Sermons
Living in hope
It’s clear in Paul’s greeting to the fledgling Thessalonian church that he was optimistic about their faith. They had a long way to go yet and their faith faced many threats, but Paul cheered them on, focusing not on what they didn’t have but on what they did have; not on what they were still to become, but on who they already were.
Faithful witness
The book of Revelation reflects the big theme of the Bible – the overcoming of evil in all its forms. Centre of the final victory celebration is Jesus, who remained a faithful witness to the good news God has for the world, even to the point of death. What Jesus won for us via the cross and empty tomb means we are free (and empowered) to do the same.
Spur one another on
Marathon runners often run in pairs, so that when one flags and wants to give up, the other one will spur them on. Christians, too, can give up the race for the lack of a word of encouragement. Never miss an opportunity to spur someone on. You never know, an encouraging word at a critical moment might change their life.
Jesus sees you
The woman was a widow, possibly a beggar; yet she gave away all she had to live on. What is the lesson Jesus wanted his disciples to learn from her? No matter how small our offering, God sees every act of love, every act of trust. But perhaps the bigger lesson here is: God sees us. No matter how insignificant you may feel, God sees you.
Living for others
The mother of James and John had completely the wrong idea about Jesus’ kingdom. She thought that her sons would be rewarded with honour and glory. But Jesus said he came not to be served but to serve, and that anyone who wants to be his disciple will do that, too. Followers of Jesus will learn that they no longer live for themselves, but for others.
What’s in a name?
What does it mean to have a name? Our name gives each of us a unique identity, a place in a family, a group, a nation. Our name assures us that we belong, that we are part of something bigger and more secure than we are on our own. When we were baptised, God adopted us into his own family. In that act, he bound himself to us as our forever Father. He is ours. We are his. We belong.
Let the children come to me
In Jesus’ day, children were often considered a burden, an extra mouth to feed. When people asked Jesus to heal their children, they were not likely to be pristine and perfect – more likely, dirty, smelly and sickly. Yet Jesus calls them to him and blesses them. In doing so, he shows us how much God loves not only children but everyone who is under-valued, rejected and shunned.
Faith in action: powerful and effective
Sometimes Jesus says it was a person’s faith that healed them. Other times people with no faith at all were healed. Sometimes healing happened with the laying on of hands; other times not. There is no set formula for healing, but this much is sure: Jesus is still healing his people. And while he might not ask every one of us to be part of his healing ministry, he does ask every one of us to love.
Faith in action: wisdom and humility
Is it good or bad to listen to your heart and act accordingly? Well, that depends. It depends on whether your heart is motivated by godly desires or by other desires: the devil’s, the world’s, your own. James calls this out. He names the battle going on in our hearts, and he gives his readers some solid advice for listening to the godly desires and resisting the ungodly ones. Wisdom and humility.
‘Jesus, who do you say I am?’
Jesus was a controversial figure, causing many people to wonder who he really was. One day Jesus asked Peter, ‘Who do you say I am?’ Much has been said about the importance of answering this question for ourselves. But there’s another question that might be almost as important: ‘Jesus, who do you say I am?’ If we know the answer to that question, and stay true to it, we will change the world.
