Sermon 29th March 2026 – Palm Sunday A humble King

 Sermon 29^th March 2026 – Palm Sunday

A humble King

 

Holy Week begins as a celebration with Palm Sunday—people waving branches, shouts of “Hosanna,” the energy of a crowd that senses something big is happening. But then we notice something odd: this is the most unusual triumphal entry imaginable. No war horse. No armour. No chariots. Just a borrowed donkey, dusty cloaks, and a crowd that doesn’t yet understand what kind of king they are welcoming. Palm Sunday is a triumph, yes—but a strange one.  It’s the triumph of a king who refuses to be what the world expects. Jesus did not conform to the expectations of the world.  He reframed what it means to be a king.

 

In a society that elevates power, wealth, and domination, Jesus turned everything upside down. Just look at what our world is facing today regarding domination. Jesus teaches us that true strength lies in service, compassion, and humility. As Christians we are called to embody these values in our lives. As Paul says in our 2nd reading: Let the same mind be in you as was in Christ. Christ humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death-- even death on a cross. Therefore, God highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name,

 

Jesus enters Jerusalem not as a conqueror but as a servant and yet he still conquers.  Think of most worldly leaders who expect to be served by those under them – not Jesus. He came, not to be served but to serve. The donkey is not an accident; it’s a declaration. In the ancient world, kings rode horses when they came for war and donkeys when they came in peace.  Jesus is making a claim about who he is—and who he is not. And that’s probably what set the people against him. Yes, they wanted peace but they wanted peace on their terms by ousting the oppressive Romans. But it is through peace and humility that true triumph comes, as Paul says – At the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

 

Jesus is a king, but not the kind who dominates – he emptied himself and became a servant of all. It reminds me of King David who threw off the worldly armour placed on him to fight Goliath to fight him with the Name of God. You come at me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of the Heavenly Armies, the God. Jesus is powerful, but not in the way people assume – he did not use his equality with God for his own advantage.. He is sovereign, but his sovereignty is expressed through humility.

 

Palm Sunday confronts us with a question: Do we truly want the king Jesus actually is, or, like the fickle crowd, the king we wish he would be? A king in God’s own image – or a King in our own image? And that’s exactly how people still see Jesus – they want a Jesus on their terms. The people were anticipating someone. God had promised to send someone to save them from the oppression. When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, "Who is this?"  The crowds were saying, "This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee  They were shouting “Hosanna” “Hosanna” means “Save us!”  But the crowd’s idea of being saved was political. They want liberation from Rome.  And the only way this was going to happen was by a revolution.  They want Jesus to fix the world on their terms. And isn’t that how we think? We want God to fix the world on OUR terms. And when Jesus doesn’t – when he arrives on a donkey —when he refuses violence, refuses power games, refuses to be co-opted—these same voices will soon change from Hosanna to “Crucify”.

 

The call for us today is to examine our own hearts: Do we worship Jesus only when He meets our expectations? Are our shouts of “Hallelujah” consistent even during the storms of life? Palm Sunday exposes the fickleness of human hearts. It reveals how quickly praise can turn to disappointment when God doesn’t meet our expectations. But it also reveals something deeper: What they didn’t understand was that Jesus came to save them from far more than Roman enemy.  He came to save them from the true enemy: sin, fear, and death.

 

Jesus enters Jerusalem knowing exactly where the road leads: to confrontation, to betrayal, to suffering, to a cross.

The road Peter didn’t want him to take but one which was the only way to bring true victory over a much greater enemy – DEATH.

Jesus does not avoid it. He does not resist it. He walks toward it with purpose. This is the heart of Palm Sunday: Jesus chooses the path of self-giving love. He shows us that the kingdom of God does not advance through force but through sacrifice. Not through domination but through compassion. Not through victory as the world defines it, but through the victory of the cross.

 

Palm Sunday is the doorway into Holy Week, and it invites us to walk with Jesus—not cheering from the sidelines, but following him in costly discipleship. Palm Sunday is not just a story to remember; it’s a posture to adopt. We follow a humble king. So we are called to humility in our relationships, our leadership, our choices. As St Paul said in our 2nd reading –  Have the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,  So we are called to lay aside our agendas and need for control—before the One who truly saves.

 

Following Jesus into Holy Week means embracing a faith that is not always comfortable. It means trusting God even when the path leads through the valley of the shadow of death. Palm Sunday is a promise: The story does not end in suffering and death although it passes through suffering and death. The king who enters in humility will rise in glory. Jesus still comes in humility. He still refuses to be the king we try to remake in our image. He still invites us to follow him into a kingdom shaped by love, mercy, and self-giving grace.

 

So today, with our palms we echo the ancient cry: “Hosanna! Save us!” And we trust that the One who rides the donkey is the One who saves—not by meeting our expectations, but by exceeding them in ways we could never imagine. So as we prepare to journey through Holy Week, let us carry the humility of Palm.  Let us recognize Jesus as our humble King — who, despite the temptation to choose the path of popularity, chose the path of suffering to save us.  Let us commit to living as reflections of His love and humility, eager to spread the Good News of His kingdom.

 

Sermon 22nd March 2026 – 5th Sunday in Lent Text John 9:1-45 - Authority over life and death

 Sermon 22^nd March 2026 – 5^th Sunday in Lent

Text John 9:1-45 - Authority over life and death

 

You often hear a comment in sporting comebacks – that this is the biggest comeback since Lazarus. The reference concerns a team that is losing suddenly and surprisingly finding a way to win. But do people understand what that saying actually means? We know that’s it’s about Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead.  

 

This story is found only in the Gospel of John. But we need to understand that this is not merely a miracle of restoration but a profound revelation of who Jesus is and what his authority is over life and death – as he will tell Mary and Marthy – I am the Resurrection and the Life.  

 

This story reminds me of Job. If you’re not familiar with Job – Satan asked God for permission to test Job’s faith. Satan believed that Job only had faith in God because God kept blessing him. Take away his blessings and Job will curse you, said Satan. God gave him permission to take away everything Job had but God said to Satan you can’t touch Job. Satan does that and Job still blesses God – naked I came to this life and naked I will leave. So Satan asked to up the ante. Skin for skin. God permitted Satan to physically strike Job but he couldn’t take his life away from him. So Job is struck with painful sores – but still has faith in God as he tries to understand his suffering. In this we learn that God has power and authority over life and death. God sets the boundaries.

 

Jesus explained that in Matthew chapter 10 when he said - Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And here Jesus shows that authority over life and death also. Here we will see the depth of God's love, the power of faith, and the promise of eternal life. The scene begins with Lazarus, the beloved friend of Jesus, falling ill.  His sisters, Mary and Martha, send word to Jesus, knowing that He has the power to heal.  However, Jesus intentionally delays His arrival.  Why would He choose to wait during a time of crisis?  Isn’t that a question we ask sometimes? Why doesn’t God answer my prayer for healing when I ask? This moment illustrates a fundamental truth about our relationship with God:  God’s timing often differs from our own.

 

Martha and Mary were deep in grief, surrounded by mourning and despair.  But also they were disappointed with Jesus – Lord if you had been here our brother would not have died. How many times have we found ourselves in similar circumstances of disappointment?  The story reminds us that grief is a part of our human experience, but it does not define our identity. Remember what St Paul told the Thessalonians – let us grieve – but not like those who have no hope. Hope is our identity. We have hope in Jesus being the resurrection and the life.

 

So Jesus responds to the disappointment with profound words of hope: "Your brother will rise again."  Martha acknowledges a future resurrection but doesn't grasp the present reality:  Jesus declares, “I am the resurrection and the life.” This is another of Jesus’ “I AM” statements – also unique to John’s Gospel. And just like St Paul who speaks of God’s promises being present realities – Jesus says “I AM” to create hope NOW.

 

What does this mean for us today?  It means that we are not just waiting for a distant promise of resurrection; we can experience the power of Christ’s resurrection in our lives here and now.  Jesus meets us in our pain and suffering, inviting us to believe in His ability to bring hope from despair, life from death, and joy from sorrow. Jesus is moved deeply by the grief surrounding Him.  He weeps with Mary and the mourners, showing us that He is not distant in our suffering.  As the book of Hebrews says – we have a High Priest who empathises with our sufferings. His compassion is real - He feels our sorrow - literally.

 

Yet, what follows must have felt incomprehensible to those present: “Take away the stone,”  Jesus commands.  In the face of death, He asks them to take an action that required faith.  Jesus invites us to participate in His work, even when it seems futile or beyond hope. What doubts, fears, or past failures do we need to lift from our lives?  What is blocking the doorway for God's miraculous work to be revealed. Finally, with a loud voice, Jesus calls, “Lazarus, come out!”  This is Jesus taking control over death.

Just like he took control over the wind and waves when he told them to “be quiet”. This is St Paul’s declaration in Philippians being fulfilled: God 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

 

And much to the amazement of all, Lazarus emerges from the tomb, alive and unbound.  But death was not giving up – so Jesus commands again: Unbind him and let him go. This miracle is a foretaste of the greatest act of resurrection: Jesus conquering death itself. It’s only a foretaste because Lazarus will have to face death again. Lazarus serves as a symbol of our own spiritual awakening as we await our full resurrection to eternal life.

 

We, too, have been called out of the darkness of sin and death into the marvelous light of Christ.  The same power that raised Lazarus is at work in us daily, transforming our lives, renewing our spirits, and enabling us to walk in newness of life. As we reflect on the story of Lazarus, let us remember that Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life.  He invites us to lay our struggles at His feet and to believe in the power of His love and to keep hope in him even when it seems he has delayed his answer to our prayers. Whether you are facing the grief of loss, the weight of sin, or the uncertainty of the future, Jesus stands ready to bring life where there seems to be none.

 

Let us walk in faith, trusting in His word and roll away the stones obstructing our view of God's glory.

And let us rejoice in the truth that, through Him, we have eternal life—a life that begins now and continues forever. Amen.

 

Sermon 15th March 2026 – 4th Sunday in Lent Text: John 9:1-42 – Suffering and sin

 Sermon 15^th March 2026 – 4^th Sunday in Lent

Text: John 9:1-42 – Suffering and sin

 

Have you ever heard someone say – if I ever entered into a church the walls would come crashing down? Or perhaps, I must have done something really bad for God to punish me this way. It’s often how people assess tragedies that somehow God is punishing us in this life ahead of the coming judgment. Is that how you understand suffering? It’s partly why natural disasters were often called “acts of God”. This is similar to the thinking of today’s encounter. Jesus and His disciples come across a man who has been blind from birth. The disciples, full of curiosity and perhaps misunderstanding, ask Jesus who sinned—this man or his parents—that he was born blind.

 

This question reflects the common belief of that time: suffering was often attributed to sin in the Old Testament. In times of drought, times of exile, times of defeat by their enemies – the Israelites would cry out to the Lord in repentance of their sin and God would deliver them.. What other explanation could there be if we truly have a loving and righteous God.

However, Jesus redirects their thinking, stating very clearly, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned; but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him” (John 9:3). Here we see the first crucial lesson: not all suffering is a direct result of sin.  Sometimes it is – but not sent by God. Sometimes our suffering is a consequence of our actions or someone else’s actions but not God sending the suffering to teach us a lesson.

 

Sometimes, our struggles serve a greater purpose and that was part of the mystery we heard last week where Paul rejoiced in his sufferings which produced perseverance, character and hope. God works through our afflictions, and even in our darkest moments, God can use our suffering for His glory to be revealed.  Just think of the suffering of Joseph in the Old Testament – sold by his brothers in to slavery – sentenced to prison because of the lies of Potipher’s wife – forgotten by the cup bearer who promised to tell Pharaoh about his ability to interpret dreams. And yet Joseph, rather than taking revenge on his brothers says – what you intended for evil God used for good – for his purpose.

 

This blind man’s encounter with Jesus would also become an opportunity for God’s hidden power to be revealed. Just think for a moment about what Samuel is facing. Samuel has been asked to anoint the new King of Israel after God had rejected Saul. All he knows is that it will be one of the sons of Jesse. He goes to Jesse’s home and his sons are paraded before him.

He only needs to see the first of Jesse’s son – the first born – Eliab – to realise in this encounter – here is God’s power for Israel. But then God reveals how his hidden power in life works: Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the Lord does not see as human see. Isn’t that how we determine power? Measured by success and blessing. A good job – a good home – a good retirement plan – things we can see. But weren’t they all the things that Abraham was asked to leave behind so God could reveal his purpose to him?

 

God chooses the most unlikely of all Jesse’s sons to become King. In fact he was not even presented at first. Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And Jesse said, “There remains yet the youngest, but he is keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and bring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here. And that is whom God chose to reveal his hidden power. The most unlikely encounter.

 

In our Gospel reading, Jesus demonstrates His authority and compassion by spitting on the ground, making mud, and  applying it to the blind man’s eyes.  He instructs him to wash in the Pool of Siloam.  The act of healing is interesting —Jesus uses something as simple as dirt to restore sight. The same dirt from which Adam was formed. Namaan the leper in the Old Testament almost didn’t get healed because Elisha did something similar where Namaan was expecting a much more spectacular show by Elisha’s encounter with royalty. But unlike Namaan’s initial refusal to wash in the Jordan, the blind man’s obedience leads to his healing.  Upon washing, he is transformed from blindness to sight. Like Abraham, trusting Christ leads to restoration.  Not always physical healing but more importantly spiritual healing where we see God’s love for us hidden in our suffering through compassion and empathy.

 

As the man rejoices in his newfound sight, his neighbors and those who had known him as a blind beggar are confused.  Surely this can’t be the same man. No one has ever heard of a man born blind regaining his sight. The man’s confession stands firm: “I am the man!”  Unfortunately the same compassion isn’t shown by the religious leaders of Jesus’ time. They question God’s presence in the miracle and Jesus’ authority asking how He could heal on the Sabbath. This understanding reveals a different kind of blindness: The danger of spiritual blindness that can come where compassion and love for others is missing.  The Pharisees were so consumed by their own interpretations and laws that they missed out on the reality of God’s work when they encounter Jesus – God’s own Son.

 

Are there ways we are closing our eyes to God’s encounter in our lives because of preconceived notions or rigid beliefs?  Are we spiritually blind ourselves but don’t realise it? The healed man now has understanding of who Jesus is.

Initially, he refers to Jesus as “the man called Jesus.” He then acknowledges Jesus as a prophet. Finally, when Jesus reveals Himself to the healed ma n, he responds with reverence: “Lord, I believe!”  In a powerful twist, the very man who physically could not see was now the one with profound spiritual insight.  However, the ones who proclaimed superior spiritual sight had been blinded by the light of Christ. This emphasizes an essential lesson for us: spiritual sight often comes through the journey of faith.

 

It’s not the ability to see with our physical eyes; it is the ability to perceive truth and beauty through spiritual understanding. As we reflect on this powerful encounter, we are reminded that Jesus is indeed the Light of the World.  As John says in Chapter one of his Gospel - He comes to dispel the darkness. Jesus came to open the eyes of the spiritually blind, and to lead us into fullness of life.  And so we must continually examine our lives: “What areas of our lives are we blind to?”

Are we missing the truth of God’s work around us.  Just like the man who was healed, let us boldly proclaim our faith as the light of Christ to those who continue to walk in darkness.

 

Let us carry the light of Christ, guiding them towards His love and healing. Let us pray for spiritual sight—both for ourselves and for those in our community who are still searching for the truth.  And like the man born blind, not only receive healing for our spiritual blindness but also become witnesses to the light of Christ.

 

Sermon 8th March 2026 – 3rd Sunday in Lent Text: Romans 5:1-11 – Hope in suffering

 Sermon 8^th March 2026 – 3rd Sunday in Lent

Text: Romans 5:1-11 – Hope in suffering

 

St Paul presents us with a beautiful message of hope and love even in the midst of our most difficult times. Paul begins with a powerful declaration: "Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Notice Paul’s statement of when this happens -  We HAVE been justified – we HAVE peace with God. These are present realities not future dreams. And as we learned last week from John 3:16 –God’s love is not something we earn; it is a gift from God from the heart of God  - his unconditional love for us.  Through faith in Jesus, our sins are forgiven, and we are declared righteous.  Which means we don’t have to wait to learn our fate when we face God after we die.

 

In Colossians 3 Paul says we HAVE been raised with Christ already. And in Ephesians 2 he says something even more  profound:  God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus. It might not feel like that especially when going through times of suffering but that is part of the mystery that Paul will reveal in our Bible reading today. We are no longer separated from God; instead, we are invited into a relationship of peace with Him. Paul explains that through Christ, we have access to grace in which we stand.  This grace is not just a one-time event; it is the very foundation of our lives as believers in Jesus Christ..

 

In a world filled with chaos and uncertainty, we stand firm in the grace that God has gifted to us. This peace is not merely the absence of conflict but a deep-seated assurance that we are right with God.  It enables us to face the storms of life with confidence, knowing that we are loved and accepted as His children. But now we come up to one of the most difficult, and dare I say, strangest of Paul’s statements.  He says:" We rejoice in our sufferings” Could you imagine sending someone a “congratulations” because you’ve heard they are suffering? But Paul sees suffering as part of a mystery because suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope." And it’s all about hope for Paul.

 

Hope is a major part of Paul’s understanding of God. Even in death Paul says in Thessalonians – let us grieve – but no like those who have no hope. In the midst of our struggles, Paul calls on us to rejoice—not for the pain itself but for the work that God is doing within us.  For Paul’s understanding of hope, each trial is an opportunity to grow in our faith and trust in God rather than ourselves. Suffering leads to endurance, endurance forms character, and character gives birth to hope.

This hope is not wishful thinking; it is a confident expectation in the love of God. In fact Paul says he boasts about his suffering because he sees Jesus nearer to him and says “when I am weak, then I am strong”.

 

Paul reminds us that God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit."  In our darkest moments, we can cling to the truth that God’s love is ever-present, assuring us that we are never alone. And God’s love is not dependant on us in any way. In fact, Paul says that it was while we were still sinners, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly." It was at our weakest, in our most vulnerable, in our most desperate state, that Christ came to be with us.  At just the right time, while we were still sinners, Jesus gave His life for us. This demonstrates the depth of God’s love—a love that seeks us out, regardless of what we might think of ourselves or what others think of us.

 

God loves us because we are his children. In our Baptism God affirmed that – you are my child whom I love. Paul acknowledges that it is rare for someone to die even for a righteous person, but God’s love surpasses all human understanding.  He didn’t wait for us to become worthy – because that would never happen;  God loved us as we are because he created us. In light of this, Paul reassures us that if we have been justified by His blood, we will be saved from the wrath of God. Our salvation – our home is heaven - is secure in the unconditional love of God for us.

 

Paul concludes this passage with a triumphant declaration: "We also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation." Through Jesus, we have been restored to right relationship with God our Creator. We are no longer enemies but friends, children of God, co-heirs with Christ.  This reconciliation is the ultimate expression of God’s grace. In this truth, we find not only assurance but also a reason to rejoice – even in our suffering.  Our lives should overflow with gratitude and joy because of what Christ has accomplished for us. And because of this glorious gift, we are called to share this message of hope and reconciliation with the world around us.

 

We are called to be examples of His love, reflecting the light of Christ in our words and deeds. We are called to bring the same hope we have into a world that is struggling to find any hope at all. Our hope is not found in money. Our hope is not found in possessions. Our hope is not found if fame or fortune. Hope for the world is not found in military strength or economic booms. Hope – true hope – is found only in Christ and for that reason Paul highlights that when we go through our times of suffering we remember that we don’t have all the answers. Only Jesus has the answer because at the right time he came to live among us and take away everything that separated us from God. The righteous for the unrighteous.

God made him who had no sin to become our sin so that we would become the righteousness of God. That is our hope.

Sermon 1st March 2026 – 2nd Sunday in Lent Text Romans 4:1-5, 13-17 – an undeserved gift.

 Sermon 1^st March 2026 – 2^nd Sunday in Lent

Text Romans 4:1-5, 13-17 – an undeserved gift.

 

How do you feel when you go into a café – you pay for your coffee or meal – and there you see the “tip jar”. Do you feel guilty if you don’t leave a tip? In Australia we are not as used to “tipping” as in America because our rate of pay is higher.  And you hear people grumbling – why should I give a tip – they get paid – I don’t get a tip for doing my job. In the US you often hear when watching a TV how wait staff say that they rely on their tips to make a living. A tip goes over and above what you owe for what you have received. The café is responsible for paying staff – you pay for your products. A tip is a bonus.

 

If you keep this in mind and look at today’s reading from Paul, I think this is the reasoning Paul is trying to make when it comes to God’s grace and our eternal life. He says - Now to one who works, wages are not reckoned as a gift but as something due. It’s what’s called a quid pro quo – you do something and you receive something in return. Over and above what is due is considered a gift – like a tip. So Paul’s line of reasoning is that what we deserve is very different to what we receive. We deserve God’s eternal judgment. But what we receive is eternal life in heaven. In Romans chapter 6 Paul will make that plainly clear when he says: For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

So Paul is making it very clear that there is nothing due to us from God that equates to eternal life. On the contrary – we deserve only death. So the good works we do, do not contribute one iota to our salvation. No. Everything we do, no matter how good is not sufficient for what we owe. That is so hard to understand but it is so freeing. Our eternal life in heaven is a pure undeserved gift from God.

It’s not a tip for the good service we’ve provided.

Paul uses the example of Abraham to explain the gift of God’s righteousness. God wanted to use Abraham (or Abram as he was then known) to show how righteousness works. Righteousness means being made right by God. And it’s there in the first verse: The Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your family and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. God was telling Abraham to leave EVERYTHING behind – your country, your family, your father’s house. God was telling Abraham to empty himself and fill the empty void with God – Go to the land “I WILL SHOW YOU”. God didn’t tell Abraham where he was going. He had to trust God leading him. And Paul says - Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. It wasn’t a reward for good works. No. Abraham didn’t know what he was doing – he was simply trusting God.

He didn’t ask “why” or “where am I going”.

 

And that’s where Paul makes a distinction between good works and trust. To one who works, wages are not reckoned as a gift but as something due.  But to one who without works trusts him who justifies the ungodly, such faith is reckoned as righteousness. That’s what Abraham did. He left everything worldly behind. And this is also what Jesus is trying to teach Nicodemus.

Jesus says - no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.

 

There is nothing in this life that can credit us with the kingdom of God. And Nicodemus is stumped. He doesn’t understand how our earthly good works don’t contribute to God’s righteousness. Nicodemus said to him, “How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born? Nicodemus only sees the physical born – the flesh – and can’t understand how someone goes through a 2nd physical birth.

How can I re-enter my mother's womb and be born again?

And Jesus corrects him:

No one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.

What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.

And in the next Chapter, Jesus says to the Samaritan woman at the well - God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Jesus uses an example Nicodemus would have understood – the venomous snakes God sent in the days of Moses because of the Israelites grumbling. To escape death there was nothing they could do except trust God and a bronze serpent that he had Moses erect and to simply look at it and believe. They were still bitten by venomous snakes but by trusting God and looking at the bronze serpent they didn’t die from the venom. Jesus says: just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. No works – just trust. And then we hear the entire work of God through Jesus in one sentence: God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. That’s it. No complicated system of sacrifices. No list of rules we have to follow. No. God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

 

The pure Gospel from the one whom Paul says - gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.

When we go through times of doubts of our worthiness before God it is easy to look at the things we do to comfort ourselves. But that may provide a temporary comfort but we will find ourselves need to keep going back again and again.

So instead of looking back at what we have done we look to what God has done because that is not temporary but forever. And just as Israel looked at the bronze serpent that was lifted high to save them from death, we keep looking to the cross of Jesus Christ who was lifted high so that we would not perish but receive eternal life.

 

Sermon 22nd February 2026 – 1st Sunday in Lent Text Matthew 4:1-11 – Tempting

 Sermon 22^nd February 2026 – 1^st Sunday in Lent

Text Matthew 4:1-11 – Tempting

 

Although it’s not part of our reading, what happens today comes immediately after Jesus has been baptised. Much like the transfiguration last week, at Jesus’ baptism we see the heavens opened and a voice declaring, “This is my Son, the Beloved.” In Jesus baptism we see on extra detail - The Holy Spirit descended upon him. And then—immediately—the same Holy Spirit leads Him into the wilderness. It’s a reminder, like the Transfiguration, that spiritual highs do not exempt us from spiritual battles.

 

Sometimes God’s special moments prepare us for wilderness experiences as we see in our Baptism rite where the very first question is asked – do you renounce the devil and all his works and all his ways. Baptism sets us on a course opposed to Satan. The wilderness is not a punishment. It is not a sign that God has abandoned us. It is the place where faith is tested and strengthened. Jesus is hungry, alone, physically weak—exactly the kind of moment when temptation feels most persuasive – and Satan knows it. You probably know this wilderness. The wilderness is the season when life feels stripped back: when life fall apart, when grief hits, when uncertainty grows, when we feel spiritually dry, when the people and things we used to rely on for support are no longer there.  The wilderness is where the question “Who am I?” becomes painfully real.

 

The devil begins with something that sounds reasonable to Jesus “You’re hungry. Fix it. Use your power for yourself.” He used the same reasonable comment with Eve. When Eve saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; Why not? It’s there – why would God have placed it there if he didn’t want us to taste it. But Jesus refuses to satisfy his human hunger and fill his hunger for righteousness. He answers with Scripture: “People do not live by bread alone.” This is not a rejection of food.

It is a rejection of a life driven by immediate desire. He chooses trust over impulse. He chooses God’s word over self gratification.

 

In the next temptation the devil quotes Scripture—twisted, weaponised, taken out of context. “Prove who you are. Force God’s hand. Make Him catch you.” If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ If God loves you he won’t let anything happen to you. It was how he tricked Eve:Did God say, ‘You shall not eat from any tree in the garden’?” The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden; but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, nor shall you touch it, or you shall die.’“ But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not die;  Satan twisted the words to manipulate Eve.

If God loves you he won’t let anything happen to you. Jesus refuses. “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.” Faith is not a performance. It is not a bargain. I’ll do this if you do that. It is not a stunt like a magic performance.

 

It’s very much like Peter’s encounter with Simon the sorcerer in Acts: When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! The devil then shows Jesus the kingdoms of the world and offers them in exchange for worship. How many churches fall for this trap? Watering down God’s word to be more entertaining and attract people? This is the temptation to take a shortcut. To grasp power without sacrifice. To claim glory without the cross. The temptation to take one little bite: God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God. But at what cost? Knowing good and evil.

 

Up to that point God had held back evil – God saw the creation and behold it was “very good”. Jesus answers: “Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.” Jesus doesn’t choose the short cut. He chooses the long road. The costly road.

The road of obedience, humility, and love. The road Peter did not want to take when Jesus said he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. But Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”

 

Jesus does not overcome temptation by sheer willpower. None of us ever can. He overcomes it by God’s word and promises. Every temptation begins with the same whisper: “If you are the Son of God…” The devil tries to make Jesus doubt the very identity God has just affirmed. And likewise he will do the same with you. You call yourself a Christian? All Christians are hypocrites. That’s how temptation works for us. It attacks our identity as loved and saved Children of God.

It manipulates the Gospel: “You’re not good enough.” “You’re alone.” “You’re unloved.” “You’re a failure.” “You should take control because God won’t come through.” Jesus stands firm because He knows the truth spoken at His baptism: “You are my beloved.” That is the truth that carries Him through the wilderness. And it is the truth that carries us too. We all face temptations—: to define ourselves by what we have, to prove ourselves through achievement, to seek power, control, or shortcuts, to doubt God’s goodness, to forget our identity as beloved children of God.

 

The wilderness exposes our vulnerabilities, but it also reveals God’s faithfulness.At the end of the passage, angels come and care for Jesus. God was there all along. And he is there for you to as Jesus promised in our Baptism. I am with you always till the end of the age. Not “until you mess up” No – always – till the end of the age. The Temptation of Jesus is not about how strong we must be. It is about how faithful Jesus is. He faces the full weight of temptation and remains true.

As the Book of Hebrews reminds us:  We have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God. Let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.  For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Mercy and grace – not judgment.

 

Where Israel fell, where Adam and Eve fell where we fall – Jesus stands firm. And because He stands, we can stand with Him. He is not our example to follow. He is our strength. He is our companion in the wilderness. He is the One who has walked this path before us and walks it with us still. The wilderness is real. Temptation is real. But so is the voice that speaks over us: “You are my beloved.” When you are tested—remember that voice. When you fail – remember that voice.

When you feel alone—remember that voice. Jesus shows us that our identity as children of God is stronger than temptation, God’s word is stronger than the enemy’s lies, The wilderness is not our home but a path we journey through.

 

Sermon Ash Wednesday 2026

 Sermon Ash Wednesday 2026

 

Ash Wednesday is a strange day in the church year. We are not celebrating Jesus’ birth, or rejoicing in his resurrection, or hearing a miracle story. We gather to be marked with ashes. A sign of the cross on the forehead. A reminder of mortality.

Dust we are and to dust we shall return. A confession of our need for hope beyond the grave despite our sinfulness. And so the focus is on repentance as did the people in biblical times who would cover themselves in ashes as a sign of repentance.

And yet, beneath all of that, Ash Wednesday is profoundly hopeful.

It is not a day of despair. It is a day of preparation for the season of Lent. For those who wish to receive the imposition of ashes, when the ashes are placed on our foreheads, we hear the ancient words: “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” Repentance is not meant to shame us. It is meant to free us. We spend so much of our lives pretending we are invincible—that we can do everything, fix everything, control everything. Until we experience a diagnosis of our sickness. Until we hear on the news devastation of life through natural disasters, fatal accidents, acts of terror. We carry burdens we never expected we should carry.

 

Ash Wednesday gently interrupts that illusion that we have all the answers. It reminds us: We are finite. We are fragile.

We are human. And God knows this. God has always known this. The ashes are not a verdict. They are an invitation—to stop pretending, to stop performing, to stop hiding from reality. The prophet Joel when announcing Israel’s gloomy future of coming judgment also gives them hope: “Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love.” Lent is not about breaking us beyond repair. It is about and invitation to come to God’s grace. It is about turning away from the things that drain life from us— resentment, fear, pride, distraction, self reliance— and turning toward the One who gives life.

 

Repentance is not punishment. Repentance is restoration. It is the moment the prodigal son realises he can still go home. It is the moment the lost sheep is lifted onto the shepherd’s shoulders. It is the moment we discover that God has been waiting and searching for us all along. The ashes are not placed on us in a random shape. They form a cross. The same symbol we received when the sign of the cross was made on our foreheads at our baptism The symbol of death becomes the sign of life. I love that part of our communion liturgy during Lent. Who on the tree of the cross gave salvation to all that where death began there life might be restored – that he who by a tree once overcame might by a tree be overcome.

 

So death, the mark of our mortality becomes the mark of our salvation through the death of Christ. Ash Wednesday holds these two truths together: We are dust. We are beloved. We are broken,—but we are also redeemed. We are sinners,—but we are also embraced by grace. The cross on our foreheads is a reminder that Jesus meets us exactly where we are. Lent is not a season of self-improvement. It is a season of surrender. A season of reflection It is a time to let go of what is crushing the soul. A time to make space for God. A time to walk with Jesus toward the cross—not in fear, but in trust.

 

Just as Peter, James and John could not stay on the mountaintop – we too must journey through the ashes to the glory. Some people give something up for Lent. Some people take something on – a time of service to others. But the heart of Lent is not the practice itself. The heart of Lent is repentance as we return to God and received the gift of life. When God formed Adam, God bent down into the dust and breathed his own life of breath into the dust.

 

So when we receive ashes today it is not a sign of separation from God. We are being drawn close to the God who loves his Creation who is in his own image. The God who created us from dust and walked among us in dust and rose from a tomb  meets us again today. Not with condemnation. But with compassion. Death is not the end of the story. It is the beginning of our life with God.

 

So Ash Wednesday is a journey from dust to resurrection. From confession to forgiveness. From wandering to homecoming. So as we receive the ashes, may we hear these word’s as God’s promise: Remember that you are dust.

And may this Lent be a season of truth, tenderness, and transformation— a season where we discover again that God’s mercy is deeper than our sin, and God’s love is stronger than death.