Romans 13:11-14
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Sermon for Advent 3: Joy
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. The Lord is near. He is coming to welcome us to his kingdom, to make a place for us at his banqueting table. Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged Advent, Advent 3, Consumption, John the Baptist, Joy, Luke 3:7-18, Philippians 4:4-7, Sermon, Year of Luke
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