Sermon 15th November – 25th Sunday after Pentecost Text: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 – Living in hope

 Sermon 15^th November – 25^th Sunday after Pentecost

Text: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 – Living in hope

As we move towards the end of the Church Year we notice that the tone of the readings begin to focus on the end times which usually come with a warning. And Paul does begin with a warning in our 2nd Reading” For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. But Paul doesn't leave us with just a warning; he provides us with the divine armour we need so we don’t live in fear.  He says, since we belong to the day, let us be sober, and put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. It’s very similar to what Paul says to the Ephesians in chapter 6 where he talks about the spiritual warfare we face and the armour of God that God provides: He says: For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

This is not a waiting game. We don’t just sit and wait for Jesus to return. This is an active, equipped existence.  Paul calls us to put on spiritual armour which means we are in an active battle. We aren’t given chairs to sit and wait – but armour. A soldier in Paul’s time was given a breastplate protecting their vital organs. Our breastplate is made of two powerful elements to protect us: faith and love. Faith is our belief in God's promises, in His power, and in His victory over Satan whose greatest weapon is lies. It shields us from doubt, despair, and the enemy's attempts to convince us that God has forgotten us or that our efforts are in vain. It’s his biggest weapon – we know that from Genesis – did God really say?

St Peter warned his readers about the same tactics of Satan: In 2nd Peter he said –  Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation. Our faith trusts in God’s plan, even when we can't see the whole picture. God's love for us and our love for Him and for one another, is another vital defense. It protects our hearts from bitterness, selfishness, and the destructive effects of sin.

When we are rooted in love, we are motivated to do good, to serve, and to reflect Christ's character, which is the ultimate weapon against darkness. And that’s why Paul says: you are all children of light and children of the day; we are not of the night or of darkness. So then let us not fall asleep as others do, but let us keep awake. God has also given us the Helmet of Hope of Salvation: Hope is not wishful thinking; it is a confident expectation. It’s not like hoping for something that may or may not happen. We have the sure promise of eternal life and redemption through Jesus Christ because it has already happened. As Paul says in Romans 6 - we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has power over him.

This hope anchors our minds, preventing us from being swayed by the anxieties and uncertainties of the present time. It allows us to face challenges with confidence, knowing that our ultimate destiny is secure in Christ. Paul then clarifies God's ultimate purpose for us, a truth that strengthens our hope: For God has not destined us for wrath, but to gain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep, we might live with him." Jesus says the same in John Chapter 3 -  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. This is the heart of the Gospel!

The day of the Lord is a day of judgment, yes, but for those who are in Christ, it is not a day of wrath. It is the fulfilment of His plan. Jesus died for us, bearing the wrath we deserved, so that we might be saved. God made him who had no sin to become our sin so we could become his righteousness. His sacrifice bridges the gap between God's holiness and our sinfulness. Something nothing else can do. No one comes to the Father except through Jesus.

The phrase "whether we are awake or asleep" is so reassuring. It speaks to the assuring nature of Christ’s salvation.  Whether we are living in conscious, vibrant faith when He returns, or if we have fallen asleep in death before His second coming, our salvation is secure.  Christ's death is sufficient for all who believe.  We will live with Him, eternally united.  This truth should bring us immense comfort and peace. And it’s forever.

Always the bible speaks of this truth. Earlier Paul said: For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.  King David said the same – I will dwell in the house of the Lord – “FOREVER”

So, Paul concludes with a practical application for living in light of the Day of the Lord:  Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing." Encouraging in these times is so important. We’ve seen so many leave the church for a variety of reasons. Again, nothing new as we see in the book of Hebrews speaking about the coming judgment: Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

So, this is not a solitary journey.  Our faith is not meant to be practiced in isolation.  That’s why Jesus chose 12 disciples. Why he never sent them out alone.  Told them to wait till the coming of the Holy Spirit as their helper. We are called to be a community of faith, actively supporting and strengthening each other. This means speaking words of hope to each other. Comforting one another. Affirming each other and not tearing one another down.  It means reminding each other of God's faithfulness and the promises of His Word. Staying strong because of the glorious future that awaits us.

In a world that can be discouraging, we are called to be beacons of encouragement. We are called to build one another up. This means strengthening each other's faith, helping each other to grow spiritually, and supporting each other through trials.  It means offering prayer and hope.  It means creating an environment where each believer can flourish in their walk with Christ. The Thessalonians were already doing this, and Paul commends them.  The Thessalonians are an example for us to follow of a healthy, active church body.

The Day of the Lord is not a distant, abstract concept. It is coming. It is a present day reality that should shape our present lives.  As Paul says – NOW is the day of salvation. We are not children of darkness, meant to be surprised by its arrival. We are children of light, called to be awake, sober, and armed with faith, love, and the unwavering hope of salvation. Let us not sleep in spiritual complacency.  Let us live with our eyes fixed on Jesus, our hearts filled with His love, and our minds anchored in the certainty of His return.

As we leave and return to our worldly lives, let us carry this hope with us.  Let us be the "children of day," shining our light brightly in a world that so desperately needs it.  Let us encourage one another, build one another up, and live in such a way that when the Day of the Lord comes we are ready.

 

Sermon 1st November 2026 – All Saints Day Text: Revelation 7:9-17 – Gathered before the throne

 Sermon 1^st November 2026 – All Saints Day

Text: Revelation 7:9-17 – Gathered before the throne

 

Today is All Saints Day—a day when the church remembers those who have gone before us in faith. We give thanks for the continuing communion we share with all God’s people, on earth and in heaven. For some of us, this is a joyful day.  We remember people who have fought the good fight and achieved the crown of victory with eternal life in heaven. For others, it is a tender day filled with grief; whose absence still hurts. Perhaps the passage of time has softened the grief, but it has not erased the pain.

 

All Saints Day reminds us that the church is larger than what we can see. We confess that in our creeds – we believe in the Communion of Saints – we declare that when we share Holy Communion – with the angels and archangels and all the company of Heaven. We are not only the people gathered in this church. We are joined to a communion that stretches across generations, nations, languages, and centuries. And in Revelation 7, God gives John a vision of that great communion. John writes:

 “After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb.”

 

This is one of the most beautiful pictures in all of Scripture of the true life God has prepared us for since before creation began. That’s what Paul says in Ephesians chapter one. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. John sees a crowd so large that no one can number it. It is not a select few. It is not limited to one nation, one culture, one generation, or one kind of person. It is a multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language. God’s salvation is wider than we imagine. The saints include people whose names are remembered in history, but also countless people whose names are known only to God. They include the famous and the forgotten, the powerful and the poor, those who preached before thousands and those whose quiet faith was lived out in ordinary homes and ordinary lives. The saints are parents and children, teachers and laborers, doctors and farmers, artists and caretakers. They are people who lived courageous lives, and people who simply held on to God through difficult days. They are people who got many things right, and people who needed grace every day—just as we do.

 

What makes them saints is not that they were without sin – because that would be no one.  What makes them saints is that they belong to Christ. They have been made Holy by God through Jesus’ death for their sins. John says they are “standing before the throne and before the Lamb.”  At the center of this vision is not the greatness of the saints, but the greatness of Jesus. They are gathered before the Lamb—the One who was slain, the One who gave himself for the world, the One who conquered death through love. They wear white robes, and John is told that these robes have been washed in the blood of the Lamb. It is a striking image: robes made white through blood – which doesn’t make sense in a world where we live in fear of disease through blood. But then again, a God who gives the life of his Son for sinful human beings also makes no sense as the Psalm and book of Hebrews says: What is man that you are mindful of him.  But the point is clear.  Their holiness is not something they achieved by their own strength. Their lives have been cleansed and made whole by the grace of Christ.

 

That is good news for us, because we too are invited into this company—not because we have lived perfect lives, but because Christ is merciful.  The saints are not people who never failed.  They are people who trusted the One who never fails. They hold palm branches in their hands reminding us of Palm Sunday, or as we refer to it – the Triumphal Entry. But the triumph is not Christ’s alone but ours also. But the triumph is not victory as the world usually understands it.  It is not victory through domination, wealth, or power.  It is the victory of humility and sacrifice. A victory of the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. The victory of sacrificial love, the victory of faithfulness, the victory of life over death. The saints cry out: “Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!” Notice where the praise is directed.  They do not say, “Look what we accomplished.”  They do not say, “Salvation belongs to our discipline, our goodness, or our strength.” They say, “Salvation belongs to our God.”

 

All Saints Day is not a celebration of human achievement. It is a celebration of divine grace. That is important when we remember those we have lost.  We may remember their goodness, their generosity, their courage, and their faith.

But we entrust them to God’s mercy. Their hope—and ours—is not in being good enough. Our hope is in the God who saves. John is then asked, “Who are these, robed in white, and from where have they come?”  The answer is: “These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”

They have come through suffering. Their faith did not exempt them from hardship. They knew grief, persecution  illness, loneliness, and death. They came through “the great ordeal.” This does not mean that every saint experienced the same kind of suffering, but it does mean that faith is not a promise that we will never suffer. It is a promise that suffering will not have the final word.

 

Some of the people we remember today knew great ordeals.  They faced sickness and hardship.  They knew times of fear and doubt.  They carried burdens that others may not have seen.  Some died peacefully; others died after long and difficult struggles. Yet God’s word tells us that their suffering did not separate them from God. Indeed, the vision of Revelation does not pretend that suffering is unreal. It does not minimize the pain of this world. It looks directly at suffering and then gives us God’s promise: “They are before the throne of God, and worship him day and night within his temple, and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them from further suffering. As John will later reveal: 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.”

 

This is the heart of Christian hope: Jesus is both the One who suffers with us and the One who leads us through suffering. He knows the wounds of the world because he has borne them in his own body.  He knows death because he entered death and he leads us into life because he rose again. God does not dismiss our grief but wipes away our tears.  God comes close. God sees every tear. God remembers every loss. And God promises a day when sorrow will be healed—not by forgetting, but by redemption. The vision in Revelation reminds us that we do not walk alone.  We belong to a multitude no one can count.  We are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses.  We remember that we are part of something greater.

The church may seem fragile but God’s people are more numerous than we can see and offers hope the world cannot in death. This vision calls us to live now as people of that future.

 

 

Sermon 25th October 2026 – Reformation Sunday Text: Matthew 8:31-36 – The Truth and nothing but the Truth

 Sermon 25^th October 2026 – Reformation Sunday

Text: Matthew 8:31-36 – The Truth and nothing but the Truth

 

People who know me know that my favourite TV show is Judge Judy. Some of her favourite sayings include, beauty fades but dumb is forever. Or when someone stumbles on an answer she quickly retorts “um is not an answer” Or when she’s winning an argument “They don't keep me here because I'm gorgeous!” But my favourite which I think goes along with Jesus’ statement to the Jews today is: “If you tell the truth you don’t need a good memory” And she would always follow that up with “if you lie to me once then everything else you say is a lie”.

 

Jesus comment was a little different regarding truth: If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. Truth is an important virtue that no one can bring you down for. When you lie you have to keep building on that lie with more lies and the problem with that is you will eventually contradict yourself.

 

We have an interesting comment by the Pharisees in response to Jesus’ statement. Jesus said the truth will set you free. “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?” The Pharisees, with that statement, have just erased 400 years of history of when their ancestors were slaves in Egypt. And one might argue the case that they were, in effect, currently slave to the Roman Empire. When they wanted Jesus executed they had to take him to Pilate who said:  “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” “But we have no right to execute anyone,” Which was not true according to their Mosaic laws and even wanted to execute a woman caught in adultery.  This is how Jesus would always catch them out – with the truth.

 

So what does this have to do with The Reformation? Well, the Reformation is based on Luther defending the truth of the Gospel. Luther was excommunicated from his church - declared an outlaw meant that anyone could legally kill him without facing murder charges - was hidden away at Wartburg Castle by Frederick the Wise for his protection. But when he was ordered to recant his beliefs stood on the truth and declared: Here I stand; I can do no other. So help me God, amen. That one word – amen – is an interesting word. We have reduced it to a word bring a prayer to an end. “In Jesus name I pray. Amen”.

But the word, from the Greek, means – truth or truly. So when Jesus says to the thief on the cross “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise” – in the Greek it says “Amen, I say to you”. So each time you pray – and you end that pray with Amen – it is a statement of truth – in Jesus name.

 

John 8 is a really important chapter about truth. Later in the Chapter Jesus will declare about those who do not hold to the truth of the Gospel: You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! And that’s Satan’s way. It began in the Garden of Eden with Eve – did God really say.

 

So what Luther fought for and was prepared to die for was the Truth of the Gospel. And what is that truth?

Paul tells us clearly what the truth of the Gospel is: No one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law. For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.

And this is what Luther was fighting against – a righteousness before God other than Christ’s death for our sins. It is not new. It wasn’t the church of Luther’s time only. Even Paul had to contend with that when the Galatian church was led astray by a false Gospel. Paul says to them:  I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— which is really no gospel at all.

But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you?

 

So what that means is that as the church today we need to be continually on the watch for when the Church departs from the Gospel. It happens ever so slowly that we don’t realise it is happening. And again St Paul warns us through his Pastor Timothy: Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.  For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.

 

I know that Doctrine is not a pretty word in the church today. It’s too legalistic. But Paul knew what he was talking about because the truth of the Gospel is always under attack from the Father of lies. Did God really say? The moment we walk away from God’s truth then all of God’s truth becomes questionable. Did God really say – I love the world so much that I sent my Son so that whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. Did God really say – whoever believes and is Baptised will be saved. Did God really say – whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Yes he did and Amen to that.

 

Sermon 18th October 2026 – 21st Sunday after Pentecost Text: Matthew 22:15-22 – Whose Image?

 Sermon 18^th October 2026 – 21^st Sunday after Pentecost

Text: Matthew 22:15-22 – Whose Image?

 

The story of Al Capone is very interesting. He was a notorious gangster during the times Prohibition of Alcohol and the Great Depression in the 1920s. He was responsible for the St Valentines Day massacre when his men, dressed as police, shot and killed 7 men from a rival gang. A police force known as The Untouchables, led by Elliot Ness formed with one of its major targets – Al Capone. But they couldn’t make any of the murders stick. So they opted for a different method: They ignored his violent bootlegging and racketeering empire to focus strictly on 22 counts of federal tax evasion. In the end, they didn’t care about how they got him into jail as long as they got him in jail.

 

In our Gospel reading today we see a similar strategy. The Pharisees wanted Jesus arrested on blasphemy but he kept outsmarting them. They were afraid that if they arrested him that the Jewish people would cause an uprising because they were hoping Jesus was going lead a rebellion against the Roman rulers. They approach Jesus with a question intended to trap Him—a question about paying taxes to Caesar.  They attempt to corner Him into a position that would either alienate the Jewish people or have him breaking the Roman laws.  Remember when they asked Jesus about his authority and he turned the question on them by using John the Baptist. By whose authority did John Baptise – human or divine. And they were afraid to answer because each answer had a negative reaction. Here they believe they can get him with the same strategy..

 

The Question: “Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar?” If he answers – yes it is lawful – he’ll have the Jews against him. If he answers – no it’s not lawful – he’ll have the Roman authorities against him. We’ve got him But instead of taking the bait, Jesus responds with brilliance. Show me the coin used for paying the tax.” And they brought him a denarius.  Then he said to them, “Whose image is this on the coin, and whose title?”  It’s not a trick question. The coins are the same as ours;

Ours have the image of either Queen Elizabeth or King Charles. They answered, “The emperor’ – Caesar. The Response by Jesus: “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s – the things that bear his image. And render to God the things that are God’s – the things that bear God’s image.

 

In this moment, Jesus draws attention to the understanding of belonging using the image.  The coin bears Caesar’s image, signifying that it belongs to him.  But as followers of Christ, we must ponder whose image we bear.  Genesis reminds us that we are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27).  What does it mean to 'render' to God? Well, remember what Paul says Romans 12: Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

 

When Jesus instructs us to give to God what belongs to Him, He invites us to consider our lives, our time, our talents, and our resources.  Are we living in such a way that reflects God’s image?  Are we using the gifts He has given us for His glory?

To render to God means to fully recognize His presence over our entire existence. Whatever we do we do as God’s image as Paul says in 2nd Corinthians: We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. It calls us to be citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven while navigating our earthly responsibilities. As Paul says in Philippians 3: Many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.

 

God doesn’t just want our Sundays. Jesus calls us to a different standard—a life marked by total surrender. As Christians, we face this tug-of-war daily.  We are citizens of earth, but more importantly, we are citizens of the Kingdom of God. This loyalty calls us to engage with the world around us while holding fast to our Christian values and beliefs.

And sometimes they are at odds as the first Apostles discovered when they were demanded by the authorities to stop preach Christ publicly. When the authorities found them the next day preaching Christ – Peter’s response was – we must obey God rather than man.

 

Our Lord models how to engage with secular authority.  He shows us that we can honor obligations to a worldly Government while remaining faithful to divine principles. In fact Paul commands it in Romans 13: Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.

 

We are called by God to participate in society, to vote, contribute to our communities, pay taxes and not cheat on them.

But we must always do so through the eyes of our faith. Jesus is not concerned about taxes or politics—it’s about identity.  Who are we representing in our daily lives? Are we reflecting the image of Christ?  As we render to Caesar what is Caesar's, let us not forget to surrender our hearts, minds, and lives to God, for we are His image-bearers.  In every decision, every action, let us strive to show the world the love of Christ, the grace of God, and the truth of His Word. Let God’s truth guide us as we navigate our responsibilities in the world—balancing our earthly duties with our higher calling to God. May we be faithful citizens and disciples, remembering always the profound privilege it is to bear God’s image and to live as citizens of the Kingdom of God.

 

Sermon 11th October 2026 – 20th Sunday after Pentecost Text: Matthew 22:1-14 – All invited

 Sermon 11^th October 2026 – 20^th Sunday after Pentecost

Text: Matthew 22:1-14 – All invited

 

If you’ve ever thrown any type of celebration you know how difficult it can be to construct an invitation list. Due to costs and space you have to have a cut off somewhere and it’s always going to cause concern. If you can only invite 50 people – the person who would have been 51st wonders why they weren’t invited. But if you decide to invite 51 – then 52 says – what about me. And you have a reserved  list to replace those who can’t make it. I remember at our last wedding it was just after Covid so we have people ring on the day saying they have just tested positive and we scrambled to the phone and invited anyone who could replace them as they were paid for anyway.

 

In today’s Gospel reading we seem to have the opposite problem. There was no lack of money or space.

There was a lack of people to invite. And that was caused by those chosen first refusing to come along for a variety of reasons. The King begs them to come: Tell those who have been invited: Look, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready; come to the wedding banquet. So the King says: Go into the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.’

 

It’s hard to believe that anyone would refuse to attend – not just a wedding – a ROYAL wedding. The parable is supposed to teach us about God’s invitation to us and the sadness and confusion as to why people refuse God’s invitation to eternal life in Heaven. God’s invitation does not come with heavy demands but simply a willingness to allow God to love us. We see that that sadness in the voice of Jesus as he looks over God’s loved city Jerusalem: “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. The sadness was not over how they treated the prophets sent by God but their refusal to accepts God’s love and acceptance of them despite what they did to the prophets sent to them by God. It’s like the workers in the vineyard a couple weeks ago. They were angry at the landowners generosity to others even though they were paid exactly what they had agreed to work for.

 

As we reflect on this parable it helps us to understand the church’s predicament. We struggle to understand why people reject Jesus Christ. What are we doing wrong that people find Jesus so objectionable Is it his unconditional love. Is it the free gift of eternal life in heaven? Is it the image that the Church and Christians have portrayed of Jesus in the world? It’s hard to understand why people clamber when they hear of miracle drugs that will help them to lose weight – surgery that will make them look younger – super foods that will make them feel healthier. But suggest eternal life in heaven if they believe in Jesus Christ and they will mock you and at times even respond in anger.

 

It’s like what happened to the King’s messengers who were begging the people to come and be feasted upon by the King. They seized his messengers, mistreated them, and killed them – all because of an invitation to a wedding feast.  But, regardless of this terrible response, the gospel still prevails because God’s love still prevails, unconditionally:  When the expected guests refuse, God throws the doors wide open. No one is beyond the reach of grace.  No one is too broken. The banquet hall fills with people who never expected to be there.  Grace is scandalously inclusive.

 

But what has confused people is that despite God’s open and free invitation there is one who does not belong.

The king noticed a man there who was not wearing a wedding robe, and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’  Why was this man ejected despite the open invitation? We hear about that in John’s revelation when he sees a vision of the great wedding feast and declares: On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. 26 The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. 27 Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life. Nothing impure will ever enter it!

 

What we have here is the inability of Satan to do what he did to Adam and Eve in the new Heaven and new Earth. God will not allow a repeat of when Satan entered into God’s Garden of Eden and corrupted God’s first creation. He turned what was ‘very good’ to now know good and evil. But not in God’s new kingdom.

Only those who are found to wear the wedding garment which is Jesus Christ. As Paul says in Galatians 3: So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. The wedding garment is Christ Himself—His righteousness, His character, His way of life.

 

To receive the invitation is to receive the garment of Christ himself. What amazing Grace of God who not only invites all but provides the garment by which we are received. Which is why Paul says in our 2nd reading:  Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.  And the reason for that rejoicing Paul makes abundantly clear: The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

 

The wedding feast is not only for the elite – not only for the A Listers – it is for family. And as John says in his Gospel, chapter one - to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. We are all children of God. And so Paul encourages us:  Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.

 

 

Sermon 4th October 2026 – 19th Sunday after Pentecost Text: Philippians 3:4b-14 – Greatness received, not taken.

 Sermon 4^th October 2026 – 19^th Sunday after Pentecost

Text: Philippians 3:4b-14 – Greatness received, not taken.

 

In our bible reading last week St Paul spoke extensively about the humility of Jesus. He spoke about Jesus giving up his heavenly glory to take on human flesh. He said – Christ emptied himself. He spoke of the continual humility of Jesus life that eventually led to his death on a cross. He became obedient unto death – even death on a cross. But, mysteriously, that humility and what seemed to be defeat, became the foundation of his greatness. God gave to Jesus the name that is above all names. God exalted him to the highest place where every knee would bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord.

 

This is so different to his appearance at his trial and what he experienced just prior to his death where he was mocked – spat on – beaten – and humiliated to the point where people shook their heads at his disgusting appearance – just as Isaiah had prophesied: He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.

 

One could argue that Isaiah is not just talking about Jesus’ pre death appearance but also his appearance and the appearance of the church today in the world. Jesus is not desired by most of humanity – people are not attracted to him – he is despised and rejected by most of humankind. The mocking continues. As Matthew says when people saw Jesus on the cross -tThose who walked by shook their heads and laughed at Him. Paul would become no stranger to this experience as his life drastically changes when he becomes a Christian after he experiences the risen Christ on the road to Damascus.

He speaks about what his life was like before meeting Christ in our bible reading: A life of opulence – a life of respect by people. If anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.

 

But Paul loses everything on that day when he arrives at the house of Ananias and is baptised into the family of Jesus Christ. He loses everything but gains more. And that’s what Baptism does. It places us on a trajectory towards Christ and against Satan – as we confess when we are Baptised. I renounce the devil and all his works and all his ways. Even Jesus, after he was Baptised, was led into the front line into a battle with Satan but overcame the 3 temptations – unlike Adam and Eve. But Paul has no regrets. In fact, to Paul, it is like a badge of honour: Whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ

 

Paul reveals a mystery hidden deep in Christ – that greatness is not found in earthly measures but by what God bestows on us. Blessings are found, as Paul discovers, by knowing Christ and the power of his resurrection AND the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, That’s not a message that we hear from the world and sadly it’s not always a message which the church lives by. Where we measure ourselves on earthly measures – our finances – our attendance – our demographics. The church needs to measure itself, as Jesus did, on faithfulness to God’s call. Jesus didn’t earn the name above all names – no, he was given the name that is above all names by God his Father. Jesus had to teach his disciple who didn’t understand humility.

 

James and John, the sons of Zebedee wanted to claim that greatness for themselves rather than receive it. They came to Jeus and said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.” “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked. They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.” Jesus replies: whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Which is exactly what St Paul says in our bible reading: Christ made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, Though he was still God he did not claim his equality to God for his own benefit.

Humility is not easy to do. It is human nature to want to be better than others. Sometimes we might even hope failure on others so we feel better. This is what we call pride. It was pride that saw Satan’s downfall from the most glorious of God’s angels – a leading Cherubim to utter disgrace and doom as Ezekiel writes “You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you. Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth;

 

Remember what Jesus said when the disciples came back bragging about their successes – I saw Satan fall like lightning to the earth. Don’t boast about your successes but that your name is written in heaven. It was by this same pride that Satan led Adam and Eve away from God promising that if they disobey God then they would be like God. It was this same pride by which Satan unsuccessfully tempted Jesus – bow down and worship me and I will give you all the kingdoms of the earth.

It is the same pride by which we are constantly tempted to put our faith in ourselves particularly when we are facing times of trial.

 

Paul had so much to boast about but in the end could only boast about knowing Christ and his crucifixion for his salvation.

It is human nature to look to our own strength – like the man coming to Jesus seek the secrets of eternal life:  “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” Jesus replied If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.” The man replied: All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?”  Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”  When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. It wasn’t his wealth that was the error by trusting in them above Jesus.

 

Jesus says – seek first the kingdom of God and everything else will be added unto you. Now this speaks not only to our personal relationship with God but the church’s relationship with God. As the church we are not to measure ourselves by earthly measures – attendances – finances – demographics. We are to measure ourselves by our faithfulness to God’s Word. Just look at the tenants of the vineyard in the parable Jesus told. Their pride meant they weren’t happy until they were in control. Humility is the means by which God bestows blessing on us – as he did with Jesus when he exalted him to the highest place – not because he earned it but because he was ready to receive it.

 

Are you ready to receive God’s blessings? Then we need to empty ourselves and cast aside anything which we are putting our faith and trust in other than Christ. We need to consider them as rubbish in order to gain Christ. And that may mean sharing in Christ’s suffering in order that we may receive his glory as Paul proclaimed. But as we share in Christ’s suffering we also share in his glory and the resurrection. So, as Paul says – forget what’s behind us – forget what Satan has thrown at you – keep your eye focused on the future – the prize of eternal life in heaven. That’s all we need to be concerned about.

 

Sermon 26th July 2026 – 9th Sunday after Pentecost Text: Romans 8:26-39 – God’s inseparable love

 Sermon 26^th July 2026 – 9^th Sunday after Pentecost

Text: Romans 8:26-39 – God’s inseparable love

 

There are many passages that speak of God love in the bible but none more important than what Paul has to say here. These verses describe God’s unfailing love and his plan for our lives, and the assurance that nothing can separate us from His love.  Paul begins with an important statement: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”  Here, we see the foundational truth that God is all powerful and all loving.  He watches over everything in our lives, even the trials and tribulations, to bring about good.

 

Don’t misunderstand what Paul is saying. He is not saying that God creates trials, tribulations and suffering to bring about good. No, these exist in the world because our world has fallen away from God. But God doesn’t abandon us – just as Joseph declared when his brothers committed evil against him. He said to them – what you intended for evil, God used for good. Through their evil God used Joseph to feed the world during a 7 year famine. Life presents us with challenges at times that often leave us questioning God’s goodness.  Illness, financial struggles, relationship issues—these can hide the goodness of God.  Yet, Paul assures us that God is at work.

 

We may not see the immediate results, but God’s purpose for us is eternal life.  We must understand that God’s definition of goodness may differ from ours.  God’s goodness is about us not losing our faith and reaching eternal life. God’s desire is for all people to be saved and come to the knowledge of truth. The presence of suffering does NOT mean the absence of God’s love. But through faith we can experience, as Paul said earlier, the formation of character, deeper faith, and a hope that assures us of God’s love for us.  In everything, God’s love and eternal plan for us remains paramount. And that’s what Paul means when he says, “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son…”

 

What does predestined mean? It means that God’s plan is for all people to be saved. Does that mean everyone is saved?

No. Because of free will we can reject God’s gift but God doesn’t stop loving us and working to call us back to him. Each one of us is called to a distinct purpose.  God knows us intimately; He has a divine calling for our lives.  We are not accidents or mere byproducts of evolution; we are chosen and cherished. This is what Paul means in Ephesians 2 when he says - For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Notice 2 things – we are God’s masterpiece and he has planned good works for us long ago

 

So being predestined calls us to adoption as God’s children.  This identity confers not just privilege, but responsibility. As adopted heirs of Christ, we reflect His love and grace to the world. And despite all the opposition – despite all the ridicule – despite all the persecution it is comforting to hear Paul say - “If God is for us, who can be against us?”  When God is our advocate, when God is in our corner, the forces of darkness and discouragement are, in fact, powerless against us. When faced with trials— physical, emotional, or spiritual—we have no fear. As King David says in Psalm 23 – even though I walk through the valley of he shadow of death – I will not be afraid because you are with me. And because God is with us then we are reminded that “in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”

 

This is our victory: not through our strength but through His love.  Our circumstances may be difficult at times, but with God’s love, we can endure! And God’s love, when it comes to God, is not negotiable. Paul says nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Nothing! Not tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger, or sword—none of it can sever our relationship with Him. This teaches us about the certainty of our salvation.  As Paul says earlier in Romans. There is NO condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. Regardless of what we face, we can rest in the assurance that God’s love remains steadfast and sure.

 

God invites us to walk in faith, trusting that even our darkest days cannot extinguish His light and love. And we are invited to respond to the overwhelming love of God by sharing it with others.  In a world filled with uncertainty, we are called to be beacons of hope. To speak words of encouragement, extend grace, and embody the love that we have received.

So while the road of life may be fraught with challenges, let us find comfort and assurance in the promises found in what Paul says about God’s love.  God is sovereign, our identity is secure, our victory is certain, and His love is inescapable.  May we walk in this truth, inviting the world to experience the eternal love of our Savior.