Sermon 3rd August 2026 – 8th Sunday after Pentecost Text: Colossians 3:1-11 – Hidden reality

 Sermon 3^rd August 2026 – 8^th Sunday after Pentecost

Text: Colossians 3:1-11 – Hidden reality

How do you feel when you look at everything that is going on around the world – both locally and overseas? The crimes here in Australia – the machete attacks in suburban shopping centres – the tobacco stores being burned down – the crimes – the state of the economy. Or overseas with the wars, the tariffs,  It’s so easy to become  disheartened wondering what on earth is God doing. It’s so easy to shut yourself off from the rest of the world and just hide in your own little corner.

Paul gives great advice for us to deal with all that’s going on around the world that concerns us. He says –

If you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth, for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

What does Paul mean by that?

We need to link this understanding to what Paul says in Romans 6 where he says: Don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his.

Life today is not much different to that of Paul’s days – it’s just more modern. The anguish however was the same. So Paul discovered that he would remember that life on earth is not the place God has prepared for him.

He says in Philippians 3 - But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control. Remember what Paul said in our reading? Seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Christ is not absent from the world. He is ruling the world from the right hand of God. Perhaps it doesn’t look that way as we live out our daily lives. But Paul reminds us that what we see is not the true reality for Christians.

We are citizens of heaven. So Paul says - your life is hidden with Christ in God. And it’s a life that is hidden with glory.  When Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory. And that’s what our life is about – waiting. Waiting for our Lord to return to bring us to our eternal home where we will live in God’s glory with no more suffering or death.

Paul sees our Baptism as an exit from this life already. Notice he speaks in the present tense – not a future event. For you HAVE died – and your life is NOW hidden with Christ. Life might not look any different but Pauls say – When Christ returns then HIS glory will be revealed and also YOUR glory will be revealed at the same time. Notice that he says it will be revealed – not received at that time.

You have a life filled with glory NOW – you’ve had it since the day your Baptism when you were made a child of God. So it’s not about ignoring the world we live in – no. We have been sent into the world to share the Gospel with the world. The great commission says - go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

And Jesus is with us as he says in his high priestly prayer to his heavenly Father in John 17:  My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.

So as we go out into the world we will be challenged by all the things happening in the world around us. So, Paul says – focus on the things above not on earthly things. The things of this life are passing as Jesus says – heaven and earth will pass away but my words never will. And so in our Gospel reading Jesus tells a parable about a rich person who was so successful that he focused only on his earthly life and forgot about his spiritual health and relationship with God.

He had so much earthly success he didn’t know what to do with all his wealth. I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, `Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.'

Notice his focus – I will pull down – my barns, I will store my grain and my goods – I will say to my soul. But how did God respond? You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?

It is very tempting to focus on earthly things – whether they be pleasures that comfort us – indulgences that focus us away from God – or sufferings that don’t recognise that God’s love is present with us. So Paul warns: Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is earthly: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry).

These thing will weigh us down. But thanks be to God that Jesus is seated at the right hand of God both watching over us and ruling the world that seems against us. Never lose faith in God that he is in control even if it does not look that way.

Paul reminds us that the wrath of God is coming on those who are disobedient. God does not want to do that as St Peter reminds us that 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.

So until Jesus returns, remember you Baptism where you were born again to new life to live with God forever. And when Christ returns – your true glory will be revealed and you will be brought to your eternal home forever.

Sermon 27th July 2025 – 7th Sunday after Pentecost Text: Luke 11:1-13 – Lord teach us to pray

 Sermon 27^th July 2025 – 7^th Sunday after Pentecost

Text: Luke 11:1-13 – Lord teach us to pray

 

Today’s Gospel reading reflects on one of the most profound and cherished teachings of Jesus: the Lord’s Prayer.  This prayer is not just a set of words to recite but a journey that ventures deep into our relationship with God. It is a spiritual journey, and a call to a deeper understanding of our purpose in life. Jesus disciples came to Him with a desire to understand how to pray.  The disciples didn’t ask Jesus how to preach or perform miracles—they asked Him how to pray?  “Lord, teach us to pray,”  It’s like Solomon who asked for Wisdom but received much more because of his heart to desire God’s Spiritual gifts rather than material possessions. Jesus gave them something so simple yet so profound:  A prayer that has echoed through centuries and across continents, across denominations, across generations.  Not just a set of words, but God’s blessing for how to live and relate to God. Jesus responded not just with a prayer but with an invitation to experience the heart of God—the Father who cares deeply for His children.

 

Our Father in heaven

So the prayer begins with an intimate address: “Our Father in heaven.”  Not a solemn address like “dear God almighty in heaven”

But an intimate address – Our Father in Heaven. Jesus revolutionizes the world’s understanding of God as not a distant  unapproachable Godhead but an intimate Father who invites us into a relationship—intimate, personal, yet still divine. When we say “Father,” we acknowledge that we are part of a family of believers which may challenge us to reflect on our understanding of God and our relationships with each other – siblings as Children of God.. Do we see God as a distant deity; unapproachable. Or do we see him as our loving Father who desires to walk alongside us? By using "our," Jesus invites us into a shared experience of prayer with him, reminding us that we are part of a larger community, a family bound by love and grace.

 

Hallowed Be Your Name

We then declare, “Hallowed be Your name.”  Yes our relationship is intimate but this is a call to reverence. A recognition of God’s holiness and majesty.  We live in a world that forgets to honor the sacred. We lack respect for authority – for our elders. Here we are reminded to uphold the sanctity of God’s name in our lives. How can we live in a way that reflects the holiness of God?  By remembering Jesus response to the Greatest Commandment: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. To honour God’s name is to live out the values of His Kingdom in our daily lives as his light in a world that dwells in darkness.

 

"Your Kingdom Come, Your Will Be Done"

This part of the prayer is also radical.  Often, we ask God to bless our plans that we have devised.  But here, Jesus invites us to submit ourselves to His will—to live with heaven’s priorities in our earthly decisions.  The kingdom isn’t just a future hope; it’s a present calling.

Every act of justice, every word of mercy, brings heaven to earth. It pushes us to seek God’s vision for the world, prioritizing His Kingdom above our own desires. As Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane so he prays here – not my will be done – but your will be done. When we pray for God's kingdom to come, we actively participate in bringing about His justice, mercy, and love, living life here on earth as we hope for it to be lived out in God’s Kingdom in eternity. It calls us to stand against injustice, to care for the marginalized, and to work toward peace.  And this challenges us to keep asking ourselves – how can we be agents of this kingdom in our families, churches, workplaces, and communities?

 

 "Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread"

“Give us this day our daily bread” acknowledges our dependence on God for our physical needs.  Just as Jesus refused Satan’s temptation to provide his own bread when he was hungry so too we seek first God’s Kingdom and his provision for all our needs. Yet, it also serves as a reminder that we are called to care for one another who lack the provisions of daily bread: For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat. In fact Paul goes beyond that and says – if you see your enemy hungry – feed them.  In praying this, we recognize that we are not just solitary beings in need, but part of a body where we share our resources and support one another. As we pray for our needs, let us also be reminded to be generous to those around us in need from our abundance.  We are called to share our bread—whether it be physical sustenance, emotional support, or spiritual encouragement—with those who hunger. As Jesus says in the Beatitudes - Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. And, Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. It’s tempting to pray for abundance—but Jesus shows us the beauty of enough.  We’re invited to trust God not for surplus, but for sufficiency.  One day at a time, not worrying about tomorrow. Give us today our DAILY bread.

 

"Forgive Us Our Sins"

In asking for forgiveness as we also have forgiven others, we discover the depths of God’s grace to us.  We acknowledge our brokenness and our need for God’s mercy.  But if we cannot forgive others then have we fully understood God’s grace to us? Like the servant in Matthew 18 forgiven millions of dollars debt to the King but would not forgive a few measly dollars owed to him by one of his servants. This part of the prayer transforms our hearts, reminding us of the importance of extending forgiveness to others. Let us consider the weight of grudges we carry because if we do not forgive then they are given the power to continue to hurt us.  Holding onto unforgiveness can be damaging to our faith and relationships.  Not that God withholds forgiveness from us but our souls don’t find the comfort that forgiveness offers. Jesus teaches us that just as we seek forgiveness, we must also forgive in order to understand our own forgiveness. To be forgiven is to be changed; To forgive is to become like the One who forgives us – even crying out from the cross – forgive them Father for they know what they are doing. The same Father we are praying to in this prayer. In the act of forgiveness, we free our hearts from bitterness and make room for God’s grace to flow freely.

 

"Lead Us Not into Temptation, but Deliver Us from Evil"

Finally, we pray, “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”  Here is where we learn of our continued vulnerability to the attacks of the evil one - Satan.  Satan never rests in leading us away from God. We acknowledge that we are in a spiritual battle and that we cannot navigate it alone.  We ask for God’s guidance and protection against the temptations that seek to lead us astray. Even though we know that God will forgive us the spiritual scars remain and become a constant point of entry for Satan who is also known as the accuser. Even though God has forgiven us the memory remains in us – not in God. And Satan has his foothold to torment us – “you call yourself a Christian”? Through this petition, we affirm our trust in God’s power to deliver us from evil and in particular the Evil One.  We do not fight this battle with swords but through prayer, faith, and community with the armour of God because our battle is not against flesh and blood but against the spiritual forces of evil.

 

Conclusion:

The Lord’s Prayer encapsulates the simplicity and complexity of our relationship with God. The Lord’s Prayer is more than words—it’s an invitation to transformation.  Praying Jesus’ prayer we become Christlike in all we say, think and do. What begins in humble request from the disciples becomes an invitation for holy living.  It’s not about saying the right things—it’s about becoming the person God has made us to be – created in his image to reflect his love in the world as children of our Father in Heaven.

Sermon 20th July 2025 – 6th Sunday after Pentecost Text: Luke 10:38-42 – Distracted gifts

 Sermon 20^th July 2025 – 6^th Sunday after Pentecost

Text: Luke 10:38-42 – Distracted gifts

 

Luke introduces us to two interesting sisters: Mary and Martha. This passage offers us a glimpse into the heart of ministry and the sometimes challenging balance between service and discipleship. Both are important. They support each other.

We see another example of this balance in the early church written by Luke in the Book of Acts. Maybe he was thinking of this encounter today when he wrote about it.

 

In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Greek Jews complained against the Hebrew Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.  So the Twelve disciples gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. So they chose seven men known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom and turned this responsibility over to them so they could give their attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.”

 

Both were important ministries and supported each other. Martha’s desire to serve the guests who had come to listen to Jesus is commendable.  It is a true ministry in the church – hospitality – some call it “koinonia”. In the culture of her time, hospitality was more than an act of kindness; it was a vital duty.  So Martha took it upon herself the responsibility to welcome Jesus into her home, preparing a meal and ensuring everything was perfect for her honoured guest.  Sometimes the weight of responsibilities for hospitality—whether in our homes or churches to have everything right is a heavy burden but to others it looks so simple. And the problem that can cause, and we see it in Martha, is she can’t understand why Mary can’t do what she is doing. And she then begins to resent the gift that she has and the gift that Mary has.

 

However, we must ask ourselves: Are we sometimes so busy with the tasks at hand that we forget to focus on the One who brings purpose to our work?  Do we begin to resent the gift WE have and as a result resent the gifts others have. Martha’s gift shows a beautiful desire to serve, yet her gift also leads her to frustration as she does not see how her hospitality is part of the patchwork of Ministry. She looks at what her sister is doing and fails to recognise her ministry strengths and compares what she is doing to what appears to her that her sister is being lazy. “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”  In stark contrast, we find Mary, sitting at the feet of Jesus, fully engaged in His teaching. Mary recognizes the importance of being present with Jesus, soaking in His words of life and love.  That was her gift.

 

Mary shows us the value of stillness and attentiveness in our spiritual lives. Jesus’ response to Martha,  “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:41-42), Martha had her gift. It wasn’t a lesser gift but she made it feel like one when she compared it to Mary’s gift. Jesus’ response to Martha speaks to the heart of the matter as it focuses on different strengths when it comes to Christian ministry.  Jesus gently rebukes Martha, not because she wasn’t sitting at his feet to listen to him, but for her distraction.

 

Just as he does not tell Mary to get up and help Martha, neither does he tell Martha to stop and come and sit down and listen. Both service and devotion have their place in the life of a believer.  We are all called to different paths of showing our faith and service to our Lord. Some have great gifts of physically serving our Lord while others are equally called to sit at the feet of Christ, to read His Word, to pray, and to cultivate a relationship that sustains our faith. St Paul talks about the different types of gifts:

 

He says: There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them.  There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.  There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.

Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.  To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit,  to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit,  to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues,[a] and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

 

The challenge lies in finding the balance.  Service to God without seeing what we are doing as a gift of God for the common good can lead to burnout and resentment. As we reflect on this story today, let us consider where we find ourselves on this spectrum.  Are we more like Martha who had a remarkable gift that is essential but she has fallen into the trap of comparing herself with others?  Or are we more like Mary who perhaps failed to value what Martha was doing and perhaps could have encouraged her.

 

Churches can also fall into the Mary and Martha envy. Sometimes we can compare ourselves with other churches who seem to be more active in a certain area that we long for and fail to recognise the gifts that we have of serving God. A classic example is one where a church feels that they are lacking because they look at their demographic and it’s all ageing. They feel they are failing and don’t have much future. But look at the value that our older demographic feels when they know that the church of God values them when much of society feels they are a burden.

 

We too can fall into the trap of Martha - Lord, do you not care. Of course the Lord cares and that’s why he calls some churches to have a ministry to the ageing – to the homebound – to those that society might say don’t really contribute.

As we move forward this week, you are encouraged to look at where God has placed you and what gift he has given to you.

Read your bibles, pray, and listen to what the Lord is placing on your heart. Don’t look at others and compare. Look to God and the abundance of gifts that he gives to you and our church, Look for ways to serve—engage in acts of kindness, help a neighbor, volunteer in our church or community. We can all learn from Mary and Martha, embracing the heart of both devotion and service, for in these two aspects, we find true discipleship and Ministry.

 

Let us commit ourselves to being followers of Christ who balance our worship with our work, our listening with our doing, and in all things, may we seek to glorify the One who invites us to sit at His feet.

Sermon 13th July 2025 – 5th Sunday after Pentecost Text: Luke 10:25-37 – The Good Samaritan

 Sermon 13^th July 2025 – 5^th Sunday after Pentecost

Text: Luke 10:25-37 – The Good Samaritan

 

The Parable of the Good Samaritan is timeless. It’s one of those parables that is so meaningful that even worldly society has captured the theme and uses that term. Good Samaritan refers to someone who has helped another person without any need to or without any personal gain – sometimes at a cost. This is not merely a lesson that belongs to the past; it is a timeless call to action that echoes through the ages. This parable urges us to examine our hearts, our priorities, and our responses to the needs of those around us.

 

So, what has led to this parable told by Jesus? A lawyer wants to test Jesus. “What must I do to inherit eternal life?”  The question seems simple enough. But are we going to build on the wrong foundation about eternal life if that is our opening question? An inheritance is not about what you do. Remember what he asked – what must I do to inherit eternal life. An inheritance is about relationships. Especially in Jesus’ time property was inherited from family members and to family members. You didn’t do anything to earn an inheritance. An inheritance is a result of who you were – a child of the deceased or at least a family member if there were no children of the deceased. So, Jesus is going to set up this lawyer so he can see for himself that he has the wrong foundation when it comes to eternal life.

 

As the man is a lawyer, Jesus invites him to respond with the Law. Jesus says – what is written in the Law. The lawyer responds: love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and strength, and love your neighbour as yourself. And Jesus says – you have answered correctly. But does he understand the answer as God sees it that no one can keep the law 100%, 100% of the time. Because he doesn’t understand God’s gift of grace in eternal life and still feels that eternal life must include something he does - he asks:  “Who is my neighbour?” It is still about “doing”. And that’s the problem with a foundation of “what must I do” because when it comes to eternal life there is nothing we can do that will ever satisfy the demands of the law for eternal life. We always fall short. And we will never feel satisfied that we have done enough. Until he understands God’s grace, even the answer to this question will lead to the next question – until he understands God’s grace.

 

So Jesus uses this question – who is my neighbour – to set up the proper foundation for our relationship with God and eternal life. At the centre of this parable is a traveller who has been beaten by robbers and left for dead. There are 2 types of responses to this beaten man and they could represent our response to God being Law or Gospel. The first to arrive are a priest and a Levite. Both are possibly on the way to the Temple and as a result, uppermost in their minds, the Law. The Law that specified that you could not enter the temple if you were unclean. And presuming that the traveller is dead they would become ceremonially unclean if they had touched the body. Numbers chapter 19 says: Whoever touches a human corpse will be unclean for seven days. They must purify themselves with the water on the third day and on the seventh day; then they will be clean. But if they do not purify themselves on the third and seventh days, they will not be clean. If they fail to purify themselves after touching a human corpse, they defile the Lord’s tabernacle. They must be cut off from Israel.  Because the water of cleansing has not been sprinkled on them, they are unclean; their uncleanness remains on them. So, their response to the needs of this traveller is the Law and preservation of themselves.

 

But the 2nd response is the Samaritan. He sees a Jewish person in need. And he has 2 options. To gloat that this person who had rejected his people is now getting his deserved justice. Remember the other week when Jesus was passing through Samaritan countryside and they rejected him. And James and John wanted to call down fire to consume them. That was the relationship between Jews and Samaritans. However, when he sees this man in need he puts that aside and at his own cost, physically and spiritually, he stops to help this man. So when it comes to “who is my neighbour” the answer is anyone who is in need. It is so tempting to use the hurt of others for our own satisfaction. As a form of informal justice. Eastern religions would call this Karma – they are getting what they deserve. But how fortunate that this is not how Jesus responds. Remember what we often pray in our Confession of Sins – “we deserve your eternal punishment” – not eternal life. We are thankful that God does not treat us as we deserve but reaches down to pick us up as did the Good Samaritan.

 

And just as the Good Samaritan said to the inn-keeper - when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.

So too, the one for whom there was no room in the inn – says he will come back to bring us to where he is. That he has paid the full price for our eternal life. And then Jesus says to us as he says to the Lawyer – go and do likewise.

 

There is nothing that we can do to earn our inheritance as St Paul says in Romans 8 about our inheritance: Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. The question by the lawyer is honourable and a question that seems on the surface a natural desire to show our love and appreciation to God by asking “what can I do”. It’s a question we often ask of a person who is in need – “what can I do”. But when it comes to eternal life, it’s not about “what can I do for God” but what has God done for me. We could never do enough for what God sacrificed for us – his own Son. And this was St Paul’s concern for the Galatians. They were being conned by a false Gospel. And that’s why his heart goes out in pity to them: You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? 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. And he puts it plainly - if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!

 

Just like those who quizzed the King when thanked for feeding the hungry and giving drink to the thirsty who had no idea – when did we see you hungry and fed you or thirsty and give you something to drink. It came from their heart Likewise the Good Samaritan didn’t stop and ponder before he acted – it came from his heart. And that’s what Jesus is teaching the Lawyer and us. That Salvation comes from an act of love – the love of God for us his children. And as his children we receive eternal life – we don’t do anything to earn it. And Jesus asks that we respond in kind – to go and do likewise.

To love one another as Jesus has loved us. And that’s also what Paul is speaking about in his letter to the Colossians: In our prayers for you we always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

So friends, cherish that there is nothing you have to do to receive eternal life or the love of God. You have it because you are children of God. And if children, then heirs – joint heirs with Christ.