Sermon 14th December 2025 – 3rd Sunday in Advent Text: Matthew 11:2-11

 Sermon 14^th December 2025 – 3^rd Sunday in Advent

Text: Matthew 11:2-11

In today’s Gospel, we hear of John the Baptist—imprisoned, uncertain, and longing for assurance.  He sends his disciples to Jesus with a question: “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?” It is a profoundly human moment despite John’s divine calling.  Even John, the fiery prophet who prepared the way, wrestles with doubt. And in his question, we find our own questions echoed: Is Jesus truly the one?  Can we trust him with our lives, our hopes, our future?

What was Jesus’ Response? Notice how Jesus answers.  He does not give a simple “yes” or “no.”  Instead, he points to the evidence of God’s kingdom breaking into the world: The blind see. The lame walk. Lepers are cleansed. The deaf hear. The dead are raised. The poor receive good news.

Jesus invites John—and us—to look at what is happening, to see the signs of God’s authority happening, and to recognize that Jesus’ authority is not defined by power or force, but by healing, mercy, and hope.

Then Jesus turns to the crowd and speaks of John. He honors him: “Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist.” But, again, he points people to a different honour that the world doesn’t understand about Jesus and his authority. He adds something surprising: “The least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than John the Baptist.” This is not to diminish John, but to highlight the radical nature of God’s kingdom.

Greatness is not measured by status, achievement, or what the world understands as power. It is measured by belonging to Christ and being part of the new creation he brings.

So what does this mean for us today? In means having faith in what might seem uncertainty: St James gives the same encouragement when he says: Be patient, therefore, beloved, until the coming of the Lord. Like John, we may face times of doubt or confusion as to what God is doing. Jesus does not scold John for asking questions.  Instead, he offers reassurance. Our questions are not signs of failure but opportunities to understand Jesus more deeply.

Jesus calls us to notice where God’s kingdom is breaking into our worlds—through acts of kindness, healing, justice, and love.  John the Baptist couldn’t see that. All he could see was the 4 walls of his prison. In a world often marked by despair that is sometimes all that we see. It’s easy to see the wars, the violence, the natural disasters.

John’s question arose from imprisonment and uncertainty. Our questions about God can come from our suffering. These questions can be invitations to move deeper into God’s truth.  Jesus meets John’s question with mercy, with evidence, and with a  gentle invitation to trust the signs. Very similar to how Jesus meets doubting Thomas – not with rebuke for his doubts but with an invitation to delve deeper into the mysteries of God. Put your finger here; see my hands.  Reach out your hand and put it into my side.  Stop doubting and believe

So too, with John the Baptist, Jesus points us to different signs. Signs that remind us that Jesus is at work. God’s works are often larger and different to our expectations. The Kingdom comes with healing and good news to the poor, not with physical triumph or political power.

When we expect an earthly breakthrough we might miss the more ordinary, daily miracles of mercy, mercy that forgives, that restores relationships, that provides for those in need, that includes the outsider and the vulnerable.  We are called to see the acts of mercy and grace God is weaving in ordinary days. True greatness is not about being first, strongest, or most successful. It’s not about everything always going our way. It is about humility, service, and trust in God. Even the “least” in the kingdom shares in the immeasurable gift of Christ’s love.

As we journey in faith through this Advent season, let us remember John’s question and Jesus’ answer. When we wonder, “Is Jesus truly the one?”—we need only look at the signs of life, hope, and love that surround us. We need to look again at the Christmas revelation in John 3:16 - For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. That is true greatness. That is the true work of Jesus Christ our Lord. As we go out this day let us take time to see where in your life is God inviting you to trust more fully?

Are you clinging to an expectation of how God should work, rather than embracing how God is choosing to work?  Are there people you might overlook whom the Kingdom is blessing in hidden ways—the poor, the outcast, the quiet servants in your community?

So let us live as witnesses to that kingdom, exampling patience, mercy, and joy, so that others may see in us the evidence that Christ is indeed the one who has come, and who is still coming into our world today and in whom we can place our trust. As St James encourages us:  Strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near.

 

Sermon 7th December 2025 – 2nd Sunday in Advent Text: Matthew 3:1-13 – Living in the wilderness

 Sermon 7^th December 2025 – 2^nd Sunday in Advent

Text: Matthew 3:1-13 – Living in the wilderness

 

Today we meet John the Baptist, a fiery prophet clothed in camel’s hair, living on locusts and wild honey.  He bursts onto the scene in the wilderness with a message that is both urgent and unsettling:  “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”  Last week we heard about complacency with the return of  Jesus coming at an unexpected hour like an unexpected thief in the night. But John’s words cut through complacency, calling people to turn their lives around now and prepare for the coming of Christ whose coming is imminent. Repent – the kingdom HAS come near.

 

The focus is not on John—it’s on us.  John’s message asks: How do we prepare our hearts for the Lord’s  arrival? John doesn’t preach in the temple or marketplace but in the wilderness. This message is not intended to stay within the 4 walls of our churches but to go out into the wilderness where the people are who need to hear this message. The wilderness is a place that can be hostile. For Israel, the wilderness was where they learned dependence on God during the Exodus all the while not knowing what they would eat and drink having to rely on God providing heavenly manna and miraculous water from a rock. The wilderness for Jesus was a place of temptation by Satan where he did not eat or drink for 40 days where he relied on his heavenly Father to provide for him rather than turning rocks into bread. For Elijah the wilderness was a place where he was fed by ravens and thought he was all alone and wanted to die. For us, the wilderness might be times of uncertainty where we hunger and thirst for righteous, where we feel all alone and where we wait for God which become times of Spiritual growth.

 

So what we learn from John the Baptist, Israel, Elijah, Jesus and others is that sometimes God calls us into wilderness spaces so we can truly hear Him and learn to rely on God and grow spiritually. John’s central message is repentance. Repentance is more that just feeling sorry for what we’ve done but turning around, reorienting life toward God. The Greek word for repentance is – metanoia – meta – to change – and noia – our minds and being. It’s a change of our physical and spiritual orientation. Listen again next time to the questions asked when we have confession of sins – Do you confess that you have sinned and do you repent of your sins? And: Do you intend, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to live as in God’s presence and strive to lead a holy life – even as Christ has made you holy.

 

Repentance is understanding that at all times we are living in God’s presence. Which is what John meant when he said – the Kingdom of God is near. It is here – with us – now Repentance is active: it bears fruit.

As John said – bear fruit in keeping with repentance. John warns against empty religion—“Do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor.’” We could say – do not presume to say to yourselves – I go to church regularly – I give to the offering regularly. True repentance shows a change in being - in justice, mercy, humility, and love. And also abandoning our sinful lifestyles. We heard that from St Paul in last week’s reading: Let us lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us live honorably as in the day, These works of darkness, as Paul calls them, seem enticing and offering a freedom of lifestyle – no accountability – but they entrap us.

 

Repentance is not about guilt but about freedom—turning from what enslaves us to embrace God’s kingdom. It’s not always easy to break out of those lifestyles or encourage others to do so. They seem so freeing but become addictive and entrapping. John uses what seem like harsh images: you brood of vipers - an axe at the root of the trees, unfruitful trees thrown into the fire, chaff burned away. But sometimes harsh words are needed to show harsh realities of sin. These are not threats for fear’s sake, but reminders that God’s kingdom is decisive—it demands a response.

 

The fire John speaks about is both judgment and purification.  Christ’s baptism with the Holy Spirit and fire refines us, burning away what is false so that what is true may shine. God’s kingdom is very active in drawing us away from things that take us away from God. It confronts us with a choice:  Will we bear fruit or continue as dead branches?

 

John’s mission from God is to prepare the way for Jesus. And he can only do that by pointing away from himself to Jesus: “He who is coming after me is more powerful than I.” Likewise, Advent is about  preparation—not just for our Christmas celebrations with friends and family, but preparing hearts to receive Christ. We prepare by repentance, by turning away from things that separate us from God and  making room for the Holy Spirit to work in us. Let us not be like that first Christmas where there was no room at the inn for Jesus but let us always make room in our hearts for him. And that means clearing away those things that work against the Holy Spirit: pride, greed, and fear, so that love, joy, and peace can take root.

 

John the Baptist’s voice still cries out today: “Prepare the way of the Lord.” And let us remember that: In our wilderness moments, God is near. In our repentance, God brings freedom. In the fire, God purifies and renews. So let us not only hear John’s cry but respond—bearing fruit worthy of repentance, living as people ready for the kingdom of heaven because it is near. So  John’s words invite us to a personal response.  How will we prepare the way for the Lord this Christmas?  How can we bear fruit in keeping with repentance in our families, workplaces, and communities to show that Christmas is more than just holidays and feasting?  The answer is not a long list of perfect deeds but a life of humility and dependence on God.

 

As we stand in this moment of Advent again this year, we are reminded that the kingdom of heaven is near.  Our response is faithfulness—receiving God’s mercy, living out repentance, and walking in the power of the Spirit until the day when Jesus will gather his harvest and make all things new.

Sermon 30th November 2026 – 1st Sunday in Advent Text: Matthew 24:36-44 – The unexpected arrival.

 Sermon 30^th November 2026 – 1^st Sunday in Advent

Text: Matthew 24:36-44 – The unexpected arrival.

 

Imagine a friend is arriving from overseas – they’re not sure what time their flight gets in, how long they have to wait to get through customs or how long to retrieve their luggage and then grab a cab to come and stay at your house. You don’t know what time they are coming, but you do know the day. So you have your house ready for any moment even though it could be hours away. You don’t start tidying up as you see the taxi pull up or the doorbell ring. Jesus speaks not of a guest, but of His return—a moment that will reshape history and eternity.  And the haunting truth?  No one knows when – not even the day.

 

This passage isn’t meant to stir fear, but to awaken faith – because faith removes all fear. Jesus affirms the mystery of His return.  Even He, despite being God himself, does not claim knowledge of the hour or day. Only his Heavenly Father knows but has not revealed when. Some wish he would hurry up and fix this world, but as St Peter says – The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

 

This reveals the heart of the Father and invites us to trust rather than try and speculate Jesus’ return as many have tried over the centuries. What Jesus does say is that before his return it will be like the days of Noah. If we look back to Genesis 6 we will see what the “Days of Noah” were like  Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence. God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways. So God said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. People might say, - see, it’s just like Noah’s day – corruption, violence. God needs to do something about them. But is that what Jesus points out about the days of Noah? No. He says - in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. It wasn’t about the corruption and the violence – it was about the complacency. And that’s not “THEM” – that’s all of us.

 

This is not a call for God to do something about THEM – it’s about making sure that we are ALL ready for Christ to return. The days of Noah are a sobering parallel.  People were living ordinary lives—eating, drinking, marrying—until the flood came.  The point isn’t that these activities are wrong, but that they can lull us into spiritual sleep if we forget that Jesus will one day return. And consider the examples: Two people doing the same task—one taken, one left.  This isn’t about geography, but about readiness. The division is not based on occupation, but on their relationship with Jesus?  Who do you say that I am.

 

The surprise imagery is used often and here we have the thief imagery which is used in several bible readings.  If we knew when a thief would come, we’d be ready.  And not only that but we protect ourselves from surprise intrustions. We deadlock our homes. We set alarms. But just look how complacent we can get with those. I’ll hide a key under the mat so I don’t have to be bothered carrying a key around. Or how do you feel when the neighbour’s alarm goes off in the middle of the night? Is it concern for your neighbour or frustration at the annoyance? Or when the smoke alarm “low battery” beep goes off in the middle of the night. Do you rush and get a battery to replace it or take it out and perhaps get around to it tomorrow. Isn’t that how Jesus’ return has been treated? He won’t come today or tomorrow – I’ll worry about my lifestyle later.

 

Jesus uses this to highlight the urgency of spiritual vigilance. His return will be sudden but when the time is right. The sad part is the missing out. There was no visible difference between the 2. The workers in the field, does not say one was evil and the other was good. Or the parable of the 10 bridesmaids where 5 miss out – not because they were evil but because they were unprepared. So how do we live in light of this?

Stay Spiritually Awake

We are called to live with eyes open. Watchfulness is not paranoia or fear; it’s attentiveness to God’s presence and purposes in our daily lives. Prayer, bibles, worship. Be Faithful in the ordinary parts of life.

Jesus doesn’t ask us to abandon our daily lives. Like he did with Peter, James and John when they dropped their nets and followed Jesus. He doesn’t say eating and drinking and marrying are wrong. He asks us to infuse our everyday tasks with faith - with a heart that says, “Come, Lord Jesus.”

 

Extend Grace and Hope to others. If Christ could return at any moment, how should we treat others?

As Paul reminded us - You know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; the night is far gone, the day is near

We live with urgency, but also with compassion.  Every conversation could be a seed that leads to eternity or, sadly, could turn a person away from God.

 

The book of Revelation ends with the cry - “Maranatha”—“Come, Lord.”  It’s not a call of dread, but longing for our Lord to return.  Jesus doesn’t give us a date. Jesus isn’t asking us to predict;

He’s asking us to prepare.  To live ready.  To walk in faith, serve in love, and wait in hope. So let us be found faithful—not frantic.  Let us be watchful—not worried.  And let us live each day as if it matters eternally—because it does. As Paul says in 2 Corinthians -  I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation. Not tomorrow. As Jesus says - “Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.”  It  isn’t about fear of the unknown hour but trust in a faithful God who welcomes us into His kingdom when the time is right.

 

Sermon 23rd November 2025 – Christ the King Sunday Title – a King and Kingdom reverseed

 Sermon 23^rd November 2025 – Christ the King Sunday

Title – a King and Kingdom reverseed

Today we celebrate Christ the King, a phrase that might surprises people when they read Jesus’ coronation as King:  This King wears not a golden crown but a crown of thorns. He marches to war but finds his victory by death on the cross. Who conquers his enemy not by physical force but by love and humility. Who enters with a parade in his honour not in a chariot but on a donkey. If the world sees kingship in power and dominion, then Jesus invites us to look again at the kingship that he reveals. A klng, who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing.

He is King not having forced his way into leadership with spin-doctors and political donations, but by self-giving mercy; God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father  Not by status, but by service; not by the triumph of human might and weaponry, but by the victory of his love. When Pilate asks, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus answers, “My kingdom is not of this world.” If my kingdom were of this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from handing over to the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place.

So Jesus admits that he is a King – but his kingdom is very different to how we perceive a Kingdom should be. It’s very similar to what he said to Peter in the Garden of Gethsemane on the night Jesus was arrested. The men seized Jesus and arrested him. With that, Peter reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear. Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword.  Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?

Even the crowds don’t understand – the one they wanted to crown as King looks nothing like what they expected: The crowd taunts him;  You call yourself a King – come down from the cross and we’ll believe in you. But one of the most unlikely people does recognise Jesus as King- a thief dying on the cross next to Jesus: Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”, To which Jesus replies: Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.

That is Jesus’ Kingdom. Maybe this reveals that sometimes it is when we are in the depths of despair when we truly see God’s true kingdom. Isn’t that what Paul says – when I am weak then I am strong – because Christ’s power rests on me. Paul, when writing to the Colossians speaks about that unseen realm:  He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible

The ultimate triumph of Jesus is not a political victory but the universal reign of divine mercy. Jesus is a king who reveals himself through love. Jesus’ kingship turns the usual tests of greatness on their head.  He wears a crown, but it is a crown of thorns; his throne is a cross; his sword is the word of truth spoken with compassion.  Even as we read Jesus sermon on the mount it’s all about showing signs of the opposite in his Kingdom.

Turning the other cheek.

Loving your enemy.

Blessed are the poor in spirit,

 Blessed are those who mourn,

Blessed are the meek,

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,

Blessed are the merciful,

Blessed are the pure in heart,

Blessed are the peacemakers,

Blessed are those who are persecuted

These are all opposite kingdom qualities in Jesus’ Kingdom.

So, as Paul says, his signs of rule are not to be served but signs of service—washing feet, forgiving sins, welcoming the outsider, feeding the hungry, inviting the sinner into fullness of life. So if we fully want to understand Jesus’ kingdom then it can only be seen when we participate in Jesus Kingdom qualities: With signs of service—washing feet, forgiving sins, welcoming the outsider, feeding the hungry, inviting the sinner into fullness of life.

This mystery we are invited to embrace is this: true Kingship is exercised in self-emptying love. True power is shown in mercy that keeps no records of wrongs. The one who is King rules by reconciliation, not by dominating over others; The one who is King rules by justice that heals, not by vengeance; by truth that sets free, not by fear that binds.

Where is the kingdom today?  Well, St Paul reveals where that Kingdom is today - He is the head of the body, the church; If Christ’s kingship is present, we should see it enacted in his body – the church: Where mercy overrides pride;  Where integrity and fairness prevail;  Where the stranger is welcomed;  Where reconciliation replaces division.  Jesus’ kingship asks us to examine our own hearts:

Do we live as if we were merely subjects of a powerful master, or as people who share in his reign by serving others? Do we seek to build up, or to gain advantage? Are we bearing witness to the Kingdom of love here and now? We are called to surrender our own agendas for the sake of our neighbour. The cross shows that mercy is not weakness but courage.  To follow Christ means forgiving as we have been forgiven, and offering mercy even when it costs us.

Jesus’ Kingdom prioritises justice that protects the vulnerable, the poor, the outsider, the elderly, the sick, the needy. Our faith moves us to work for systems and structures that reflect dignity and care for all. Christ’s Kingdom invites reconciliation within families, parishes, and nations. Our allegiance to him should break down walls, not build or deepen them.

We can do that with a listening ear, a helping hand, a word of encouragement. Showing forgiveness rather than harboring resentment; seeking reconciliation rather than revenge or working out who was right and who was wrong. In welcoming the “other”: the stranger, the poor, the outsider, we let hospitality be a sign of the Kingdom.

As this reversed King, Jesus seemingly goes against our expectations. Like John the Baptist – the one who prepared the way for Jesus finds himself in jail. He sends a delegation to see if this was the one he was preparing the way for. Are you the one or should we expect someone else – someone more powerful, perhaps. To which Jesus reveals his true power: He is the one who brought good news to the poor, proclaimed release to the captives, and set free the oppressed.

Jesus continued to defy expectations. As his life on earth was ending, he brought compassion even to the repentant thief. Here was our king: gasping, choking, yet filled with mercy as he prayed, “Forgive them.” To the one who was able to see the way God is at work and wanted to be part of his Kingdom, he said, “Today you will be with me in paradise. As our King, Jesus extends that same promise to you – you will be with me in paradise. That, is our King.

Sermon 16th November 2025 – 23rd Sunday after Pentecost Text: Luke 21:5-19 – Firm foundations

 Sermon 16^th November 2025 – 23^rd Sunday after Pentecost

Text: Luke 21:5-19 – Firm foundations

 

The crowd gathers around something magnificent—the temple, a symbol of religious life, heritage, and the human achievement of faith expressed in stone and design.  The people find great comfort and security in this temple and want to point this out to Jesus. Jesus answers with a piercing reminder: even the most glorious things we see around us are not ultimate. Physical things don’t provide security. He says: “Not one stone will be left upon another.”  

 

In many moments of life, we are tempted to stake our hope on the things we can touch, measure, and admire.  Our homes – our finances – our careers. But Jesus points us toward a deeper foundation: God’s kingdom and God’s word endure beyond the uncertainty of power, wealth, and possessions. As Jesus says – heaven and earth may pass away but my words never will.

 

In times of confidence and in times of uncertainty, Jesus calls on us to found our faith not in external structures, but in the promise and presence of God. That’s not always easy – We can see, feel and experience physical things. But as the Book of Hebrews states - faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. We live in times of much uncertainty which can cause us to panic and secure ourselves in physical things.

 

Jesus warned of these in his time – 2000 years ago. Jesus mentions wars, earthquakes, famine, and “signs from heaven.”

He’s not telling us to just ignore them or laugh them off as insignificant. These are real dangers around us, but he calls on Christians to resist being frightened by alarm luring us away from God and putting our faith in false hopes.  It was the very first sin – Adam and Eve had to trust that God was going to provide for them but the serpent twisted God’s words and lured them to have their eyes opened and being like God.

 

We too are asked to put our faith in things we cannot physically see or understand. In the waters of our Baptism we are assured of God’s presence with us – “I am with you always till the end of the age”. But we can’t physically see that presence. God has given us a physical presence to see and touch – but our eyes see bread and wine. Our faith sees Jesus’ body and blood that was sacrificed for us to receive eternal life in heaven. We don’t see that presence of Heaven yet but it’s there as Paul points out to the Colossians: He says in Chapter 3: You have been raised with Christ, so set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.  None of that is seen but he continues and says:

When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. We don’t know when that time will come, but we are called to live faithfully in the meantime—to discern what is trustworthy, which comes from God and what is human made certainty that the world tells us to find assurance in.

 

Just look around at the political upheaval, social turmoil, or personal crisis.  The gospel was written 2000 years ago but it’s like picking up today’s newspaper. Jesus invites us to respond with faith, not fear; with humility, not bravado.  We are called to witness to truth and mercy, even as the world shakes our foundations. We are to always be prepared to give the reason for the hope that we have. We don’t have all the answers as Christians as to why the world is as it is if we have a loving and all powerful God. So Jesus says to trust in him. Jesus says “He will give you words and a wisdom,”. This is not a promise of keep us away from all that is going but strength to trust him for endurance. Endurance is not about avoiding threats; it’s about remaining faithful to God’s call in the midst of pressure.  Jesus says “not a hair of your head will perish”. But let us remember the difference between death and perishing. John 3:16 says - God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life".  To perish is to miss out on eternal life in Heaven. But as Paul said in the earlier quote from Colossians – we have already died and are with Christ in Heaven.

 

The body may suffer, but endurance in faith is a path to true life—life with God, life that will live forever in Heaven where there will be no more suffering or death. What Jesus speaks about today is more than surviving hardship.  It’s about learning what truly matters when everything around us begins to crumble – and it will.  Jesus is pointing us toward our relationship with God—trust in God, trust in Jesus and, willingness to witness even when it costs us. As Jesus says – don’t let your hearts be troubled – trust in God – trust in Jesus Christ. And Jesus says that there will come a time when our faith will be costly: But before all this occurs, they will arrest you and persecute you; they will hand you over to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors because of my name.  And it may get even more personal:

You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, by relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. You will be hated by all because of my name.  However, Jesus promises, by your faith you will gain your souls.

 

So, how do we stay strong in our faith during these times? Ground yourself in daily spiritual connection with God: Your bibles, prayer, and a community of believers. In uncertain times, these become our foundation. Remember your Baptism promise – remember the promise given in Holy Communion. And when you hear rumors or see chaos, be slow to react in fear. Commit these to God and trust him. Be a voice and a witness by how you respond.  Share hope, live your faith, help the vulnerable, and example forgiveness rather than judgment. The world needs a church and Christians that bears witness through steadfast love and courageous truth-telling in times of fear and uncertainty.

 

The promise “not a hair of your head will perish” is not a promise of immunity from harm.  It’s a promise about God’s faithful care and the deeper witness of life beyond death—eternal life that begins now in trust and continues into forever.  Endurance in faith is how we walk that path, especially when the way is hard. Jesus doesn’t promise safety. He promises something more important - his presence with us. He doesn’t say we’ll avoid conflict. He says we’ll be given “words and wisdom” that no opponent can withstand. He doesn’t say we won’t suffer which can only affect this life. He says, “By your endurance you will gain your souls for eternity.”

 

Just as Israel walked through the Red Sea protected by the waters that same water destroyed their enemies, so too we walk through life with the waters of our Baptism that will protect us until we have reached our home in Heaven – safe from our enemy, the Devil. So Jesus invites us to shift our gaze from the temporary to the eternal.  Our earthly Temples may fall.

Our comforts may crumble.  But faithfulness endures forever,

Sermon 9th November 2025 - 22nd Sunday after Pentecost - Text Luke 20:27-38: The God of the Living

 Title: The God of the Living

Scripture: Luke 20:27-38

 

In our Gospel reading today, a trap disguised as a theological puzzle lands at Jesus’ feet. The Sadducees believe there is no resurrection after you die, so they pose a question designed to show that belief in the resurrection as foolishness.

They tell of a woman whose husband dies and so she marries his brother – he dies also and she marries another brother – and so on until she has married all 7 brothers and they ask – whose wife will she be in heaven.

But Jesus doesn’t take the bait; he redirects the conversation toward the heart of God’s promises. In his answer, we encounter a foundational truth: God is the God of the living. This truth reshapes how we understand death, life, and our daily faith.

The scenario put by the Saducees reveals a deeper reality: life under God is not going to be a continuation of what we do in this life.

The Sadducees rely on an old testament marriage law to test Jesus (a man dies and his brother marries the widow to raise up offspring for the family).

Their question assumes a world where earthly patterns—marriage, inheritance, and family structures—define eternity.

The Sadducees’ question presumes that resurrection life is simply an extension of earthly life—same relationships, same rules, same limitations. Jesus responds not by solving their puzzle, but by reframing the entire conversation.

Jesus answers by saying, in effect, that the present patterns of life on earth do not determine the life to come. The age to come operates by its own order, in which human institutions as we know them do not constrain reality in heaven.

The bigger question is not whose wife will this woman be?”

In the resurrection the bigger question will be “what is God’s eternal reality, in which all life is kept and sustained by our Creator?”

The nature of life in the resurrection is about eternal life with God, not repetition of earthly roles.

This is not a dismissal of marriage or human love. It’s a declaration that resurrection life is different. It’s not bound by the structures we create to manage mortality. It’s a life where death no longer defines us, where relationships are eternal and rooted in God’s love.

Jesus goes further to explain what life will be like in the age to come: “The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. But those who are considered worthy of taking part in that age and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage. And they cannot die anymore, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.”

This isn’t a dismissal of human love or a denial of personhood; it is a transformation of our existence.

This is something absolutely brand new.

In the resurrection, we are made fit for eternal life with God—no longer bound by the limitations and vulnerabilities of mortal life.

No longer separated because of our sins.

No longer wondering – does God really love me.

We become “children of God,” part of an eternal family whose life is together in God’s own life.

In John’s Revelation he says just that:

Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

The eternal truth that Jesus reveals is that God is the God of the living.

Jesus strengthens his point with a reminder that: “He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.”

Jesus  is quoting Moses at the burning bush: “He is the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.”

So even those long gone are alive to God. Resurrection is not just a future hope—it’s a present reality in God’s eternal perspective.

The God who spoke creation into being is not bound by death’s finality.

The patriarchs—Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—are not silenced by the grave; they live in the presence of God.

This is not merely an explanation of the past; it is assurance for the present and for the future.

If God is the God of the living, then our trust, worship, and obedience are oriented toward a God who sustains life beyond what we can see.

The Christian faith rests not on the denial of death but on the encounter with the living God who invites us into everlasting life.

So what does this mean for us?

It means that hope relieves sorrow:

As St Paul says to the Thessalonians – let us grieve but not like those who have no hope.

The truth that God is the God of the living gives us a hope to interpret death, grief, and loss.

It does not erase pain, but it reshapes our perspective—trusting that life continues in God and that God holds all who are in Christ.

We also learn to value people and relationships rightly:

We also live with eternal hope now:

The resurrection is not a future event to fear or debate about;

It is the ultimate reality that informs how we love, forgive, serve, and bear witness today.

Our priorities should align with the values of God’s kingdom—compassion, justice, mercy, faithfulness.

As we pray in the Lord’s prayer – your kingdom come – your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

And we take comfort in Christ in all circumstances:

For those facing death or the illness of loved ones, this message offers comfort that there is life beyond the grave in the God who loves us and keeps his promises.

Jesus’ response to the Sadducees is not merely a clever rebuttal; it’s a proclamation: the God who created us is the God who gives us life—life that transcends the grave.

Because God is the God of the living, we live with hope, integrity, and purpose, rooted in the resurrection reality that Jesus himself embodies.

And as St Paul points out to the Corinthians - if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world.

Which means we are called to live as children of the resurrection now with assurance.

To love not out of fear or obligation, but out of abundance that God has provided to us.

To see others not as rivals or burdens, as the Sadducees and Pharisees did of Jesus, but as fellow heirs of eternal life.

To trust that God’s promises are not limited by death, but fulfilled beyond it.

The Sadducees asked a question about death. Jesus answered with a vision of life.

May we live into that vision—with hope, with courage, and with joy.

And the peace of God that surpasses our understanding watch over your hearts, now and forever. Amen

Sermon 2nd November 2025 – All Saints Day Text - Ephesians 1:11-23 – God’s eternal plan

 Sermon 2^nd November 2025 – All Saints Day

Text - Ephesians 1:11-23 – God’s eternal plan

 

Paul unfolds an amazing truth about what God has already done for us in Christ.  It is not about what we must do for God, but about what God has accomplished for us, so that we might live in the hope of his grace, power, and purpose. God has chosen us in Christ, according to his divine plan.  Paul begins with a clear statement: in him we were chosen, predestined according to the plan of him who works everything in accordance to his will.  Nothing is by chance but predestined according to God’s will. This doesn’t mean that we don’t have free will or that there is no point praying because God has destined everything to happen the way that it does. Some describe that view as God being a watchmaker who winds up the watch and just waits for it to tick down to the end.  A God as a creator who set the universe in motion like a clock and then stepped back, allowing it to operate on its own without further intervention.

 

No, it is more intimate than that: God has authored history, chose us in Christ before time began, so that we who have hoped in Christ live to the praise of his glory. Your life has a divine aim, not an accidental path. If you are in Christ, your story has a holy design behind it.  When doubts rise about your value or place, remember you are chosen by the Creator who holds the whole plan of your life in his hands.

And what we must understand is that this includes our death and the death of our loved ones, as the book of Hebrews says: Each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment. But those who are in Christ have no fear of that judgment because we are included in Christ and sealed with the Holy Spirit for salvation. Our names are written in the book of life

 

So we go from a universal plan for the world to a personal experience: you also were included in Christ when you heard the gospel and believed.  You were marked with a seal—the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession. A seal signifies ownership and security; a deposit guarantees what lays ahead. The Holy Spirit’s presence in us confirms that we belong to God and that our inheritance is secure. When we believe in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour, we carry the Holy Spirit as a seal and a guarantee.  This means not only assurance of salvation but the ongoing work of God shaping you, and keeping you from despair, and guiding you toward the day when all things are redeemed in him when he returns to bring us to our heavenly home.

 

So Paul is not just writing to the Ephesians back in the first century, he is writing to you today and says he has not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in his prayers.  He shares his heart’s desire: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him. Knowledge of God is not merely facts about God; it is an intimate, transforming relationship.  The Spirit opens the eyes of our hearts to know him more deeply. It is an encounter with God that shifts how you see him, yourself, and your purpose.

 

In a world of material priorities, let us fix our eyes on what lasts: the hope of the gospel, the inheritance we have in Christ, and the power available to live out that faith boldly. The power Paul speaks of is when God raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms.  Christ is far above all rule, authority, power, and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the age to come.  Our age! God placed all things under his feet and appointed him head over everything for the church, which is his body—the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

This power is not a distant abstract idea like some New Age philosophy;  It is a power that centres on Jesus Christ, who is exalted over all realities.

He is sovereign over history, cultures, and every circumstance. And that power is now ours as the body of Christ, because the church is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.  The living Christ fills the church and guards us from an unbelieving world. An unbelieving world that says death is the end. If Christ is the head and all things are under his feet, then the church’s life is a participation in his divine, cosmic work.

 

Our unity, our mission, and our love for one another reveal the fullness of Christ to the world. So, your identity is secure in Christ—chosen, sealed, and loved.  And as Paul says in Romans 8: Nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.  No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

The church is not merely a meeting place; it is the means through which Christ fills all things to give us strength in life and hope in death, through Jesus Christ our Lord.