Tag Archives: Sermon on the Mount

Sermon: Living out the Sermon on the Mount

The UN Charter says that its aim is to ‘reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small’. But as historian Tom Holland points out: ‘That human beings have rights; that they are born equal; that they are owed sustenance, and shelter and refuge from persecution: these were never self-evident truths.’ They are Christian truths. They are the truths we see in the Sermon on the Mount. Continue reading

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Sermon: Calling and character

It is as citizens of the kingdom that Jesus’ disciples will be enabled to live in the way that he will outline in the great block of teaching that we call the Sermon on the Mount, to which we will listen over the next eight weeks. Continue reading

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Christmas Day: Making room for Jesus

Reflection for North Balwyn Uniting Church Christmas Day 2025 Luke 2:1-20 A few weeks ago, I was at a service of Lessons and Carols where I heard a new Christmas Song. This does not often happen to me, at least … Continue reading

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What does a good life look like? Reflection on James 3:1-12

We can do nothing about the misuse of Christianity in the USA. But here in our small corner of the world, in our small church, we can seek to live lives drawing on the wisdom from above that is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. Continue reading

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Sermon: Salt and Light

We often worry that as churches get smaller we can no longer answer God’s call to us, that we can no longer serve God as God desires. But Jesus is calling us to be salt, and a small amount of salt can change the flavour of an entire dish; Jesus is calling us to be light, and one lamp on a lampstand can give light to an entire house. Continue reading

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Sermon: The unfashionable virtue of obedience

Of course we cannot be perfect, as our Father in heaven is perfect. But every time we try to be better, every time we could call another Christian, ‘You fool’, or objectify someone by looking at them with lust in our hearts, and yet we don’t – we come closer to being the people God created us to be. Continue reading

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Sermon: Rabble Rousing Riff Raff

“Will we be extremists for hate or for love? Will we be extremists for the preservation of injustice – or will we be extremists for the cause of justice? ” Continue reading

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Sermon: Christians behaving badly

I didn’t say in so many words, ‘You fool’, but I definitely implied it. Continue reading

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