“Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus' feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.” ~ John 12:3 ‘Do you believe in Resurrection?’ You might think this an odd question with a full week left in Lent, after all, we need to get through Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, his final days and final meal with his disciples on Maundy Thursday, his betrayal and trial before Pilate and finally the … [Read more...]
One Love – Sermon for Lent 4
“For our sake he made him be sin who knew no sin so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” ~ 2 Corinthians 5:21 There are some weeks when I look at the readings set out by the lectionary and wonder about how the Gospel speaks into our context. But then there are weeks like this one where it seems that the Spirit inspired the Scripture’s authors or the compilers of the lectionary to address what is going on in the world. As I prepared to write this sermon, Russia continued … [Read more...]
Sermon for Lent 5 – April 7th 2019
Are you an “Early Adopter?” It’s a term that describes someone who is one of the first to buy and try some new piece of technology. Early Adopters are the first customers. They are always eager and willing to try new things, especially new gadgets. On a bell-curve of who buys a new tech gadget, first there are the Innovators, the people who create and market the items. Then come the Early Adopters, the first people in town to own one. If you have a “Smart speaker” like an Amazon Alexa … [Read more...]
Found when lost – Sermon for Lent 4
*Audio can be found at the bottom of the page* “We had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.” – Luke 15:32 There is something reassuring about old familiar stories: they are like the old family recipe that has been passed down for generations – warm cookies, cake with that special family ingredient. They are comfortable, they often bring warm memories to mind. Our story from the Gospel of Luke this morning … [Read more...]
Repent and Live – Sermon for Lent 3
*Audio Available at the bottom of the page* During the season of Lent we rightly focus on repentance and the call for us to confess our sins and such. It is a season of prayer and fasting, a season where we can assess our lives of faith and discipleship, determine where we are lacking and areas where we need to grow – on Ash Wednesday we are encouraged to observe a holy lent, by self-examination, penitence, prayer, fasting and almsgiving and meditating on the word of God. Repentance … [Read more...]
Tempted – Sermon for First Sunday of Lent 2019
First Sunday of Lent March 10, 2019 Alice J Stewart Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, was led by the Spirit into the wilderness. For forty days he was tempted by the devil. Not just one day. Forty. Jesus was tempted and tried the same way that we are and resisted that temptation not by using his divinity, but by showing faith and obedience. Jesus could have avoided human suffering, human temptation. But he didn’t. Jesus shows us how we too may use faith and obedience to resist the … [Read more...]
Cross to Bear – Sermon for Lent 2
“He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” – Mark 8:34 I have a confession to make, I can sometimes be a little selfish. Ok maybe that’s not much of a confession – we can all be a little selfish at times. Especially, when I was kid I would often look out for myself. It comes with the territory I guess, I have two sisters and as the youngest I needed to protect my interests. As … [Read more...]
Crosses and Rainbows – Sermon for Lent 1
When our daughter Anastasia was little, her nursery was decorated using Noah’s Ark as the theme. It was full of animals and rainbows. From an early age, she has loved bright colours in general, and rainbows in particular. She draws rainbows and splashes of colour all the time. Maybe her colour-love is because of the room decor. Or she might take after Julie, who often wears bright tie-dyed shirts that blend lots of colours in spectacular swirls. Our Old Testament reading this morning is … [Read more...]
A Tale of Two Kings
"Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!" – Matthew 21:9 Today is the beginning of Holy Week, Palm Sunday, a day where we remember Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem with adoring crowds waving palm fronds, shouts of Hosanna, a procession fit for a King. We began today with the joy of Palm Sunday, waving our palms singing our coronation songs just as the crowds did in our first Gospel reading today. And why … [Read more...]
Sermon for Lent 4 – March 26th 2017
For years, John was my favourite of the four Gospels. It is only in John that you find the stories of Jesus turning water into wine; or Jesus talking with the woman at the well; or Nicodemus visiting Jesus. John has some of the most famous Bible verses, like John 3:16 that used to appear on signs at sports events. In the other 3 Gospels, Jesus can be secretive about who he is and what he is up to, but not in John. "I am the way, the truth and the life," "I am the light of the world," "I am the … [Read more...]