Tag Archives: Sermon
Sermon: What “Christ the King” means for us
Celebrating the Reign of Christ can be, in some places and at some times, a very brave and radical thing to do. Continue reading
Sermon: Woman to Woman, Ruth and Naomi
We live in a time that is just as full of religious, ethnic and cultural prejudice as was Ancient Israel. In the face of that prejudice, one of the most helpful things we can do is follow in the footsteps of Ruth and Naomi and make friends with people who are different from us. Not simply tolerate them, but actively welcome them into our lives. We don’t know: they, like Ruth, may end up being more to us than seven sons. Continue reading
Sermon: Sojourning in the Valley
But I’ve preached on Transfiguration’s amazing theophany for the past two years, and so today I want to focus instead on the valleys. Because there are no mountains without valleys; there are no mountain-top experiences without hard times. Continue reading
Sermon: Healed to ‘deacon’
This week I’m cheating. In the past five days I’ve conducted three funerals and I’m tired. So this Sunday’s sermon is a recycled one. I’ve made a few minor changes to the sermon I first preached, but basically this is what I said in Romsey and Lancefield six years’ ago. Fortunately, reading it over, I find that I’m still in agreement with myself. Continue reading
Sermon: Overcoming demonic powers
Our worldview has no room for demons and demonic possession, except in horror films, but there are still forces stronger than individual humans that keep people imprisoned, forces from which Jesus can liberate us. There are still captivities – personal, social, economic – that dehumanise us and prevent us from living out our lives completely, and these are the captivities from which Jesus came to set us free. Continue reading
Sermon: Should the Uniting Church become Eli?
I also know that some members of the church have a more personal concern. Why are their children and grandchildren not church-goers? Their children were brought up in the church; they attended Sunday School and youth group; and then they disappeared. Continue reading
Sermon: Jesus the refugee and the tragedy of Bethlehem
Sermon for Williamstown Uniting Church Epiphany, January 4 2015 Matthew 2:1-12 For the past month or so the soundtrack of my life has been Christmas carols. I’ve heard them whenever I’ve been shopping; I’ve played them while driving in my … Continue reading
Sermon: How can we celebrate Advent in a world without Peace
There are many, many other places around the world where an absence of conflict is misnamed ‘peace’. I’m reminded of a very famous quote from the first-century Roman historian Tacitus’ history of Rome’s conquest of Scotland. Tacitus writes a rousing speech that he puts into the mouth of the British leader, Calgacus, in which he says of the Romans: ‘They make a desert and call it peace.’ Continue reading
Sermon: Confronting. Uncompromising. Comforting?
The coming of the Lord sounds terrifying for both the Lord’s adversaries and for the Lord’s faithful people. If this is what the coming of the Lord, the focus of Advent, is like, is it really something to look forward to? Continue reading
Rev Doc Geek 