Tag Archives: Year of Luke

Sermon: A terrifyingly simple parable

Posted on September 29, 2019 by Avril Hannah-Jones

It also takes the church out of the safe realm of biblical interpretation and theology into the scary realm of economics and politics. We could quite easily be told that questions of taxation and social security are none of our business. But we are in the Year of Luke and Luke, as I’ve already said, had no qualms about bringing socioeconomics into religion. Maybe we can too. Continue reading →

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Sermon: A complete puzzle of a parable

Posted on September 21, 2019 by Avril Hannah-Jones

I have been chewing on this parable, as Jesus’ first hearers would have chewed it over on their way home that evening, wondering what the Lord meant by this story. Continue reading →

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Palm Sunday Sermon for the combined service

Posted on April 13, 2019 by Avril Hannah-Jones

we can work for peace, justice and reconciliation with complete confidence, because God has already won the victory Continue reading →

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Sermon: When bad things happen

Posted on March 24, 2019 by Avril Hannah-Jones

We live in a world in which, sadly, bad things do happen to good people. Continue reading →

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Sermon: God’s motherly love

Posted on March 18, 2019 by Avril Hannah-Jones

In times of difficulty, post-Royal Commission, during congregational change, grieving the Christchurch massacre, as we walk with Jesus on the road to his death during Lent, we can rely on the God who loves us as a mother and protects us as a hen protects her chicks Continue reading →

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Sermon: Imitating God

Posted on February 23, 2019 by Avril Hannah-Jones

We are to love our enemies because they too are God’s beloved; we are to do good to those who hate us because they share our humanity; we are to bless those who curse us because they are created from the same dust as us; we are to pray for those who abuse us because they, like us, will one day die and be judged by Jesus. Continue reading →

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Sermon: The value of a human life

Posted on February 16, 2019 by Avril Hannah-Jones

This is not because the poor are worthy and deserving and so will be rewarded in heaven. Jesus is not doing a Scott Morrison and saying that ‘there is a fair go for those who have a go’. Continue reading →

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Sermon: The Glory of God

Posted on February 9, 2019 by Avril Hannah-Jones

These three stories of encounters with the absolute holiness of God, which all emphasise the feelings of unworthiness of the humans to whom they happen, end, somewhat paradoxically, with calls to mission and ministry. Continue reading →

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Sermon: Day of Mourning

Posted on January 19, 2019 by Avril Hannah-Jones

We cannot celebrate everything that Australia has become without acknowledging the shadow side of our history. Continue reading →

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Sermon: Responding to the American Presidential Election

Posted on November 12, 2016 by Avril Hannah-Jones

But what I have never done before is talked about a particular politician. That’s the line I’m crossing today. Today I’m going to talk about the election of Donald Trump as the next President of the United States. Continue reading →

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