Tag Archives: Apostle Paul
Sermon: The light wherein our shadows disappear
Is Calvin right? As we see Jesus shining with unborrowed light are our shadows made darker by the contrast? I do not think so. The Transfiguration reveals to us the beauty of God, but it reveals that beauty in the mystery of the Incarnation; the one revealed by the light is the Son of Man, the firstborn within a large family that includes us. Continue reading
Sermon: Proclaiming the good news
The church is meant to be a place in which differences are respected and divisions are healed, because greater than all that divides us is the gospel. The relationship between Christians is meant to be a sign to the world of the reconciliation that Christ brought. To both Jews and Gentiles, weak and strong, Paul promotes a freedom that enables people to identify with their opponents. Continue reading
Sermon: The time is short
Instead, knowing that our lives may be short, and yet that all our days are held in the loving hands of God, I believe we can live with love, hope, freedom, and joy. We can, in fact, love the Lord our God with all our hearts, and with all our souls, and with all our minds, and with all our strength, and love our neighbours as ourselves. We should not wait to express our love, do good, leave behind happy memories, appreciate the life we have, because our appointed time is growing short. Continue reading
Sermon: In which Avril confesses her besetting sin
today we hear the Apostle Paul telling the Christians in Rome not to be haughty and not to claim to be wiser than they are – and ouch! If there is any sin of which I am consistently guilty it is being haughty about my intellect and my education. I do not know whether I claim to be wiser than I am, but I frequently claim to be wiser than most of the Australian population. On this count, Paul has got me bang to rights. Continue reading
Sermon: I really do love the Apostle Paul!
The theological reflection that is part of the most recent Act2 report says that ‘were the Uniting Church to die as an institution, God would do a new thing’. Despite that, none of us are resigned to the Uniting Church dying, and I am not trying to soften you up for institutional death. But I am saying that we can face the difficulties of the future knowing that none of them can separate us from the God who is for us, and who is always working for our good. Continue reading
Sermon: Why I’m a fan of the Apostle Paul
In today’s short passage we have been told that we are all children of God and heirs of Christ; that suffering does not separate us from God, and most certainly is not a punishment from God; and that the non-human creation is just as important to the Creator as the human creation, and will one day ‘obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God’ together with us. Paul may sometimes have descended into the sexism of the society that surrounded him, and told women to be silent in church (1 Corinthians 14:34) but I am still a huge fan. Continue reading
Sermon: “Hello, my name is Paul and I’m a sinner”
We are not Christians because our lives are perfect, and we are admirable people and examples to our neighbours. Frequently we are Christians exactly because our lives are a mess, and we know that we cannot fix ourselves. The good news is that we do not need to try to fix ourselves. Continue reading
Sermon: With gentleness and reverence
I have also found it incredibly heartening to hear why these people believe that they have been called into ministry in the Uniting Church. Most often, they talk of the inclusivity of the Uniting Church, of our diversity, of the way in which we respect each other’s differences and do not demand that everyone follow our way of being Christian. We are an entire Church that shares our faith ‘with gentleness and reverence’; that seeks to find common ground between us and those who are not Christian. Continue reading
Sermon: Salvation and Liberation
God’s love does not save us from suffering. God’s love does, however, accompany us as we suffer. God suffers with us. Continue reading
Sermon: The Unexpected Lydia
One of the reasons for declining church membership is simply that in twenty-first century Australia there is declining membership of everything. But unlike unions, sports clubs, and political parties, churches believe that we have God on our side, which leaves us with Judas’ question: ‘Lord, how is it that you will reveal yourself to us, and not to the world?’ Continue reading
Rev Doc Geek 