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Tag Archives: Christianity
NBUC Fifteenth Anniversary
As I say so often, Jesus calls us to be salt, and a small amount of salt can change the flavour of an entire dish; Jesus calls us to be light, and one lamp on a lampstand can give light to an entire house. Even quite small denominations and congregations can be light and salt to the world if we truly seek to follow Jesus and live out love. Continue reading
Combined Pentecost Service with Koonung Heights
today’s gospel story tells us that we have been commissioned by Jesus to publicly meddle. This often takes courage. There are always going to be people who, when Christians speak out for love and justice, will sneer and accuse us of being filled with the new wine of wowserism, do-gooding, or wokeness. We have seen how the current President of the United States, for instance, has responded to the Pope speaking up for peace. Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged Acts 2:1-21, bravery, breath, Christianity, combined service, commissioned, courage, faith, Holy Spirit, Jesus, John 20:19-23, KHUC, Koonung Heights Uniting, mission, Pentecost, Year of Matthew
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Sermon: Why persecution does not work on Christians
Posted in Sermons
Tagged 1 Peter 4:12-14 and 5:6-11, Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church, Bible, Christian persecution, Christianity, Easter 7, Ecumenical Patriarch, ecumenism, faith, Fourth Crusade, god, Jesus, John 17:1-11, Persecution of Christians, Pope Leo, Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, Year of Matthew
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Sermon: Was Jesus a violent or a peaceful protester?
The role of those buying and selling in the temple was necessary and natural. Worshippers needed to change money with the head of the Roman emperor on it for money without it to make offerings; the poor and lepers and women needed to buy doves to be sacrificed. More than that, the entire economy of Jerusalem depended on pilgrims coming to the temple at festivals and spending their money in the city. Modern politicians know that nothing can get the people offside faster than a cost-of-living crisis; that it is always ‘the economy, stupid,’ to quote Bill Clinton’s campaign. Jesus is challenging the religious and economic status quo. Within the week, those who found the status quo comfortable fought back. Continue reading
Posted in Political Activism, Sermons
Tagged Bible, Canon Eric James, Christianity, faith, ICCPR, Jesus, law, Palm Sunday, Palm Sunday March for Refugees, political protest, protest, protests, Year of Matthew
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Sermon: Pearls before swine?
Brendan Byrne puts it this way, ‘only a person who has come to genuine self-knowledge and appreciation of his or her own weakness is qualified to set about fraternal correction’. We must remember that with the judgement we make we will be judged, and the measure we give will be the measure we get, so our judgements must be truthful, loving, and without self-righteousness. Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged Bible, Christianity, faith, god, Jesus, judgement, judgment, kingdom of heaven, Leviticus 19:9-18, Matthew 7:1-12, pearls before swine, prayer, Sermon on the Mount, Year of Matthew
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Sermon: Welcomed into an inclusive Israel
We are recipients of the gift of an inclusive Israel. We exist as a Christian community, worshipping the God described in the Hebrew Scriptures, the One who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people upon it and spirit to those who walk in it, because a small group of Jews invited Gentiles to join them in walking the way of Jesus. Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged Baptism of Jesus, Christianity, Christmas Lutheran Church in Bethlehem, Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth, Gospel according to Matthew, inclusion, Isaiah 42:1-9, Judaism, Matthew 3:13-17, new Israel, Pharisees, scribes, Second Isaiah, Second Temple Judaism, Suffering Servant, Year of Matthew
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Reflection: God our Rock
The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork. Continue reading
Posted in Reflection
Tagged Anangu People, Bible, Christianity, First People, Preamble, The Spectator, theology, Uluru Climb, Uniting Church
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Apostles Creed 1
these millennium-old words remind us that each of us is a member of the one holy catholic and apostolic church throughout time and space, that as Christians we are part of something much bigger than ourselves Continue reading
Posted in Sermons
Tagged Apostles Creed, belief, Christianity, church history, creeds, history
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Rev Doc Geek 