Readings: Jeremiah 4:11–12, 22–28, 1 Timothy 1:1–2, 12–19a & Luke 15:1–10 Recently I bought myself a new DVD player. My old one had broken down about three years ago and I hadn’t bothered replacing it, because at that time I started watching movies on iTunes and Netflix. But one of the parishioners from St Andrew’s kindly offered to lend me, on DVD,…
Readings: Jeremiah 18:1–11, Philemon 1:1–25 & Luke 14:25–35 A lot of people in the world today, especially people in Western society, believe they have all the answers. They believe they are completely self-sufficient, and not reliant on anyone else. They believe they, and they alone, are completely in control of everything that happens in their lives. They deny the possible existence of…
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 later worked as a store-man, while my Mum worked as an Accounts Clerk. We were not particularly well off, but in saying that, I don’t ever recall us going without anything.…
Readings: Isaiah 52:7–10, Acts 1:1–9 & Luke 10:1–9 As we celebrate our Patronal Festival today, I just want to spend a couple of minutes talking about the person of St Aidan himself, before discussing how his works as a missionary relate to our readings from Scripture this morning. St. Aidan, who is also referred to as the Apostle of Northumbria, was the…
Readings: Isaiah 5:1–7, Hebrews 11:29–12:2 & Luke 12:49–59 The focus of my sermon at St Andrew’s last Sunday morning was on the passage from chapter 11 of the Letter to the Hebrews, and in particular its theme of faith and perseverance. The opening verse of that passage was as follows: “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of…
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, who was born and raised in the city, but who now lives on a farm in Iowa with his wife and young daughter. His main crop, and therefore source…
Readings: Amos 8:1–12, Colossians 1:15–29 & Luke 10:38–42 In my sermon at St Andrew’s last Sunday on the Good Samaritan, I focussed on the fact that the dialogue which took place between Jesus and the lawyer, was really an issue of interpretation of Jewish law (the Torah). Through the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus was challenging people that obedience to the…
Readings: Amos 7:7–17, Colossians 1:1–14 & Luke 10:25–37 The story of the Good Samaritan is one of the most well known stories in the Bible. It is so well known in fact, that the term ‘Good Samaritan’ has entered our everyday language as a term used to describe someone who helps a complete stranger. It’s ironic to think that there might be…
Readings: 2 Kings 5:1–14, Galatians 6:7–18 & Luke 10:1–12, 17–24 If somebody asked me to explain the teaching of Jesus in 25 words or less, here’s how I would answer: “Love God with your with all your mind, soul, heart and strength; and love your neighbour as you love yourself”. (In case you are wondering that’s twenty words!) It probably sounds very…