Trinity 5 ’26
Christian faith involves living a new way, turning from sin and going God’s way. So how are we to battle against sin in our lives? Is what is needed more effort, more knowledge or something else?
Forgiveness
Trinity 1 ’26
In our Gospel reading today we see Jesus encountering quite a few different people in quick succession, but the thread running through them all are two themes: who Jesus has come for, and what he has come to bring them.
Good Friday ’26
No matter the darkness you find yourself in, Jesus is already there.
As we stand at the foot of the cross we stand in darkness. Literal darkness; we read that darkness covered the land from noon until Jesus’ death three hours later. And metaphorical darkness as Jesus goes down into the very depths with us. And as we stand here in the darkness, we find that Jesus is here with us. And that no matter the darkness we face in our lives, Jesus is already there. The darkness of life’s hardships, the darkness of sin, and the darkness of death.
Lent 1 ’26
It is fitting that as we begin our journey towards Easter, the great feast of our Salvation, that we should start with where it all went wrong, with the Fall. We heard a few weeks ago, and reflected on, how God created everything. And now that he has finished, he places humanity at the centre of the garden, an earthly paradise, to care for it and to bring order to it.
Christ the King ’25
We have in our readings today two thing we might assume are opposed, and they often are in our world; power and authority, and sacrifice. Often we think of them as opposite ends of the spectrum. But in Christ they’re brought together.
Paul in the opening of his letter to the Colossians which we heard is praying that God would strengthen the believers there, because he has brought them out from the power of darkness and into the kingdom of light; the kingdom of Jesus. And Paul immediately segways into who this Jesus is, and he doesn’t go in the direction we might expect. There’s nothing about his humble birth, earthly ministry, teaching or miracles. Rather what we have is a celebration of Jesus’ supremacy, how he is above all things. It’s something well worth dwelling on on a Sunday like Christ the King.
St Matthew ’25
Today as we celebrate St Matthew he poses for us a question; can you be too far gone to be forgiven by God?
We’re, rather fittingly in Matthew’s Gospel today, and here he is, popping up for a few verses. He’s telling us how he came to be a follower of Jesus, how he ended up as one of the twelve.
Trinity 4 ’25 – Nicene Creed Pt4
What is the Gospel? What is the good news at the heart of Christianity? That’s the question before us as we turn in our series on the Creed to what Jesus did, his actions. What did Jesus do, and how has he changed the world forever?
Lent 4 ’25
Our Gospel reading today is probably one of the most famous stories Jesus ever told, up there with the lost sheep, which actually comes just before it in this chapter. And you can tell Jesus’ mastery as a storyteller because not only is it memorable, but wrapped up in it is the Gospel. It’s a story of rebellion and rejection, of repentance, and of the Father who sweeps up again in love and welcome.
Lent 2 ’25
Our Gospel reading today is a slightly odd little section but it gives us two wonderful truths; the assurance that God is on control, and that wonderful image of Jesus gathering us to him like a hen gathers her brood under her wings.
4th before Lent
We have in our readings today two encounters with Jesus. We have Jesus calling the first of his disciples, including Simon, called Peter, and we have Paul writing about the Gospel, mentioning in passing his own encounter with Jesus.
In some ways these two men couldn’t be more different.