Sermon for the Fourth Week in the Season of Creation Readings: Proverbs 8:22–31; Colossians 1:15–20 & John 6:41–51 The most contentious question in the history of humankind is arguably that concerning the origins of the universe: how did the universe come to be? Perhaps the most widely accepted answer to that question, at least from the perspective of science, is the Big…
Sermon for Week Three of the Season of Creation Readings: Job 28:20–27; 1 Corinthians 1:21–31 & Luke 8:22–25 Storms can be frightening events. As a young boy, I used to be terrified of severe thunderstorms, especially if they were accompanied by very strong winds. I can remember hiding under the covers in bed during one such storm when the windows were rattling…
Sermon for Week Two of the Season of Creation Readings: Job 39:1–8, 26–30; 1 Corinthians 1:10–23 & Luke 12:22–31 This week, in week two of the Season of Creation, we celebrate Flora and Fauna Sunday. Before I go any further, I have a question for you from my sermon last week. Who can remember what percentage of the Earth’s surface is covered…
Sermon for Week One of the Season of Creation Readings: Job 38:1–18; Ephesians 1:3–10 & Luke 5:1–11 Our service today marks the beginning of the Season of Creation for us at St Andrew’s. The Season of Creation is a time for all Christians to renew their relationship with God our Creator and all creation through celebration and commitment together. During the Season…
Sermon for Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost Readings: Jeremiah 2:4–13, Hebrews 13:1–8, 15–16 & Luke 14:1, 7–14 I grew up in West Footscray; very much in a working class family. My Dad drove a furniture delivery truck, and in later years worked as a store-man, while my Mum worked as an Accounts Clerk. We were not particularly well off, but in saying that,…
Sermon for the Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost Readings: Jeremiah 1:4–10; Hebrews 12:18–29 & Luke 13:10–17 Last Monday at the Spiritual Cafe, we had a very interesting and enlightening discussion concerning the question of whether Christianity is hard or easy. We were specifically looking at this question from the viewpoint of C.S. Lewis, the famous British writer who was also an Anglican lay…
Sermon for the Tenth Sunday after Pentecost Readings: Isaiah 5:1–7; Hebrews 11:29–12:2 & Luke 12:49–59 Australia is recognised internationally as being the producer of some of the world’s finest wines, and in 2021 the country was ranked fifth in the world in terms of both wine production and wine exports. This is not overly surprising to me, because in the space of…
Sermon for Ninth Sunday after Pentecost Readings: Isaiah. 1:1, 10–20, Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16 & Luke 12:32–40 One of my favourite movies of all time would have to be Field of Dreams. It stars Kevin Costner as ‘thirty-something’ Ray Kinsella. Born and raised in the city, Ray now lives on a farm in Iowa with his wife and young daughter. His main crop,…
Sermon for the Eighth Sunday after Pentecost Readings: Hosea 11:1–11; Colossians 3:1–11 & Luke 12:13–21 Once a man said to God “What’s a million years to you?”, and God said “A second.” So the man said to God “What’s a million dollars to you?”, and God said “A penny.” So the man said to God “Would you give me a penny?” God…
Sermon for the Seventh Sunday after Pentecost Readings: Hosea 1:2–10; Colossians 2:6–15 & Luke 11:1–13 I was having coffee with my son Connor last week, and he was telling me how he is finding it difficult to balance the demands of work and raising two young children, with the need for his own time and space, and the need for some quality…