Taking a Risk 23Nov14
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Taking a Risk
Last Sunday Bishop Kay spoke about the three servants who were left wealth to invest for their master. One of them kept safe what he had been given and did nothing with it. The bishop challenged us to take risks with what God has given us - risks that might lead to blessing for his Kingdom.
Surprisingly, one of the most risky things is talking. Talking can get you into a lot of trouble. But it can also reap great rewards. One of our troubles is that our God is a talking God. Other religions have gods that don't speak, instead the people who follow them just have to do various actions and ceremonies. Much more straightforward really.
The trouble with the living God is that he wants to have relationships with people. And relationships are built on talking. Not only talking, but at least talking. And he has given us a speaking a Spirit. His Spirit helps us talk to God and to talk for God.
One of our risky behaviours is talking to other people about God.
Investing up. 16 Nov 14
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Investing up.
That was an interesting illustration in Nicholas' sermon last week. Investing money, time, effort, relationships in the direction of eternity. In the direction of what God is doing in his world in order to help others share in the life of God.
Which is not necessarily the same as investing in church activities. It could include such things. Indeed hopefully our investments would include church activities. But church activities themselves must also be invested upwards. And church money, and church relationships, and church time – all should be invested upwards.
Obvious I suppose, since church is supposed to be about God's work in his world to bring people to share his life, find forgiveness and enjoy a family relationship with him. But the forces that tend to encourage individuals to invest downwards also affect the church.
The cure? Wanting more than anything else to be with Jesus. That was one of the hidden features of last week's story – all the ones who were waiting and ready went into the banquet with the bridegroom. With the bridegroom. With Jesus. That's what makes Christianity. It is all about Jesus.
Loving Jesus. Serving Jesus. Waiting for Jesus. Being with Jesus. Investing in Jesus.
Dale
2. God's Inheritance Ephesians 1.11-14
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{podcast id=32}
2. God's Inheritance Ephesians 1.11-14
Sermon preached at Christ the King Willetton on 2 November 2014
The fourth blessing: How both we and you have become part of God's inheritance in Christ
Indonesia 2Nov14
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Indonesia
Sometime around the 1600s Northern Australia was part of the Kingdom of Gowa. This was a famous kingdom that included not only Northern Australia but most of the central part of what is now Indonesia. It was based in southern Sulawesi. Australia was important because it supplied trepang (sea cucumbers, beche de mer).
The traders interacted with the indigenous people of our north – sometimes helpfully, sometimes not, and left a few loan words in the local languages.
Around this time the Portuguese were in the area of Sulawesi trading spices. Eventually the Dutch forced them out, but not before the King of Gowa had adopted Islam.
1. God's Secret Plan Ephesians 1.1-10
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{podcast id=31}
1. God's Secret Plan Ephesians 1.1-10
Sermon preached at Christ the King Willetton on 26 October 2014
Symbols 26Oct14
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Symbols
What symbols do you think are used as identity markers by Christians? Quite a few come to mind. The people of Israel had a few as well. The temple was a very significant symbol of their identity. As was the land, and circumcision, and the Law.
Strangely, perhaps, the first Christians didn't use any of these. In fact they rejected all of them as things that would mark their identity.
In the world of the first Christians, everybody else had constant reminders of who they were. They all had statues of various gods that they relied on and asked for help. As well, the Roman Empire provided constant reminders of the power of empire and the divinity of the emperor.
By contrast the Christians were regarded as atheists because they appeared to have no visible gods, indeed no visible identity markers at all. Later on Christians would accumulate a variety of objects to symbolise their identity, but at the beginning there appeared to be none.
Except for one image.
A sure and certain hope? 19Oct14
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A sure and certain hope?
This week I conducted a funeral for a wonderful friend from St Alban's Highgate. Her daughters were very keen to make sure that those who attended the funeral understood why Ruby had a sure hope of eternal life.
Because it is very easy to misunderstand why a good person expects to have eternal life. And this lady was a good woman: cared for the needy, opened her home to the homeless, made soup for the soup kitchen, sewed for many who needed her skill, visited the sick, took communion and services at her local nursing home, led Bible study groups...
None of this formed the basis of her hope.
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