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| Where God rules over the human heart as King, there is the Kingdom of God established |
| Paul Harrison |
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SERMON LIBRARY |
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· Deacon Debbie Wesseloo (2)
· Deacon Phillip Laurings (3)
· Dean William Mosert (1)
· Reverend Angus Paterson (0)
· Reverend Graham Alexander (1)
· Reverend Joe Thompson (2)
· Reverend Lindy Rookyard (4)
· Visiting Clergy (0)
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| Date | 2003-01-24 | | Preacher | Very Rev. David Bannerman | | Title | Sermon at Mieke Duys’ Funeral Service | | Sermon Details | What can one say about Mieke? There is a sense in which the sermon has already been written and preached and its words are in the lives and hearts of so many people, whose lives she has
Loved and
Touched and
Guided and
Encouraged,
Beginning with her own family that were at the centre of her life, and out into the wider family of faith. And there is a sense in which all we do today is come to say “Amen”. “Yes, Lord”, for speaking to us in and through the words and deeds of this wonderful life. Yes…there is so much that one could say about Mieke But we thank God – first - for her love.
Her love of her family – Harry and Liz and Franz and the children. They were so precious to her, and I knew that because of the way that she talked about you all. And was proud of you and concerned about you.
We give thanks for her love that she showed to those who visited her...
That welcome at the door
That familiar loving voice on the phone,
That loving wave from the sitting room window
The love that made a visit to her a sanctuary in time, and made her the listening, caring person that she was.
One…
Who listened
Who accepted
Who loved, and
Journeyed with you.
To visit her was to be blessed by God. She cared in so many kind, little and special ways. We thank God for her wonderful, often impish, sense of humour that brought a sparkle to her eyes when she teased, and her sensitivity of spirit - not wanting to hurt or offend. We thank God for her deep and abiding sense of wonder and appreciation of all that was good and beautiful like the flowers and birds in the garden and Harry’s care of it! We thank God for her faith, her deep spirituality that was a well that so many drew from in this place.
Mieke had travelled other roads in her search for the greater meaning for her life and she found it in the person of Jesus Christ, who was the way the truth and life for her life.
It was that faith that gave purpose to her life. It was that faith that gave power to her living, and enabled her to love. And it was that faith that enabled her to transcend her suffering and gave her a hope that directed and empowered her life.
Some of us have difficulty understanding the relevance of the bible to our daily living - a book written two thousand years ago. We want evidence for the relevance of Christianity in the present tense. Well, I believe in Mieke we see the relevance of the gospel to empower lives…
Not in a triumphalistic way, but in the way of Jesus. Jesus said that by their fruits you will know his disciples. Well someone said to me that Mieke lived the fruits of the spirit.
For as St Paul said, “for the fruit of the spirit is love joy peace patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness gentleness and self control...”
Yes, as we come here today to celebrate Mieke’s life and commend her to our Heavenly Father. We celebrate the fact also that he is the one who brings meaning and purpose to our living and dying. That in his incarnation his death on Calvary and the empty tomb, we can know that the assurance of His love and forgiveness and hope for our lives and by the power of that hope seek his grace for our living.
It was that love that gave Mieke the grace to transcend
Her pain,
Her suffering …
For so many years, and be the channel of grace that she was to her family and all those who crossed her path. Mieke now shares in the in heritance of the saints and we rejoice that she has found that greater freedom and healing that we find in the nearer presence of God, and as we do that we pray for Harry, thanking for god for his loving care of Mieke, for that special relationship of nearly 54 years.
We pray for the whole family at this time …
Harry. Liz, Onika and Frans
That they may know the presence of Christ at this time and we commend Mieke to our Heavenly Father knowing that she now shares on the glory of the saints in light!!
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| Date | 2003-06-02 | | Preacher | Fr. David Bannerman | | Title | Season 2 - Session 2 | | Sermon Details | “FATHER….AS YOU SENT ME INTO THE WORLD, I HAVE SENT THEM INTO THE WORLD. FOR THEM I SANCTITY MYSELF, THAT THEY TOO MAY BE TRULY SANCTIFIED.”
THESE WORDS FORM PART OF WHAT IN ST JOHN’S GOSPEL IS KNOWN THE HIGH PRIESTLY PRAYER. IT WAS PRAYED BY OUR LORD AS HE PREPARED FOR HIS ARREST, AND HIS FOLLOWING PASSION.
IN THIS PRAYER JESUS IS OFFERING HIMSELF AS THE SACRIFICE BY WHICH THE SIN OF THE WORLD IS TAKEN AWAY, HUMANKIND CAN ENTER INTO WE NEW RELATIONSHIP, COVENANT WITH GOD, AND HIS WORK OF RECONCILIATION CAN BE CONTINUED BY HIS FOLLOWERS.
IN THIS GOSPEL, JOHN DOES NOT SEE JESUS GOING TO THE CROSS AS A HELPLESS SUFFERER, BUT RATHER AS A KING TO HIS CROWNING. HE SEES CALVARY AS A VOLUNTARY SACRIFICE A DELIBERATE ACT OF SELF-OBLATION. AN OFFERING OF HIS LIFE WHICH WAS COMPLETED BY THOSE GLORIOUS WORD, “IT IS ACCOMPLISHES”. THIS HIGH PRIESTLY PRAYER IS THE PRAYER OF CONSECRATION AS JESUS CONSECRATES, OR SETS HIS LIFE APART FOR A SPECIAL FUNCTION, THE SALVATION OF THE WORLD.
JESUS SANCTIFIES OR CONSECRATES HIMSELF…SO THAT THROUGH THE LOVE AND FORGIVENESS OF CALVARY,
THE HOPE OF THE EMPTY TOMB AND
THE EMPOWERMENT OF PENTECOST
OTHERS, HIS FOLLOWERS, MAY KNOW THE TRUTH OF HIS LOVE AND CONSECRATE THEMSELVES TO SHARE THEIR PART IN CONTINUING HIS MISSION TO THE WORLD. THAT THEY MIGHT SHARE IN HIS PRIESTLY WORK OF BRINGING GOD TO THE WORLD IN WITNESS AND SERVICE, AND THE WORLD TO GOD IN WORSHIP AND PRAYER.
IT IS FOR THIS REASON THAT JOHN SAID OF JESUS IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION, “ HE MADE US…… PRIESTS TO HIS GOD AND FATHER.”(REV. 1.6)
“FATHER AS YOU HAVE SENT ME INTO THE WORLD I HAVE SENT THEM INTO THE WORLD. FOR THEM I SANCTIFY MY SELF, SO THAT THEY TOO MAY BE TRULY SANCTIFIED.”
AND THAT “THEM” IS YOU AND I!
IT IS AS WE EXPERIENCE THE FORGIVENESS OF JESUS THROUGH THE SACRIFICE OF THE CROSS. IT IS AS WE KNOW HIS NEW STATUS AS HIS PRIESTLY SONS AND DAUGHTERS AND WE KNOW HIS EMPOWERMENT IN OUR LIVES, THAT HE SANCTIFIES, CONSECRATES US HERE IN THIS CHURCH HERE IN BENONI TO CONTINUE HIS WORK HERE IN THIS PLACE. YES AS WE WORSHIP HIM IN CHURCH, IN HOME AND IN HEART. AS WE BRING THE NEEDS OF THIS COMMUNITY TO HIM IN PRAYER, WE CONTINUE HIS WORK. IT IS AS WE ALSO WITNESS TO HIS LOVE IN OUR INDIVIDUAL LIVES, AND WE SERVE ONE ANOTHER AND THE NEEDS OF THIS COMMUNITY – SPIRITUALLY, EMOTIONALLY PHYSICALLY WE WILL BE DOING HIS PRIESTLY WILL. FOR THIS IS WHAT JESUS DID.
IT WAS IN A LIFE OF LOVING, OBEDIENT SERVICE, DIVESTED OF GLORY THAT JESUS GLORIFIED THE FATHER, AND IT WAS A CONSEQUENCE OF THAT THAT THE FATHER GLORIFIED HIS SON ON CALVARY AND IN THE RESURRECTION.
THIS REMINDS US AS A CHURCH THAT WE WILL ONLY GLORIFY GOD WHEN WE LIVE OUT OUR LIVES IN LOVING OBEDIENT SERVICE OF HIM IN HIS WORLD, WITNESSING TO HIS LOVE AND SERVING OTHERS. THIS IS WHY WE SAY IN THE CREED,
“I BELIEVE IN ONE HOLY, CATHOLIC AND APOSTOLIC CHURCH”.
IN OTHER WORDS, I BELIEVE IN A CHURCH THAT SEEKS TO BE ONE
A CHURCH THAT IS CONSECRATED, SET APART FOR HIS SERVICE
A CHURCH THAT IS UNIVERSAL
A CHURCH THAT IS CALLED TO BE SENT. THAT IS APOSTOLIC.
AND SO WE COME TO THIS EUCHARIST TO COMMIT OURSELVES TO BEING THAT CONSECRATED, MISSIONARY CHURCH THAT HE WOULD HAVE US BE, AND WHICH HE DIED TO MAKE POSSIBLE!
NEXT SATURDAY WE ARE HAVING A MEETING IN THIS CHURCH TO LOOK AT OUR MISSION STATEMENT SO THAT WE CAN REALLY TAKE OWNERSHIP OF IT SO THAT WE CAN MORE TRULY, AS A CATHEDRAL PARISH, LIVE OUT PRACTICALLY, OUR PRIESTLY MISSION OF BRINGING THE WORLD TO GO AND GOD TO THE WORLD. THE COUNCIL, LAY MINISTERS AND LEADERS WILL BE THERE, BUT ALL ARE INVITED TO ATTEND. IF YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO COME, PRAY FOR THE MEETING THAT WE MAY MORE TRULY IN THIS PLACE SHARE IN THE HIGH PRIESTLY WORK OF JESUS.
JESUS, BEFORE HE WENT TO CALVARY, CONSECRATED HIMSELF FOR THE TASK BEFORE HIM. AND SO, WE COME TO THIS EUCHARIST.
TO CONSECRATE NOT ONLY THE BREAD AND THE WINE, BUT ALSO TO CONSECRATED OURSELVES AS WE GATHER AS HIS PEOPLE THAT WE MAY CONTINUE THAT HOLY WORK THAT HE BEGAN FOR US AND THE WORLD…… OUR SALVATION!
“FATHER …AS YOU SENT ME INTO THE WORLD, I HAVE SENT THEM INTO THE WORLD. FOR THEM I SANCTIFY MYSELF THAT THEY TOO MAY BE TRULY SANCTIFIED.”
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| Date | 2005-04-21 | | Preacher | Fr David | | Title | Good Shepard Sunday | | Sermon Details | TODAY WE CELEBRATE GOOD SHEPARD SUNDAY IN THE CHURCH’S CALENDAR.
THIS IS AN IMAGE, A DESCRIPTION OF JESUS, WHICH HE USED TO DESCRIBE HIMSELF AT DIFFERENT TIMES IN HIS MINISTRY. FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN HE SPOKE OF HIMSELF AS THE GOOD SHEPARD
IT IS AN IMAGE THAT MANY OF US IDENTIFY, CONNECTS WITH.
WHEN WE THINK THE JESUS AS THE SHEPHERD WE THINK OF HIM AS SOMEONE… WHO LEADS … AS HE LEAD HIS DISCIPLES TO JERUSALEM AND BEYOND.
…WHO LOVES … AS HE LOVED AND CARED FOR HIS DISCIPLES, SOMETIMES PROTECTING THEM FROM THE PRESSURE OF THE CROWDS AND THE DEMANDS OF MINISTRY … WASHING THEIR FEET.
…WHO KNOWS AND UNDERSTANDS … AS HE KNEW AND UNDERSTOOD HIS DISCIPLES, AND ABLE TO ANSWER THEIR QUESTIONS EVEN BEFORE THEY ASKED!
…WHO PROTECTS … AS HE PROTECTED HIS DISCIPLES FROM ARREST IN THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE
…WHO NOURISHES AND GUIDES WITH HIS TEACHING …AS HE TAUGHT HIS DISCIPLES AND IT IS THAT SAME SHEPHERDING THAT WE KNOW THOUGH THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT AS HE LOVES AND GUIDE AND TEACHES US IN THE VARIED CIRCUMSTANCES OF OUR LIVES.
IT IS FOR THIS REASON THAT WE CAN IDENTIFY SO CLOSELY WITH DAVID’S PSALM – PS.23,
BECAUSE WE CAN ECHO THOSE SAME WORDS FROM OUR OWN EXPERIENCE.
WE CAN SAY, “THE LORD IS MY SHEPARD: I SHALL NO WANT.”,
YES, WE TOO HAVE KNOWN THAT PRESENCE IN THE STORY, THE JOURNEY, THE EXPERIENCES OF OUR LIVES.
IT IS THAT LOVING GUIDING HAND THAT HAS BROUGHT US TO THIS PLACE, THIS CHURCH SO THAT WITHIN THIS FOLD HE GIVES NOURISHMENT AND TEACHING FOR OUR LIVES AND LEADS US ON.
AND SO, ON THIS GOOD SHEPHERD SUNDAY WE COME TO REJOICE IN THAT WONDERFUL LOVE.
I BELIEVE THAT WE COME ALSO TO GIVE THANKS FOR THOSE MEN AND
WOMEN WHO THROUGH THEIR LIVES EITHER
AS FAMILY, CLERGY OR FRIENDS
HAVE BEEN A SHEPHERDING INFLUENCE IN OUR LIVES IN THE GOOD
AND THE BAD TIMES.
I AM SURE THAT AS WE LOOK BACK WE CAN SEE GOD’S
SHEPHERDING HAND IN THEM, AND THROUGH THEM.
AND IT IS GOOD TO REFLECT ON THE PEOPLE AND EXPERIENCES THAT
HAVE ENRICHED US.
THEY HELP US TO BE ABLE TO SAY,
“ALL IS WELL! SURELY HIS GOODNESS AND LOVING KINDNESS WILL FOLLOW ME ALL THE DAYS OF MY LIFE.”
BUT AS WE LOOK AT JESUS' LIFE THE GOOD SHEPHERD DID NOT
EXHAUST ALL THAT COULD BE SAID ABOUT HIM,
BECAUSE…THE SHEPHERD WAS ALSO THE LAMB,
SPENT IN SERVICE OF OTHERS.
THE SHEPARD WAS ALSO THE VICTIM.
AS MUCH AS JESUS WAS THE SHEPHERD, THE LEADER,
HE WAS THE FRAGILE VULNERABLE HUMAN BEING, WHO NEEDED THE
LOVE AND CARED OF THOSE AROUND HIM.
FOR THIS REASON HE SHARED WITH HIS DISCIPLES HIS PAIN HIS
CONCERNS.
HE CALLED THEM TO WATCH WITH HIM IN THE GARDEN.
HE RECOGNISED THE LONELINESS OF LEADERSHIP,
WHEN HE SAID THAT WHEN THEY STRIKE THE SHEPHERD, THE SHEEP
WOULD SCATTER.
AND….
WHEN AS THE AS HE HUNG ON THE CROSS AND HE CALLED OUT IN
THIRST.
IT WAS A ROMAN STRANGER WHO CARED FOR HIM.
MOST OF HIS FOLLOWERS WERE NOT THERE.
THIS REMINDS US TO PRAY AND CARE FOR THOSE IN LEADERSHIP ROLES
OF WHATEVER KIND IN CHURCH IN POLITICS IN BUSINESS.
IT REMINDS TO PRAYED FOR THOSE IN CARING MINISTRIES THAT THE
LAMB MAY BE CHERISHED IN THE SHEPHERD
BUT THIS PASSAGE ALSO REMINDS US THAT WE TO ARE NOT ONLY
SHEEP, BUT WE ARE CALLED AS CHRISTIANS TO FIND, TO GROW IN
ANOTHER DIMENSION FOR OUR LIVES… THE SHEPHERD.
WE ARE CALLED TO BE LIKE JESUS,
AND SHARE HIS LOVE AND COMPASSION IN THE WORLD TO
BRING HIS LIVING PRESENCE TO OTHERS….
TO LEAD PEOPLE BESIDE STILL WATERS
TO BE WITH THEM IN THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW
BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT SO MANY PEOPLE NEED IN LIFE,
AND WE AS A CHURCH ARE CALLED TO SHARE IN HIS SHEPHERDING
WORK.
IN OUR PARISH A NUMBER OF PEOPLE HAVE STARTED HOME
VISITING. LIKE SHEEP, WHEN ASK TO DO THIS, THEY FELT LIKE LAMBS
BEING LEAD TO THE SLAUGHTER!
BUT IN AN INCREDIBLE WAY THEY ARE BEING TRULY BLESSED AS
THEY HAVE FOUND THE SHEPHERD IN THEMSELVES,
AND ARE ABLE TO SHARE IN HIS WORK OF COMPASSION.
AND I BELIEVE THAT GOD CALLS ALL OF US IN DIFFERENT WAYS TO
THIS SHEPHERDING WORK AS WE MAKE OUR PARISH THE CARING
PARISH HE CALLS US TO BE.
SO TODAY …
WE THANK GOD FOR HIS SHEPHERDING OF OUR LIVES,
WE THANK GOD FOR THOSE WHO HAVE SHEPHERDED US,
WE PRAY FOR THOS WHO ARE SHEPHERDS,
WE PRAY FOR OURSELVES THAT HE MAY DO HIS SHEPHERDING WORK THROUGH US
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| Date | 2005-05-08 | | Preacher | Very Rev D. Bannerman | | Title | Untitled | | Sermon Details | TODAY WE GIVE THANKS FOR OUR PATRON SAINT, DUNSTAN.
ONE OF THE GREAT FIGURES OF IN THE ANGLO SAXON PERIOD OF ENGLISH HISTORY PRIOR TO THE INVASION OF THE NORMANS,
AND OF COURSE WE ALL KNOW WHEN THAT WAS! ….1066
I HAVE OFTEN WONDERED WHY WE WERE GIVEN THAT PATRONAGE, BUT THEN WHEN ONE LOOKS AT THE NAMES OF THE CHURCH AROUND US THERE IS A THEME
ST. BONIFACE GERMISTON
ST CHAD, EDENVALE
ST EDMUND KEMPTON PARK
ALL ANGLO SAXON …
ENGLISH MISSIONARIES AND SAINTS TO BRING AND ENGLISH GOSPEL TO THESE PARTS!
DOES THAT SOUND RIGHT FOR THE MIND SET OF THE CHURCH AT THE TURN OF THE LAST CENTURY?
MAYBE, OR MAYBE NOT?
WHATEVER …THE GOSPEL WAS BROUGHT! PRAISE GOD!
AND WE ARE IN THIS WONDERFUL CHURCH UNDER THE PROTECTION OF DUNSTAN.
WHAT DO WE KNOW OF ST DUNSTAN?
HE CAME FROM A WELL-TO- DO ANGLO-SAXON FAMILY.
HE WAS BENEDICTINE MONK WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REFORMATION AND RENEWAL OF THE MONASTIC LIFE IN ENGLAND.
HE WAS COMMITTED TO EDUCATION, AS THE BENEDICTINES WERE, AND WAS MORE PARTICULARLY COMMITTED TO THE EDUCATION OF YOUNG PEOPLE, BECAUSE HE SAW IN THEM THE LEADERSHIP OF A NEW AND MORE UNITED ENGLAND.
HENCE HIS WORK AT GLASTONBURY
BECAUSE OF HIS SPIRITUALITY AND WISDOM,
AFTER BEING ABBOT OF GLASTONBURY,
HE BECAME BISHOP OF WORCESTER, THEN LONDON AND FINALLY ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY.
HE ADVISED AND CHALLENGED THE MONARCHS OF HIS DAY,
REMINDING THEM OF THE SACRED TRUST OF LEADERSHIP AND POWER. BE CAUSE OF THIS HE SOMETIMES HE WAS FORCED INTO EXILE IN FRANCE… MEDDLESOME PRIEST!
IT WAS HE WHO CREATED THE ENGLISH CORONATION SERVICE WITH ITS MEANINGFUL WORDS AND RICH SYMBOLISM,
REMINDING SOVEREIGN, GOVERNMENT AND NATION OF THE SACRED VOCATION AND TRUST OF LEADERSHIP.
THAT SERVICE IS STILLED USED TODAY IN WESTMINSTER ABBEY.
QUITE MAN … OUR DUNSTAN!
AS WE LOOK BACK ON HIS WHAT MADE DUNSTAN THE MAN THAT HE WAS, THERE MUST HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS FACTORS, KNOWN AND UNKNOWN.
I JUST WANT TO FOCUS ON TWO.
FIRST IN THE EVENTS OF HIS LIFE … BIG/SMALL …GOOD/BAD,
HE WAS ABLE TO SEE THE BIGGER PICTURE.
IN HIS DEMANDING AND SOMETIMES UNPOPULAR TASK OF REFORMING THE MONASTERIES
IN HIS IN ADMINISTRATION AND BUILDING OF GLASTONBURY
IN THE PASTORAL BURDENS OF EPISCOPAL OFFICE
IN HIS PROPHETIC AND HAZARDOUS WORK OF CHALLENGING GOVERNMENT.
THROUGH HIS DAILY PRAYER LIFE AS MONK HE WAS CONTINUALLY RENEWED IN GODS GRACE AND STRENGTH FOR HIS LIFE.
IN THE EUCHARIST IN THE PSALMS HE FOUND VISION FOR HIS LIVING
A VISION FROM HIM WHO WAS THE SHEPHERD OF SHEPHERDS AND THE KING OF KINGS AND IT WAS THIS VISION THAT EMPOWERED HIM DAY BY DAY IN ALL HE UNDERTOOK.
THIS GRAPHICALLY SEEN IN THE ONE PICTURE THAT HE DREW OF HIM SELF. IT IS THAT OF A LITTLE MONK KNEELING AT THE FEET OF LARGE IMAGE OF CHRIST. JESUS, HIS SHEPHERD AND KING WAS THE BIGGER PICTURE FOR HIS LIFE.
THIS IS REMINDER TO US IN WHATEVER ROLE GOD HAS CALLED US TO OF THE NEED TO SEE OUR WORK, OUR LABOURS IN THE CONTEXT OF THAT BIGGER PICTURE THROUGH OUR WORSHIP, READING AND PRAYERS.
THE SECOND THING ABOUT DUNSTAN WAS THAT HE WAS NOT ONLY KNOWN AS AN ABBOT AND ARCHBISHOP, BUT ALSO A CALLIGRAPHER A METAL WORKER AND A MUSICIAN, ORGAN BUILDER AND BELL MAKER.
HE USED THE GIFTS THAT GOD HAD GIVEN HIM TO SHARE IN GOD’S CREATIVITY, BUT ALSO TO BRING FULFILMENT AND BALANCE TO HIS LIFE AND IT WAS IN THAT BALANCE OF ACTIVITIES THAT HE FOUND STRENGTH.
IN THIS LIFE STYLE THERE IS A CHALLENGE A REMINDER TO US OF THE NEED TO GROW INTERESTS, DISCOVER OUR GIFTEDNESS SO THAT WE CAN FIND FULFILMENT IN THEM AND BRING HAPPINESS TO OTHERS. THAT THEY CAN ALSO BRING STABILITY TO OUR LIVES, BECAUSE JUST AS THE GREAT SEALINERS NEED STABILISERS FOR ROUGH SEAS SO OUR LIVES NEED STABILISERS THAT CAN HELP US KEEPS ON COURSE THROUGH THE STORMS OF LIFE. IN MOST OF OUR LIVES THERE ARE VARY DEGREES OF IMBALANCE AS WE STRIVE TO FIND THAT BALANCE AND AS WE FACE THE CHANGING PRESSURES OF LIFE.
WE WILL AND ALWAYS SHOULD BE SEEKING BALANCE, AND I BELIEVE THAT DUNSTAN POINTS US TO THAT AS HE SOUGHT TO LIVE A LIFE ROOTED IN PRAYER FOCUSED ON THE BIGGER PICTURE FOR HIS DAILY LIVING, BALANCING HIS LIFE THROUGH THE CREATIVITY, GIFTEDNESS THAT GOD HAD GIVEN HIM.
SO WE THANK GOD FOR DUNSTAN- FOR HIS EXAMPLE OF ENGAGED HOLINESS AS HE RESPONDED IN THE POWER OF GOD’S LOVE TO THE NEEDS AND CHALLENGES OF HIS TIME, AND WE SURELY PRAY THAT THAT HOLINESS MAY BE OURS, AS WE LIVE OUT OUR LIVES IN THE ROLES, VOCATION OR CAREERS THAT HE HAS GIVEN US TO HIS GLORY. AMEN
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| Date | 2005-06-12 | | Preacher | Fr David Bannerman | | Title | Pastoral Plan | | Sermon Details | THEN JESUS SAID TO HIS DISCIPLES, “THE HARVEST IS PLENTIFUL BUT THE LABOURERS ARE FEW.”
THESE WORDS CAME OUT OF JESUS’ REFLECTION ON THE NEEDS OF THOSE TO WHOM HE WAS MINISTERING… THE CONTEXT IN WHICH HE WAS MINISTERING. IN THE REGION IN WHICH HE WAS PREACHING AND HEALING, HE SAW SO MANY PEOPLE IN NEED OF MEANING AND HEALING OF ONE KIND OR ANOTHER IN THEIR LIVES.
HE SAW SO MAY STRESSED, HARASSED AND IN CRISIS OF ONE KIND OR ANOTHER, HELPLESS.
HE SAW THE NEED FOR MEANING, CARE, EMPOWERMENT, GUIDANCE. WHAT WAS HIS RESPONSE TO THAT GODLY REFLECTION?
A RESPONSE THAT CAME FROM HIS HEART, THE HEART OF HIS PURPOSE IN LIFE. HE HAD COMPASSION ON THEM. HE WAS MOVED AND THAT MOVEMENT LEAD TO ACTION. HE MADE A PLAN, WHICH WAS PART OF THE BIGGER PLAN OF HIS LIFE
AND HIS PLAN FOR THE WORLD.
FROM HIS FOLLOWERS, HE TOOK TWELVE WHO WOULD SHARE IN HIS
PREACHING AND HEALING MINISTRY.
HE MADE THOSE DISCIPLES INTO APOSTLES,
BINDING THEM INTO A COMMITTED TEAM,
SENDING THEM OUT TO SHARE IN HIS WORK, AND TO RESPOND TO THE
NEEDS OF THOSE IN SPIRITUAL, EMOTIONAL AND OTHER KINDS OF
NEED.
IN THIS CALLING OF THE TWELVE TO MINISTRY,
HE ESTABLISHED THE IN-SERVICE TRAINING THAT WAS TO LAY THE
FOUNDATIONS FOR FUTURE MINISTRY WHEN HE WAS GONE.
HE WAS TRAINING/EMPOWERING THEM CONTINUE TO LOVE AND CARE
AND TEACH AND HEAL IN HIS NAME,
AND BRING THE COMPASSION OF GOD, THE SHEPHERD TO MEN AND
WOMEN …..
TO YOU AND ME.
THAT IS MEANING LOVE AND FORGIVENESS AND EMPOWERMENT THAT
WE FIND AT THE ALTAR OF THE SHEPHERD IN THIS SACRAMENT.
HE STILL HAS COMPASSION ON US.
BUT HIS STILL SAYS, ‘THE LABOURERS ARE FEW’.
FOR THERE ARE STILL MANY IN NEED.
AND HE PUTS HIS SPIRIT INTO OUR HEARTS.
HE MOVES US …HE CALLS US TO MAKE A PLAN TO CARE FOR HIS
PEOPLE.
I AM SURE THAT MANY OF US, BOTH LAITY AND CLERGY, CAN THANK
GOD FOR THE CARE OF GOD’S PEOPLE,
BUT THERE ARE ALSO THOSE TIMES WHEN IT WOULD HAVE BEEN
GOOD TO HAVE MORE CARE.
JESUS SAW IT AND MADE A PLAN AND BELIEVE THAT GOD IS NOW
CALLING US IN A SPECIAL WAY TO CREATE PASTORAL PLAN FOR OUR
PARISH, OUR UNIQUE CONTEXT
SO THAT COMPASSION OF JESUS MAY FLOW THROUGH OUR LIFE TO
ONE ANOTHER AND BEYOND…
A PLAN FOR OUR CONTEXT TO BRING HIS SAVING LOVE TO OTHERS.
IN THE HOME GROUPS THAT WILL BE STARTING THIS WEEK THE
GROUPS WILL BE LOOKING AT THE NATURE OF THE CHURCH,
ITS HISTORY, OUR ANGLICAN TRADITION, AND THE HALLMARKS OF
THE CHURCH.
I BELIEVE THAT THE HALLMARKS ARE SUMMED UP FOR US IN THE
CREED THAT WE SAY SUNDAY BY SUNDAY
THERE ARE SUMMED UP IN THE WORDS,
"I BELIEVE IN ONE, HOLY, CATHOLIC AND APOSTOLIC CHURCH".
YES, THE DISCIPLES DESPITE THEIR DIFFERENCES WERE CALLED TO BE
ONE …WITH JESUS, AND ONE ANOTHER,
THEY WERE CALLED TO BE HOLY, AND GROW IN THAT
HOLINESS AS THE TOOK ON THE PERSPECTIVE AND THE WAYS OF
JESUS.
THEY WERE CALLED BE CATHOLIC, RECOGNISING THE UNIVERSAL
MISSION OF HIS MESSAGE
AND THE WERE CALLED TO BE APOSTOLIC, ‘SENT’ TO
BRING THAT MESSAGE AND COMPASSION OF JESUS TO HIS WORLD.
AND IT IS EQUALLY CALLED TO BE TRUE AS OUR LIFE AS PARISH
MANIFEST THOSE HALLMARKS,
BECAUSE THAT WILL SHOW THAT WE ARE THE REAL THING.
AND IT BEGINS HERE …
AS WE KNOW THE COMPASSION OF JESUS IN OUR OWN LIVES AS HIS
DISCIPLES AND THEN MAKE A PLAN TO TAKE HIS MESSAGE AND
COMPASSION TO OTHERS.
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| Date | 2005-06-19 | | Preacher | Fr David Bannerman | | Title | Twelfth Sunday | | Sermon Details | Twelfth Sunday, Year A
"If anyone declares himself for me in the presence of human beings,
I will declare myself for him in the presence of my Father in heaven."
WOW! What a wonderful promise! Jesus gives his instructions to the Twelve and gives them and us through them, this wonderful promise that is the very heart of the Christian faith. That really is all we have to do, just declare ourselves to be openly in favour of Christ and his Gospel of love. It doesn't seem much, does it? And yet if we look at it in another way it is everything. We declare ourselves openly for Christ and of course we then have to start living accordingly. If we do not, but go back to our old ways we are giving counter-witness and will have disowned him; this will mean that he will disown us, as he says in the second part of his saying.
The plain truth is that if countless numbers of people down the generations had not openly declared themselves for Christ and suffered the consequences of doing so, and quite often this meant torture and death; then we would not be here today. There would be no Church building; there would be no community of Christians. The Church of today is built on the foundations of those who openly declared themselves for Christ in the past.
A famous man was once asked if he was a Christian. His answer was, "Yes, but not offensively so." He meant that he did not allow his Christianity to interfere with the company he kept or the life of pleasure. It is a bit like the Spaniard who when asked by a Priest if he was a Catholic said of course he was. The Priest then asked him if he went to Sunday Mass. He said, "I'm a Catholic, not a fanatic."
There are three principal ways we can deny Christ. We can deny him by our words, by our silence and by our actions.
I think each of us has had moments like Peter when the cock crows. Moments when we are deeply shamed by our open denial of Christ. We are put on the spot and we brazenly deny him. There are other times when we fail to speak up. We see we are out-numbered and so we say nothing, a grave injustice is done, the name of Christ is mocked or an opportunity missed. We deny him by our actions, by living the sort of life that is unworthy of a Christian. We do this in many ways: by basing our life on lies; by manipulating others; by cruelty; by a life of ease; by pressing down the poor.
We have all heard of the famous book Tom Brown's Schooldays. Tom Brown was very popular at his Private School; he lived with about a dozen other boys in one of the school's dormitories. He was very influential and was the undisputed leader of his gang of friends. One day a new boy came to the school. When it came to bedtime the new boy innocently knelt down by his bed to say his prayers. Some of the other boys began to snigger, a few others began to laugh and joke, one even threw a shoe at the kneeling boy. That night Tom didn't go to sleep straight away. He lay awake thinking about what had happened to the new boy. He also began to think about his mother and the prayers she had taught him to say each night before going to bed, prayers he had not said since he came to school. The next night several of the boys were looking forward to poking fun at the new boy. But that night something totally unexpected happened. When the new boy knelt down to say his prayers, Tom knelt down also. The whole atmosphere of the dormitory changed.
Jesus tells us that he will declare himself for those who declare themselves for him. One of the reasons Jesus made this statement is because bearing witness to him or not bearing witness to him can have a profound effect on those around us. Perhaps the most important area in which this happens is in the home. The deciding factor for Tom Brown was the influence of his mother's example. Because he was so impressed with her faith he in turn gave witness to others and influenced them profoundly.
It has been said that every Christian occupies some kind of pulpit and preaches some kind of sermon every day. This is never more true than of parents in the home. A friend I know had a banner in his room which says: You are the only Gospel some people will ever read.
I love being my job as School Chaplain. I have had the privilege of talking to young people about their faith and their prayer life. I have been very impressed with the answers and even more so by the depth of their prayer-lives. Mostly they pray because they were taught to do so as young children. But I have been equally saddened by the fact the most of them have told me that prayer is practically a taboo subject in the home.
I am talking here about practising Christian families, families at Church every Sunday and yet to say that you prayed for something or that during prayer something had occurred to you would be greeted with waves of embarrassment. It is easy and it is truly wonderful to talk to young children about prayer; they pray for everything – for Mummy, for the dog, for anything! It is difficult but I think even more rewarding to talk to teenagers and young adults about prayer – they so often say to me, “My prayer life isn’t great, but I know it can get better and I want it to get better!” And one of the things that needs to be talked about in every family is how to make that transition from childhood forms of prayer to ones that are more suitable for adult life. Let us not forget the old saying, “The family that prays together, stays together”
Today as we celebrate Father’s Day; let us remember the importance of the family in our Christian life and let us remember our Heavenly Father as well. These are things that need to be talked about, these are duties that no true Christian should neglect, and this is declaring you for Christ before others.
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| Date | 2005-06-26 | | Preacher | Fr David Bannerman | | Title | Untitled | | Sermon Details | “TO NOT SUPPOSE THAT I HAVE COME PEACE TO THE EARTH. I DID NOT COME TO BRING PEACE, BUT A SWORD.”
WHEN WE READ AND HEAR THESE WORDS IN THE GOSPEL, WE FEEL DECIDEDLY UNCOMFORTABLE, AS THEY SEEM TO BE OUT OF CHARACTER WITH A LOVING JESUS, …THE PRINCE OF PEACE.
WHAT DID HE MEAN WHEN SAID THAT HE HAD COME TO BRING …
A SWORD?
HE WAS SPEAKING OF THE SWORD OF THE GOSPEL.
THAT MESSAGE OF GOD’S LOVE THAT CUTS TO THE VERY HEART OF OUR LIVES….
THAT CONVICTS US OF MEANINGLESS AND SIN.
THAT OFFERS US FORGIVENESS, PURPOSE AND HOPE.
THAT CHALLENGES AND EMPOWERS IS TO ANEW WAY FOR LIVING.
IT IS BY THE WOUNDING OF THAT DIVINE SWORD THAT PEOPLE HAVE DIED TO SELF AND HAVE FOUND NOT THE WORLD’S PEACE, BUT GOD’S AND A NEW POWER OF LIVING.
THEREFORE WE READ THAT WHEN PETER PREACHED ONE OF THE FIRST CHRISTIAN SERMONS IN THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES, WE READ THAT THE HEARERS “WERE CUT TO THE HEART.”
THE WRITER OF THE LETTER TO THE HEBREWS ALSO SPEAKS ABOUT THE GOSPEL AS, ‘THE WORD OF GOD IS LIVING AND ACTIVE SHARPER THAN ANY TWO EDGED SWORD.
HAVE YOU NOT MAY BEEN CHALLENGED BY THE GOSPEL………
MAYBE CUT TO THE HEART BY WORDS INA SERMON ABOUT AN ISSUE IN YOUR LIFE?
YES … JESUS WANTS US TO BE SLAIN BY THE MESSAGE, THE SWORD OF HIS FATHER’S LOVE ……
TO SPIRITUALLY DIE…
TO DIE TO SELF AND ALL THAT IS LESS THAN WHAT GODS WANTS FOR OUR LIVES - SO THAT WE CAN BE RAISED TO LIVE LIVES OF LOVE AND JOY AND HOPE AND PEACE IN HIS PRESENCE.
IN DOING THAT,
WE WILL TAKE ON GOD’S VALUES AND HIS WAYS OF LOVE,
COMPASSION AND SERVICE.
THE CONSEQUENCE OF THAT IS THAT IT CAN DIVIDE FROM OTHERS
IT TO HAPPENED TO JESUS AS HE SOUGHT TO LIVE OUT THE LOVE HIS
FATHER AND FOUND HIMSELF HAVING TO CONFRONT SIN,
INJUSTICE AND OPPRESSION.
A CONFRONTATION THAT LEAD TO THE ISOLATION OF THE CROSS.
IT HAPPENED THE PERSECUTED EARLY CHURCH IT. THIS IS WHY
MATTHEW REMEMBERED THESE WORDS OF JESUS AND RECORDED
THEM TO STRENGTH THE CHURCH IN PERSECUTION.
IT HAS HAPPENED DOWN THE PAGES OF HISTORY AS PEOPLE HAVE
FOUND IN JESUS CHRIST THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE FOR
THEIR LIVES, SOUGHT TO LIVE OUT, TO WITNESS TO THE RADICAL
DEMANDS OF THE GOSPEL.
ITS DEMANDS FOR TRUTH, LOVE, HOLINESS, COMPASSION AND
JUSTICE.
WHAT DOES ALL THIS SAY TO US?
IF WE HAVE KNOWN THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT IN OUR LIVES ARE WE
LIVING OUR LIVES IN A WAY THAT MAKES US DIFFERENT?
ARE WE SALT? ARE WE YEAST? ARE WE LIGHT IN THE WORLD?
IS OUR COMMITMENT MAKING DIFFERENCE.
DO OUR LIVES HAVE THAT GOSPEL ‘CUTTING EDGE OF COMMITMENT’
TO JESUS –
A DESIRE TO DO HIS WILL AND TO LIVE OUT HIS VALUES IN OUR LIVES-
VALUES THAT MAY NOT NECESSARILY BE THE VALUES OF THE
SOCIETY?
OUR LORD WANTS LIVES WITH A GOSPEL SHARP EDGE, A SPARK, A
COMMITMENT THAT WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO THE
CHURCH AS WE SERVE WITHIN IT AND AS WE SERVE OTHERS
PARTICULARLY THOSE IN NEED.
IF WE LOOK AT THE LIVES OF THE APOSTLES, THEY MADE A
DIFFERENCE,
PROCLAIMING THE GOSPEL OF JESUS IN WORD AND LIFE .
AND HE CALL US TO DO THE SAME.
MAY IN THE LIGHT OF OUR REFLECTION ON THIS TEXT WE COULD
PRAY, WE COULD PRAY,
“ LORD, SHARPEN THE CUTTING EDGE OF MY LIFE SO THAT, IN YOUR HANDS, I MAY MAKE DIFFERENCE FOR YOU. AMEN.’ |
| Date | 2005-09-25 | | Preacher | Fr David Bannerman | | Title | Sermon 1 | | Sermon Details | TODAY’S THEME ON THIS DG SUNDAY IS THE STEWARDSHIP OF THE
HEART.
I WONDER WHAT THE HEART MEANS TO YOU?
AS I RELECTED ON THIS,
I INITIALLY THOUGHT OF MY HEART AS A PUMP.
THE ORGAN THAT KEEPS ME ALIVE,
THAT SUSTAINS MY PHYSICAL LIFE,
AND THAT I CANNOT EXIST WITHOUT IT.
FOR MY HEART REPRESENTS CENTRE OF MY BEING, OF MY LIFE……
MY HEART IS THE PLACE OF DEEP EMOTIONS, OF PASSION….
THIS IS WHY WE HAVE USED RED FOR TODAY FOR THE ALTAR,
THE COLOUR OF THE HEART
MY HEART IS THE PLACE OF DREAMS
I WONDER IF YOU RESONATE CONNECT WITH THAT?
MY HEART IS THE PLACE OF MEANING.
FOR IT IS THAT MEANING AT THE CENTRE OF MY LIFE THAT GIVES IT
SIGNIFICANCE,
THAT DRIVES AND EMPOWERS MY LIFE AS I JOURNEY THROUGH LIFE
THAT INFORMS MY DECISIONS, GUIDES MY PLANS, AND SUSTAINS MY
VISION.
AND AS I THOUGHT ABOUT MY HEART AND THE MEANING OF MY LIFE,
I BEGAN TO REMEMBER EVENTS IN MY LIFE OF SIGNIFICANCE,
WHOSE MEANINGS FOR ME ARE AFFECTING ME EVEN NOW
AND THE WAY I THINK ABOUT MYSELF AND MY PAST LIFE,
MEANINGS WHICH WILL ALSO INFORM AND FORM MY FUTURE.
DO YOU HAVE EVENTS IN YOUR LIFE LIKE THAT LIKE THAT?
AND THESE EVENTS HAVE BEEN STRUNG TOGETHER IN MY HEART
CREATING A STORY OF WORTH AT THE CENTRE OF MY LIFE.
MY BIRTH…. MY BAPTISM… MY CONFRMATTION…. OUR MARRIAGE
ORDINATION…. THE BIRTH OF OUR DAUGHTERS
AND IN THESE EVENTS AND THE STORY OF MEANING THEY HAVE
CREATED IN MY HEART,
I HAVE ALSO FOUND, DISCOVERED ANOTHER STORY OF GREATER
MEANING INTERWOVEN WITH MINE.
I WONDER IF YOU HAVE FOUND THE SAME?
A STORY OF FAITHFULNESS, LOVE, FORGIVENESS, SUFFERING,
EMPOWERMENT, HOPE AND ABOVE ALL MEANING THAT
GIVES REASON AND PASSION AND PURPOSE FOR ALL OF OUR LIVES.
IT IS THE STORY OF JESUS THAT HE “WROTE” FOR US.
AND ON THIS DEDICATION SUNDAY WE COME TO REMEMBER HIS
STORY,
AND TO GIVE THANKS FOR THE MEANING THAT IS IT HAS BROUGHT TO
OUR STORIES AND HEARTS TO CONSTITUTE AND EMPOWER US.
IT IS THAT STORY AND THE LIFE-GIVING TRUTHS THAT HE WANTS
AT THE HEART OF EACH ONE OF US…IN FACT HE WANTS TO BE
HIMSELF THERE SO THAT HE CAN CONTINUE TO CO-CREATE THE
STORY OF OUR LIVES AND SO THAT WE CAN LIVE LIVES TO HIS GLORY.
PAUL KNEW THE MEANING, THE STORY, THE PRESENCE OF JESUS AT
THE CENTRE OF HIS LIFE, WHEN HE WROTE,
“IT IS NOT I WHO LIVE BUT CHRIST WHO LIVES IN ME AND THE LIFE I NOW LIVE, I LIVE BY FAITH IN THE SON OF GOD, WHO LOVED ME AND GAVE HIMSELF UP FOR ME.”
AND IT FOR THIS REASON THAT HE PRAYED FOR THE CHRISTIANS AT
EPHESUS,
“ I PRAY THAT OUT OF HIS GLORIOUS RICHES HE MAY STRENGTHEN YOU WITH POWER THROUGH HIS HOLY SPIRIT, SO THAT CHRIST MAY DWELL.IN YOUR HEARTS BY FAITH….THAT YOU BEING ROOTED AND GROUNDED IN LOVE, MAY HAVE POWER TO COMPRHEND WITH ALL THE SAINTS….”
SO WE COME TO THANK GOD FOR THE SPIRITUAL AND MATERIAL
BLESSINGS OF LIFE AND MEANING THAT HE HAS BROUGHT TO OUR
HEARTS,
TO THE STORY OF OUR LIVES
AND WE COME TO BE SO ROOTED IN THAT LOVE THAT WE WILL
CONTINUE TO LIVE OUT THE STORY OF OUR LIVES FOR HIS GLORY
WITH HEARTS DEDICATED TO HIM
EMPASSIONED TO DO HIS WILL
TO WORSHIP, TO LOVE AND TO SERVE IN THIS PLACE.
HEAVELY FATHER WE OFFER TO YOU PLEDGE CARDS IN THANKFULNESS FOR ALL THE BLESSING THAT YOU POUR OUT UPON US AND THE MEANING YOU BRING TO OUR HEARTS AND LIVES,
BLESS THESE CARDS, BLESS US SO THAT WE MAY CONTINUE TO TELL, TO LIVE OUT THE STORY OF YOUR LOVE IN OUR LIVES IN THIS PLACE.
THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD. AMEN |
| Date | 2005-09-25 | | Preacher | Fr David Bannerman | | Title | Sermon 2 | | Sermon Details | “MAY THE WORDS OF MY MOUTH AND THE MEDITIATION OF OUR HEARTS BE ALWAYS ACCEPTABLE IN YOUR SIGHT O LORD OUR STRENGTH AND OUR REDEEMER.”
I AM SURE THAT YOU HAVE WONDERED WHERE THESE WORDS HAVE
COME FROM.
WELL, NOW YOU KNOW …PSALM 19!
IN THE ANCIENT WORLD WHEN A PERSON READ, HE OR SHE READ
ALOUD.
AND THEREFORE WHEN YOU READ, YOU NOT ONLY SAW THE WORDS IN FRONT OFYOU, AND RECOGNISED THEIR MEANING FOR YOU,
YOU ALSO HEARD THEM, AND WERE SURROUNDED BY THEM.
THESE WORDS IN A SENSE FORMED YOU.
THEREFORE, IT CAN BE A POWERFUL THING TO READ ALOUD THE WORDS FOR EXAMPLE OF CREATION OF MAN AND PLACE YOUR OWn NAME THERE.
WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT WE BORN INTO LANGUAGE AND IT IS LANGUAGE. THAT GIVE US IDENTITY AND MEANING TO OUR HUMAN EXPERIENCE IN POSITIVE WAY, BUT LANGUAGE WE LIVE IN CAN ALSO LIMIT, OPPRESS AND MARGINALISE US AND OTHERS.
I BELIEVE THAT PSALMIST WAS AWARE OF THE POWER OF LANGUAGE TO CONSTITUTE US AND ENPOWER IN WHAT IS SAID AND NOT SAID - TO RENEW US, TO EMPOWER US IN LIFE.
THAT AWARENESS FIRST COMES IN THE BEGINNING OF THE PSALM WHEN CALL HIS FELLOW ISAELITES, BELIEVERS TO LISTEN, TO HEAR THE NON-VERBAL LANGUAGE OF CREATION AND THE IMPORTANCE OF LETTING GOD SPEAK THROUGH THAT TO US.
I WAS VERY CONSICOUS OF THAT WHEN WE WHERE IN THE BERG RECENTLY AND IN STILNESS OF THE MOUNTAINS WATCHING THE JACKAL BUZZARDS SOARING ABOVE US.
AND CAN UNDERSTAND THE WORDS OF THE PSALMIST WHEN HE SAID.
“ THE HEAVEN DECLARE THE GLORY OF GOD AND THE FIRMAMENT PROCLAIMS HIS HANDIWORK.”
WE NEED THOSE TIMES TO BE IN THE PRESENCE OF THE GLORY OF GOD TO KNOW THE CREATOR BEYOND LANGUAGE AND TO BE CONSTIITUTED RENEWED, AND EMPOWERED BY THAT…
WHETHER IT IS ON A HORSE IN THE DRAKENSBERG,
OR MEDITATING ON SPRING FLOWER.
BUT AS MUCH THE PSALMIST WAS AWARE OF NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION,
HE WAS AWARE OF THE IMPORTANCE AND POWER OF VERBAL COMMUNICATION TO CONSTITUTE AND EMPOWER OUR LIVES,
AND FOR HIM IT WAS THROUGH HIS MEDITATION ON THE GOD’S.
LAW.
AS HE READ IT, SPOKE IT, HEARD IT,
HE WAS ENVELOPED IN IT, AND IT CONSITITUED AND EMPOWERED HIS LIVE.
AND THEREFORE HE COULD SAY,
“ THE LAW OF THE LORD IS PERFECT REVIVING TH SOUL.”
IN THIS HE IS GIVING US A WAY TO READ THE SCRIPTURES.
TO READ IT IN SUCH A WAY THAT WE SPEAK IT OUT,
SO THAT WE CAN BE ENVELOPED IN IT,
SO THAT WE CAN HEAR, READ, MARK, LEARN AND INWARDLY DIGEST IT.
A WAY TO READ IT NOT JUST WITH OUR MINDS,
BUT WITH OUR HEART AND ALL THAT WE ARE.
YES…TO MEMORISE IT SO THAT WE ARE CONSTITUTED BY IT.
MARY UNDERSTOOD THIS WHEN SHE PONDERED THE LIFE OF HER SON
IN HER HEART.
AS YOU READ THE WORDS OF SCRIPTURE ALOUD, REPEAT THEM SO THAT THE WORDS GENTLY INTERACT WITH YOUR MEMORIES, DREAMS, HOPES AND DESIRES OR PAIN,
AND THIS CAN OFTEN LEAD YOU INTO PRAYER THAT IS BEYOND WORDS - CONTEMPLATION.
AND SO IT IS, AS WE QUIETLY SPEAK OUT THE WORDS OF SCRIPTURE AND WE MEDITATE ON THEM IN OUR HEARTS
THAT GOD CAN DO HIS GENTLE TRASNFORMING WORK THE RENEWAL OF OUR HEARTS AND MINDS - SO THAT WE CAN LIVE FOR HIS GLORY
YES … WE NEED TO PRAY.
“MAY THE WORDS OF MY MOUTH
AND THE MEDITATION OF MY HEART
BE ALWAYS ACCEPTABLE IN YOUR SIGHT
O LORD OUR STRENGTH AND OUR REDEEMER.”
LETTING ITS MEANING TOUCH, AFFECT US AT OUR DEEPEST LEVELS |
| Date | 2005-11-14 | | Preacher | Fr David Bannerman | | Title | Redeeming Time | | Sermon Details | FOR MANY OF US TIME IS NOT A FRIEND
OUR LIVES SEEM OT BE CEASELESSLY BUSY AS WE RUN FROM ONE THING TO ANOTHER.
WHEN YOU ARE PREPARING FOR EXAMS AND THERE ISN’T THE TIME,
WITH LITTLE TIME TO THINK OR REFLECT ON WHAT WE ARE DOING!
ON THE OTHER HAND THERE THOSE WHO FIND THAT TIME IS OPPRESSIVE AS IT STRETCHES OUR BEFORE THEM
IT IS TRUE OF THOSE RECOVERING FORM ILLNESS OR INJURY.
HOW DO YOU FILL THOSE HOURS, WHEN YOU ARE CONFINED,
OR DO NOT HAVE THE ENERGY TO DO ANYTHING?
THIS MORNING’S GOSPEL IS THE SECOND OF THREE PARABLES THAT ARE CONCERNED WITH TIME. THERE ARE THE WISE AND FOOLISH VIRGINS, THE PARABLE OF THE SHEEP AND THE GOATS.
IN THE PARABLE THE FIRST TWO SERVANTS ARE GIVEN A VAST AMOUNT OF MONEY AND THEY DOUBLE IT THROUGH TRADE.
THE THIRD SERVANT GOES AND DIGS A HOLE AND BURIES THE MONEY FOR FEAR THAT HE MAY LOOSE IT.
THE FIRST TWO HAVE USED THERE TIME WELL AS THEY WAIT FOR THE MASTER THE SECOND AHS NOT USED THE OPPORTUNITY GIVEN TO HIM.
FOR THE THIRD SERVANT TIME IS NOT A FRIEND. FOR EVERY MOMENT OF LIVES OUR IN FEAR THAT THE MIGHT LOOSE WHAT HE HAS BEEN.
RATHER THAN WAITING FOR THE RETURN OF THE MASTER WITH JOY, AND USING EACH MOMENT IN JOYOUS EXPECTATION AND FULFILMENT OF WHAT IS TO COME, THIS SERVANT DOES NOT MOVE, AND IS FILLED WITH ANXIETY ABOUT WHAT TOMORROW WILL BRING..
IN MANY RESPECTS IT IS EASIER TO IDENTIFY WITH THE THIRD SERVANT THAN WITH FIRST TOW WHO MAKES SUCH A SUCCESS OF THINGS. ALL OF US ARE ANXIOUS ABOUT THE FUTURE. NO MATTER HOW SECURE WE MAY FEEL ABOUT THIS LIFE, WE CANNOT BE SURE WHAT TOMORROW WILL BRING.
IT SAID THE EACH DAY IN BRITAIN LIFE EXPECTANCY INCREASES BY 6 MINUTES.
YES WE ARE LIVING LONGER AND WE HAVE DAY TO DAY SALUTARY THAT OR ANCESTORS AND OTHERS IN THE WORLD TODAY COULD NOT DREAM OF. YET FOR ALL THIS LIFE SEEMS UNCERTAIN.
] SO WE BATTLE AGAINST TIME TRYING TO BRING IT UNDER OR CONTROL. OR ESCAPING IT BY PUTTING OUR SELVES INTO A STATE OF OBLIVION.
JESUS KNOW AND DID NOT KNOW WHAT THE FUTURE HELD FOR HIM.
HE COULD SAY IN THE COURSE OF HIS MINISTRY,
“BEHOLD WE ARE GOING UP TO JERUSALEM AND THE SON OF MAN WILL BE DELIVERED TO THE CHIEF PRIESTS AND THE SCRIBES AND THEY WILL CONDEMN HIM TO DEATH.”
HOWEVER, HE DID NOT ATTEMPT TO AVOID HIS FUTURE.
HE FOCUSED ON THE MINISTRY BEFORE HIM AND TIME BEFORE HIM. THEREFORE HE COULD SAY,
“IF ANY ON WOULD COME AFTER ME LET HIM DAILY TAKE UP HIS CROSS AND FOLLOW ME.”
HE COULD SAY,
“GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD.”
AT THE SAME TIME HE ALLOWED HIMSELF TO BE DELIVERED TO DEATH.
THE FUTURE OFFERED HIM PAIN AND SUFFERING,
YET IN HIS IMMENSE COURAGE HE EMBRACED HIS FUTURE,
SO THAT W MIGHT NOT LIVE IN FEAR OF WHAT TOMORROW WILL BRING.
BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT WHATEVER THE FUTURE WILL BRING THE RISEN CHRIST WE KNOW THAT HE WILL LEAD US AMIDST THE ANXIETIES OF LIFE OT THE JOY TO HIS ETERNAL KINGDOM
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| Date | 2006-01-15 | | Preacher | Very Rev. David Bannerman | | Title | John 1.35 The Call | | Sermon Details | THIS SUNDAY’S THEME IS TRADITIONALLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE CALL TO DISCIPLESHIP.
AND SO WE HAVE IN THIS MORNING’S READINGS,
THE CALL OF THE CHILD SAMUEL IN THE TEMPLE
AND THEN CALL OF THE DISCIPLES, ANDREW AND, TRADITION HAS IT,
JOHN, THE WRITER OF THE GOSPEL,
WHO WANTED TO REMAIN ANONYMOUS TO FOLLOWERS OF JESUS.
YOU CAN IMAGINE JOHN, AS AN OLD MAN,
RECALLING THIS STORY AS AN OLD MAN IN EPHESUS,
SHARING IT WITH THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY,
BEFORE HE COMMITTED IT TO PAPYRUS.
THE DEFINING MOMENT IN HIS LIFE!
I’M SURE THAT HE WOULD HAVE RELIVED IT AS HE TOLD IT,
AS WE DO ANY IMPORTANT EVENT IN OUT LIVES…..
LIKE THE DAY OF YOUR MARRIAGE PROPOSAL!
YES, JOHN WOULD HAVE RELIVED IT,
“IT WAS JUST 4 O’CLOCK IN THE AFTERNOON AND WE WERE STANDING
BY THE JORDAN,
AND SUDDENLY JESUS WAS THERE.
AND JOHN SAID,
“THERE HE IS THE ONE YOU ARE LOOKING FOR THIS IS THE LAMB OF GOD.”
AND I REMEMBER HOW WE FOLLOWED HIM,
AND HE TURNED AROUND AND SPOKE TO US.
THE VERY FIRST TIME I HEARD IS VOICE SO LONG AGO
AND YET, I REMEMBER IT AS IF WERE YESTERDAY -
‘WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?”
"RABBI WHERE ARE YOU STAYING?”
“COME AND SEE.’
IT WAS NOT JUST THE WORDS I REMEMBER,
I REMEMBER HIS WELCOMING SMILE,
THEN HE LEAD THE WAY FOR US AND HE OPENED THE DOOR AND WE
WERE WITH HIM.”
YOU CAN IMAGINE THEM WANTING TO PRESS HIM WITH MORE
QUESTIONS,”
“WHAT DID YOU DO THAT FIRST DAY,
WHAT DID HE SAY?”
AND THE OLD MAN ANSWERING
“WE WERE WITH HIM – JUST THAT
AND WE BEGAN TO KNOW HIM AND HE BEGAN TO KNOW US”
YES THESE MAN WERE SEEKING THEY WERE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING
IN THEIR LIVES –
MEANING, PURPOSE FOR THEIR LIVES QUALITY FOR THEIR LIVES.
THERE WAS NEED.
IT WAS FOR HIS REASON THAT THEY CAME SEEKING.
AND JESUS SAYS, "COME AND SEE".
HE OPENED THE DOOR OF HIS HEART SO THAT THEY COULD BE WITH
HIM,
AND BE IN HIS PRESENCE.
AND, IT WAS AS THEY JOURNEYED WITH HIM - LIVING WITH HIM,
LOVED BY HIM,
LEARNING FROM HIS TEACHING
LEARNING FROM HIS EXAMPLE
THAT THEY FOUND
A NEW PERSPECTIVE
A NEW POWER
AND A NEW WAY FOR LIVING.
THEY KNEW THAT THEY WOULD ONLY BE TRULY WITH HIM IN
HEAVEN,
"IN MY FATHER HOUSE ARE MANY RESTING PLACES. I GO TO PREPARE A PLACE YOU.”
THEY KNEW THAT THROUGH HIS LOVE THEY WOULD FIND A
NEW POWER FOR LIVING,
FOR JESUS SAID TO HIS DISCIPLES,
“IF ANYONE LOVES ME HE WILL OBEY MY TEACHING. MY FATHER WILL LOVE HIM, AND WE WILL COME TO HIM AND MAKE OUR HOME WITH HIM.”
THEY KNEW THAT IT WOULD BE A WAY OF SACRIFICIAL LOVE,
“AS I HAVE LOVED YOU, SO ARE YOU TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER.”
THEY ALSO KNEW THAT THEY HAD BEEN CALLED TO SHARE IN HIS
WORK.
WHAT DOES THIS HAVE OT SAY TO US?
JESUS CALLS TO US, “COME AND SEE.”
JESUS CALLS US AS HIS DISCIPLES TO MAKE OUR HOME WITHIN HIS
PRESENCE,
TO ABIDE WITH HIM
SO THAT IN HIS PRESENCE, IN COMPANIONSHIP WITH HIM,
AS WE JOURNEY THROUGH LIFE,
WE MAY GROW
IN HIS PERSPECTIVE FOR OUR LIVES,
IN HIS POWER FOR OUR LIVING
AND READY TO DO HIS WILL OF BRINGING OTHERS TO HIM
SO THEY TOO CAN EXPERIENCE WHAT WE HAVE.
BECAUSE WE ARE NOT CALLED TO BE WITH JESUS,
MORE THAN THAT,
WE ARE CALLED TO SHARE THE LOVE OF JESUS.
FOR THIS IS WHAT ANDREW DID.
HE WENT AND FOUND HIS BROTHER PETER.
THIS IS WHAT JOHN DID THROUGH HIS TEACHING AND WRITINGS,
HE SHARED THE ETERNAL LOVE AND LIFE OF JESUS.
AND ALL OF US WHO SEEK AND ABIDE IN HS PRESENCE ARE CALLED
TO DO THE SAME.
SO AS DISCIPLES,
ANDREW OR JOHN,
PETER OR MARY,
FELICITY OR JAMES,
WE COME TO SEE JESUS IN THIS SACRAMENT.
WE COME TO ABIDE IN HIM, AND HE IN US AS THE PRAYER OF HUMBLE
ACCESS REMINDS US SO THAT WE CAN TOO SHARE THE SAME LOVE
AND LIFE OF JESUS WITH OTHERS.
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| Date | 2006-01-08 | | Preacher | Very Rev. David Bannerman | | Title | Baptism of Jesus | | Sermon Details | “THIS IS MY BELOVED SON WITH WHOM I AM WELL PLEASED.”
LAST SUNDAY WE HEARD ABOUT THE BOY JESUS IN THE TEMPLE
AND GROWING IN THE LOVE AND WISDOM OF HIS FATHER.
NOW,
HAVING JOURNEYED WITH HIS FATHER AS BOY, AS A YOUNG MAN, HE
NOW BEGINS HIS PUBLIC MINISTRY.
JESUS LEAVES BEHIND THE QUIET SECURITY OF HOME LIFE IN
GALILEE TO BEGIN HIS LIFE’S WORK …
OUR SALVATION.
DO YOU REMEMBER LEAVING HOME FOR THE FIRST TIME AND SETTING
OUT INTO THE WORLD?
FOR SOME IT WAS GOING INTO THE ARMED FORCES
FOR OTHERS IT WAS UNIVERSITY, TO COLLEGE
FOR OTHERS IT WAS THAT FIRST JOB.
I WONDER IF YOU RECALL THE FEELINGS?
I REMEMBER IT WELL.
IT WAS HEATHROW AIRPORT FLYING TO THEN RHODESIA TO JOIN THE
BRITISH SOUTH AFRICA POLICE …. INTO THE FUTURE, INTO THE
UNKNOWN.
AND AS I MOVED TO BOARD THE PLANE MY FATHER DID SOMETHING
THAT HE HAD NEVER DONE IN HIS LIFE…EDWARDIAN ENGLISHMAN
THAT HE WAS …
HE KISSED ME ….. GOOD BYE!
I DO NOT WHO WAS MORE SURPRISED HIM OR ME!
BUT IT WAS UNCONSCIOUS, SPONTANEOUS
AND IT WAS AN ACT OF AFFIRMATION OF LOVE,
AND IN THAT AN ACT OF EMPOWERMENT,
AND PROMISE FOR THE FUTURE
I M SURE THAT ALL OF US HAVE HAD SIMILAR MOMENTS IN OUR LIVES
THAT ARE ……..MOMENTS!
THIS WAS AN ACT OF LOVING AFFIRMATION FOR JESUS AS HE BEGAN
HIS PUBLIC MINISTRY
AND A VOICE FROM HEAVEN SAID,
“THIS IS MY BELOVED SON WITH WHOM I AM WELL PLEASED.”
AND IT WAS IN THE POWER OF THAT LOVE THAT HE WENT TO BRING
HIS FATHER’S LOVE, FORGIVENESS AND HOPE TO THE WORLD.
AS WE LOOK AT JESUS' LIFE,
HE DID NOT KNOW WHAT WAS TO FACE HIM,
BUT HE “WENT FOR IT”, AS THEY SAY,
IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE LOVE OF HIS FATHER
TO FACE THE CHALLENGES THAT LAY BEFORE HIM.
AT OUR BAPTISM WE WERE IMMERSED IN THAT SAME LOVE AND
MEANING FOR OUR LIVES.
IN OUR BAPTISM WE WERE CALLED TO SHARE IN HIS WORK OF
BRINGING HIS LIGHT AND LOVE TO THE WORLD.
AND WE COME HERE AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS NEW YEAR TO
REMEMBER THE LOVE OF OUR HEAVENLY FATHER IN THE BAPTISM OF
JESUS.
WE COME TO GIVE THANKS THAT THAT SAME LOVE IS OURS THROUGH
BAPTISM, AND AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR COME TO BE
RENEWED IN THAT LOVE -
AS WE FACE THE CHALLENGES OF YEAR THAT LIES AHEAD
AS SEEK TO WALK HIS WAY AS CHRISTIAN …….
DOCTORS
STUDENTS
HOUSEWIVES
MANAGERS …..
WHATEVER VOCATION OR CAREER WE ARE CALLED TO.
MY PRAYER IS THAT THE WORDS THAT WERE SPOKEN TO JESUS AT HIS
BAPTISM WILL FIND AN ECHO IN YOUR HEARTS AS YOU BEGIN THIS
NEW YEAR - SO THAT YOU CAN LIVE OUT HIS COMPASSION AND HOPE
IN YOUR LIFE IN ALL THAT LIES BEFORE YOU.
“THIS MY BELOVED CHILD, WITH WHOM I AM WELL PLEASED”
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| Date | 2006-02-05 | | Preacher | Fr David Bannerman | | Title | Mark 1.38 | | Sermon Details | DID YOU KNOW THAT WE HAVE TWO DOCTORS IN CHURCH THIS
MORNING.
AND I AM SURE YOU MIGHT SAY TO YOURSELF,
“THAT’S GREAT. IF I FAINT, OR FALL ILL, I AM IN GOOD HANDS.”
WELL, I AM AFRAID, NOT BECAUSE NEITHER OF THEM ARE DOCTORS
OF MEDICINE!
I AM TOLD THAT THERE IS GREAT PROBLEM IN AFRICA
BECAUSE SIMPLE VILLAGE FOLK, WHEN THEY HEAR THAT THERE IS A
DOCTOR IN THE VILLAGE, TAKE THERE SICK TO HIM OR HER,
AND THE CANNOT UNDERSTAND WHY A PERSON SHOULD BE CALLED
‘DOCTOR’, AND THAT PERSON DOES NOT HEAL THE SICK.
IN THIS MORNING’S GOSPEL JESUS WAS IN A SIMILAR PREDICAMENT.
JESUS CAME AS THE SAVOUR OF THE WORLD.
AND PART OF MINISTRY HE RECOGNISED WAS THAT OF PHYSICAL
HEALING, AND THEREFORE HE HEALED THE SICK THAT CAME TO HIM.
LIKE THOSE THAT CAME TO THE DOOR IN THE EVENING AS WE READ IN
THIS MORNING’S GOSPEL.
THEN, VERY EARLY THE NEXT MORNING JESUS WENT OFF TO FIND A
QUIET PLACE TO PRAY.
BEFORE HE WAS FINISHED HIS DISCIPLES HUNTED HIM DOWN TO SAY
THAT ….
“THERE IS AN EVEN BIGGER CROWD TO BE HEALED.
THINGS ARE LOOKING GOOD!”
YOU MIGHT HAVE EXPECTED JESUS TO HAVE SAID,
“GOOD WE ARE IN BUSINESS. THE PLAN IS WORKING.”
BUT HE DOESN’T SAY THAT, HE SAYS,
“LET US GO ON TO THE NEIGHBOURING TOWNS, SO THAT I MAY PROCLAIM THE MESSAGE THERE ALSO; FOR THAT IS WHAT I CAME OUT TO DO.”
YOU CAN I IMAGINE THE DISCIPLES SAYING,
“EXCUSE ME! PROCLAIM THE MESSAGE!”
WHAT MESSAGE GREATER IS THERE THAN HEALING THE SICK AND
RESTORING THEM TO THEIR HUMAN DIGNITY.
IS THAT NOT WHAT JESUS CAME FOR?
WELL NOT EXACTLY, BECAUSE HE CAME TO BRING GOOD NEWS TO
THE POOR.
HIS MESSAGE IS BOTH SPIRITUAL AND MATERIAL, AS WE ARE BODY
AND SOUL.
BUT WHEN IT COMES TO ORDER OF PRIORITY.
THE SPIRITUAL COMES FIRST, THEN THE MATERIAL.
JESUS MAKES THIS POINT WHEN HE SAID
“SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS AND ALL THESE THINGS WILL BE GIVEN TO YOU AS WELL.”
IT IS THAT SAME PASSION FOR THE PREACHING OF THE GOOD NEWS
THAT WE SEE IN PAUL, WHEN HE SAYS
“WOE IS ME IF I DO NOT PREACH THE GOOD NEWS!”
WHAT JESUS CAME TO DO WAS TO PROCLAIM THE GOOD NEWS OF THE
KINGDOM OF GOD.
HE CAME TO CHALLENGE US TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT SOVEREIGNTY,
AND TO BE RECONCILED TO GOD AND ONE ANOTHER.
MUCH OF THE SUFFERING OF THE WORLD IS TRACEABLE TO THE FACT
THAT WE ARE SEPARATED FROM GOD AND ONE ANOTHER.
BY HEALING THIS ROOT CAUSE
WE FIND OURSELVES IN THE POSITION TO RECEIVE GOD’S ABUNDANT
BLESSINGS IN ALL AREA OF OUR LIFE.
SPIRITUAL AS WELL PHYSICAL
MORAL AS WELL AS MATERIAL,
SOCIAL AS WELL AS PSYCHOLOGICAL.
THE BIG CROWD THAT CAME LOOKING FOR JESUS WAS DISAPPOINTED.
THEY DID NOT FIND HIM. WHY?
BECAUSE THEY WERE LOOKING FOR THE WRONG REASONS.
THEY CAME TO GET NOT WHAT JESUS WANTED TO GIVE.
NOT THAT JESUS IS NOT INTERESTED IN OUR MATERIAL WELLBEING.
FAR FROM IT.
BUT THE SPIRITUAL COMES FIRST.
LIKE THE PEOPLE OF CAPERNAUM,
WE COME TO CHURCH LOOKING FOR JESUS.
WE COME WITH VARIOUS PROBLEMS OF BODY AND SOUL.
THESE ARE REAL, AND WE NEED TO BRING THEM TO HIM.
BUT FIRST AND FOREMOST WE NEED TO SEEK THE SPIRITUAL AND HIS
REIGN AND HIS TRANSFORMING POWER IN OUR HEARTS AND LIVES
|
| Date | 2006-03-12 | | Preacher | Fr David Bannerman | | Title | Phil 3.14 | | Sermon Details | “I PRESS ON TOWARDS THE GOAL, TO WIN THE PRIZE FOR WHICH GOD HAS CALLED ME HEAVENWARD IN CHRIST JESUS”
IN THESE WORDS WE HAVE A RECURRING THEME,
OR METAPHOR ON THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IN PAUL’S WRITINGS,
THE RACE.
WHEN I WAS AT THE SCHOOL I WAS NEVER VERY GOOD AT THE
SPRINTS ……..THE 100 YARDS! THAT DATES ME!!
BUT I DID QUITE WELL AT THE 440!
AND IT TOOK A LOT OF TRAINING!
IT TOOK CONTINUED PASSION, ENERGY AND PRACTICE TO PERFORM.
IT NEEDED P E P P!
AND THE CHRISTIAN LIFE,
WHETHER YOU SEE IT AS
A WALKING RACE.
A SPRINT,
A CROSS COUNTRY
A WHEEL CHAIR RACE
IS JUST THE SAME.
IT NEED THAT P E P P TO REALISE THE GOAL, THE PRIZE.
AND, LENT IS THAT TIME WHEN WE DO SOME SPECIFIC TRAINING TO
WIN THAT PRIZE
AND GOD’S VISION, GOAL F0R OUR LIVES.
PAUL, AS ONE OF GOD’S ATHLETES AND TRAINERS IN THIS
PORTION OF THE EPISTLE TO THE PHILIPPIANS, GIVES US SOME TIPS
FOR RUNNING THE RACE.
FIRST. DON’T KEEP LOOKING BACK.
ISN'T IT TRUE THAT IF WE LOOK BACK WHEN WE ARE RACING
WE LOOSE BALANCE
WE LOOSE FORWARD MOMENTUM
WE FOCUS ON THE OTHER'S ACHIEVEMENT IN THE RACE
AND NOT OUR OWN AND IN THE COMPARISON.
WE CAN ALSO LOOK FURTHER BACK TO OUR FAILURES IN PREVIOUS
RACES AND LOOSE FURTHER MOMENTUM.
IT IS EQUALLY TRUE IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE.
PAUL COULD NOT LOOK TO HIS PAST, HIS FAILURES IN LIFE'S RACE
LIKE THE STONING OF STEPHEN, AND PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS.
HE HAD TO FOCUS ON THE FUTURE.
LIKE PAUL, WE ALL LIVE WITH THE TENSION OF WHAT WE MAY HAVE
BEEN AND DONE, AND WHAT WE WANT TO BE IN LIFE'S RACE.
PRAISE GOD BECAUSE OF THE FORGIVENESS OF THE CROSS AND THE
HOPE THAT WE HAVE IN JESUS,
WE CAN APPROPRIATE THAT FORGIVENESS AND LET GO OF GUILT
AND LOOK FORWARD TO WHAT GOD WILL HELP US BECOME THROUGH
A LIFE OF PASSIONATE FAITH AND OBEDIENCE AND BEFORE AND
ABOVE ALL HIS ENERGISING GRACE.
LENT CAN BE A TIME WHEN WE DEAL WITH THOSE THINGS THAT KEEP
US LOOKING BACK.
MAYBE THROUGH BRINGING THEM TO GOD IN PRAYER OR
PRAYERFULLY SHARING THEM WITH A PRIEST OR COUNSELLOR OR
SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR.
SO THAT WE ARE ENABLED TO PRESS ON TOWARDS THE GAOL OF
REALISING HIS WILL FOR OUR LIVES.
SECOND. SOME TIMES IN TRAINING AND IN RUNNING RACES AN
ATHLETE CAN BECOME DRAINED AND DISCOURAGED BECAUSE S/HE
DOES NOT WIN EVERY RACE.
THIS IS EQUALLY TRUE IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IN STRIVING TO LIVE
THE PERFECT LIFE WE GET TO THE STAGE WHERE FEEL THAT WE CAN
NEVER PLEASE GOD.
GOD DOESN’T CALL US TO PERFECTION, TO FLAWLESNESS IN EVERY
DETAIL.
HE CALL US TO WHOLENESS AND MATURITY,AND HE GIVES US OF HIS
SPIRIT TO LOVE US AND TO BE GENTLY WITH OURSELVES AND TO
GENTLY EMPOWER INTO WHO HE WOULD HAVE US BE.
HE LOOKS AT THE INTENTIONS OF OUR HEART OUR COMMITMENT TO
HIM WHAT WE ARE IN THE RACE OF LIFE ….
NOT THAT WE WIN EVERY RACE.
THIRDLY. PAUL IN VERSE 17 REMINDS US OF THE IMPORTANCE OF
COACHES, MENTORS AS ATHLETES FOR GOD.
PAUL CHALLENGES THE PHILIPPIANS ….TO EMULATE HIM AND OTHER
MATURE FOLLOWERS OF JESUS,
NOT BECAUSE HE WAS PERFECT AND THEY SHOULD COPY
EVERYTHING THAT HE DID.
IT IS LEARNING FROM WHAT IT GOOD IN THE TEXTS OF OTHER
PEOPLE'S LIVES.
PAUL WAS NOT ABLE TO GIVE THEM THE NEW TESTAMENT TO READ
AND SO HE HAD TO USE HIS LIFE AND OTHERS TO COACH THEM FOR
THE RACE OR JOURNEY OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE.
WHAT KIND OF CHRISTIAN WOULD A NEW CHRISTIAN BECOME IF
S/HE WERE TO IMITATE YOU?
THAT’S FOOD FOR THOUGHT!
YES, GOD
CALLS US AS HIS ATHLETES TO NOT LOOK BACK.
HE CALLS US TO IN OUR TRAINING NOT TO SEEK PERFECTION,
BUT MATURITY, WHOLENESS HOLINESS THROUGH A LIFE FOCUSED ON
HIM AND HIS GOAL FOR OUR LIVES.
HE REMINDS US OF THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING AND BEING
A MENTOR TO OTHERS IN THE RACE OF LIFE,
AND TO LOVE AND SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER AND
MODEL THE VALUES OF JESUS AS WE SEEK TO BE IMITATORS OF
CHRIST.
AND SO …
WE COME TO THIS EUCHARIST TO REMEMBER WHO THE REAL
COACH IS FOR THE RACE JESUS.
WE COME TO REMEMBER WHAT THE REAL PRIZE OF LIFE IS ... ETERNAL
LIFE.
WE COME IN THE BREAD AND WINE IN THIS EUCHARIST TO RECEIVE
HID ENERGY SUPPLEMENT FOR THE JOURNEY.
WE COME TO FOCUS ANEW ON THE RACE THAT IS SET BEFORE US SO
THAT WE CAN RUN FOR HIS GLORY.
FOR THE SAINTS ON EARTH AND SAINTS IN HEAVEN ARE IN LOVE
WATCHING US, PRAYING FOR US IN THE HEAVENLY GRANDSTANDS AS
WE RACE ON.
AS THE WRITER OF THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS SAID,
THEREFORE SINCE WE ARE ENCOMPASSED ABOUT WITH SO GREAT A
CLOUD OF WITNESSES LET US RUN WITH PATIENCE THE RACE THAT IS
SET BEFORE US………....
YES …WERE ATHLETES FOR GOD IN THE GREATEST OLYMPICS OF ALL!!
THEREFORE AS ST PAUL SAYS,
“LET US PRESS ON TOWARDS THE PRIZE FOR WHICH GOD HAS CALLED US HEAVEN WARD IN CHRIST JESUS |
| Date | 2006-07-10 | | Preacher | Fr David Bannerman | | Title | Sermon | | Sermon Details | “FOR WHEN I AM WEAK, THEN I AM STRONG.”
AS I REFLECTED ON THESE WORDS I CAME TO REALISE THAT IN OUR
WESTERN CULTURE WE ARE OFTEN TOLD THAT IF WE ARE TO BE
FULFILLED, TO MAKE IT.
WE HAVE TO TAKE CHARGE OF OUR LIVES,
UTILISING OUR GIFTEDNESS,
TAKING CHARGE AND CONTROLLING OUR ENVIRONMENT.
WE MUST REALISE OUR FULFIL INDIVIDUAL POTENTIAL,
AT THE EXPENSE OF OTHERS.
COMPETITION IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THIS.
THIS IS THE LANGUAGE OF WESTERN INDIVIDUALISM.
IT IS THAT KIND OF UNDERSTANDING PERSONAL FULFILMENT THAT IS
EXEMPLIFIED IN THAT ICON OF THE AMERICAN LIFESTYLE,
AMERICAN INDIVIDUALISM FRANK SINATRA, WHEN HE SANG, "I DID IT
MY WAY".
INVULNERABILITY.
WHAT THEN DO WE MAKE OF ST. PAUL’S WORDS,
“FOR WHEN I AM WEAK, THEN I AM STRONG”.
BECAUSE THEY SPEAK OF VULNERABILITY.
ST PAUL WAS AWARE OF HIS VULNERABILITY,
WHEN HE WROTE,
“IF I NEEDS MUST GLORY I WILL GLORY IN THE THINGS THAT CONCERN MY INFIRMITY, THE GOD AND FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST KNOWETH THAT I LIE NOT.”
ABLE PERSON THAT HE WAS,
HE FOREVER ACKNOWLEDGED HIS NEED OF OTHERS …
HIS NEED OF OTHERS TO SUPPORT HIM.
THEREFORE HE REJOICED IN THE MINISTRY OF EPAPHRODITUS,
ONESIMUS AND TIMOTHY.
HE RECOGNISED BOTH HIS STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS, AND WHERE
NECESSARY AFFIRMED OTHERS BY UTILISING THEIR GIFTS.
SECONDLY IN HIS WEAKNESS, VULNERABILITY HE WAS MADE AWARE
OF HIS NEED OF GOD AND HIS GRACE AND HIS STRENGTH AND VISION
FOR HIS LIFE.
WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT THAT THORN IN THE FLESH WAS.
BUT WHATEVER IT WAS IT WAS PAUL, SAW IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR
REDEMPTIVE SUFFERING.
AND SO DAY BY DAY TO SEEK GOD’S GRACE AND HIS WILL FOR HIS
LIFE.
IT REMINDED HIM DAY BY DAY THAT HE COULD NOT DO IT ALONE,
AND THAT LIFE WAS NOT ABOUT PAUL AND HIS WILL -
LIFE IS ABOUT GOD AND HIS WILL FOR OUR LIVES.
IN HIS LIFE HE ECHOED THE SAME VULNERABILITY THAT WAS IN HIS
SAVIOUR AND LORD, WHO SHOWED HIS VULNERABILITY AS HE
WENT TO THE CROSS,
AND ACKNOWLEDGE HIS NEED WHEN FROM THE CROSS, HE CRIED,
“I THIRST”
AND HAD GENTILE SOLDIER WIPE HIS LIPS.
THIS CALLS US TO VULNERABILITY TO RECOGNISE OUR NEED OF GOD
AND TO LIVE OUT HIS VISION FOR OUR LIVES.
IT CALLS US TO A RECOGNITION OUR NEED OF OTHERS,
OUR FAMILIES AND THE AFFIRMATION OF THEM
AS WE DISCOVER OUR WEAKNESSES AND STRENGTHS
AND SO FIND THAT MUTUALITY THAT HE DESIRES FOR US IN OUR
RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHERS.
IT IS IN DOING THAT THAT GOD IS GLORIFIED IN OUR LIVES AND WE
FIND THAT FULFILMENT THAT IS HIS WILL FOR OUR LIFE AND OTHERS
AND IT IS THAT VULNERABILITY THAT COLE IS CALLED TO.
THE VULNERABILITY OF JESUS
THAT HE WILL FIND THAT PATTERN IN THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
IN HIS LIFE AS DAILY HE WANT WE DIE TO SELF AND LIVE FOR GOD
“FOR WHEN I AM WEAK THAT I AM STRONG.” |
| Date | 2006-06-18 | | Preacher | Fr David Bannerman | | Title | Trinity Sunday | | Sermon Details | TODAY, WITH THE REST OF THE CHURCH THROUGHOUT THE WORLD
WE CELEBRATE TRINITY SUNDAY.
THE HIGH SEASON OF EASTER IS OVER.
AND IT'S DOWN TO BUSINESS - TO GROW AS CHRISTIANS IN THE
ORDINARY SUNDAYS THAT FOLLOW,
AND THE LITURGICAL COLOUR GREEN REMINDS OF THAT CALL TO
GROWTH.
BUT ON THE FIRST SUNDAY WE ARE ASKED TO COPE WITH THE MIND-
BOGGLING DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY.
THAT’S HARD!
THAT BRAIN TEASER THAT WE WERE TAUGHT IN OUR CONFIRMATION
AND THAT WE INTELLECTUALLY MAYBE STILL WRANGLE
WITH –
IN THE HOPE THAT AS WE UNDERSTAND THE DOCTRINE THE TRINITY
THAT WE WILL EXPERIENCE THE POWER OF GOD.
WELL, MAYBE WE HAVE GOT IT THE WRONG WAY ROUND.
MAYBE WE HAVE TO FIRST TO EXPERIENCE THE TRINITY,
AND THAT WILL LEAD US INTO A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF IT.
THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED TO THE EARLY CHURCH.
FIRST THEY EXPERIENCE GOD IN THE CHRIST EVENT,
AND THEN THEY SOUGHT TO INTERPRET, AND EXPLAIN AND
FORMULATE THIS DOCTRINE,
CONSCIOUS THAT HUMAN LANGUAGE CAN NEVER ADEQUATELY
DESCRIBE THE ENORMITY OF GOD’S LOVE.
THOSE EARLY FOLLOWERS OF JESUS UNDERSTOOD THAT GOD WAS
ONE.
IN THEIR CREED THEY RECITED THE WORDS,
“HEAR O ISRAEL THE LORD IN ONE LORD AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD.”
IT WAS WITH THIS AWARENESS OF GOD IS ONE THAT THEY
ENCOUNTERED JESUS WHO
LOVED
FORGAVE
PERFORMED MIRACLES AND
ACCEPTED THE WORSHIP OF OTHERS
AND WHO SAID OF HIMSELF,
"HE WHO HAS SEEN ME, HAS SEEN THE FATHER."
HE TAUGHT THEM TO UNDERSTAND GOD IN A NEW WAY
AS ‘FATHER, ABBA’.
THEY FOUND IN HIM A POWER, A LOVE BEYOND THEIR
UNDERSTANDING AND WHICH TRANSFORMED THEIR LIVES.
HE USHERED IN THE POWER OF GOD IN NEW WAY,
AND THIS WAS CONFIRMED BY THE FACT THAT WHEN HE DIED,
DYING FOR THE SIN OF THE WORLD
HE WAS THEN RAISED TO PROCLAIM THE REALITY OF THAT FACT.
AND THOSE DISCIPLES HAD HARDLY RECOVERED FROM THAT
EXPERIENCE WHEN, PRAYING IN THE UPPER ROOM, THEY WERE FILLED
WITH A POWER THAT TRANSFORMED THEIR LIVES AND EMPOWERED
THEM IN INCREDIBLE WAYS.
THEY KNEW GOD WAS ONE BUT THEY HAD EXPERIENCED HIM IN
THREE WAYS
THEY UNDERSTOOD GOD WAS ONE BUT THEY HAD COME TO
EXPERIENCE AND UNDERSTAND HIM IN A NEW WAY.
THEY HAD SEEN THE REALITY OF THAT LOVE MANIFEST IN THE
PERSON OF JESUS IN A UNIQUE WAY,
AND ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST THEY HAD EXPERIENCE AN
INCREDIBLE POWER, LOVE IN THEMSELVES - A SPIRIT THAT BROUGHT
THEM INTO AN INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD AS FATHER –
INTO SONSHIP AND DAUGHTERSHIP
THAT EMPOWERED THEIR LIVES.
IT ENALBED PAUL TO SAY OF THE SPIRIT IN THIS MORNING’S
EPISTLE,
“YOU RECEIVED THE SPIRIT OF SONSHIP, AND BY HIM WE CRY ABBA FATHER. THE SPIRIT TESTIFIES WITH OUR SPIRIT THAT WE ARE GOD’S CHILDREN”.
IT WAS THAT SAME REBIRTH THROUGH THE SPIRIT AS CHILDREN OF
GOD IN SPECIAL WAY THAT JESUS POINTED TO WHEN HE SAID THAT
THEY SHOULD BE “BORN FROM ABOVE”,
KNOWING THE LOVE OF THE FATHER IN A NEW WAY.
AND SO WE SEE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT,
THE BEGINNING OF THE TEACHING OF THE HOLY TRINITY,
AS THEY EXPERIENCED, LIVED IT.
THEREFORE ST PAUL COULD SAY BECAUSE HE HAD KNOWN IT,
“THE GRACE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, THE LOVE OF GOD AND THE FELLOWSHIP THE HOLY SPIRIT BE WITH YOU”.
AND AS THOSE EARLY CHRISTIANS WENT OUT AND SHARED THIS
MESSAGE,
OTHERS EXPERIENCED THIS THREE FOLD ACTION OF THE GOD
A GOD WHO WAS ONE BUT WHO HAD MANIFEST HIMSELF IN THREE
WAYS.
OUT OF THAT EXPERIENCE IN ORDER TO EXPLAIN THE GOSPEL TO THE
CULTURE WHICH THE CHURCH FOUND ITSELF IN, AND TO PRESERVE
THE TRUTHS THAT THE CHURCH HAD EXPERIENCED AND HELD DEAR
THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY WAS FORMULATED...
THEY EXPERIENCED FIRST, THEN THEY SOUGHT TO UNDERSTAND AND
THEN GAVE US THE MIND BOGGLING DOCTRINE.
ISN'T IT TRUE THAT WHEN YOU FALL IN LOVE WITH SOMEONE,
AND THEY HAVE PROFOUND EFFECT ON YOUR LIFE,
IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO FIND WORDS, LANGUAGE TO SPEAK ABOUT
THE EFFECTS OF THAT PERSON ON YOUR LIFE,
AND WHAT HE OR SHE MEANS TO YOU,
AND WORDS FALL SHORT?
AND IF IT THIS TRUE IN TERMS OF OUR OWN RELATIONSHIPS,
IS IT NOT POSSIBLE THAT HUMAN LANGUAGE WILL FALL SHORT OF
ATTEMPTING TO EXPLAIN GOD'S GREAT ACT OF LOVE FOR US?
FIRSTLY IN CREATION
BUT MORE PARTICULARLY IN HIS SON
AND THE CONTINUED WORK OF HIS LOVE IN THE WORLD AND IN OUR
LIVES.
IN THE INCARNATION JESUS HAS MANIFEST A GOD WHO LOVES AND
FORGIVES AND EMPOWERS.
AND CHRISTIANS DOWN THE AGES OF HISTORY HAVE BORNE WITNESS
TO THE TRUTH OF THE TRINITY BECAUSE LIKE THE EARLY CHURCH
THEY HAVE EXPERIENCED IT IN THEIR LIVES.
THE WORDS WILL FALL SHORT AND LAPSE IN TO PARADOXES AS THE
FINITE SEEKS TO DESCRIBE THE INFINITE, BUT DESCRIBE IT WE MUST.
AND IT IS THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY THAT WE LAY AT THE
THRONE OF THE ONE WHO HAS CREATED REDEEMED AND SANCTIFIED
US.
IT IS THAT LOVE THAT WE COME TO CELEBRATE ON TRINITY SUNDAY
AS WE ARE REMINDED IN THIS DOCTRINE OF THE BIGGER PICTURE OF
OUR LIVES
SO THAT IN THE ORDINARY DAYS OF DAILY LIVING WE CAN LIVE AND
GROW FOR HIS GLORY.
|
| Date | 2006-08-12 | | Preacher | David Bannerman | | Title | Sermon Self Control | | Sermon Details | SELF-CONTROL - WHAT DOES THIS WORD MEAN?
THIS IS THE FIFTH VALUE OR QUALITY THAT WE ARE CALLED TO
REFLECT ON IN OUR NATIONAL CONVERSATION.
IS IT HOLDING YOUR STOMACH IN, WHEN YOU ARE BEGINNING TO
DEVELOP A MIDDLE AGED SPREAD?
SELF-CONTROL
THIS QUALITY LIKE THE WORD THAT WE HAD LAST WEEK
CAN BE GIVEN DIFFERENT NAMES.
THIS QUALITY BECOMES A PART OF OUR LIVES WHEN WE VALUE IT,
WHEN WE SEE THE NEED FOR IT.
YOU CAN HAVE ALL THE SEMINARS YOU LIKE ON THE NEED FOR SAFE
SEX,
WARNING OF THE POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT HAVING SAFE
SEX,
BUT UNTIL YOU SEE THE NEED FOR IT,
SELF CONTROL WILL NOT HAPPEN.
UNTIL WE ARE MOTIVATED BY GREATER PERSONAL GOALS FOR OUR
LIVES, OTHER THINGS PERSONS OUTSIDE OURSELVES WILL CONTROL
US.
THROUGH PRESSING BUTTONS IN DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF OUR
PERSONALITY,
OTHER THINGS AND PEOPLE CAN MOVE INTO POWER POSITIONS IN OUR
LIVES.
WHETHER IT IS
SEX/PLEASURE,
DRINK,
PEOPLE PLEASING,
POWER SEEKING …..
CHOCOLATE.
GODLY SELF CONTROL IS MOTIVATED BY A BELIEF IN A GREATER
GOOD AND FUTURE INHERITANCE,
WHICH IS ETERNAL LIVE NOT ONLY IN THIS LIVE
BUT IN THE HEREAFTER,
AND SELF CONTROL IS DONE IN ANTICIPATION OF THESE GIFTS.
THIS SELF CONTROL ARISES OUT OF AN AWARENESS OF GOD'S LOVE IN
JESUS, AND HIS DESIRE TO GIVE US ETERNAL LIFE.
ST PAUL CALLS US TO THIS LIFE, THIS GODLY SELF-DISCIPLINE
THAT IS NOT ONLY LIFE GIVING FOR OURSELVES,
BUT ALSO FOR OTHERS.
AND SO HE SAYS,
“NO ONE SERVING AS A SOLDIER GETS INVOLVED IN CIVILIAN AFFAIRS – HE WANTS TO PLEASE HIS COMMANDING OFFICER.
SIMILARLY IF ANYONE COMPETES IN AS AN ATHLETE, HE DOES NOT RECEIVE THE VICTOR’S CROWN UNLESS HE TRAINS AND COMPETES ACCORDING TO THE RULES,
AND THE HARDWORKING FARMER SHOULD BE THE FIRST TO RECEIVE SHARE OF THE CROPS.”
IT IS AS WE SEE THE GREAT GOOD FOR OUR LIVES
THAT WE ARE PREPARED TO SACRIFICE THE SHORT TIME PLEASURES.
THAT GREATER GOOD HAS BEEN SHOWN TO US IN JESUS.
JESUS SAID
“I HAVE COME THAT YOU MAY HAVE LIFE IN ALL ITS FULLNESS.”
IN ALL ITS FULLNESS IN THE SENSE THAT I CAME TO SHOW YOU
GOD’S GREATER PURPOSE FOR YOUR LIFE,
HIS LOVE FOR YOUR LIFE AND
MY EXAMPLE FOR HOW YOU SHOULD LIVE YOUR LIFE.
THEREFORE HE COULD SAY IN ANOTHER CONTEXT
“I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE.”
THEREFORE TO PRAY FOR SELF CONTROL IN OUR LIVES IS TO PRAY
FOR A GROWTH IN SELF-KNOWLEDGE, AND A CONTINUING
AWARENESS OF THAT GREATER GOOD FOR OUR DAILY LIVING.
ST PAUL SAYS,
“BE NOT CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD BE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWAL OF YOU MINDS”.
IT IS TO KNOW THE MIND OF CHRIST THAT MY MIND IS CHANGED SO
THAT I CAN EXERCISE THAT SELF AWARENESS AND SELF CONTROL
THAT IS HIS WILL FOR ME.
IT MEANS LOOKING AT THE LIFE OF JESUS A LIFE OF SELF CONTROL
AS HE WAS TEMPTED IN THE WILDNESS AS BE FOCUSED ON HIS
MINISTRY.
IT MEANS BRINGING TO GOD THE OUT-OF-CONTROL AREAS OF MY LIFE
TO GOD IN PRAYERS….
SHARING MY LIFE WITH GOD SO THAT CAN STRENGTHEN ME DAILY IN
THOSE AREAS THAT I HAVE LOST CONTROL
FINALLY IT MEANS LIVING MY LIFE CONSCIOUS THAT EVERY AREA OF
MY LIFE IS LIVED IN HIS LOVING GAZE.
AS JEUS KNEW THAT ABIDING PRESENCE OF THAT IN HIS LIFE,
WE TOO NEED TO BE AWARE OF HIS LOVING PRESENCE IN EVERY
MOMENT OF OUR LIVES.
NO MOMENT IN OUR LIVES IS OUTSIDE HIS LOVING PRESENCE AS OUR
FATHER, HE WHO WILLS, DESIRES OUR GREAT AND ETERNAL GOOD.
THAT LOVE THAT HAS BE WITH US DOWN THE YEARS OF OUR LIVES IS
WITH US NOW,
AND WILL BE WITH US.
WE ARE ALWAYS IN HIS SIGHT.
AND SO
IT IS AS WE GROW IN OUR AWARENESS OF THE FATHER'S EVER-
PRESENT LOVE.
IT IS AS WE REFLECT AND THE LIFE GIVING PATTERN FOR OUR LIVES
THAT HE HAS GIVEN IN JESUS,
IT IS AS WE READ AND INTERNALISED THE SCRIPTURES TAKING ON
THE MIND OF CHRIST …..
THAT GOD WILL GIVE US THAT THE SENSE OF PURPOSE DIRECTION
AND POWER THAT WILL ENABLE US TO LIVE OUT OUR LIVES IN SELF
CONTROL AND HOLY LOVE FOR HIM AND FOR OTHERS
|
| Date | 2006-08-06 | | Preacher | Fr David Bannerman | | Title | Perseverance | | Sermon Details | PERSEVERANCE…..
WHEN I SAT DOWN TO WRITE THIS SERMON,
AND REFLECT ON THIS VALUE OR QUALITY THAT IS PART OF THE
NATIONAL CONVERSATION ON VALUES,
I TRIED TO THINK OF OTHER WORDS THAT COULD BE USED TO
DESCRIBE IT, BECAUSE THE QUALITY IS MORE THAN THE WORD,
AND OTHER WORDS CAME TO MIND LIKE ….
RESOLUTION
DOGGEDNESS
PERSISTENCE
FORTITUDE
GRIT
STAYING-POWER
DETERMINATION.
AND,
REFLECTING ON THIS QUALITY,
I BEGAN TO THINK ABOUT THOSE PEOPLE IN MY LIFE,
WHO HAVE SHOWN THAT QUALITY,
AND AS I REFLECTED ON THEM IN MY LIFE AND MINISTRY,
I THOUGHT OF …..
….PEOPLE WHO HAVE ENRICHED MY LIFE, BY THEIR PERSEVERANCE IN
THE FACE OF TRAGEDY AND TIMES OF PERSONAL SUFFERING.
….PEOPLE WHO CARED FOR OTHERS WITH QUIET PERSEVERANCE
….PEOPLE WHO STOOD BESIDE, AND FOR OTHERS IN THE FACE OF
INJUSTICE AND HARDSHIP TO THEMSELVES
….PEOPLE WHO IN THE FACE OF INCREDIBLE LOSS CARRIED ON - ONE
STEP, ONE DAY AT A TIME.
….PEOPLE WHO IN THE FACE OF SUFFERING …LIVE QUIETLY TRIUMPHANT LIVES
I WONDER IF THERE ARE PEOPLE IN YOUR LIFE WHO HAVE
MIRRORED FOR YOU THAT QUALITY OF LIFE THAT HAS ENRICHED
YOUR LIFE?
YES,
TONIGHT MANY OF US WILL BE WATCHING A FILM ABOUT
PERSEVERANCE,
BUT MAYBE WE ALSO NEED TO LOOK AT THE MEANINGS, THE STORIES
NARRATIVES,
THAT HAVE BEEN LIVED OUT BEFORE US, IN OUR OWN EXPERIENCE,
AND
REFLECT ON THEM
READ THEM …AS IT WERE
SO THAT THESE STORIES, THESE TEXTS, THESE REAL FILMS
CAN INFLUENCE THE TEXTS OF OUR LIVES.
WHO ARE THEY? WHO COULD THEY BE?
A PARENT, A RELATIVE, A TEACHER A PRIEST, A FRIEND.
IT MAY BE A NARRATIVE IN HISTORY
IN THE PRESENT
IT MAYBE A MOMENTOUS ONE LIKE .....,
IT MAYBE A STORY THAT IS BEING QUIETLY LIVED OUT RIGHT NEXT TO
YOU AND NOT NOTICED.
I THEN ASKED MYSELF WHAT WERE SOME OF THE INGREDIENTS THAT
MADE PERSEVERANCE –
THAT VALUE,
THAT QUALITY OF LIFE –
AN INTEGRAL PART OF THEIR LIVES?
SOME ONE WHO BELIEVED OR BELIEVED IN THEM
WHO BELIEVED IN THEMSELVES
WHO SAW BIGGER PICTURE A GREATER GOOD FOR OTHERS, FOR
THEMSELVES. A VISION.
I WONDER IF THOSE QUALITIES ARE IN YOUR LIFE?
I WONDER IF THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED TO
FIND PERSEVERANCE IN YOU?
TODAY WE CELEBRATE THE FEAST OF THE TRANSFIGURATION, WHEN
WE READ IN THE GOSPELS THAT JESUS BEFORE HIS ENTRY INTO
JERUSALEM WENT TO A HOLY MOUNTAIN TO PRAY,
AND IN THAT TIME OF PRAYER,
THE GOSPELS RECORD A DEEPLY MYSTICAL EXPERIENCE
WHERE JESUS IN THE POWER OF PRAYER WAS TRANSFIGURED,
AND IT IS DURING THIS THAT HE CONVERSES WITH THE GREAT
PROPHETIC FIGURES OF THE OLD TESTAMENT, MOSES AND ELIJAH,
AS HE PREPARES TO ENTER JERUSALEM.
AND IN THAT EXPERIENCE HE HEARS THE VOICE OF THE ONE WHO
LOVED AND BELIEVED HIM, HIS FATHER,
"THIS IS MY BELOVED SON",
AND IT WAS IN THE POWER OF THAT LOVE THAT HE WENT TO
JERUSALEM, TO THE UPPER ROOM, TO THE GARDEN, TO THE COURT
AND PRAETORIUM, AND TO THE CROSS
CHALLENGING THE EVIL RELIGIOUS AND POLITICAL DISCOURSES OF SOCIETY, THE SIN OF THE WORLD,
PAYING THE PRICE OF OUR SIN, AND
OPENING TO US A BIGGER PICTURE, A LARGER MEANING FOR OUR
LIVES,
AND A BETTER, MORE EXCELLENT WAY OF LIVING
IN HIM WAS PERSEVERANCE FOR RECONCILIATION, FOR JUSTICE FO THE REIGN OF GOD.
IN THE PERSEVERANCE, THE PASSION OF JESUS WE SEE THE LOVE OF THE FATHER FOR OUR LIVES.
OUR WORTH
HIS BIGGER PICTURE, AND
HIS CONCERN FOR COMPASSION, AND JUSTICE NOT ONLY IN ETERNITY, BUT IN THIS LIFE .
AND HE CALLS US HIS DISCIPLES LIKE PETER, JAMES AND JOHN TO
“LISTEN TO HIM”,
“THIS IS MY BELOVED SON LISTEN TO HIM!”
IN PRAYER, IN SCRIPTURE AS WE MEDITATE ON HIS MIGHTY ACTS OF
LOVE FOR US
SO THAT WE, IN OUR TURN,
AS THE NARRATIVE OF HIS LIFE IN THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT
CONNECTS WITH OURS,
WE MAY FIND IN OURSELVES THAT PERSEVERANCE AND ALL THOSE
GOSPEL QUALITIES GROWING IN US
THAT HE CALLS US AS CHRISTIANS TO LIVE OUT IN OUR HOMES, OUR
CHURCH AND OUR SOCIETY.
AND SO I END WITH THE WORDS OF THE WRITER OF THE EPISTLE TO
THE HEBREWS.
|
| Date | 2006-10-10 | | Preacher | Very Rev David Bannerman | | Title | Marriage, Divorce & Patriarchy | | Sermon Details | MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE IS ALWAYS DIFFICULT,
TICKLISH ISSUE,
AND IT WAS IN TIME OF JESUS.
THE TEXT THAT WAS READ TO US JUST NOW AS THE GOSPEL
POINTS TO THIS AND HAS CHALLENGES WITHIN IT.
I JUST THOUGHT I WOULD UNPACK IT A LITTLE AND RELFECT
ON IT WITH YOU.
THE FIRST THING THAT WE NEED TO SAY ABOUT THE
EPISODE RECORDED BY MARK IS THAT THE CIRCUMSTANCES
THAT DREW OUT THIS TEACHING FROM JESUS ON MARRIAGE
WAS NOT A CONCERN NECESSARILY ABOUT MARRIAGE.
IT WAS MORE LIKELY THE DESIRE OF THE PHARISEES TO
TRAP JESUS ON A QUESTION OF THE LAW,
OR LEAD HIM INTO HOT WATER WITH HEROD BY MAKING
SOME KIND OF PUBLIC TEACHING OVER THE QUESTION OF
DIVORCE.
AN ISSUE THAT HAD UPSET HEROD,
AND MORE PARTICULARLY HIS WIFE,
AND LEAD TO JOHN THE BAPTIST BEING BEHEADED.
AND SO THE PHARISEES ASKED THE LOADED QUESTION.
“IS IT LAWFUL FOR A MAN TO DIVORCE HIS WIFE?”
AND JESUS CONSCIOUS OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES, AND BEING
A GOOD RABBI, ANSWERS THE QUESTION WITH A QUESTION.
AND HE SAYS, “WHAT DID MOSES COMMANDED YOU?”
AND THEY ANSWER,
“MOSES PERMITTED A MAN TO WRITE CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE AND SEND HER AWAY.”
THIS LAW GIVEN BY MOSES, YES, REFLECTS A HIGHLY
PATRIARCHAL SOCIETY,
BUT ALSO A RECOGNITION THAT THINGS DO GO WRONG
AND THAT SEPARATION MAYBE NECESSARY,
IN EARLY BIBLICAL TIMES AND TEACHING DIVORCE
WAS A MAJOR THING.
THE SAD THING FOR JESUS WAS THAT, IN HIS TIME,
MEN COULD AND WOULD “SEND THEIR WIVES AWAY” FOR
THE SLIGHTEST THING.
THEREFORE, JESUS DOES NOT CONDEMN THE RULE ITSELF,
BUT HIS WORDING IS SUCH THAT HE CONDEMNS THE WAY
THAT RULE IS BEING APPLIED IN HIS CONTEMPORARY
SOCIETY IN THE DENIGRATION OF THE MARRIAGE AND THE
ABUSE OF WOMEN,
MAKING MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE AN EASY THING.
IT IS FOR THIS REASON HE POINTS THEM BEYOND THE
TEACHING OF MOSES TO THE CREATION NARRATIVE TO
LOOK AT THE SPECIAL BOND THAT GOD INTENDED FOR MEN
AND WOMEN.
IN THIS, WHILST RECOGNISING THE PASTORAL
CIRCUMSTANCES THAT CREATE THE NECESSITY FOR
DIVORCE,
HE CONDEMNS THE LAX HIGHLY PATRIARCHAL THAT
INFILTRATED SOCIETY AND CULTURE AND THE RELIGION OF
HIS DAY.
THIS IS A REMINDER TO US THAT WE SHOULD NEVER LOOSE
SIGHT OF SCRIPTURE'S, JESUS' TEACHING ON THE
PERMANENCE OF CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE AND STRIVE TO
MAINTAIN THE RELATIONSHIP,
BUT ALSO RECOGNISE THOSE TIMES WHEN IT IS NEEDFUL TO
HELP PEOPLE JOURNEY ON.
THE SECOND THEME QUESTION THAT I BECAME AWARE OF
WHEN I REFLECTED ON THIS TEXT WAS THAT JESUS WHEN
HE HAD FINISHED TALKING TO THE CROWDS TOOK HIS
DISCIPLES ASIDE AND SAID SOMETHING PROFOUND AND
CHALLENGING, AND MAYBE SUBVERSIVE FOR HIS DAY.
ACCORDING TO RABBINIC LAW,
A MAN COULD BE SAID TO COMMIT ADULTERY AGAINST ANOTHER MARRIED MAN,
AND WIFE COULD BE SAID TO COMMIT ADULTERY AGAINST HER HUSBAND,
BUT A MAN COULD NOT BE SAID TO COMMIT ADULTERY
AGAINST HIS WIFE! SHE WAS HIS PROPERTY!
JESUS NOW SAYS THAT A MAN COMMITS ADULTERY
AGAINST HIS WIFE.
IN DOING THIS, JESUS RAISES THE STATUS OF WOMEN. HE
MAKES HIMSELF AN ACTIVIST FOR WOMEN’S RIGHTS IN
SOCIETY OF MALE ENTITLEMENT.
FOR ME THIS TEXT REMINDS US THAT SOCIETIES AND
CULTURES WHERE THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF MALE
ENTITLEMENT AND DOMINANCE ARE BEING EXPERIENCED
AND WOMEN ARE ABUSED AND OPPRESSED,
THE CHURCH NEEDS TO STAND ON THE SIDE OF WOMEN AND
THIS PARTICULARLY IN OUR OWN CONTEXT,
WHERE ABUSE AND HIV/AIDS ARE HIGH ON OUR NATIONAL
AGENDA.
BUT AS MUCH AS I SAY THAT WE NEED ALSO TO
PASTORALLY CARE FOR MEN TO ENABLE THEM TO FIND
GOSPEL BASED VALUES FOR THEIR ROLES IN MARRIAGE IN A
CHANGING WORLD.
SO TODAY WE PRAY FOR MARRIAGE THE INSTITUTION OF
MARRIAGE. WE PRAY FOR THOSE IN CARING FOR MARRIAGE
WE PRAY FOR THE CHURCH AS IT TO PASTORALLY CARES
FOR MEN AND WOMEN IN THEIR RELATIONSHIPS
|
| Date | 2007-03-11 | | Preacher | Lent 3 - Marriage | | Title | Very Rev. David Bannerman | | Sermon Details | THERE IS A STORY TOLD OF A BISHOP OF EXETER, WHO WAS VERY
FORGETFUL.
ON ONE OCCASION HE WAS AT THE WEDDING RECEPTION OF A YOUNG
COUPLE, AND THE GROOM’S SPEECH RAN LIKE THIS:
“I HAVE A CONFESSION TO MAKE TO MY BRIDE IN FRONT OF YOU ALL. I CONFESS DEAR, THAT BEFORE I MARRIED YOU, I SPENT MANY HAPPY HOURS IN THE ARMS OF ANOTHER WOMAN, MY MOTHER.
IT WAS SO GOOD THAT THE BISHOP THOUGHT THAT HE WOULD USE IT
AT HIS FORTHCOMING GOLDEN WEDDING ANNIVERSARY
CELEBRATION.
AND SO, AT BISHOP’S PALACE, HE ROSE TO SPEAK
AFTER FIFTY YEARS OF MARRIED MY DEAR, I HAVE CONFESSION TO MAKE IN FRONT OF YOU ALL. BEFORE I MARRIED YOU I SPENT MANY HAPPY HOURS IN THE ARMS OF ANOTHER WOMAN……….AND FOR THE LIFE OF ME I CANNOT REMEMBER WHO IT WAS!
IN THIS LENT WE HAVE BEEN CELEBRATING THE SACRAMENTS. WE
HAVE REFLECTED ON OUR BAPTISM, CONFIRMATION AS SACRAMENTS
OF VOCATION,
AND TODAY WE COME TO REFLECT ON THE SACRAMENT OF MARRIAGE
HOLY MATRIMONY
AND I WANT TO REFLECT ON THIS SACRAMENT WITH YOU AND DRAW
OUR SOME UNDERSTANDINGS
THAT MIGHT BE RELEVANT FOR YOU
THAT MIGHT ENRICH YOUR MEANING OF IT,
I WANT TO SAY A THE BEGINNING THAT HAS BEEN A COLLABORATIVE
EFFORT NOT ONLY WITH THE LORD BUT ALSO WITH JOAN MY WIFE.
THIS IS NOT ONE OF THE SACRAMENTS THAT JESUS PERFORMED
ACCORDING TO THE GOSPELS
NOR DID HE GIVE HIS DISCIPLES A DIRECT COMMISSION TO PERFORM
IT,
BUT HE LEFT HIS FOLLOWERS AN ATTITUDE TOWARDS MARRIAGE
WHICH MADE IT A SACRED REALITY, AND SIGN OF THE POWER OF
GOD’S LOVE.
HE DID THIS IN HIS TEACHING ON MARRIAGE.
FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN IN MATTHEW’S GOSPEL,
THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS CAME TO QUESTION ABOUT THE ISSUE OF
GROUNDS FOR DIVORCE,
HE TOOK HIS HEARERS BEYOND MOSES’ LAWS ON MARRIAGE TO THE
CREATION NARRATIVE,
REMINDING THEM OF THE PERMANENT NATURE OF MARRIAGE, AND
THE FACT THAT GOD IS THE ONE WHO BINDS TOGETHER THE
MARRIAGE RELATIONSHIP.
AND SO WE READ IN ST. MATTHEW’S GOSPEL,
JESUS SAID,
“HAVE YOU NO READ AT THE BEGINNING OF CREATION GOD MADE THEM MALE AND FEMALE; FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH? THEREFORE LET NO ONE SEPARATE WHAT GOD HAS JOINED.”
IN THESE WORDS JESUS IS REMINDING US THAT GOD IS THE ONE WHO
BINDS THE MARRIAGE AS A COUPLE ARE OPEN TO HIS GRACE ON THEIR
WEDDING DAY AND COVENANT WITH ONE ANOTHER,
BUT NOT ONLY ON THEIR WEDDING, EVERY DAY OF THEIR LIVES
IT IS AS A COUPLE ACCEPT HIS ABIDING, FORGIVING STRENGTHENING
LOVE, IN THEIR LIVES’ VARIED CIRCUMSTANCES.
THAT THEY WILL BECOME ONE FLESH.
THAT ‘BINDING’ IS NOT AN EVENT, IT IS A PROCESS.
WE NEED THE GRACE OF GOD ON THAT DAY, BUT WE ALSO NEED HIS
GRACE FOR THE CONTINUING JOURNEY OF MARRIED LIFE.
WE SAID OF BAPTISM THAT IT IS NOT
“THE RITE OF MOMENT, BUT THE PROCESS OF A LIFE TIME”,
AND THAT IS EQUALLY TRUE OF MARRIAGE.
THIS MEANS THAT A COUPLE NEEDS TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR NEED
OF GOD IN THEIR LIVES AND HIS BINDING AND BE OPEN TO HIS
CONTINUING ACTION IN THEIR LIVES, NOT ONLY ON THEIR WEDDING
BUT, AS THEY
PRAY TOGETHER
WORK TOGETHER
WORSHIP TOGETHER
IT IS IN THESE WAYS THAT A COUPLE ENTER INTO THE ‘FULLNESS’ OF
THE SACRAMENT OF MARRIAGE.
AND SO THAT THE GRACE RECEIVED ON THEIR WEDDING DAY CAN
CONTINUALLY EMPOWER THEM AS THEY JOURNEY TOGETHER.
YES MARRIAGE IS A SIGN OF GOD’S LOVE, AND CHANNEL OF HIS
GRACE - HIS CONSTANT, UNCONDITIONAL LOVE.
IT WAS THE LOVE SHOWN TO HIS PEOPLE IN THE OLD TESTAMENT.
IT IS THE SAME LOVE THAT HE SHOWN TO US IN JESUS TO HIS CHURCH
AND WORLD
IT IS AS A COUPLE KNOW THAT SAME CONSTANT UNCONDITIONAL
COVENANT LOVE IN THEIR INDIVIDUAL LIVES
THAT THEY CAN WITNESS TO THAT LOVE AND THEY CAN BE A
SACRAMENT OF THAT SAME LOVE TO ONE ANOTHER, AS THEY LISTEN, LOVE
AND CARE FOR ONE ANOTHER UNCONDITIONALLY.
IT IS FOR THIS REASON THAT A CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE IS DESCRIBED AS
A COVENANT.
IT IS FOR THIS REASON THAT ST PAUL SAYS TO MARRIED COUPLES, ‘
BE SUBJECT TO ONE ANOTHER, OUT OF YOUR REVERENCE FOR CHRIST.’
IT IS AS A COUPLE REVERENCES CHRIST AND TAKES HIS LOVING SPIRIT
IN TO THEIR OWN, INDIVIDUAL LIVES,
THAT THEY BECOME
SIGNS
CHANNELS
SACRAMENTS
OF HIS GRACE TO GRACE TO ONE ANOTHER.
AND THEY CAN IN TURN WITNESS TO THAT LOVE TO THEIR CHILDREN.
AND WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT IT IS IN THE LOVE OF PARENTS
THAT CHILDREN WILL COME TO UNDERSTAND THE LOVE OF GOD.
THEY CAN ALSO BE A SIGN, A WITNESS TO THAT LOVE IN THE
COMMUNITY.
WHAT GREATER WITNESS TO THE GOSPEL CAN THERE BE THAN A
LOVING, CHRISTIAN HOME.
IT IS SACRAMENT TO THE COMMUNITY
AND SO AS THE SACRAMENT OF MARRIAGE IS A VEHICLE OF GRACE TO
THE COUPLE, AS THEY ARE BOUND IN THAT LOVE, THEY ARE CALLED
TO BE A SACRAMENT OF THAT LOVE TO THEIR FAMILY AND TO THE
COMMUNITY.
AND SO AS WE CELEBRATE THIS SACRAMENT …..
WE PRAY FOR ALL MARRIED COUPLES
WE PRAY FOR FAMILY LIFE
WE PRAY FOR THOSE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING THE LOSS OF A
PARTNERS THROUGH DEATH
WE PRAY FOR THOSE WHO EXPERIENCING THE PAIN OF DIVORCE.
WE PRAY FOR OURSELVES THE CHURCH IN OUR PASTORAL CARE OF MARRIAGES AND FAMILY LIFE
Questions
1. What do you think is the difference between a marriage ‘contract’ and ‘covenant’?
2. “And the two shall be come one flesh.” What does that mean for you?
3. Why do you think far less couples are getting married in Church?
4. How do you think the Church can more effectively care for married couples?
5. What has being married in Church meant to you?
|
| Date | 2007-05-20 | | Preacher | Very Rev. David Bannerman | | Title | Sixth Sunday After Easter - St. Dunstan’s Day | | Sermon Details | Today we give thanks for our Patron, Dunstan, that 10th Century Benedictine monk who became Abbot of Glastonbury, and later Archbishop of Canterbury until his death. He was a highly talented man, a metal worker, calligrapher, organ builder.
In his time as Abbot, he was responsible for the development of Glastonbury, making it a centre of education and spirituality. He was a man who had a deep concern of education and for this reason he committed himself to the education of the young, as he saw in them the leadership of a united England.
When he became Archbishop of Canterbury, he committed himself to the reformation of the Church, seeking it to be an instrument of unity and monastic and spiritual renewal in Anglo Saxon England.
But Dunstan had a larger vision of pastoral care that took him into the political realm supporting, advising and challenging the monarchs of England, as they exercised leadership, and helping them to see their roles as leaders and also as shepherds in the spirit of scriptures.
Hence he created the Coronation Rite for Edgar, who he crowned at Bath.
There is much we can draw for this man’s life who has been described as the greatest of English Anglo Saxon Saints leading up to the Norman Invasion, who suppressed his memory.
First. He was A Man Of Vision who was rooted in Jesus Christ as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
This is reflected in the one picture that we have that he drew of him kneeling at the feet of the enthroned Christ. Jesus was the King of his life, and as a monk he lived that commitment out to the full and was concerned to bring the reign of God’s compassion, justice and love into people’s lives through the compassionate ministry of the Church.
But also to bring the values of the Gospel into the wider community. His mission was not just “Church Orientated”, it was “World Orientated”.
Secondly. To this task he brought all his resources.
He brought:
- His Spirituality as a Christian and a Monk.
- His Insights as a Scholar.
- His Wisdom as a Counselor
- His Vision as a Leader.
The third thing that we can see in the life Dunstan is that wherever he went, he created community, a place of prayer, places of renewal, whether it was the development of Glastonbury or Canterbury.
He created a place of worship where the Offices were said, Theology was done in prayer, study and action.
It was this that was the wellspring of his life and he saw it as the wellspring of the Church.
What does Dustan’s life say to us? What can we learn from it?
His life reminds us of Commitment.
- It reminds of our commitment to the King Of Kings. A commitment that is rooted in our hearts, rooted in worship, a commitment that is lived out within the life of the Church and in service to the World.
- It reminds us of the usage of our passions, skills and resources. As Dunstan used his skills, maybe we are all called to use our skills to make that possible as clergy and laity.
- Thirdly, if Dunstan was made Bishop of this Diocese, I wonder what place he would be making his community of prayer and renewal.
I have a sneaking suspicion that it might be this Cathedral!
At the end of June, our Bishop will be coming onto this site, and becoming a part of our community, and we his.
In the next few years, we will need to look at ways in which under God we can develop the ministry of this place, conscious that in 2009, we will be celebrating our Centenary as a Parish.
- It will take commitment….. To Jesus, to the Kingdom.
- It will take resources – the differing resources of God’s people in this place.
- It will take a community rooted in prayer as together we seek to grow into what he would have us be as his wellspring in this place.
Dunstan, pray for us as we seek to fulfill the will of him who is your King and ours as seek to extend his loving reign.
|
| Date | 2007-06-24 | | Preacher | Very Rev. David Bannerman | | Title | Servanthood in the Family | | Sermon Details | “BE SUBJECT TO ONE ANOTHER OUT OF YOUR REVERENCE FOR CHRIST.”
TODAY, AS PART OF OUR SERMONS ON SERVANTHOOD FOR THIS SEASON
WE ARE LOOKING AT SERVANTHOOD IN THE FAMILY.
WHEN I SAT DOWN TO REFLECT UNDER GOD ON THIS TOPIC,
I THOUGHT THAT MAYBE ALL OF YOU SHOULD BE IN THE PULPIT!
WHY?
BECAUSE I AM SURE THAT OUT OF YOUR EXPERIENCES,
YOU HAVE CREATED UNDERSTANDINGS, VALUES AND ATTITUDES
THAT HAVE ARISEN FROM YOUR EXPERIENCES OF LIFE THAT ARE OF
GREAT VALUE. WISDOM!
ALL THAT I WANT THEREFORE TO DO NOW IS TO HELP YOU REFLECT ON
THIS FURTHER. …..
TAKE THIS REELECTION INTO YOUR FAMILIES,
REFLECT ON IT IN THE COMING WEEK …MAYBE WITH ONE ANOTHER.
BECAUSE THERE IS A SENSE IN WHICH THE SERMON DOES NOT END IN THE
CHURCH!
OFTEN WHEN WE THINK OF THE WORD ‘FAMILY’,
WE THINK OF THE WESTERN NUCLEAR FAMILY,
BUT WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT ‘FAMILY’ CAN MEAN DIFFERENT
THINGS TO DIFFERENT PEOPLE IN DIFFERENT CONTEXTS
AND STAGES IN THEIR LIVES.
JESUS WAS AWARE OF THIS WHEN HE SAID,
“WHO IS MY BROTHER SISTER MOTHER, BUT THOSE WHO HEAR THE WORD OF GOD AND KEEP IT?”.
IF WE LOOK AT THE LIFE OF JESUS, THERE WAS THE IMMEDIATE FAMILY
AND THERE WAS THE FAMILY OF HIS FOLLOWERS THAT HE BROUGHT
TOGETHER AT THE END OF HIS LIFE IN A VERY SPECIAL WAY IN THOSE
WORDS TO MARY HIS MOTHER AND JOHN HIS DISCIPLE,
“WOMAN, BEHOLD THY SON…BEHOLD THY MOTHER.”
I WONDER WHAT FAMILY MEANS TO YOU?
IT IS THAT PLACE OF INTIMATE RELATIONSHIPS OF LOVING CARE AND
,BELONGING.
WHAT QUALITIES DID HE BRING TO THOSE RELATIONSHIPS.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE QUALITIES THAT HE CALLS US TO BRING TO OUR FAMILY LIFE?
THIS BY NO MEANS THE COMPLETE LIST. YOU CAN ADD TO IT.
FIRST. SECURITY.
HE WAS ROOTED IN HIS FATHER’S LOVE.
HE WAS SECURE,
EMPOWERED
IN THAT LOVE…
AND THEREFORE SERVICE FOR HIM WAS NOT DEMEANING DUTY,
BUT AND ACT OF REDEEMING GRACE
THEREFORE, FIRST AND FOREMOST, WE NEED TO BE ROOTED IN THE
FATHER’S LOVE FOR US.
I BELIEVE THAT IT IS ONLY …
WHEN WE HAVE LET OURSELVES BE WASHED BY THE LOVING FORGIVENESS OF JESUS,
WHEN WE HAVE ACKNOWLEDGES THAT NEED FOR HIS FORGIVENESS AND GRACE FOR OUR LIVES.
WHEN WE HAVE RECOGNIZED THAT JESUS IS THE PATTERN FOR TRUE LIVING ….A LIFE OF SERVICE ….
THAT WE WILL BEGIN TO TRULY SERVE!!!!! (MOTHER THERESA)
WHAT KIND OF SERVING WAS JESUS
1. HIS SERVING WAS …….REFLECTIVE.
HE SOUGHT TO DO THE WILL OF THE FATHER AS HE REFLECTED ON IT IN
THE WILDERNESS AND AT LATER STAGES IN HIS MINISTRY…..
AND THEREFORE IN THE SERVICE OF OUR HOME LIFE, MAYBE WE NEED TO
BE REFLECTIVE.
WE NEED TO BE ASKING WHAT SKILLS, UNDERSTANDINGS CAN I BRING TO
BEAR THAT WILL ENHANCE THE LIFE OF MY FAMILY…..
WHAT CAN I PUT INTO IT TO MAKE IT BETTER?
NOT, WHAT CAN GET OUT OF IT?
IN AN AGE OF WESTERN INDIVIDUALISM, WE NEED TO FOCUS NOT ONLY
ON THE REALIZATION OF MY DREAMS,
BUT THE REALIZATION OF MY LIFE IN COMMUNITY.
2. HIS SERVICE WAS …….PROACTIVE
JESUS’ SERVICE IN HIS RELATIONSHIPS WAS PROACTIVE.
HE ANTICIPATED NEEDS OF PEOPLE. LIKE THE WASHING OF HIS DISCIPLES’
FEET.
ARE WE PROACTIVE IN CARING FOR THE NEEDS OF THOSE IN OUR FAMILY
LIFE?
IS THAT YOUR WAY OF SERVING IN YOUR HOME.
ANTICIPATING WHAT YOUR WIFE WILL WANT.
3. HIS SERVICE WAS PRACTICAL
IN HIS BLESSING, HIS LISTENING, HIS TEACHING AND DYING ON CALVARY.
WE CAN TELL ONE ANOTHER THAT WE LOVE ONE ANOTHER, BUT UNTIL IT
SUPPORTED BY ACTION, IT IS EMPTY WORDS
4. HIS SERVING WAS SACRIFICIAL.
HE DIED THAT WE MAY LIVE.
WE MAY NOT BE CALLED TO THAT KIND OF SACRIFICE,
BUT THERE ARE THOSE LITTLE ACTS OF SACRIFICES THAT ARE PART OF
LOVING AND EMPOWERING OTHERS.
LISTENING, WHEN I DON’T FEEL LIKE. COOKING WITH A GOOD BOOK
5. HIS SERVICE WAS FAITHFUL
IT WAS CONSISTENT AND PERSEVERING AS HE JOURNEYED TO THE CROSS
IT IS THAT SAME CONSTANT LOVE THAT WE NEED IN THE HOME
YES, IT IS AS WE ARE ROOTED IN THE SPIRIT OF JESUS,
HIS LOVE FOR US AND HIS PURPOSE FOR OUR LIVES,
THAT WE WILL NOT ONLY WANT TO REVERENCE HIM, BUT REVERENTLY
SERVE OTHERS.
IT IS FOR THIS REASON THAT PAUL SAYS TO THE HUSBANDS AND WIVES
IN THE EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS,
“BE SUBJECT TO ONE ANOTHER, OUT OF YOUR REVERENCE FOR CHRIST”.
IT IS AS WE HAVE KNOWN HIS LOVE IN OUR LIVES AS OUR LORD AND
SAVIOUR,
LOVING AND GUIDING US,
THAT WE WILL BE ENABLED TO REVERENTLY SERVE OTHERS.
AS WE SUBMIT ….
OUR LOVE
OUR SKILLS
OUR PASSION
OUR TALENT
OUR OPINIONS …
FOR THE SERVICE OF OUR FAMILIES.
SERVING DOES NOT MEANING A DOOR MAT
AND YOU ARE DOING A PERSON NO SERVICE IF YOU PERMIT HER OR HIM
TO DO THAT.
NO, IN OUR FAMILIES THERE NEEDS TO BE THAT MUTUAL RESPECT THAT
SEES IN THE OTHER THE CHRIST, AND IS PREPARED TO SERVE THAT
THE OTHER IN THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST.
“BE SUBJECT TO ONE ANOTHER OUT OF YOUR REVERENCE FOR CHRIST.”
QUESTIONS
1. Do you resonate with the qualities about servanthood in the family spoken of in the sermon? Why?
2. Are there any qualities that you would like add from your own experience? Why?
3. What qualities are traditionally associated with servanthood that are not life-giving?
4. Is there a person who has modeled Christ-like service in the home for you? How did he or she do it for you?
5. What insights have I gained from this time of reflection and sharing?
|
| Date | 2007-07-22 | | Preacher | Very Rev. David Bannerman | | Title | Mary and Martha | | Sermon Details | WELL….THE SERIES OF SERMONS ON SERVICE IS NOW COMPLETED,
AND I HOPE THAT IT HAS ENABLED YOU TO REFLECT ON THIS ASPECT OF
YOUR LIVES.
WE NOW MOVE FROM THE THEME OF SERVANT HOOD TO STEWARDSHIP.
AND AS I REFLECTED ON THIS UNDER GOD, I WAS VERY CONSCIOUS THAT
THERE IS A CLOSE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE TWO.
BUT AS I REFLECTED FURTHER, I BEGAN TO SEE THAT THE ONE FOCUSES
PRIMARILY ON ACTIVITY,
AND THE OTHER, ON RELATIONSHIP.
STEWARDSHIP INVOLVED MY RELATIONSHIP
TO MY GOD,
MY TIME,
MY BODY,
MY TALENTS
MY MONEY
MY HEART.
IT IS THESE RELATIONSHIPS THAT WE WILL BE REFLECTING ON IN THE
WEEKS THAT LIE AHEAD.
FROM THIS MORNINGS GOSPEL I WANT TO PICK UP ON SOMETHING
THAT I SPOKE ABOUT IN MY SERMON ON ‘SERVICE IN THE HOME’,
WHICH I AM SURE THAT YOU WILL ALL REMEMBER!
THAT FUNDAMENTAL TO OUR SERVICING, OUR STEWARDSHIP IS OUR
RELATIONSHIP TO GOD.
BECAUSE IT IS OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD,
AND HIS PURPOSE, HIS POWER AND PERSPECTIVE FOR OUR LIVES
THAT DETERMINES OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH
OUR LIVES,
OUR THINGS,
OTHER PEOPLE
AND OUR TIME. ETC.
AND IT IS THIS THAT JESUS WAS CONSCIOUS OF IN THE INCIDENT IN THE
HOME OF MARY AND MARTHA.
MARTHA WAS THRASHING AROUND IN THE HOUSE,
TRYING TO GET THINGS ORGANIZED,
AND THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT,
BUT SHE HAD LOST PERSPECTIVE.
SHE WAS OVER ANXIOUS, AND
SHE HAD LOST BALANCE.
MARY, ON THE OTHER HAND, HAD GONE TO SIT AT JESUS’ FEET.
MANY OF US WHO ARE THE HARD WORKING TYPES
HAVE NOTHING GOOD TO SAY ABOUT MARY.
BUT NO ONE IS TO SAY THAT SHE WAS NOT A GOOD WORKER.
SHE JUST CONSIDERED THAT JESUS AND HIS TEACHING AT THAT TIME
WERE IMPORTANT FOR HER AND HER LIFE.
MARTHA WAS EQUALLY LOVING CARING AND PRACTICAL PERSON,
BUT SHE HAD LOST BALANCE.
AND MAYBE AT THAT MOMENT IN TIME,
SHE NEEDED TO BE AT THE FEET OF JESUS TO GIVE PERSPECTIVE AND
POWER TO HER HOSPITALITY AND CARING.
WE CAN I AM SURE RESONATE WITH BOTH OF THEM,
BECAUSE WE DO FEEL THAT TENSION IN OUR LIVES AND THE NEED FOR
HOMEOSTASIS.
BUT JESUS IS POINTING TO OUR NEED TO SIT AT HIS FEET DRAW CLOSE TO
HIM SO THAT OUR LIVES HAVE THAT BALANCE, PERSPECTIVE AND
EMPOWERMENT.
BECAUSE …..
WE DO HAVE A NATURAL TENDENCY TO GO THE OTHER WAY!
WE NEED TO GIVE OURSELVES SPACE…
FOR PRAYER
FOR READING,
FOR REFLECTION ON SCRIPTURE.
BECAUSE IT IS WHEN WE DO THAT THAT WE BEGIN TO PUT ON ‘THE MIND
OF CHRIST’,
WE BEGIN TO SEE LIFE DIFFERENTLY, AND
WE BECOME EMPOWERED TO DO HIS
WILL.
WE SEE THIS UNDERSTANDING BEING LIVED OUT IN THE LETTER OF PAUL
TO THE COLOSSIANS, WHEN HE SAYS.
QUOTE
HAVING PAINTED IN THE BEGINNING OF THE EPISTLE THE MYSTERY OF
GOD’S LOVE US, HIS BIGGER PICTURE OF SALVATION,
WHICH WAS AN INTEGRAL PART OF PAUL’S LIFE.
IN THE LIGHT OF THAT PERSPECTIVE,
HE IS ABLE TO SAY, “TO THIS END I LABOUR, STRUGGLING WITH ALL HIS
ENERGY WHICH SO POWERFULLY WORKS IN ME.”
HE WHO IN THE MIDST OF THE DEMANDS OF HIS LIFE SAT CLOSE TO GOD
ENABLING HIM – GIVING HIM POWER AND PERSPECTIVE TO SERVE.
THEREFORE IN THE STEWARDSHIP OF OUR LIVES WE NEED TO GIVEN TIME
TO THAT FUNDAMENTAL RELATIONSHIP THAT GIVES PURPOSE AND
POWER, BALANCE AND FULFILLMENT TO OUR LIVES
|
| Date | 2007-08-12 | | Preacher | Very Rev. David Bannerman | | Title | Stewardship of Possessions | | Sermon Details | TODAY WE CONTINUE TO REFLECT ON THE THEME OF STEWARDSHIP AS WE MOVE TOWARDS DEDICATION SUNDAY ON 9 SEPTEMBER AND WE REFLECT THIS MORNING ON THE STEWARDSHIP OF
POSSESSIONS.
STEWARDSHIP BEGINS WITH THE FUNDAMENTAL UNDERSTANDING, OR ASSUMPTION THAT LIFE IS A GIFT, A FRAGILE GIFT FROM GOD
ALL THAT THAT I HAVE,
ALL THAT I AM
IS GIVEN TO ME.
EVEN THE THINGS THAT I ACQUIRE IN LIFE IN TERMS OF POSSESSIONS, ACHIEVEMENTS ARE A RESULT OF WHAT HAS BEEN GIVEN TO ME BY GOD TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE.
AS DAVID THE KING SAID IN HIS FAMOUS PRAYER,
“ALL THINGS COME FROM YOU, O LORD, AND OF YOUR OWN DO WE GIVEN YOU.”
WE ARE STEWARDS OF ALL THAT HE HAS GIVEN US,
AND WE ARE GOOD STEWARDS OF THE LIVES HE HAS GIVEN US AS WE LOVE AND SERVE HIM THROUGH OUR SERVICE OF OTHERS.
THE SAD THING IS THAT TOO EASILY IN OUR LIVES WE ‘DECENTRE’ GOD AS THE REASON AND PURPOSE FOR OUR LIVES, CONSCIOUSLY OR UNCONSCIOUSLY, AND WE ‘CENTRE’, PLACE OURSELVES THERE.
WE ARE THE REASON AND PURPOSE FOR OUR LIVES,
AND IT IS THE ACQUISITION OF THINGS THAT GIVES MEANING, PURPOSE AND SECURITY TO OUR LIVES,
AND WE LOSE SIGHT OF THAT SENSE OF STEWARDSHIP THAT RECOGNISES THAT ALL THAT I HAVE IS NOT FOR MYSELF.
IT IS GIVEN TO ME IN ORDER THAT I MIGHT, THROUGH IT,
BRING HAPPINESS TO OTHERS, AND THEREFORE I AM CALLED TO ‘SIT LIGHT’ ON THEM. I MUST ‘SIT LIGHT’ ON THEM, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT AMIDST ALL THE
POSSESSIONS THAT I HAVE, THE PEARL OF GREAT PRICE IS JESUS AND THE MESSAGE OF THE KINGDOM.
THIS IS THE THING THAT IS OF GREATEST VALUE AND THAT WILL LAST FOR EVER, AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT I HAVE IN LIFE MUST BE USED TO FULFIL THAT AS I LOVE, SERVE AND CARE FOR OTHERS IN ….
MY FAMILY
MY CHURCH
MY WIDER COMMUNITY.
THAT WAS THE DIFFICULTY THAT THE RICH YOUNG RULER HAD. HE WAS TOO CLOSELY ATTACHED TO HIS POSSESSIONS AND JESUS CHALLENGED HIM INTO THE FREEDOM AND FULFILMENT OF GIVING AND HE DID NOT WANT TO GO THERE. JESUS WAS AWARE OF THIS CLOSE ATTACHMENT TO POSSESSIONS THAT BLOCKED REAL STEWARDSHIP IN ANOTHER CONTEXT.
WHEN A PERSON CAME TO HIM TO RESOLVE DISPUTE OVER AN INHERITANCE, JESUS DID NOT BECOME INVOLVED, BUT HE USED THAT SITUATION TO REMIND HIS FOLLOWERS THAT THE SUM OF THEIR … OUR LIVES IS NOT SEEN IN TERMS OF THE SUM OF OUR EARTHLY POSSESSIONS,
BUT WHETHER WERE ARE RICH TOWARDS GOD AND OTHERS, AND WE HAVE USED OUR RESOURCES OUR POSSESSIONS TO MAKE THAT POSSIBLE.
ST AUGUSTINE IN HIS RULE REMINDS THAT THE ‘SHARING OF POSSESSIONS’ IS THE FIRST EXPRESSION OF THE LOVE OF OUR NEIGHBOUR. HE ROOTED THAT IN THE TEACHING OF THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH IN JERUSALEM WHO ‘HELD ALL THINGS IN COMMON’. AUGUSTINE SAW THAT SHARING IS THE MEANS BY WHICH COMMUNITIES ARE BUILT WHETHER IT IS THE FAMILY, THE CHURCH OR THE WIDER COMMUNITY. AND INTO THAT KIND OF STEWARDSHIP JESUS CALLS US, CHALLENGES YOU AND ME … TO SIMPLICITY OF LIFE.
I SOMETIMES THINK THAT IN THE POSSESSIONS THAT WE AMASS AROUND US, AND IN THE WAY THAT WE HAVE TO CARE FOR THEM …
WE ARE NOT IN CHARGE OF OUR OWN LIVES…..
LIFE IS INVOLVED … COMPLEX…
SIMPLICITY MAYBE ALSO BRINGS WITH IT FREEDOM
NO … AT A TIME SUCH AS THIS WE ARE CALLED TO REFLECT ON OUR RELATIONSHIP TO OUR POSSESSIONS AND SEE WHERE DOES OUR RICHNESS LIE. |
| Date | 2007-08-26 | | Preacher | Very Rev. David Bannerman | | Title | STEWARDSHIP OF TALENTS | | Sermon Details | I DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT I USED TO GET TH0ROUGHLY DISGRUNTLED WHEN I USED TO OPEN A BOX OF CHOCOLATES, AND THERE WAS NO DIAGRAM TO TELL YOU WHAT'S WHAT!
I USED TO BE INTO …TURKISH DELIGHT
CARAMEL
AND MINT….
I DID NOT PARTICULARLY LIKE THE ONES WITH THE ORANGE OR STRAWBERRY CENTRES….JOAN, MY WIFE, IS INTO HAZEL NUT IN A BIG WAY.
WELL, NOW THAT I AM DIABETIC, I JUST GET DISGRUNTLED ANYWAY WHEN THE BOX COMES - WITH OR WITHOUT THE MAP!
WELL, WHERE ARE YOU GOING WITH THIS FATHER ON A SUNDAY WHEN YOU ARE MEANT TO BE TALKING ABOUT STEWARDSHIP OF GIFTS ?
WHEN WE WERE BORN, EACH ONE OF US WAS GIVEN GIFTS, TALENTS CAPABILITIES DIFFERENT AND NOT THE SAME AS EVERY BODY ELSE …USEFUL ….THAT OTHERS CAN ENJOY.
OUR LIFE IS LIKE A CHOCOLATE BOX FULL OF CAPABILITIES SKILLS GIFTS THAT WE CAN DISCOVER AND THAT OTHERS CAN ENJOY. THAT IS WHY WHEN GOD CREATED WOMAN AND MAN HIS SAID THAT IT WAS NOT 'VERY GOOD’ IN THE SENSE COMPLETE, PERFECT, BUT IN THE HEBREW SENSE OF THAT WHICH IS FULL OF POTENTIAL.
YES PART OF LIFE’S JOUNEY IS DISCOVERING WHAT IS IN MY CHOCOLATE BOX. ….MY GOODNESS. AND WE WILL NEVER KNOW WHAT IS IN OUR BOX UNTIL WE TRY, AND
WHEN WE HAVE DISCOVERED THEM, USE THEM FOR HIS GLORY.
OUR GIFTS CAN BE OF A PRACTICAL NATURE HANDIWORK…
BAKING…
GARDENING….
WOODWORK…
THEY MAYBE INTELLECTUAL
…A WAY WITH WORDS
AN ANALYTICAL MIND
THEY CAN BE ALSO BE SPIRITUAL IN NATURE
PREACHING
HEALING
MERCY AND COMPASSION.
I AM CONSCIOUS THAT IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO CATEGORISE GIFTS INTO CONSCIOUS THAT WHETHER THEY ARE PRACTICAL, INTELLECTUAL OF SPIRITUAL, THEY ARE ALL GOD-GIVEN.
THEY IMPORTANT THING IS THAT WE NEED TO BE DISCOVERING AND UTILISING OUR GIFTS AND ENCOURAGING OTHERS TO DISCOVER THEIRS AND AFFIRMING THEM IN THE USE OF THEM.
WE DO NOT ALL HAVE THE SAME CHOCOLATE BOXES WITH
EVERYTHING IN. I’M A SHORT ON SOME GIFTS AND THAT KEEPS ME HUMBLE AND MAKES ME ACKNOWLEDGE MY NEED OF OTHERS ….AND THAT IS SO ENRICHING ….OTHER PEOPLES CHOCOLATES …
THEY ALSO NEED MINE!
THIS IS OFTEN NOT EASY, BUT WE ALSO NEED TO BE ABLE TO RECOGNISE WHEN WE DO NOT HAVE A PARTICULAR GIFT/CHOCOLATE AMONGST THE MANY THAT WE DO HAVE.
THAT CAN BE VERY TRYING FOR US ….AND THOSE AROUND US!
CONNECTED TO OUR GIFTEDNESS IS OUR PASSION. GOD PLACES IN PASSION FOR A PARTICULAR MINISTRY. FOR EXAMPLE IT MAY BE FOR THE NEEDY. I MAY NOT HAVE GIFTEDNESS TO GO AND PHYSICALLY CARE FOR PEOPLE IN NEED, BUT GOD MAY HAVE GIVEN ME THE SKILLS OF BEING A BOOK KEEPER.
IT IS IN THE MARRYING OF PASSION FOR THE NEEDY AND MY GIFTED AS BOOK KEEPER THAT WORK IN AN PARISH ORGANISATION THAT DOES THAT KIND OF MINISTRY AND SO I CAN BEGIN TO FULFIL HIS WILL FOR MY LIFE AND MY OWN FULFILMENT.
IT IS THAT PASSION THAT BRING THOSE SKILLS TO BEAR IN THE WORK OF THE CHURCH.
WHEN WE COME TO DEDICATION SUNDAY WE TEND TO FULL IN THE
MONEY SECTION WITHOUT BOTHERING TO TURN OVER AND LOOK A
THE OFFERING OF MY TALENTS AND SKILLS.
HERE IS WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO OFFER WHAT THE CHURCH
MAY NEED …..
LIKE ADVERTISING
MARKETING,
MAINTENANCE,
MUSIC.
PA SYSTEM
SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS
FLOWER ARRANGERS
SIDESPERSONS
CHOIR
THESE ARE ALL GIFTS THAT CAN BE USED TO ENRICH AND BUILD THE
CHURCH AND SO I ASK THAT YOU TO TURN THAT DG CARD OVER AND
ASK ….
WHAT SKILLS CAN I OFFER FOR THE WORK OF HIS CHURCH IN
THIS PLACE, MAKING FULL USE OF THE BOX THAT HE HAS GIVEN ME
FOR HIS GLORY?
BE PASSIONATE ABOUT YOUR CHOCOLATE BOX OF TALENTS …
…..FOR WHAT YOU CAN DISCOVER AND ENJOY
…..OTHERS CAN ENJOY FROM YOU
…..FOR HIS GLORY!
|
| Date | 2007-09-09 | | Preacher | Very Rev. David Bannerman | | Title | DG SUNDAY | | Sermon Details | I BEGAN TO WRITE THIS MORNING SERMON ON THE DAY THAT LUCIANO PAVAROTTI DIED, THAT ICON OF THE OPERATIC WORLD THAT TOOK THE WORLD BY STORM WHEN HE SANG ‘NESSUN DORMA’ FOR THE OPENING OF THE
SOCCER WORLD CUP IN ITALY.
IT CAPTIVATED EVERYBODY. THE STADIUM WENT MAD, BUT WHAT WAS HE SINGING ABOUT THAT PEOPLE WERE SO
CAPTIVATED, MOVED?
DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA?
HE WAS SINGING IN ITALIAN, ABOUT AN INCIDENT IN CHINA’S FOLKLORE?
WAS IT THAT WAS SO MEANINGFUL?
MOST OF US DID NOT UNDERSTAND A WORD.
WHAT WAS IT THAT CAPTIVATED PEOPLE?
IT WAS THE EMOTION …THE PASSION THAT WAS COMMUNICATED THAT SPEAKS OF MEANING DEEP PURPOSE, COMMITMENT, LOVE, DEDICATION, COURAGE, AND WITH THAT, HOPE.
IT WAS NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION FROM DEEP WITHIN THE HEART THAT WE HEARD, AND IN INCREDIBLE WAY MOVED AND INSPIRED US AND WE HEARD IT IN THE HEART… AND HIS MUSIC, AND OPERAS MUSIC WILL CONTINUE TO DO.
AND IF THAT IS INSPIRING HOW MUCH MORE SO ARE THOSE MAGNIFICENT HYMNS WHEN THEY ARE SUNG WITH PASSION.
THERE IS NOTHING MORE MEANINGFUL MORE INSPIRING WHEN WE CAN SING A HYMN AND SING FROM DEEP WITHIN WORKING IN THE PLACE OF OUR PASSION THAT PLACE OF WHO WE REALLY ARE AND WHERE LOVE AND JOY AND MEANING ARE ALL ENTWINED.
AND WE CAN SING THEM BECAUSE AS CHRISTIANS WE KNOW THAT DEEP AT THE CENTRE OF OUR LIVES IS THE MENAING THE LOVE AND HOPE OF JESUS AND THE CENTRE OF OUR LIVES IS THE PASSION OF JESUS, HIS LOVE FOR US SHOWN SO WONDERFULLY ON CALVARY.
THAT PASSION HAS SURELY BURNED A NEW SONG IN OUR HEARTS A SONG THAT WE CAN SING FROM WHO WE REALLY ARE FROM THE CENTRE OF OUR LIVES AND IN DOING THAT BY THE GRACE OF HIS HOLY SPIRIT AS WE OPEN OUR HEARTS TO HIM WE ARE TRANSFORMED
EMPOWERED.
IT IS AS WE LET THE SPIRIT OF JESUS THE SPIRIT OF GOD THE PASSIONATE ONE INTO OUR HEARTS THAT WE DISCOVER THAT FOCUS THAT PASSION FOR THE REIGN OF GOD'S LOVE THAT JESUS SPOKE OF WHEN HE SAID,
“BLESSED, HAPPY ARE THE PURE IN HEART FOR THEY SHALL SEE GOD.”
IT IS FOR THIS REASON THAT JESUS CALLED FOR PASSION IN RELIGION IN HIS FOLLOWERS, WHEN HE REAFFIRMED THE WORD OF THE TORAH, “YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, MIND AND STRENGTH.”
IT WAS THAT THAT EMPOWERED HIM SO THAT EVEN AT THE END OF HIS MINISTRY, HE COULD SAY AS WENT TO THE CROSS, HIS PASSION EVEN IN HIS PAIN, HE COULD SAY …. FOR US.
QUOTE
AND SO ON THIS DEDICATION SUNDAY WE THANK GOD FOR THE LOVE OF GOD IN THE PASSION OF JESUS. THAT IN HIS LIFE WE SEE THE ABIDING, UNCONDITIONAL LOVE OF THE
FATHER A LOVE THAT IS PREPARED TO SUFFER THAT WE MAY KNOW FORGIVENESS WE MAY KNOW HOPE AND LIVE.
ON THIS DEDICATION SUNDAY WE THANK GOD FOR THAT PASSION AND ALL THAT IT MEANS TO US DEEP DOWN HERE AT THE PLACE OF MEANING EMOTION WILL.
WE THANK GOD THAT HIS PASSION HAS PUT A NEW SONG INTO OUR HEARTS AS THE PSALMIST SAYS.
SO THAT IN OUR LIVES IN THIS SERVICE IN PRAYER AND SONG WE CAN OFFER HIM OUR HEARTS IN THE SACRIFICE OF THANKSGIVING AND PRAISE. AND, A SACRIFICE THAT IS NOT A LITURGICAL ACT WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THIS CHURCH, BUT SOMETHING THAT IS LIVED OUT IN THE COMMITMENT OF OUR LIVES AS WE LOVE AND SERVE HIS CHURCH AND SOCIETY.
FOR OUR BLESSED LORD, HAVING WASHED THE FEET OF HIS DISCIPLES IN A PROPHETIC SYMBOLIC ACT WENT OUT TO BRING THAT ACT IN THE COMPASSION OF HIS DEATH FOR US.
SO WE COME TO LET JESUS BE THE PASSION SONG OF OUR HEARTS. WE COME TO OFFER THAT IS PRAISE.
WE COME TO GIVE TANGIBLE EXPRESSION OF THAT PASSION AS WE LATER ON PLACE OUR DEDICATION CARD ON THE ALTER SYMBOL OF THE REALITY OF THAT IN HEARTS AND WE THEN GO TO MAKE THAT PASSION REAL IN THE REALITY OF OUR LIVES IN OUR LOVING OUR CARING OUR SERVING, WHEREVER HE CALLS TO MINISTRY. |
| Date | 2007-09-30 | | Preacher | Very Rev. David Bannerman | | Title | “The Christian and Anger” | | Sermon Details | THIS SUNDAY IS PART OF OUR SERIES OF SERMONS FOR OUR THIRD SEASON OF THE YEAR, WE LOOK AT THE CHRISTIAN AND ANGER.
ANGER CAN BE A POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE EMOTION.
IT CAN BE POSITIVE WHEN OUR IN BUILT GOAL FOR SURVIVAL IS THREATENED.
AND OUT OF OUR FRUSTRATION WE BECOME ANGRY…
THIS CAN ENABLE US TO DO INCREDIBLE THINGS TO SURVIVE, BUT IT CAN BE A NEGATIVE EMOTION WHEN OUR OWN SELFISH GOALS ARE BLOCKED, AND WE ARE NOT GETTING OUR OWN WAY.
WE CAN CALL THIS EMOTION ALL SORTS OF NAMES.
FRUSTRATION
FURY
OUTRAGE
INDIGNATION
BITTERNESS
DISDAIN
BUT IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THE SAME THING….
WE ARE ANGRY
..AND THIS KIND OF BEHAVIOR THAT CAN PREVENT COMMUNICATION, AND THE DEEPENING OF RELATIONSHIPS AND COMMUNITY.
IN WHATEVER WAY WE DESCRIBE IT WE ARE ANGRY…
AND WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT ANGER?
THE BIBLE RECOGNIZES THAT THE ARE DIFFERENT KINDS OF ANGER
PAUL SPOKE ABOUT THE NEGATIVE ASPECTS OF UNCONTROLLED ANGER, WHEN HE SAID THAT THE CHRISTIANS AT COLOSSAE SHOULD GET RID OF ANGER, RAGE AND MALICE.
IN ANOTHER CONTEXT HE SAYS THAT CHRISTIANS SHOULD NOT LET THE SUN GO DOWN ON THEIR WRATH.
THE BOOK OF PROVERBS SAYS THE HOT TEMPERED MAN STIRS UP STRIFE, BUT THE SLOW TO ANGER PACIFIES CONTENTION
IN ALL THESE, THERE IS A RECOGNITION OF THE NEED TO CONTROL AND DEAL WITH ANGER.
IN THE LIFE OF JESUS HIMSELF, THERE MUST HAVE BEEN MANY TIMES WHEN HE COULD HAVE BEEN ANGRY, BUT THE ONLY OUTBURST IN THE GOSPELS WAS RIGHTEOUS ANGER ON BEHALF OF THOSE WHO WERE BEING EXPLOITED... AND HIS FATHERS HONOUR.
WELL …. OUR REACTION TO ALL THIS CAN BE,
"WELL, LORD EASIER SAID THAN DONE!"
WELL HOW DO WE NORMALLY REACT TO ANGER?
WE REPRESS IT….DENY THE ANGER ..
THE CHRISTIANS
WE EXPRESS IT … LET IT ALL HANG OUT!
WE SUPPRESS IT …CONTROL IT
WE CONFESS IT ….NAME IT …DEAL WITH THE ISSUE …GIVE THE PERSON SPACE TO RESPOND.
YES, THERE ARE TIMES WHEN BEFORE WE HAVE DECIDED TO EXPRESS IT
CONFESS IT ... WE HAVE DONE IT.
THEREFORE, WE ALWAYS NEED THE GRACE, THE FORGIVENESS OF THE CROSS. THEREFORE WE NEED GRACE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT FOR SELF AWARENESS
GRACE FOR CONTROL AND DIRECT ARIGHT DEAL WITH ISSUES
GRACE TO UNDERSTAND THE OTHER PERSON'S POSITION AND NOT ASSUME
AND WE FINALLY, WE NEED TO REJOICE IN THE ASSURANCE THAT WE HAVE A GOD WHO KNOWS US, LOVES AND FORGIVES AS WE STRIVE TO LIVE OUT HIS WILL OF LOVE IN OUR LIVES. |
| Date | 2007-10-21 | | Preacher | Very Rev. David Bannerman | | Title | GENDER STRESS | | Sermon Details | THIS MORNING I WANT TO TALK ABOUT A SUBJECT, WHICH IS IN A SENSE A CONTINUATION OF WHAT FR. ANGUS SPOKE ABOUT LAST WEEK, WHEN HE SPOKE ABOUT STRESS.
BECAUSE I WANT TO REFLECT BRIEFLY ON WHAT SOME HAVE CALLED (GRS) GENDER ROLE STRESS.
MY GOODNESS, THAT HAS GOT YOU SITTING UP AND WONDERING WHAT IS GOING TO COME NEXT! AND MAYBE ….WHERE IS THAT IN THE BIBLE!
WHAT I AM GOING TO REFLECT ON HERE IS NOT EVERYTHING THAT CAN BE SAID ABOUT THIS TOPIC, AND I AM PAINTING A PICTURE USING BROAD STROKES WITHOUT THE DETAIL.
GENDER ROLE STRESS COMES FROM THE UNDERSTANDING THAT CULTURALLY WE ARE BORN INTO UNDERSTANDINGS WHO WE ARE WHAT OUR ROLES SHOULD BE AS MEN AND WOMEN IN LANGUAGE. WE ARE CONSTITUTED INTO THESE ROLES.
AND SO AS THE MAN YOU ARE CALLED TO BE THE HUSBAND. YES, BUT ALSO THE HEAD, THE PROTECTOR THE PROVIDER, AND WITH THAT ROLE YOU ARE CONSTITUTED IN LANGUAGE TO BE SELF-CONTAINED, INVULNERABLE, LOGICAL AND UNEMOTIONAL.
THIS IS REQUIRED, EXPECTED OF A MAN CULTURALLY BY HIS FELLOW MEN, WOMEN AND SOCIETY AS MAN LIVES UNDER THAT GAZE.
THIS CONSTITUTES HIS IDENTITY AS A MAN.
THIS IS HOW HE UNDERSTANDS HIS ROLE.
THIS IS HOW HE GAINS FULFILMENT IN LIFE.
BUT, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A MAN IS RETRENCHED.
WHAT HAPPENS IF MAN IS UNEMPLOYED?
WHAT HAPPENS IF HE CANNOT CONTAIN THE PAIN OF THESE THINGS?
DOES HE CEASE TO BE A MAN.?
BECAUSE THERE ARE MEN ‘OUT THERE’,
WHO LIVE WITH THESE WHO CANNOT LIVE UP TO THESE LANGUAGED UNDERSTANDINGS, THESE DISCOURSES AND THE CONSEQUENCES MEN CAN LIVE IN DEEP FRUSTRATION, PAIN AND POWERLESS WHEN THEY ARE MEANT TO BE IN CONTROL - POWERFUL.
AS WOMEN YOU ARE MEANT TO BE HOMEMAKER, CAREGIVER, NURTURER, AND WITH THESE ROLES COME WITH THE QUALITIES OF EMOTIONAL, VULNERABLE, INTUITIVE, DEPENDENT AND ALL THOSE OTHER QUALITIES THAT WE HAVE CONSTRUCTED WOMEN INTO. SHE IS THEREFORE RESPONSIBLE FOR RELATIONSHIPS IN THE HOME KEEPING THE PEACE, AND WHEN SHE CANNOT KEEP THE PEACE, SHE BRINGS IN THE HEAD …YOU WAIT TILL YOUR FATHER GETS HOME!
AND THE MAN, BECAUSE HE IS SO CONSTRUCTED, BECOMES THE AUGUR.
YES, THE WOMAN CAN SOMETIMES TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE RELATIONSHIPS TO THE POINT THAT SHE TAKES RESPONSIBILITY FOR HER HUSBAND’S ABUSE.
AND SHE BELIEVES THAT IT IS HER FAILURE THAT MAKES HER ACT THE WAY SHE DOES AND DENIES IT….THE SECRECY OF IT.
SHE CAN ALSO HAVE THE GENDER STRESS OF BEING NOT ONLY THE NURTURER AND HOME MAKER, BUT ALSO THE PROVIDER AS SHE SHARES IN BRINGING IN THE INCOME OF THE FAMILY
WHAT I AM SAYING IS THAT OFTEN WITHIN RAPIDLY CHANGING SOCIETY AND IN OUR CULTURES WE HAVE THESE HIGHLY STEREOTYPED UNDERSTANDINGS OF WHAT IT MEANS TO BE MAN AND MALE, WOMAN AND FEMALE AND THEY CAN BE DISEMPOWERING AND ABUSIVE - OPPRESSIVE FOR BOTH MEN AND WOMEN.
I BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO BE A HAVE A GREATER FREE PLAY IN OUR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT MALE AND FEMALE ROLES IN RELATION TO MARRIAGE.
THAT IT IS OK FOR THERE TO BE TIMES FOR MAN NOT TO BE THE PROVIDER AND BE THE NURTURER THAT IS OK TO HAVE TWO PROVIDERS. THERE NEEDS TO BE A GREATER FLUIDITY AND MUTUALITY IN OUR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT MEANS TO BE MALE AND FEMALE, HUSBAND AND WIFE.
I BELIEVE THAT PAUL IN SPITE OF HIS CULTURAL PATRIARCHAL BACKGROUND WAS AWARE OF THIS WHEN HE SAID, BEFORE SPEAKING ABOUT MEN AND WOMEN IN THEIR RELATIONSHIP AS HE LIKENED IT TO CHRIST AND HIS CHURCH, HE SAID,
‘BE SUBJECT ONE ANOTHER OUT OF YOUR REVERENCE FOR
CHRIST’.
IN ANOTHER CONTEXT IS SAID, ‘IN CHRIST THERE IS NEITHER MALE NOR FEMALE’.
IN THE SENSE WE NEED TO BREAK DOWN THESE CULTURAL STEREOTYPED ROLES THAT WE HAVE CREATED TO ALLOW FOR A GREAT FLUIDITY AND MUTUALITY IN OUR RELATIONSHIPS.
JESUS HIMSELF CHALLENGED THE CULTURAL DISCOURSES OF HIS TIME, WHEN HE SAW MEN AND WOMEN OPPRESSED BY RELIGIOUS AND CULTURAL DISCOURSES.
JESUS SPEAKING ABOUT THESE TEACHINGS AND DISCOURSES OF HIS TIME SAYS,
‘COME TO ME ALL YOU WHO ARE WEARY AND HEAVY LADEN AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST TAKE MY YOKE UPON YOU AND LEARN FROM ME. FOR I AM GENTLE AND HUMBLE IN SPIRIT AND YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS.’
MANY ARE BURDENED BY UNDERSTANDING AND THE EXPECTATIONS THAT ARE PLACED UPON US OF WHAT IT MEANS TO BE MAN AND HUSBAND AND WOMAN AND WIFE.
JESUS REMINDS US TO BE GENTLE WITH OURSELVES -
LOVE OURSELVES -
AND HAVE THAT FLUIDITY IN OUR RELATIONSHIPS THAT WE CAN RESPECT, SUPPORT, SUSTAIN, NURTURE, PROTECT AND LEAD ONE ANOTHER, IN LIFE’S JOURNEY. |
| Date | 2007-11-04 | | Preacher | Very Rev. David Bannerman | | Title | “ALL SAINTS” | | Sermon Details | TODAY WITH MANY CHURCHES THROUGHOUT THE CHRISTIAN WORLD, WE CELEBRATE THE FEAST OF ALL SAINTS.
WE REMEMBER AND GIVE THANKS TO GOD FOR THOSE MEN AND WOMEN, WHO MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN CANONISED,
OR MADE HEROES OF THE FAITH, AND SPECIAL COLLECT,
AS WE DO IN THE ANGLICAN CHURCH, BUT WHO BY THEIR LIVES OF WORSHIP AND SERVICE …
SOMETIMES NOTICED, SOMETIMES NOT …
HAVE GLORIFIED GOD.
THEY ARE THERE IN THE HISTORY OF THE CHURCH. THEY ARE THERE IN HISTORY OF OUR OWN LIVES. MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE ENRICHED OUR LIVES BY THEIR LOVING
HOLINESS.
WE ONLY HAVE TO LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF THIS PARISH TO RECOGNISE THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SAINTS AMONGST US. WOMEN AND MEN WHO IN SPITE OF THEIR FRAILTIES AND SHORTCOMINGS, LOVED AND SERVED THEIR GOD.
WHEN WE LOOK AT THE LIVES OF THE SAINTS THEY WERE NOT SUPERHUMAN OR PERFECT THEY HAD TEMPERS, GOT DEPRESSED WERE SOMETIMES ECCENTRIC.
THEY, LIKE US, HAD THEIR TREASURE AS ST PAUL SAID, “IN EARTHEN VESSELS”,
BUT THROUGH THEIR FAITH, THROUGH THE GRACE OF GOD
WORKING IN THEIR LIVES IN PRAYER SACRAMENTS AND SCRIPTURE THEY LOVED EMPOWERED TRANSFORMED THE LIVES OF OTHERS. THEY BUILT HIS CHURCH AND PROCLAIMED HIS LOVE IN WORD AND DEED.
BUT SCRIPTURE WOULD ALSO REMIND US THAT SAINTS ARE NOT JUST THOSE WHO HAVE DEPARTED THIS LIFE.
WE ARE ALSO THE SAINTS. JUST THINK THAT YOU HAVE SAINT SITTING NEXT TO YOU… IN THE MAKING.
BUT … MAYBE YOU HAVE ALREADY FOUND THOSE QUALITIES OF SAINTHOOD IN HIS OR HER LIFE.
REMEMBER THAT PERSON IS ALSO SITTING NEXT TO WHO …YOU!!
MAYBE THE ONE WAY WE CAN BE AND BECOME SAINTS IS TO ENCOURAGE, PRAY FOR THE HOLINESS OF ONE ANOTHER, RECOGNISING THE SAINTHOOD INVOLVES BECOMING THE TRULY UNIQUE PERSON THAT GOD MADE YOU TO BE – NOT A CLONE OF SOMEONE ELSE.
BUT WHAT ARE THE QUALITIES OF A SAINT?
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE HALLMARKS THAT SHOW US TO BE THE GENUINE ARTICLE.
JESUS GIVES US THE IMPORTANT QUALITIES THAT MARK OUT THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IN THE BEATITUDES, OUR GOSPEL FOR TODAY. AND I JUST WANT TO REFLECT ON THEM BRIEFLY.
FIRST, “BLESSED ARE THE POOR IN SPIRIT”
IN OTHER WORDS, BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO ACKNOWLEDGE THE REALITY OF GOD’S POWER AND LOVE AND THE REALITY OF WHO THEY ARE AND THEIR NEED OF HIM AND WHO FIND IN HIM PURPOSE AND GRACE FOR LIVING.
SECONDLY, “BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO MOURN”.
IN OTHER WORDS THOSE WHO CONSCIOUS OF GOD’S LOVE GRIEVE OVER THEIR FAILURE ALSO THE SIN OF SOCIETY.
AND LEADING ON FROM THAT …
THIRDLY, “BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO HUNGER AND THIRST FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS.”
YES, AS THEY SEEK TO TAKE GOD’S VALUES INTO THEIR LIFE AND THEY SEEK TO LIVE THEM OUT IN SOCIETY.
FINALLY, “BLESSED OR THE PURE IN HEART”. IN THIS JESUS IS
SPEAKING OF THOSE WHO ARE SINGLE-MINDED IN SEEKING TO DO HIS WILL IN THEIR LIVES IN HOME IN CHURCH … WHEREVER GOD CALLS THEM TO BE.
YES, THESE ARE SOME OF THE QUALITIES, THE HALLMARKS OF THE GENUINENESS OF OUR FAITH –
WHETHER WE ARE SILVER PLATED, OR THROUGH AND THROUGH, THE REAL THING.
THIS TEACHING OF JESUS ARE CALLED THE BE-ATTITUDES
AND I BELIEVE THAT THEY SPEAK OF THE FUNDAMENTAL ATTITUDES FOR TRUE BEING. IN THEM THERE IS A BLESSEDNESS THAT COMES FROM A LOVING RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, AND IN THAT THERE IS JOY.
AND SO AS WE COME TO COMMUNION THIS MORNING WE COME THANKING GOD FOR THE GREAT SAINTS, BUT ALSO FOR THOSE SAINTS WHO HAVE TOUCHED OUR LIVES KNOWN AND UNKNOWN.
WE COME TO REJOICE IN THEIR PRESENCE AT THE ALTAR IN THIS WORSHIP AS WE GATHER WITH ANGELS AND ARCHANGELS AND ALL THE COMPANY OF HEAVEN.
WE COME ALSO TO REJOICE THAT WE ARE IN THE COMPANY OF THE SAINTS IN THIS CHURCH AND WE THANK GOD FOR THOSE LOVING SAINTLY LIVES THAT ENRICH OUR LIVES.
AND SURELY WE PRAY THAT THE QUALITIES OF THE BEATITUDES MAY BE IN OUR LIVES SO THAT THEY MAY REFLECT HIS LOVE HIS HOLINESS HIS JOY HIS BLESSEDNESS ….
JESUS WHO WITH THE FATHER AND THE HOLY SPIRIT BE ASCRIBED ALL MIGHT MAJESTY, DOMINION AND POWER NOW AND EVER. AMEN |
| Date | 2007-12-16 | | Preacher | Very Rev. David Bannerman | | Title | Third Sunday in Advent - Ministry of John the Baptist | | Sermon Details | “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive there sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured the deaf hear the dead are raised and the good news is preached to the poor”.
The theme for third Sunday in Advent is the ministry of John the Baptist, and his role as the forerunner, the herald of Jesus.
It is for this reason that in many cathedrals and churches, yesterday, men and women would have been ordained deacons and priests.
It is a day when we pray for the ministry of the Church as it seeks to fulfil the role of John the Baptist, preparing people’s hearts so that in love and mercy he might reign in their lives, and so that they may proclaim that reign in word and deed to others.
In last Sunday’s sermon we were reminded through John's ministry of the need for radical decisions to follow God, and to change our thinking, our attitudes our lifestyles so that every aspect of our lives is open to the action of God,
and that he can work his will of holiness in our lives. br>
It is as day by day we bring aspects of our lives to him for his challenging, forgiving and strengthening that we are strengthened to grow in his likeness. There needs to be continuing repentance, an upturning of the soil of our lives,
and weeding of those bad values, attitudes and habits in our lives so that there will space for the fruits of the Spirit, the fruits of ministry to grow.
It is the repentant life,
the life rooted in prayer,
open to the challenge of scriptures
nurtured by the sacraments
listening to God’s voice our lives and world
that will be the soil in which ministry will grow.
It was that spirit of repentance holiness and integrity that was a vital part of John the Baptist's spirituality.
It was for this reason that he called people to repentance to prepare their hearts. In order that when the Christ came they would be ready for, open to the mercy and compassion of God and all that it stood for. And it was those who had truly repented and heard the message of Jesus in his teaching, healing, and death, whose lives were healed, transformed and in turn were empowered to share in the ministry of Jesus.
“Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive there sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured the deaf hear the dead are raised and the good news is preached to the poor”.
It is our repentance – a recognition of God’s authority in our lives, and an openness to his action in us – that will lead to healing transformation and empowerment as Church, Parish as individuals.
So in this Adventide as we draw near to the time when we accept anew the message of Gods love for us into our hearts, let us pray that it will lead us into an ever deeper awareness of his loving authority, and a deeper commitment to share in his ministry.
Let us also pray that men and women will hear the sovereign call of god to the ordained ministry.
Let us pray for those in ministry that they may be continually strengthened and empowered for ministry as leaders, pastors.
Let us pray for ourselves as a parish that we may be evermore deeply committed as God's people in this place to ministry of the King and his Kingdom of compassion and
justice.
Let us pray that the realities of Christ empowering love may be witnessed in our life as parish community through our compassion in his world. |
| Date | 2007-12-25 | | Preacher | Very Rev. David Bannerman | | Title | CHISTMAS SERMON | | Sermon Details | EARLY IN MY LIFE, I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT THERE WERE TWO GREAT MYSTERIES OF HUMAN EXISTENCE; LIFE AND DEATH.
MORE RECENTLY I HAVE REALISED THAT THERE IS ANOTHER ONE, THE COMPUTER.
HOW OFTEN DO I FIND MYSELF SAYING, “THIS IS BEYOND ME!" HELP! WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO?”
THIS HAPPENED WHEN I TRIED TO SET UP THE CONTENTS PAGE FOR MY DISSERTATION.
PEOPLE WOULD SAY
“I THINK THAT YOU HAVE TO DO THIS, THIS AND THIS.
THEY WEREN’T SURE, AND I WAS NONE THE WISER.
IF DID HAVE GLIMMER OF UNDERSTANDING, I HAD FORGOTTEN WHAT THEY HAD SAID BY THE TIME THAT I HAD GOT BACK TO MY COMPUTER!
WHAT I WANTED SOMEONE TO DO WAS TO SMILE UNDERSTANDINGLY, AND SAY.
“YES I CAN TELL YOU WHAT YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO DO. LET ME SIT DOWN WITH YOU AND I WILL SHOW YOU.”
UNTIL ABOUT THIRTY YEARS AGO THE WORLD SEEMED TO EXIST WITHOUT THE GREAT MYSTERY OF COMPUTERS.
LIFE AND DEATH WERE SUFFICIENT TO OCCUPY OUR MINDS. WELL, TODAY I DO NOT WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE MYSTERY OF DEATH …. THAT IS FOR EASTER.
I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE MYSTERY OF LIFE.
JUST AS A NEW COMPUTER COMES WITH INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE MANUFACTURER, SO OUR LIVES COME WITH INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE ONE WHO CREATED US.
SOME OF THOSE INSTRUCTIONS WE SEE IN THE WORLD AROUND US,SOME OF THEM ARE PRE-PROGRAMMED INTO OUR HUMAN NATURE - THE SOFTWARE COMES WITH.
BUT SOME US WILL OFTEN TRY TO SET UP, AND RUN A COMPUTER WITHOUT READING THE INSTRUCTIONS. AND,
WE OFTEN DO THEM SAME WITH OUR LIVES.WE TRY TO SET THEM UP AND RUN THEM, WITHOUT TAKING INTO ACCOUNT OF GOD’S INSTRUCTIONS.
WE DO NOT READ “THE WORD THAT WAS IN THE BEGINNING WITH GOD”. AND SO, WE ARE ESPECIALLY GOOD AT GETTING THINGS MESSED UP.
MEN AND WOMEN HAVE ALWAYS PRAYED.
“GOD I AM HAVING SOME TROUBLE WITH MY LIFE. CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT I AM SUPPOSED TO DO.?”
AND SO GOD WOULD SAY FROM THE FROM HIS MANUAL, CREATED BY HIS SUPPORT TEAM,
"AT VARIOUS TIMES IN THE PAST AND IN VARIOUS WAYS, GOD SPOKE TO OUR ANCESTORS THROUGH THE PROPHETS.”
MOSES AND THE PROPHETS HAVE TOLD US WHAT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO DO.
WE HEAR IT FOR EXAMPLE IN THE WORDS OF THE PROPHET MUCH,
“WHAT DOES THE LORD REQUIRE OF YOU?
TO ACT JUSTLY AND TO LOVE MERCY
AND TO WALK HUMBLY WITH YOUR GOD.”
BUT WE ARE NOT SO GOOD AT UNDERSTANDING THE WORDS THEY ARE SAYING, AND IF, WHEN WE HAVE A GLIMMER OF UNDERSTANDING, WE FORGET TO PUT IT INTO PRACTICE.
SO LIKE THE COMPUTER PROBLEM, OUR PRAYER GOES BACK TO GOD.
“GOD WE ARE STILL HAVING PROBLEMS WITH OUR LIVES, CAN YOU TELL US WHAT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO DO?
AT THIS, GOD WHO IS INFINITELY PATIENT, TAKES A COSMIC DEEP BREATH AND SAYS,
“LET ME SHOW YOU”.
AND SO GOD COMES AMONG US, SITS DOWN BESIDE US, AND SHOWS US HOW TO LIVE OUR LIVES.
“AND IN OUR OWN TIME, THESE LAST DAYS HE HAS SPOKEN TO US THROUGH HIS SON …HE IS THE RADIANT LIGHT OF GOD’S GLORY, AND PERFECT COPY OF HIS NATURE”.
THIS IS WHAT CHRISTMAS IS ALL ABOUT:
GOD SAYING, “LET ME SHOW YOU.”
GOD SHOWS HIMSELF IN A WAY THAT WE CAN RELATE TO MOST CLEARLY.
THE WORD, GOD THE SON, THROUGH WHOM ALL CREATION WAS MADE, AND THOUGH WHOM WE RECEIVE THE GIFT OF LIFE, BECOMES A HUMAN BEING, BECOMES ONE OF US. HE COMES ALONGSIDE US AND SAYS,
“LET ME SHOW YOU HOW TO LIVE LIFE TO THE FULL. I HAVE COME IN ORDER THAT YOU MAY HAVE LIFE. LIFE IN ALL ITS FULLNESS.”
GOD SHOWS US IN CHRIST HIS LOVE FOR US. HE HUMBLED HIMSELF TO BECOME MAN, BORN OF MARY, IN ORDER TO
SAVE FROM OUR SINS. AT CHRISTMAS HE SAYS LET ME SHOW YOU …..HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU!
YES … HE SHOWS US WHAT MEN AND WOMEN SHOULD BE LIKE. TO ALL WHO ACCEPT THE WORD, “HE GAVE POWER TO BECOME CHILDREN OF GOD.”
YES, JESUS IS THE MODEL OF HOW TO LIVE AND HOW TO LOVE …. IN ALL IT A FULLNESS BY HIS GRACE AT WORK WITHIN US.EVEN WITH JESUS AS OUR GUIDE IT WILL TAKE A LIFE TIME TO LEARN HOW TO LIVE. THERE ARE LESSONS TO BE LEARNT EVERY DAY.
BUT TODAY WE GIVE THANKS FOR THE GIFT OF HIS SON AND PRAY THAT THROUGHOUT THE COMING YEAR WE MAY BE ATTENTIVE TO WHAT HE HAS SHOWN US, AND ALSO TO WHAT HE WILL SHOW US AS WE SEEK TO LIVE AND LOVE HIS WAY IN OUR HOMES IN THE CHURCH IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR HIS GLORY. |
| Date | 2008-01-13 | | Preacher | Very Rev. David Bannerman | | Title | “THIS IS MY BELOVED SON WITH WHOM I AM WELL PLEASED.” (MATT. 3.17) | | Sermon Details |
THESE WORDS FROM THE FATHER ARE WORDS SPOKEN TO JESUS AT HIS BAPTISM AS HE BEGINS HIS PUBLIC MINISTRY.
THEY ARE THE WORDS SPOKEN TO HIM AS HE STARTED HIS MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION, AS HE BEGAN HIS LIFE’S WORK, HIS JOURNEY OF HOLINESS AND LOVING SERVICE FOR THE WORLD.
.
YES, IT WAS AN ACT OF AFFIRMATION AND LOVE. IT WAS AN ACT OF TRUST AS JESUS BEGAN TO LIVE OUT HIS LIFE AS A LOVING SON.
AND AS WE ALL KNOW THAT LOVE WAS WITH HIM THROUGHOUT HIS MINISTRY.
HE LIVED A LIFE OF LOVE AND OBEDIENCE TO HIS FATHER, ROOTED IN PRAYER.
.
WHEN WE AFFIRM SOMEONE WE OPEN OURSELVES TO THEM, AND WE SPEAK OF THE VALUES OR QUALITIES THAT ARE IN THEM IN AN EMPOWERING WAY.
AND THE WONDERFUL THING ABOUT THIS ACT IS THAT A PERSON IS NORMALLY AFFIRMED BY SOMEONE WHEN WE HAVE DONE SOMETHING GOOD.
.
IN THIS STORY BEFORE JESUS HAD SAID OR DONE ANYTHING, HE IS AFFIRMED BY HIS FATHER.
.
IT WAS AS IT WERE WITHOUT MERIT. IT WAS GRACE.
THAT WAS CONTINUAL AFFIRMATION AND EMPOWERING WAS THERE EVEN TO THE CROSS, AS HE BROUGHT FORGIVENESS TO THE WORLD AS HE CHALLENGED THE POWERS OF EVIL AND AS HE BROUGHT NEW HOPE TO MEN AND WOMEN THROUGH HIS RESURRECTION...
.
YES IN THE BAPTISM OF JESUS WE SEE AFFIRMATION.
AND IN OUR OWN BAPTISM THERE WAS THE UNCONDITIONAL LOVE AFFIRMATION AND MERCY OF THE FATHER.
IT IS A LOVE THAT WE NEED TO KNOW AS WE BEGIN TO FACE THE CHALLENGES OF THIS YEAR IN THE VOCATIONS TO WHICH HE AS CALLED US. AND, IT A LOVE AND MERCY THAT WE ARE CALLED TO SEEK EVERY DAY OF OUR LIVES IN PRAYER.
.
BUT IN THOSE SAME WORDS,
.
“THIS IS MAY BELOVED SON”,
.
THERE IS A CALL TO FULFIL THE WILL OF HIS FATHER NOT ONLY IN LIFE OF LOVING WORSHIP, BUT IN A LIFE OF HOLINESS AND SERVICE WITH AND FOR JESUS.
JESUS WAS CALLED TO LIVE OUT THE ROLE OF THE SERVANT MESSIAH READ TO YOU FROM THE PROPHET ISAIAH AS THE FIRST LESSON ISAIAH 42.1
.
FOR JESUS, IT WAS A LIFE WAS ONE OF PREACHING TEACHING HEALING PROPHETIC MINISTRY AND FINALLY HIS DEATH ONE CALVARY.
.
FOR US ALSO THROUGH BAPTISM AS SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF GOD BY ADOPTION AND GRACE, GOD CALLS US TO BE IMMERSED IN HIS GRACE FULLY AND TO GROW IN HOLINESS AND LIVES OF SERVICE.
SOMEONE ONCE SAID THERE ARE MANY SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF GOD WHO ARE SILL SITTING IN THEIR PRAMS THAT HAVE FAILED TO RESPOND TO THE CHALLENGE TO GROW IN HOLINESS IN LOVE AND SERVICE, AND THEREFORE AS HUMAN BEINGS.
THEY’RE QUITE HAPPY TO HAVE GOD JUST CONTINUALLY PAT THEM ON THE HEAD, BUT THEY NEVER GET OUT OF THE PRAM AND WALK ..THE WALK!
.
THEREFORE MAYBE IN THIS YEAR WE NEED TO BE SEEING OURSELVES AS A SON/DAUGHTER OF GOD WHO CAN IN GROW IN THE KNOWLEDGE HIS WILL, IN HOLINESS AND IN SERVICE.
HOW CAN I CONTRIBUTE TO MAKING THIS CATHEDRAL PARISH A PLACE WHERE THE LOVE AND COMPASSION OF CHRIST IS FOUND IN OUR LIFE?
.
LET US PRAY THAT AS WE REJOICE IN OUR BAPTISM AT THE
BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR AND ALL THAT THAT MEANS…
THAT WE WILL GROW IN THAT SONSHIP, DAUGHTERSHIP SO THAT HIS WILL MAY BE DONE IN OUR LIVES.
.
“ THIS IS MY BELOVED CHILD WITH WHOM I AM WELL PLEASED.” |
| Date | 2008-03-16 | | Preacher | Very Rev. David Bannerman | | Title | Palm Sunday | | Sermon Details | AND SO JESUS RODE INTO JERUSALEM ON A DONKEY…
AS I REFLECTED ON THIS GOSPEL NARRATIVE, I ASKED MYSELF THE QUESTION, “WHERE DO DONKEYS ALSO APPEAR IN SCRIPTURE?”
AND THE FIRST ONE THAT CAME TO MIND WAS IN THE OLD
TESTAMENT WHEN BALAAM’S ASS RECOGNISED THE PRESENCE OF GOD, AND HIS HEAD STRONG REBELLIOUS MASTER DID NOT.
THE SECOND PLACE THAT ONE APPEARS IS AT THE BEGINNING OF JESUS LIFE AS OPPOSED TO THE END IN THE STABLE IN BETHLEHEM.
THERE IS A FAMOUS CHRISTMAS POEM I THINK BY THE ANGLICAN PRIEST AND WRITER LIONEL FANTHORPE THAT SPEAKS OF THE ASS’s EXPERIENCE OF THE BIRTH OF JESUS. AND THE WORDS ARE QUITE PROPHETIC. (quote)
Still in spite of the overcrowding,
I did my best to make them feel wanted.
I could see that the baby and I
Would be going places together.
OBVIOUSLY THERE IS NO MENTION OF AN ASS AT THE CRIB IN THE GOSPEL NARRATIVES. BUT IN THE BOOK OF PROPHET ISAIAH WHERE MANY PROPHECIES ABOUT THE MESSIANICANOINTED KING ARE FOUND, THERE ARE WORDS THAT HAVE CREATED THIS TRADITION.
“SONS I HAVE REARED AND BROUGHT UP
BUT THEY HAVE REBELLED AGAINST ME
THE OX KNOWS IT OWNER AND THE ASS IT’S MASTER’S CRIB,
BUT ISRAEL DOES NOT KNOW
MY PEOPLE DO NOT UNDERSTAND.”
IN THESE WORDS GOD COMPLAINS OF THE REBELLIOUSNESS OF HIS CHILDREN OF ISRAEL AND THERE FAILURE TO ACKNOWLEDGE GODS CARE, WHICH IS IN CONTRAST TO THE OX AND THE ASS WHO KNOW WHO
TAKES CARE OF THEM. SO WHEN YOU SEE THE OX AND THE ASS IN THE NATIVITY SCENE YOU MIGHT RMEMBER THESE WORDS.
IT IS OUT OF HIS CONCERN FOR ISRAEL THAT GOD SENDS HIS SUFFERING SERVANT PROPHESIED IN THE LESSON FOR TODAY
“THE LORD HAS OPENED MY EAR AND I WAS NOT REBELLIOUS
I TURNED NOT BACKWARD
I GAVE MY BACK OT THE SMITERS.
UNLIKE GODS OTHER CHILDREN THIS SUFFERING SERVANT,
THIS ONE IS NOT REBELLIOUS AND UNDERSTANDS.”
PALM SUNDAY IS A SUNDAY OF MANY JOURNEYS. IT SPEAKS OF THE JOUNEY OF JESUS FROM BETHANY TO JERUSALEM TO BEGIN HIS PASSION. BUT IT ALSO SPEAKS OF THE JOURNEY THE STORY OF GOD’S PEOPLE FROM THEIR ORIGINS IN ABRAHAM CULMINATING IN GOD OFFERING
HIS SUFFERING SON ON CALVARY.
A JOURNEY THAT TOOK 2000 YEARS. THERE IS ALSO THE STORY OF JESUS LIFE FROM THE WOOD OF THE
MANGER TO THE WOOD OF THE CROSS.
THEN THERE IS THE JOURNEY OF OUR OWN INDIVIDUAL LIVES. I’M SURE MANY OF US LOOK AT OUR ORIGINS WONDER HOW WE GET FROM THERE TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY. I AM SURE A LOT OF WATER HAS GONE UNDER OUR BRIDGES. BUT THERE IS MUCH GOOD THAT HAS HAPPENED TO US.
BUT THE PERHAPS THE MOST IMPORTANT JOUNEY OF OUR LIVES THAT WE MAKE AND WHICH WE SHOULD CONTEMPLATE EVERY HOLY WEEK IS THE JOURNEY FROM OUR OWN SIN AND SELFISHNESS TO A LIFE LIVED WITH GOD FOR OTHERS. THAT JOUNEY IS MADE POSSIBLE BY YET ANOTHER JOURNEY WE REMEMBER TODAY.
JESUS’ ULTIMATE JOURNEY TO CALVARY.
TODAY IN THIS WEEK WE JOIN OUR LIFE’S JOURNEY WITH HIS AND AS THE TWO JOURNEYS MERGE IN THE SAME ROAD AS WE ACCOMPANY HIM ON HIS JOUNEY TO CALVARY AS WE LISTEN TO THE OBEDIENT SON THE SUFFERING SERVANT WE APPROPRIATE OUR SALVATION. |
| Date | 2008-03-23 | | Preacher | Very Rev. David Bannerman | | Title | Easter Day 2008 | | Sermon Details | TODAY WE GATHER HERE IN ST DUNSTAN’S WITH THE REST OF THE CHURCH THROUGHOUT THE WORLD TO CELEBRATE THE RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD -
THAT HE HAS BEEN RAISED FROM THE DEAD IN THE GLORY OF THE FATHER.
AS HE HAD GLORIFIED THE FATHER IN HIS LIFE OF…..
TEACHING,
HEALING
IN HIS CHALLENGING PROPHETIC MINISTRY
AND HIS SACRIFICIAL LOVE ON THE CROSS
SO NOW WE CELEBRATE HIS GREAT ACT AS SAVIOUR,
RESCUING OUR LIVES FROM SIN AND PURPOSELESSNESS
THROUGH THE FORGIVENESS OF THE CROSS AND THE HOPE OF THE EMPTY TOMB.
AS I REFLECTED ON TODAY’S GOSPELS, I LOOKED AT THE DISCIPLESHIP OF THOSE WHO SURROUNDED JESUS ON THAT EASTER DAY AND MORE PARTICULARLY THOSE IN THE
GOSPEL NARRATIVE.
THERE WAS JOHN. THE DISCIPLE OF FAITH. HE WAS THE ONE WHO RAN TO THE TOMB AND “HE SAW AND BELIEVED”
HIS FAITH WAS CONFIDENT AND SECURE. HE DOESN’T WANT TO ANALYSE THE EVIDENCE LIKE PETER. TO BE NAMED LIKE MARY, OR SEE THE WOUNDS LIKE THOMAS.
THE BELOVED DISCIPLE HAS WALKED THE ROAD ALONGSIDE JESUS AND HIS FAITH HAS MADE HIM WELL.
HE SEES AND BELIEVES. THESE ARE THE STEADY SAINTS OF FAITH WHO ARE IN THE PEWS ON EASTER MORNING.
THEN THERE WAS MARY, THE DISCIPLE OF LOVE.
SHE STOOD AT THE FOOT OF THE CROSS OF HER SUFFERING LORD WHILST THE OTHERS, HER MALE COUNTERPARTS, HAD DISAPPEARED.
SHE WAS …
THE FIRST TO REACH THE TOMB,
THE FIRST TO WEEP FOR HIS BODY THAT HAS DISAPPEARED,
AND THE FIRST PROCLAIM THE RISEN CHRIST.
SHE WAS THE DISCIPLE WHO KNEW LOVE AND GRIEF.
IT WAS SHE WHO EXPERIENCED FORGIVENESS GIVING PURPOSE AND LOVE TO HER LIFE AS SHE FOUND BELONGING AND PURPOSE IN HIS PRESENCE.
THESE SAINTS OF LOVE ARE ALSO AMONGST US AS WE WORHSIP THIS MORNING.
THEN THERE IS PETER, THE DISCIPLE OF HOPE.
PETER IS ACTUALLY THE FIRST TO GO TO THE TOMB AND TO LOOK AROUND. HE IS EVIDENCE DRIVEN: THE EMPTY TOMB, THE STONE ROLLED ASIDE, DEAD BODIES DON’T JUST DISAPPEAR SOMEBODY HAD TO MOVE THEM.
PETER LEAVES THE TOMB UNAWARE OF THE LORD’S RESURRECTION.
HE DOESN’T BELIEVE UNTIL MARY TELLS HER STORY, AND CONVINCES HIM THAT THE GOOD NEWS IS REAL.
PETER IS THE DISCIPLE OF HOPE, BECAUSE HE GIVES HOPE TO THE REST OF US DISCIPLES.
THROUGH HIS SMUGNESS, HIS DENIALS, THROUGH HIS BLUNDERING ENTHUSIASM AND MISTAKES, HE IS THE ONE ON WHOM JESUS BUILDS HIS CHURCH.MAYBE THERE SOME OF THOSE KIND OF DISCIPLES SITTING HERE AS WELL.
JOHN, MARY AND PETER: DISCIPLES OF FAITH LOVE AND HOPE. AS WE SIT IN THE CHURCH AS DISCIPLES OF JESUS ARE YOU LIKE ONE OF THESE?
ARE YOU A BIT OF ALL OF THEM?
NOT EVERY ONE HAS THE BELOVED DISCIPLE’S FAITH. OR THE DEPTH OF MARY’S PASSIONATE LOVE. BUT ALL OF US SITTING HERE ON THIS EASTER MONRING CAN FIND HOPE IN PETER.
AND THEN MORE GLORIOUS WE CAN FIND ASSURANCE THAT THE EASTER RESURRECTION WAS FOR THEM ALL DIFFERENT AS THEY WERE, AS IT IS FOR US.
HE ROSE FOR EACH ONE OF US WHAT EVER DISCIPLE WE ARE, AND HE WANTS US TO KNOW THAT ASSURANCE ON THIS EASTER DAY
BUT MORE THAN CELEBRATE THAT VICTORY, THAT ASSURANCE AS HIS CHURCH HIS DISCIPLES HIS FOLLOWERS, WE ARE CALLED TO SHARE, IT PROCLAIM IT THAT OTHERS MAY FIND THAT EASTER HOPE FOR THEIR LIVES AS DID MARY, JOHN AND PETER.
AND SO WE GATHER HERE THIS MORNING AS JESUS’ DISCIPLES, AS GOD’S EASTER PEOPLE, DIFFERENT AS WE ARE.
WE COME TO REJOICE THAT JESUS IS OUR
TEACHER
HEALER
PROPHET
SERVANT KING
AND SAVIOUR
AND THAT RESURRECTION IS FOR ALL,
AND THAT AS HIS PEOPLE, GOD CALLS TO SHARE THAT EASTER
ABUNDANT LOVE WITH OTHERS ….HIS WORLD. AMEN
|
| Date | 2008-05-04 | | Preacher | Very Rev. David Bannerman | | Title | The Cathedral Missional Community | | Sermon Details | THIS SUNDAY HAVING REFLECTED ON OUR ROLES AS
A WORSHIPPING, TEACHING, CARING, AND HEALING COMMUNITY,
WE NOW REFLECT ON OUR ROLE AS A MISSIONAL COMMUNITY.
WE READ IN THE THIRD CHAPTER OF ST JOHNS GOSPEL THAT FAMOUS
TEXT, ‘FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD …..’
IN THESE WORDS WE ARE REMINDED THAT GOD’S LOVE, HIS CARE IS
INCLUSIVE.
HE DID NOT COME FOR A SELECT FEW …THE JEWS OR GENTILES.
HE CAME AMONGST US SO THAT ALL MIGHT HAVE LIFE AND LIFE IN
ALL IT’S FULLNESS, AS WE ARE REMINDED IN THIS SAME GOSPEL.
HE CAME IN ORDER THAT THROUGH HIS LIFE, DEATH AND
RESURRECTION, WOMEN AND MEN …YOU AND I …
MIGHT EXPERIENCE HIS FORGIVENESS LOVE AND PURPOSE FOR THEIR
LIVES FOR THIS LIFE, AND FOR ETERNITY.
THAT ETERNAL LIFE SPOKEN OF IN THIS MORNING’S GOSPEL.
BUT MORE THAN THAT, HE WANTED THEM TO KNOW GOD’S CARE
AS HE LISTENED,
AS HE LOVED,
AS CHALLENGED
AS HE RESPONDED TO THE DIFFERENT NEEDS OF MEN AND WOMEN AT
SO MANY DIFFERENT LEVELS ….
SPIRITUAL, EMOTIONAL, PHYSICAL SOCIAL AND POLITICAL.
IT WAS AS IF JESUS IN HIS MINISTRY GAVE THE WHOLE OF HIMSELF TO
THE WHOLE OF OUR HUMANITY ON THE CROSS
IN ORDER TO TRANSFORM OUR HUMANITY.
THAT WAS HIS MISSION TO THE WORLD.
YES, WE HAVE A MISSIONARY GOD AND HE CALLS US TO SHARE
PARTICIPATE, COLLABORATE WITH HIM IN HIS MISSION OF
TRANSFORMING CARE IN THE WORLD
THEREFORE, AS JESUS IN THE GOSPELS INVITED THE DISCIPLES INTO
RELATIONSHIP AND COMMUNITY WITH HIM WITH THE FATHER,
HE NOW INVITES US
INTO A PROFOUND RELATIONSHIP
WITH HIMSELF AND THE FATHER - IN THE COMMUNITY OF HIS LOVE.
(THEREFORE WE CAN SAY, ‘THE GRACE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST AND THE LOVE OF THE FATHER AND THE COMMUNITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT BE WITH YOU ALWAYS.')
HE INVITES YOU AND ME THROUGH BAPTISM TO EXPERIENCE TO
SHARE IN THAT TRANSFORMING CARE WITHIN HIS COMMUNITY OF
LOVE AND SHARE IT WITH THE WORLD,
BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN MADE DISCIPLES,
WE HAVE BEEN PLACE IN COMMUNITY …..
FOR THE GOOD OF THE WORLD!
AND, WE ARE HERE IN THIS COMMUNITY
SO THAT WE CAN EXPERIENCE, PARTICIPATE IN THE SAVING
GRACE OF GOD,
AND SHARE IT WITH THE WORLD IN THE QUALITY OF OUR OUTGOING
INCLUSIVE LOVING.
IT MEANS BEING CHRIST’S YEAST, LIGHT, SALT AS THE
CATHEDRAL PARISH IN THE WIDER COMMUNITY OF WHICH WE AT
BENONI. IT MEANS MAKING A DIFFERENCE FOR JESUS SAKE
WE NEED IN THE LIGHT OF THE GOSPEL OF JESUS TO BE RELECTIING ON
OUR CONTEXT AS HIS MISSIONAL COMMUNITY,
AND BE ASKING OURSELVES,
“HOW WE CAN ENGAGE WITH THE WIDER COMMUNITY TO MAKE HIS PRESENCE KNOWN TO DRAW PEOPLE INTO THE SAVING LOVE OF CHRIST”.
WE CAN THANK GOD FOR THE WORK BEING DONE IN OUR SOCIAL
RESPONSIBILITY MINISTRY, AND THE CARE THAT WE ARE INVOLVED
WITH IN THE WIDER ARCHDEACONRY AND IN OUR CITY.
PLANNING OF ANOTHER MUSIC FESTIVAL IN JULY IS ANOTHER
WAY ENGAGING WITH WIDER COMMUNITY AND OF DRAWING PEOPLE
CLOSER TO GOD.
BUT …..
HOW WELL KNOWN IS THE CATHEDRAL KNOWN IN THE LIFE OF THE
BENONI COMMUNITY?
HOW MUCH IS ITS PRESENCE FELT AS AN INSTRUMENT FOR GOOD?
ARE THERE ISSUES, GROUPS THAT WE COULD NETWORK WITH FOR THE WELLBEING OF OUR COMMUNITY?
IS OUR WORSHIP GEARED TO DRAWING OTHERS INTO OUR COMMUNITY OF DIFFERING AGES GROUPS CULTURES?
I BELIEVE THAT IF WE ARE TO BE MISSIONAL THESE ARE QUESTIONS
THAT WE NEED TO BE REFLECTING ON SO THAT THE COMPASSIONATE
MISSION OF CHRIST CAN BE INCARNATED IN THIS PLACE.
YES, AS WE REFLECT ON OUR LIFE THERE IS MUCH TO GIVE THANKS
FOR BUT WE MUST BE EVER OPEN TO HEAR NEW WAYS IN WHICH WE
CAN RESPOND TO FULFILLING GOD’S WILL.
TODAY IS THE SUNDAY AFTER ASCENSION WHEN WE REMEMBER THAT
TIME AFTER THE ASCENSION WHEN THE EARLY CHURCH WAITED FOR
THE OUTPOURING OF THE SPIRIT AT PENTECOST.
THEY WERE A CHURCH IN WAITING …
WAITING ON GOD … WAITING IN PRAYER - OPEN TO HIS ACTION.
MAY WE AS INDIVIDUALS AND AS A COMMUNITY
PRAYERFULLY WAIT ON GOD …
IN OUR PRIVATE PRAYER
IN OUR GROUPS
IN OUR WORSHIP ….
SEEKING HIS GRACE FOR OUR LIFE AS A COMMUNITY.
MAY WE PRAYERFULLY REFLECTING ON HIS WILL FOR US IN THIS
PLACE …
SO THAT BY HIS GRACE,
WITH THE GIFTEDNESS THAT WE HAVE …
WE MAY TOGETHER …
MAKE HIS LOVE KNOW IN THIS PLACE CALLED BENONI IN WITH OUR
DIOCESE …
AS WE SHARE IN HIS MISSION OF LOVING COMPASSION TO HIS WORLD.
QUESTIONS/POINTS TO PONDER
1. Do you think that as Church we are outward-looking enough?
2. If the Church’s work is to share in the mission of Jesus to the world, what for you does that mission involve?
3. Who do you think is responsible for the mission of the Church? Who should be involved?
4. In what areas of our life as a community could we be more ‘missional’ or focused on drawing others into our life?
5. What do you think we can give thanks of as a community as we reflect on our outreach or missional work within the wider community?
6. Are there any needs/groups/issues in the wider community that you think that we as a Parish might want to become involved with, working for its greater good?
7. Do you think that there might be place a teaching week/mission at St. Dunstan’s? |
| Date | 2008-06-01 | | Preacher | Very Rev. David Bannerman | | Title | Matthew 7:21 | | Sermon Details | “NOT EVERYONE THAT SAYS TO ME, “LORD, LORD!” ENTER THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, BUT HE WHO DOES THE WILL OF MY FATHER WHO IS IN HEAVEN”.
THESE WORDS IN MATTHEW’S GOSPEL FORM PART OF THE SERMON ON
THE MOUNT.
WHAT IS JESUS SAYING IN THESE WORDS.
WHAT IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN?
YES, GOD’S REIGN, THE FULLNESS KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, IS THAT WHICH
WE ENTER WHEN WE DIE, WHERE HE REIGNS IN GLORY.
BUT IN THE PERSON OF JESUS CHRIST THAT SOVEREIGNTY,
THAT REIGN HAS BEEN IN ANTICIPATED, HAS BROKEN THROUGH INTO
HISTORY IN JESUS CHRIST -
AS HE CAME TO BRING GOD’S LOVE, FORGIVENESS, COMPASSION AND
JUSTICE TO THE WORLD, IN AN UNIQUE AND DEFINITIVE WAY.
IT IS NOT A KINGDOM BASED ON PLACE AND TIME AND MATERIAL
THINGS.
NO, IT IS RATHER WHERE MEN AND WOMEN HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED THE
SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD IN THEIR LIVES,
(AS IT HAS BEEN SHOWN TO US IN HIS SON)
AND ARE SEEKING TO LIVE OUT HIS WILL OF LOVE, COMPASSION AND
JUSTICE –
IN THE POWER OF HIS SPIRIT.
YES, THE KINGDOM OF GOD, THE AGE OF THE SPIRIT HAS BEEN
INAUGURATED IN JESUS THE CHRIST,
AND IT CONTINUES TO BE MANIFEST AS MEN AND WOMEN …YOU AND I
ACKNOWLEDGE GOD’S LOVING AUTHORITY, AND LIVE OUR THAT REIGN
IN THEIR LIVES, DOING THE WILL OF GOD IN THEIR LIVES.
AND,
WHAT IS THE WILL OF GOD ….. SO THAT I CAN DO IT, AND BE A PART OF
THE KINGDOM?
IT IS DOING THE WILL OF THE FATHER, AND ….
JESUS SPELLS IT OUT FOR US IN THE SAME GOSPEL……
”YOU SHALL LOVE GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, SOUL, MIND AND STRENGTH”.
THAT IS THE WILL OF THE FATHER.
IN OTHER WORDS, YOU SHALL LOVE, HONOUR GOD WITH EVERY
ASPECT OF YOUR LIFE……THIS WHAT JESUS HIS SON DID.
WE TALK THESE DAYS ABOUT HAVING A ‘PERSONAL VISIONS’ FOR OUR
LIVES AND THAT VISION CONSTITUTES US INTO
HOW WE SEE LIFE
THE VALUES THAT WE HAVE
THE THINGS THAT WE SEE AS IMPORTANT
THE THINGS THAT WE WANT FROM OUR LIVES
OUR GOALS OUR ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIORS.
IT IS OUR VISIONS FOR LIFE THAT WILL REFLECTED IN OUR ATTITUDES
AND BEHAVIOR
WELL, GOD’S PERSONAL VISION FOR OUR LIVES IS SET OUT IN THOSE
WORDS.
AND THAT VISION BECOMES A PART OF OUR LIVES THROUGH AN ACT OF
REPENTANCE.
“REPENT! THE KINGDOM, THE REIGN OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND”.
FOR MANY OF REPENTANCE IS BEING SORRY FOR SOMETHING I HAVE
DONE WRONG .
BUT IF …… WE LOOK AT SCRIPTURE,
IT IS SOMETHING FAR MORE THAN THAT.
“REPENT FOR THE REIGN OF GOD IS AT HAND”.
IT MEANS A TOTAL REORIENTATION OF MY VISION OF LIFE.
THE KIND OF THAT HAPPENED TO MOTHER THERESA OF CALCUTTA,
WHEN SHE SAW A MAN DYING IN A GUTTER, OR WHEN ST. FRANCIS OF
ASSISI KISSED THE HAND OF A LEPER SEEING IN FACE THE FACE OF
CHRIST.
IT IS IN THOSE MOMENTS OF TRUTH, OR ‘AHA MOMENTS’ THAT
REPENTANCE HAPPENS.
WHEN A PERSONS SEEK TO LIVE THE WHOLE HIS OR HER LIFE FOR GOD,
TO SEE LIFE THROUGH THE EYES OF JESUS.
IT IS AT THAT POINT THAT
THE SCRIPTURES,
THE SACRAMENTS,
THE WORSHIP AND FELLOWSHIP OF THE CHURCH
BECOME SO IMPORTANT TO MAKE THAT POSSIBLE WITH OTHERS.
IT IS WHEN THAT HAPPENS THAT RELIGION IS MORE THAN JUST A
SUNDAY AFFAIR,
BUT A NEW WAY OF LOOKING AT THINGS
A NEW WAY OF THINKING
A NEW WAY OF DOING - A NEW WAY OF LIFE.
IT WAS THIS THAT JESUS WAS POINTING TO IN THE WORDS THAT HE
SPOKE IN THE GOSPEL,
“NOT EVERYONE WHO SAYS, LORD, LORD SHALL ENTER THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, BUT HE WHO DOES THE WILL OF MY FATHER IN HEAVEN.”…
JESUS WAS TELLING THEM, AND US, THAT RELIGION
IS MORE THAN A ONE DAY RITUAL,
BUT MUST BE A PART OF EVERY ASPECT OF OUR LIVES AS LIVE OUT THAT
GREAT COMMANDMENT
LOVING GOD
BEING LOVED BY HIM
LOVING OUR NEIGHBOR AS OUR SELVES
MY NEIGHBOUR CAN BE
MY FELLOW PARISHIONER,
MY WORK COLLEAGUE
THOSE WHO WORK FOR ME
THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN HARASSED PERSECUTED
IT IS AS WE KNOW THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD IN OUR LIVES THAT WE
BEGIN TO LIVE OUT HIS VALUES - THE KIND OF VALUES EXPRESSED IN
THE GREAT ASSIZE,
(I WAS HUNGRY AND YOU GAVE SOMETHING TO EAT , THIRSTY AND SOMETHING TO DRINK… A STRANGER AND YOU INVITED ME IN)
CHRISTIANITY IS MORE THAN JUST PREACHING AND MIRACULOUS
HEALINGS
IT IS LOVING GOD WITH EVERY ASPECT OF MY LIFE,
BEING LOVED BY HIM SEEING THE WORLD THOUGH HIS EYES AND
SEEKING TO BRING HIS MESSAGE AND HIS COMPASSION AND JUSTICE TO
OTHERS. …….IT IS SEEKING TO LIVE OUT THE BEATITUDES.
IT IS FOR THIS REASON THAT WE COME TO CHURCH SO THAT THE WORD
AND SACRAMENT WE MAY PUT ON ‘HIS MIND’ (ROMANS 12.1)) BE
RENEWED IN SPIRIT SO THAT WE CAN DO HIS WILL IN THE THAT OTHERS
CAN SEE THE KINGDOM AND THE KING IN OUR LIVES.
FOR REFLECTION
1. Do you recall a time when an unexpected (or expected) event cause you to rethink the direction of your life?
2. In what ways did it involve repentance a different way of thinking, feeling and acting? |
| Date | 2008-06-29 | | Preacher | Very Rev. David Bannerman | | Title | MAPS AND DIRECTIONS | | Sermon Details | HAVE YOU EVER BEEN LOST?
I WAS ONCE WHEN I FIRST CAME TO BENONI AND I HAD TO GO TO A
FUNCTION IN THE CITY OF JOHANNESBURG.
I DID NOT KNOW JOHANNESBURG AT ALL.
A COLLEAGUE CAME WITH ME, WHO I THOUGHT KNEW THE AREA AND
COULD READ A MAP BOOK.
HE DID NOT HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF EITHER!
SO WE FOUND OURSELVES LOST IN THE CENTRE OF JOHANNESBURG AT
5.O’CLOCK IN THE AFTERNOON IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC.
WE COULDN'T FOLLOW THE BOOK AND WHEN WE ASKED SOMEONE
FOR DIRECTION,
EITHER THE PERSON GOT IT WRONG OR WE GOT IT WRONG BECAUSE
WE ENDED UP IN THE WRONG PLACE!
WELL WE MANAGED TO USE THE MAP BOOK AND WE GOT VERY CLOSE
TO THE PLACE.
BUT TO MAKE QUITE SURE WE STOPPED AGAIN AND ASKED A MAN.
AND HE SAID,
"LET ME GET IN AND I'LL SHOW YOU THE WAY."
AND WE GOT THERE THE HOLY FAMILY CONVENT IN LINDEN.
LIVING IS OFTEN LIKE DRIVING THROUGH A STRANGE CITY –
SO MANY DIRECTIONS TO GO IN, SO MANY CHOICES TO MAKE.
SOME MAY GIVE YOU THE WRONG DIRECTION AND YOU END UP MORE
THEY SAY TO YOU, “IT DOES NOT MATTER HOW YOU LIVE LIE CHEAT
STEAL, DRINK, TAKE DRUGS. IT DOES NOT MATTER WHAT YOU DO”,
AND YOU END UP MORE LOST AND IN TROUBLE!
WHAT YOU AND I NEED IN LIFE IS SOMEONE WHO WILL GET INTO OUR
CAR AND SHOW US THE WAY.
SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN THERE, AND CAN SHOW US THE WAY.
AND THIS IS WHAT JESUS IS FOR US HE IS THE ONE WHOM COMES
ALONG SIDE AND SHOWS US THE WAY THE WAY TO LIVE THE JOURNEY
OF LIFE.
THIS IS WHAT THE STAINED GLASS WINDOWS TELL US, JESUS IS THE
WAY FOR OUR LIVES …THE WAY TO THE FATHER .
YES HE HAS GIVEN US THE BIBLE THE MAP BOOK FOR THE WAY LIKE
STEVEN COVEYS BOOK ON THE PRINCIPLES FOR EFFECTIVE LIVING,
BUT EVEN BETTER THEY ARE GOD’S!
HE HAS GIVEN US FOOD FOR THE JOURNEY THE SACRAMENT OF HIS BODY AND BLOOD.
HE HAS GIVEN US THE CHURCH, FELLOW TRAVELLERS TO SHARE THE JOURNEY WITH.
BUT MORE THAT ANYTHING ELSE HE WANTS TO BE IN THE CAR OF OUR
LIVES …ON BOARD ….
IN OUR HEARTS,
LOVING AND GUIDING US
TEACHING AND EMPOWERING
AS DAILY WE COME TO HIM IN PRAYER AS WE JOURNEY THROUGH
LIFE.
IT FOR THIS REASON JESUS SAID,
“I AM THE WAY.”
MAY HE BE YOUR GUIDE THROUGH THE CITY CALLED LIFE AS YOU
JOURNEY TO THE ETERNAL CITY. |
| Date | 2008-07-06 | | Preacher | Very Rev. David Bannerman | | Title | Matthew 11:25 | | Sermon Details | “I PRAISE YOU FATHER LORD OF HEAVEN AND EARTH,
BECAUSE YOU HAVE HIDDEN THESE THINGS FROM THE WISE AND LEARNED, AND REVEALED THEM TO LITTLE CHILDREN”
YOU KNOW…..
IF WE LOOK AT THE WORLD AND ASK ABOUT WHAT THINGS PEOPLE SO
OFTEN SEEK … WHAT THEY SO OFTEN ADMIRE.
WE OFTEN SEEK AND ADMIRE STRENGTH AND POWER:
THE ABILITY TO CONTROL OTHERS….THE POLICITIANS?
WE LOOK FOR, DESIRE AND LOOK UP TO STRENGTH IN WEALTH
AND THE ABILITY TO ACCUMULATE AND POSSESS WEALTH….THE
WEALTHY?
WE LOOK TO THE POWER THAT KNOWS, AND IN SO KNOWING IS ABLE
TO CONTROL THROUGH SUPERIOR EDUCATION AND POSITIONS OF
PRESTIGE….THE INTELLECTUALS?
THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WE LOOK UP TO. THE WISE, THE KNOWING THE
POWERFUL.
BUT THE PROPHET ZECHARIAH PRESENTS US WITH A DIFFERENT
PICTURE.
IT INTRODUCES, REVEALS TO US A MESSIAH, MEEK AND
RIDING ON A DONKEY.
THE BOOK OF ZECHARIAH WANTS US TO BELIEVE THAT OUR
STRENGTH AND OUR POWER IS TO BE FOUND IN ONE WHO SAYS OF
HIMSELF THAT “I AM GENTLE AND HUMBLE IN HEART.”
AND JESUS HIMSELF PAINTS A CONTRADICTORY PICTURE TO THE
WISDOM OF THE WORLD, WHEN HE SAYS,
“BECAUSE, WHAT YOU HAVE HIDDEN FROM THE WISE AND LEARNED, YOU HAVE REVEALED TO THE LITTLE ONES”.
MAYBE WE SUFFER SO MUCH DISILLUSIONMENT, BECAUSE WE LOOK
FOR WISDOM AND GUIDANCE AND HOPE IN THE WRONG PLACES.
INSTEAD OF ‘LOOKING UP’ TO THE RICH, THE POWERFUL AND THE
LEARNED TO FIND VISION AND SECURITY AND END UP DELUDED BY
EMPTY PROMISES OF PASSING JOY …..
MAYBE WE NEED NOT TO ‘LOOK UP’ TO THE SO CALLED POWERFUL,
BUT TO ‘LOOK DOWN’ AT THE MEEK AND THE HUMBLE, THE LITTLE
ONES, THE FAITHFUL, THE POOR, THE HUNGRY, THE SICK AND THE
DYING AND THE POOR IN SPIRIT….
TO FIND THE WISDOM AND THE POWER OF GOD
FOR IT AMONGST THEM THAT WE WILL FIND OUR JESUS SAVIOUR, THE
GOD WHOSE RIGHT HAND IS FULL OF JUSTICE.
IT IS THERE THAT WE WILL FIND GOD SPEAKING ….
IN THE LIVES OF ORDINARY FAITHFUL MEN AND WOMEN AS THEY LIVE
OUT HIS HOPE, HIS STRENGTH HIS COMPASSION IN THEIR LIVES AS
THEY HAVE KNOWN IT IN JESUS.
YES, WE WILL FIND THE WISDOM AND POWER OF GOD IN HIS MEEK,
THE LITTLE ONES …..THE FAITHFUL ONES ….IN THE WISDOM OF
FAITHFUL EXPERIENCE.
AND THAT IS THE WISDOM FOR OUR LIVES.
SO MAYBE WE NEED NOT LOOK ‘UP’ BUT LOOK AROUND.
IT IS IN THEM THAT YOU MAY WELL SEE THE LOVE THE FATHER
REVEALED,
WHICH IS HIS WISDOM AND POWER FOR OUR LIVES.
THAT WISDOM THAT WAS REVEALED IN JESUS,
WHO IN HIS LIFE SHOWED THE GENTLENESS THE FORGIVENESS AND
THE HOPE OF GOD
IN HIS SEEMING POWERLESSNESS HIS MEEKNESS AS HE RODE IN INTO
JERUSALEM ON A DONKEY,
THERE WAS A POWER, A JUSTICE TO TRANSFORM THE WORLD.
AND WE COME HERE THIS MORNING TO RECEIVE THE SPIRIT OF THAT
MEEK ONE INTO OUR HEARTS INTO OUR LIVES.
WE COME TO BE RENEWED IN HIS LOVE AND FORGIVENESS
BECAUSE SURELY IN THIS MAN WE HAVE SEEN THE WISDOM AND THE
POWER NOT OF HUMANKIND
AND IT IS THAT LOVE THAT WE WANT TO LIVE OUT AS HIS LITTLE ONES
AS WE LOVE AND SERVE AND CARE IN HIS NAME. |
| Date | 2008-08-10 | | Preacher | Very Rev. David Bannerman | | Title | Stewardship of Talents | | Sermon Details | A FEW WEEKS AGO WE HAD TWO EVENTS THAT IN THE LIFE OF THE
CATHEDRAL PARISH THAT WERE SPECIAL TO MANY PEOPLE.
THEY WERE VERY DIFFERENT IN NATURE,
BUT THEY WERE OFFERINGS OF WORSHIP AND EMPOWERED THOSE
WHO TOOK PART IN THEM.
THE ONE WAS THE YOUNG PEOPLE'S MUSIC CRUSADE AT THE
COLLEGE;
THE OTHER WAS THE SING FOR JOY CONCERTS HERE IN THE
CATHEDRAL.
PEOPLE WITH DIFFERING SKILLS FROM SINGING AND CONDUCTING TO
ORGAN AND GUITAR PLAYING
BROUGHT THEIR PASSION FOR JESUS AND THEIR GIFTS TO MAKE
THOSE EVENTS POSSIBLE.
THEY GAVE THEIR CATERING AND CHORAL SKILLS
DRUMMING AND DRAMATIC SKILLS
TO CREATE EVENTS, IN WHICH OTHERS COULD WORSHIP AND
EXPERIENCE GOD, AND BE RENEWED IN HIS MEANING AND PURPOSE
FOR THEIR LIVES.
TWO VERY DIFFERENT EVENTS, BUT THE MEANS WAS THE SAME:
PASSION AND GIFTS USED TO ENABLE GOD TO BE GLORIFIED, AND
SERVED.
AND AS MUCH AS THAT IS TRUE OF THOSE TWO EVENTS,
IT IS TRUE OF OUR SUNDAY WORSHIP
IT IS TRUE OF THE ACTIVITIES OF THE LIFE OF OUR PARISH.
WE DO THEM WITH THE PASSION AND GIFTEDNESS THAT WE HAVE TO
ENABLE OTHERS TO EXPERIENCE THE LOVE OF GOD.
WE HAVE THESE TALENTS AS GIFTS FROM GOD, SOME OF THOSE
TALENTS HAVE HAD TO BE HONED INTO SKILLS.
BUT THEY ARE ‘GIFTS’. AND BECAUSE THEY ARE GIFTS FROM A
GENEROUS GIVER, THEY NEED TO BE SHARED, HOWEVER HUMBLE
THE GIFT.
THERE ARE A GREAT VARIETY OF GIFTS OR TALENTS AS ST PAUL,
REMINDS US IN THE EPISTLE OT THE CORINTHIANS AND NOT EVERY
ONE OF US HAS THE SAME GIFTS OR TALENTS.
IN ORDER THAT WE CAN BE REMINDED THAT WE NEED ONE ANOTHER
THAT WE ARE INTERDEPENDENT,
AND THOSE GIFTS ARE GIVEN FOR THE COMMON GOOD AND THEY
ENABLE US TO FEEL THAT WE ARE VALUED WE BELONG.
THEY ARE USED NOT FOR OUR SELF-AGGRANDISEMENT, BUT FOR THE
SERVICE, WELL-BEING OF OTHERS.
(I THINK THAT IN THIS HIGHLY INDIVIDUALIZED SOCIETY WE HAVE TO OFTEN SEEN GIFTEDNESS ONLY IN TERMS OF SELF ACTUALIZATION AND EMPOWERMENT WHICH IS NOT FAR FROM IDOLATRY RATHER THEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO SERVICE AND IN THAT FIND GOD’S FULFILMENT FOR OUR LIVES.)
AS ST. PAUL WOULD REMIND US, SOME OF THE TALENTS OR GIFTS
MAYBE RATED BY OTHERS AS IMPORTANT LIKE PREACHING AND
TEACHING,
OTHERS ARE SEEMINGLY LESS IMPORTANT LIKE HELPING AND
CARING.
BUT HE WOULD REMIND US ALSO THAT ALL HAVE AN IMPORT PART IN
THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH TO ENABLE IT TO BECOME WHAT GOD WOULD HAVE IT BE –
HIS VITAL, CLOSE KNIT BODY IN THE WORLD ENABLING OTHERS TO
SEE HIS LOVE AND COMPASSION …HIS FACE IN THE WORLD.
AND SO AS WE COME TO DEDICATION SUNDAY, AND WE RENEW, OR
OFFER OUR SELVES ANEW TO THE LORD WITH THE SKILLS THAT WE
HAVE,
WE NEED TO REFLECT SERIOUSLY ON THE SKILLS THAT WE HAVE AND
HOW THEY CAN BE USED IN THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH.
WE NEED TO RELFECT SERIOUSLY ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CARD.
WHAT PROFESSIONAL SKILLS DO I HAVE?
WHAT AM I PASSIONATE ABOUT (EG. CARE FOR THE UNDERPRIVILEGED, THE NEEDY) THAT MAYBE THE CHURCH COULD USE WITH THE GIFTEDNESS THAT I HAVE?
WHAT IS NOT LISTED ON THAT FORM THAT FEEL THAT I COULD GIVE TO THE CHURCH?
WHAT I HAVE I NOT DONE THAT I WOULD LIKE TO TRY? MAYBE IT IS INTERCESSORY PRAYER OR FLOWER ARRANGING?
MAYBE THERE US AN UNDERLYING GIFT THERE.
MAYBE I’D LIKE TO TRY MY HAND AT JUNIOR WORSHIP?
I WONDER IF THE CHURCH HAS ANY ONE WHO KNOWS SOMETHING ABOUT MARKETING. COMPUTER PROGRAMMING……PUT IT DOWN!
THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT GIFTS THAT CAN BE USED FOR THE
ORGANISATION, TEACHING, WORSHIP AND PASTORAL CARE OF THE
CHURCH.
AND WE WILL NEED THOSE SKILLS AS WE MOVE INTO THE FUTURE
INTO THIS COMING CENTENARY YEAR WITH THE DIFFERENT EVENTS
THAT HAVE BEEN PLANNED.
IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS WE ARE TO HAVE A STRATEGIC PLANNING
MEETING THAT AROSE OUT OF THE SERMONS AFTER LENT TO PLAN
THE WAY FORWARD AS CATHEDRAL PARISH
YES WE ARE ALL GOOD AT COMING UP WITH EXCUSES FOR NOT OFFERING OUR GIFTS.
WE ARE …
TOO SHY
TOO TIRED
TOO BORED
TOO BUSY
TOO OVERBURDENED
TOO USELESS
SOME OF THEM MAYBE GENUINE REASONS,
SOME OF THEM MAYBE NOT
AND DEEP IN YOUR HEART YOU WILL IN ALL PROBABILITY KNOW
WHICH ARE WHICH I AM SURE .
ALONG SIDE YOUR EXCUSES MAYBE WE NEED TO PUT THE CROSS OF
JESUS.
WAS HE TOO ….. FOR YOU!
SO AS YOU COME TO FILL IN YOUR DEDICATION CARD MY PRAYER IS
THAT YOU WILL REFLECT ON THREE TALENTS THAT YOU CAN GIVE TO
THE LORD AND HIS CHURCH IN THIS COMING YEAR.
YOU MAYBE ABLE TO GIVE MORE.
PRAY ABOUT IT.
PRAY FOR YOUR CHURCH THAT OTHERS MAY DISCOVER GIFTS THAT
THEY CAN USE FOR HIS GLORY.
LOOKS TO SEEK TO DISCERN AND DISCOVER GIFTS IN OTHERS THAT
THEY CAN USE,
BECAUSE WE CANNOT OFTEN SEE OUR OWN GIFTEDNESS
OR WE NEED TO BE AFFIRMED IN IT.
BUT IF YOU CAN PUT THREE ON THERE TO GLORIFY GODS IN THE
WORSHIP WITNESS AND SERVICE OF HIS CHURCH SO THAT THIS
PURPOSE CAN BE FULFILLED IN US AND THROUGH FOR HIS GLORY.
AMEN
|
| Date | 2008-08-17 | | Preacher | Very Rev. David Bannerman | | Title | Stewardship of the Body | | Sermon Details | TODAY WE CONTINUE OUR REFLECTION ON THE THEME OF
STEWARDSHIP, AS WE REFLECT ON THE STEWARDSHIP OF OUR BODIES
…AS WE MOVE TOWARDS DEDICATION SUNDAY.
I AM CONSCIOUS THAT I PREACH THIS SERMON WHEN MANY OF YOU
ARE WATCHING THE OLYMPICS ON TV, AND YOU ARE SEEING THE
FRUITS OF TRAINING AND DISCIPLINE OF THE ATHLETES’ BODIES FOR
COMPETITION.
IT IS A REMINDER TO US OF THE NEED FOR CARE OF OUR BODIES IF WE
ARE TO DO WHAT HE REQUIRES OF US IN LIFE’S RACE.
ST PAUL IN HIS LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS REMINDS HIS READERS
AND US THAT OUR BODIES ARE TEMPLES OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
‘DO YOU NOT KNOW THAT YOUR BODY IS A TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, WHO IS IN YOU, WHOM YOU HAVE FROM GOD, AND THAT YOU ARE NOT YOUR OWN? FOR YOU HAVE BEEN BOUGHT WITH A PRICE; THEREFORE GLORIFY GOD IN YOUR BODY.’
WE NEED ALSO TO REMEMBER THAT JESUS CAME IN HUMAN FLESH TO
REDEEM THE WORLD AND TO AFFIRM THE GOODNESS OF OUR MORTAL
BODIES.
IN ALL THIS WE ARE BEING REMINDED THAT OUR BODIES ARE
TEMPLES, VESSELS OF HIS LOVE AND THEY BELONG TO HIM.
THEREFORE THEY NEED TO BE CARED FOR.
YES, THEY ARE NOT FOR ETERNITY, AND PAUL WOULD ALSO SAY THAT
‘WE HAVE OUR TREASURE IN EARTHEN VESSELS’,
BUT ……HE …..HAS GIVEN THEM TO US,
AND THEY ARE THE MEANS BY WHICH WE PREPARE OURSELVES FOR
ETERNITY AND THEREFORE THEY NEED OUR RESPECT UNTIL WE ARE
CLOTHED WITH OUR HEAVENLY BODIES!
ST PAUL SAYS IN THAT FAMOUS PASSAGE IN THE TWELFTH CHAPTER
OF THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS.
‘I BESEECH YOU BRETHREN BY THE MERCIES OF GOD THAT YOU PRESENT YOUR BODIES AS A LIVING SACRIFICE HOLY ACCEPTABLE GOD WHICH IS YOUR REASONABLE SERVICE’.
HOW CAN I PRESENT MY BODY AS A LIVING SACRIFICE HOLY AND
ACCEPTABLE TO GOD?
HOW CAN I BE GOOD STEWARD OF THE BODY HE HAS GIVEN ME?
HERE ARE SOME THOUGHTS FOR YOUR REFLECTION …A REFLECTION
THAT WILL CONTINUE AFTER THIS SERVICE AS YOU PREPARE FOR
DEDICATION SUNDAY.
1. BY CARING FOR OUR BODIES, NOT ABUSING THEM IN OUR LIFE
STYLES, AND SEEKING MAINTAINING BALANCE IN LIFE
WE NEED TO EXERCISE THEM, PARTICULARLY IF WE HAVE STRESSFUL
JOBS.
MY MOTHER CONTINUES TO DO HER EXERCISES AT THE AGE OF 90.
WE NEED TO HAVE THEM CHECKED BY THE DOCTOR REGULARLY
PARTICULARLY AS WE GET OLDER.
YES THEY ARE NOT PERMANENT BUT WHILST WE HAVE THEM THEY
ARE,
AS ST PAUL WOULD REMIND US IN THE LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS
‘HIS INSTRUMENTS FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
IT IS THROUGH OUR BODIES THAT WE FULFIL HIS WILL IN OUR HOMES,
IN THE CHURCH, WHEREVER GOD CALLS US TO BE TO LOVE AND TO
CARE.
AS OUR LORD SAID TO ST THERESA,
“I HAVE NO FEET BUT YOURS, I HAVE NO HANDS BUT YOURS. YOURS ARE THE HANDS BY WHICH I LOVE ……”
2. BY TRANSFORMING OUR MINDS.
ST PAUL SAYS IN THAT SAME SECTION OF THE EPISTLE TO THE
ROMANS,
'BE NOT CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD, BUT BE TRANSFORMED BY THE
RENEWAL OF OUR YOU MINDS.’
IT IS THROUGH WHAT WE READ, WE WATCH THAT OUR MINDS ARE
DISEMPOWERED AND BENT.
OUR MINDS HAVE BEEN DARKENED.
AS PAUL WOULD SAY 'IN FUTILITY',
AND THERE IS SO MUCH IN OUR WORLD TODAY THAT DOES THAT,
OR,
WE CAN READ SUCH THINGS THAT EMPOWER US GIVES AN
AWARENESS OF GOD’S PURPOSE, LOVE AND FORGIVENESS AND HOPE
FOR OUR LIVES THAT ENABLES US TO DISCOVER GOD’S
UNDERSTANDINGS THAT EMPOWER US AND EMPOWER THE LIVES OF
THE OF THOSE AROUND US.
IF WE ARE TO BE INSTRUMENTS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS WE NEED MINDS
AND HEARTS THAT ARE FAITHFUL, LOVING AND POSITIVE.
AND WE DO THIS, BY OUR WHAT WE READ, WHAT WE PRAYERFULLY
MEDIATE ON
WHATEVER IT IS…
TEXT OF SCRIPTURE
THE TEXT OF FAITHFUL GOOD LIVES
THE TEXT OF MUSIC OR
THE TEXT OF BEAUTY IN THE WORLD.
IT THESE THINGS THAT FEED INTO OUR BODIES THROUGH OUR MINDS
AND WE ARE EMPOWERED FOR GOD.
SO MAYBE AS WE DRAW NEAR TO DEDICATION SUNDAY WE NEED TO
REFLECT ON WHAT WE READ, WHAT WE WATCH, WHAT TIME WE GIVE
TO PRAYER ….
FOR ALL THESE ARE PART OF THE STEWARDSHIP OF OUR BODIES, OUR
LIVES
1. BY PRESENTING MINDS AND BODIES TO GOD, AS ST PAUL REMINDS
US IN THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS, AND ACKNOWLEDGING THAT MY
BODY, MY LIFE IS HIS.
HE NOT ONLY CREATED ME, MY BODY, BUT HE PURCHASED IT BY HIS
OWN BLOOD ON THE CROSS.
IT IS ACKNOWLEDGING THAT MY LIFE IS CALLED TO BE LIVED IN A
LIFE OF SACRIFICIAL LOVE FOR HIM SO THAT IT CAN BE USED AS AN
INSTRUMENT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.
AND WE RENEW THAT PRESENTATION OR OFFERING EVERY SUNDAY
AS WE,
‘OFFER (PRESENT) OURSELVES
AS A LIVING SACRIFICE
IN JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD.’
TO SERVE HIM IN THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT IN HIS WORLD. |
| Date | 2008-09-24 | | Preacher | Very Rev. David Bannerman | | Title | Stewardship of Possessions | | Sermon Details | THIS SUNDAY WE CONTINUE WITH OUR SERMONS ON THE THEME OF
STEWARDSHIP,
AS WE REFLECT ON THE STEWARDSHIP OF OUR POSSESSIONS, AND
AS WE MOVE TO WORDS OUR DEDICATION SUNDAY.
I WANT TO READ TO A PORTION OF SCRIPTURE FROM THE GOSPEL
ACCORDING TO ST LUKE. (Luke 12 13-21)
IN THIS EPISODE IN JESUS’ MINISTRY, SOMEONE COMES TO HIM TO ACT
AS AN ARBITRATOR IN AN INHERITANCE DISPUTE.
JESUS DOES NOT RESPOND, RECOGNISING THAT ON THE SURFACE
IT IS A LEGAL ISSUE FOR THE TEACHERS OF THE LAW.
BUT HE USES IT TO GO ‘BENEATH’ THE INCIDENT TO REFLECT
WITH HIS FOLLOWERS ON THE QUESTION OF OUR ATTITUDE TO OUR
POSSESSIONS THAT MAKES SUCH A CASE ARISE:
COVETOUSNESS
THEREFORE HE SAYS,
‘TAKE CARE! BE ON YOUR GUARD AGAINST ALL KINDS OF GREED; FOR ONE’S LIFE DOES NOT CONSIST IN THE ABUNDANCE OF ONE’S POSSESSIONS.”
IN THIS JESUS IS REMINDING THEM, AND US, THAT OUR MEANING FOR
LIFE, OUR PURPOSE FOR LIFE CANNOT BE BOUND UP IN THE
POSSESSIONS THAT WE GATHER AROUND US.
TOO EASILY IN LIFE OUR IDENTITY, SENSE OF VALUE AND PURPOSE
CAN BE LOST,
AND WE SHORE IT UP BY AMASSING THINGS AROUND US THAT
GIVE US IDENTITY, SIGNIFICANCE AND POWER.
HENCE WE BUY THE BRAND NAMES MAYBE NOT JUST BECAUSE THE
ARTICLES ARE QUALITY ITEMS, BUT ALSO BECAUSE OF THE BRAND
NAME AND IT’S POWER TO GIVE SIGNIFICANCE TO OUR LIVES.
A FUNDAMENTAL FACT THAT IS AT THE HEART OF OUR STEWARDSHIP
AS CHRISTIANS IS THAT WE ARE CHILDREN OF THE FATHER CREATOR -
LOVED AND PRECIOUS IN HIS SIGHT,
AND THAT OUR LIVES ARE NOT JUST FOR THIS LIFE,
WHERE WE HAVE TO FIND PURPOSE FOR OUR LIVES,
THEY ARE FOR ETERNITY ALSO.
(JESUS CAME TO BRING US ETERNAL LIFE)
AS ST PAUL WOULD REMIND US, WE ARE HIS CHILDREN AND HIS HEIRS
- HEIRS OF ETERNAL LIFE,
WHICH GIVES AN ETERNAL SIGNIFICANCE AND MEANING TO OUR
LIVES NOW.
THEREFORE WE DO NOT HAVE TO BOLSTERS OUR LIVES WITH THINGS.
BECAUSE WE KNOW WHO WE ARE AND WE KNOW WHERE WE ARE
GOING, AND THAT WE CAN TRAVEL LIGHT AS SOJOURNERS OR
PILGRIMS!
IT IS THAT ATTACHMENT TO GOD AND HIS DESTINY FOR US THAT
LOOSENS US FROM THE NEED TO BOLSTER OURSELVES WITH ‘THINGS’
AS THE FOOL IN THE PARABLE DID.
HE HAD TO CREATE A PURPOSE FOR HIS LIFE AND HE SAW IT ONLY IN
TERMS OF PROPERTY AND WEALTH.
HE HAD LOST GOD’S BIGGER PICTURE FOR HIS LIFE, AND AS JESUS SAYS, “HE WAS NOT RICH TOWARDS GOD”.
GOD CALLS US TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT OUR TRUE POSSESSION
TREASURE IS HIMSELF.
THAT ALL THAT WE HAVE IN LIFE IS LENT TO AND THEREFORE WE
ARE TO SIT LIGHTLY WITH IT.
AS THE PRAYER BOOK REMINDS IN THE FUNERAL SERVICE….
FROM THE EPISTLE TO TIMOTHY,
‘WE BROUGHT NOTHING INTO THE WORLD, AND IT CERTAIN WE TAKE NOTHING OUT.’
WE CANNOT TAKE IT WITH US.
AND SO WE ARE TO HAVE A SIMPLICITY OF LIFE THAT TREATS ALL THE
THINGS THAT WE HAVE AS GIFTS,
BEING RESPECTFUL OF ALL THAT HAVE, AND
USING WHAT WE HAVE TO BEING HAPPINESS TO OTHERS.
IN A WORLD WHERE THERE IS SO MUCH POVERTY MAYBE GOD CALLS
US AS CHRISTIANS …
TO A LIFE OF GREATER SIMPLICITY
TO WITNESS IN OUR LIVES TO KINGDOM VALUES.
TO SHARE WHAT WE HAVE.
AS WE MOVE TOWARDS DEDICATION SUNDAY MAYBE GOD IS
CHALLENGING US TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE RICH ‘BEFORE HIM’.
RICH IN OUR RELATIONSHIPS
AS WE SHARE WITHIN THE OUR FAMILIES
AS WE SHARE WITHIN THE FAMILY OF HIS CHURCH
OUR THE TEACHING OF HOLDING ALL THINGS IN COMMON
AS WE SHARE WITH THOSE IN NEED.
AS WE SEEK TO LIVE OUT THE REIGN OF GOD IN OUR LIVES.
‘AND JESUS SAID, “BEWARE! BE ON YOUR GUARD AGAINST ALL KINDS OF GREED; A MANS LIFE DOES NOT CONSIST IN THE ABUNDANCE OF HIS POSSESSIONS”.’ (LUKE 12.15) |
| Date | 2008-09-07 | | Preacher | Very Rev. David Bannerman | | Title | Stewardship of the Heart. | | Sermon Details | ‘SIMON PETER ANSWERED, “YOU ARE THE MESSIAH, THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD”. … JESUS SAID, “BLESSED ARE YOU SIMON SON OF JONAH, YOU ARE PETER …. AND ON THIS ROCK I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH”.’
IN THIS MORNING’S GOSPEL WE HAVE A SCENE OF THE DISCIPLES
WALKING DOWN THE ROAD IN THE AREA OF CAESAREA PHILIPPI AND
JESUS SUDDENLY TURNS TO THEM AND SAYS,
“WHO DO PEOPLE SAY THAT I AM?”
AND THEY RESPOND BY SAYING,
“SOME SAY THAT YOU ARE ONE OF THE PROPHETS”,
THAT JESUS’ LIFE STOOD IN THE PROPHETIC TRADITION OF ISRAEL,
“OTHERS SAY THAT YOU ARE ELIJAH, OR SOMEHOW JOHN THE BAPTIST RETURNED.
AND THEN HE TURNS TO THEM AND SAYS,
“WHO DO YOU SAY THAT I AM?”
AND PETER THE LEADER OF THE GROUPS SAYS,
“YOU ARE THE CHRIST, THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD.”
YES THOSE WHO HAD BEEN AROUND JESUS, AT A DISTANCE,
HAD SEEN IN HIM DIFFERENT ROLES
AS A PROPHET
AS A SUCCESSOR TO JOHN THE BAPTIST
AS A HEALER
SOME THOUGHT HE WAS MAD.
BUT THOSE WHO WERE CLOSE TO HIM
WHO HAD ENTERED INTO A RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM
WHO HAD WALKED WITH HIM
WHO HAD HEARD HIS TEACHING
WHO HAD SEEN HIM LOVE AND CARE
WHO HAD BEEN TOUCHED BY HIS LIFE …
THEY SAW MORE THAN THIS.
IT HAD LEAD PETER BY THE LAKE SIDE TO SAY,
"DEPART FROM ME FOR I AM A SINFUL MAN O LORD."
WHEN HE HAD HEARD JESUS TEACH AND THE HAUL OF FISH.
IT WAS THAT AUTHORITY THAT HAD LEAD HIM TO FORSAKE ALL,
AND FOLLOW HIM AND FIND A FULFILMENT IN LIFE THAT CAME FROM
KNOWING HIM.
IT WAS THAT BLESSEDNESS THAT SENSE OF FULFILMENT IN
RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS THAT MADE PETER IN JOHNS GOSPEL SAY,
"YOU HAVE THE WORDS OF ETERNAL LIFE TO WHOM ELSE WE GO!”
YES THEY HAD FOUND IN JESUS
AN AUTHORITY
A WISDOM
A LOVE
A HEALING …..A BLESSEDNESS
THAT WENT BEYOND THE BOOKS OF THE TORAH.
THEY SAW A POWER AT WORK IN HIS MINISTRY, HIS HEALINGS THAT
FILLED THEM WITH AWE.
THEY SAW GOD, WORKING IN A INCREDIBLE DYNAMIC WAY,
DRAWING WOMEN AND MEN INTO RELATIONSHIP WITH HIMSELF.
THEREFORE WHEN JESUS HAD ASKED THEM WHAT OTHERS THOUGHT
HE THEN ASKED THOSE CLOSE TO HIM WHAT HE MEANS TO THEM.
AND PETER AS THE SPOKESPERSON OF THE GROUP SAID,
"YOU ARE THE, CHRIST THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD”
HE HAD SEEN IN JESUS THE SPIRIT OF A GOD WHO LIVES WHO CARES
…WHO DESIRES TO BE INVOLVED IN THEIR BRINGING IN THE AGE OF
THE SPIRIT.
“YOU ARE THE CHRIST SON OF THE LIVING GOD.”
AND WHEN PETER HAD SAID THIS,
JESUS RECOGNISED THAT WHAT PETER HAD SAID WAS BY REVELATION
OF THE FATHER - AS A GIFT.
FOR JESUS SAID “BLESSED ARE YOU, SIMON SON OF JONAH; FLESH AND BLOOD HAVE NOT REVEALED THIS TO YOU, BUT MY FATHER IN HEAVEN.”
AND HAVING NAMED HIM BY THE NAME HE FIRST KNEW, ‘SIMON SON
OF JONAH, HE THEN CALLS HIM 'PETER' AND HE SAYS ON THIS ROCK I
WILL BUILD MY CHURCH.
HIS FAITH IN JESUS WOULD BE THE ROCK OF HIS LIFE,
GIVING HIM HIS ROCK-LIKE QUALITY.
PETER’S GROWTH IN FAITH HAD BEEN A JOURNEY,
BUT THIS EVENT WAS THE WATERSHED,
A DEFINING MOMENT IN HIS LIFE WHERE HE HOISTED HIS COLOURS TO
THE MAST.
THERE WERE TO BE SOME GOOD TIMES AND BAD TIMES AHEAD,
BUT IT WAS ON THE FAITH OF PETER THAT JESUS WAS TO BUILD HIS
CHURCH AFTER HIS DENIAL,
HE REMAINED FAITHFUL TO JESUS IN HIS LEADING OF THE CHURCH IN
JERUSALEM,
TAKING HIM TO ROME.
HE WAS ABLE TO WRITE, OR DICTATE THOSE TWO WONDERFUL
EPISTLES.
HE MADE HIMSELF AVAILABLE TO GOD
WITH THE GIFTEDNESS THAT HE HAD
AND THE GIFTEDNESS THAT HE WAS STILL TO DISCOVER
TO ENABLE THE BUILDING OF GOD’S CHURCH.
HE GAVE HIS HEART TO JESUS FOR THE PROCLAMATION OF THE
GOSPEL, FOR THE REIGN OD HIS KINGDOM FOR THE BUILDING OF HIS
CHURCH.
AND WE COME HERE THIS MORNING ON THIS DEDICATION SUNDAY.
WE COME HERE TO CONFESS JESUS AS
OUR LORD
OUR MESSIAH
OUR FRIEND
OUR SAVIOUR
WHATEVER WORDS ARE MEANINGFUL TO YOU -
CONSCIOUS THAT WE ARE ALL LIKE PETER ON A JOURNEY OF FAITH
INTO AN EVER DEEPENING RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM.
WE COME TO HIM AS THE WAY THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE FOR OUR
LIVES AND TO DEDICATE OURSELVES FOR THE BUILDING OF HIS
CHURCH.
YOU ARE PETER
YOU ARE PETRA
YOU ARE DAVID
YOU ARE JOHN
AND ON THIS ROCK I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH.
TO BUILD HIS CHURCH IN TERMS OF NUMBERS
IN TERMS OF DEEPENING FAITH
TO BUILD HIS CHURCH IN TERMS OF THIS PARISH
AND THE DIOCESE.
BUT IT BEGINS WITH THAT ‘YES’ TO GOD, LIKE PETER MADE ON THAT
DAY NEAR CAESAREA PHILIPPI, AND IT CONTINUES AS WE SEEK TO BE
THAT FAITHFUL, ENTHUSIASTIC SERVANT OF GOD
THAT HE DESIRES EACH ONE OF HIS TO BE …
WITH HEARTS SET ON FIRE BY HIS SACRED HEART, THE POWER OF THE
HOLY SPIRIT, IN LOVE FOR THE WORLD.
LET US PRAY.
IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE WE JUST THANK GOD FOR HIS MANY BLESSINGS, FOR JESUS….
WHO DO YOU SAY THAT I AM?
WE JUST NAME HIM AND SAY WHAT HE MEANS TO US IN OUR JOUNEY OF FAITH
AS TEACHER FRIEND HEALER SAVIOUR LORD
WE JUST DEDICATE OURSELVES TO HIM AND HIS WORK LOVE AND AND COMPASSION.
Psalm 116: 11-17
GRACIOUS GOD, YOU GAVE US YOUR SON IN ORDER THAT THROUGH HIM WE MIGHT HAVE THE FULLNESS OF LIFE. ACCEPT THESE DEDICATION CARDS THAT WE BRING TO YOU WITH THANKFUL HEARTS, AND GRANT US GRACE THIS DAY TO DEDICATE OURSELVES ANEW TO YOUR SERVICE IN THIS PLACE; THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD AMEN
|
| Date | 2008-10-19 | | Preacher | Very Rev. David Bannerman | | Title | Greater Loyalty | | Sermon Details | IN THIS MORNINGS GOSPEL WE HAVE JESUS BEING CONFRONTED WITH
THE ISSUE OF WHETHER HE SHOULD PAY HIS TAXES OR NOT.
AND LIKE SO MANY QUESTIONS ASKED OF JESUS IN HIS MINISTRY,
IT WAS LOADED AND THE WEAPON WAS AIMED AT HIM!
TWO GROUPS HAD COME TO ASK HIM THIS QUESTION AND BOTH
GROUPS WANTED HIM OUT OF THE WAY.
THE FIRST GROUPS WERE THE HERODIANS.
THOSE WHO WERE PART OF HEROD ANTIPAS’ PARTY,
WHO HAD COLLABORATED WITH THE OCCUPYING ROMAN
AUTHORITIES, AND WOULD HAVE WANTED HIM TO SAY THAT THEY
SHOULD PAY THEIR TAXES TO CAESAR TIBERIUS WHOSE INSCRIPTION
WOULD HAVE BEEN ON THE COIN.
IN DOING THAT,
HE WOULD HAVE MADE HIMSELF AN ENEMY OF THE PHARISEES,
THE SECOND GROUP, WHO WANTED TO REMAIN RITUALLY PURE,
AND HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE ROMAN AUTHORITIES.
THEY WOULD NOT HAVE WANTED TO PAY TAXES,
BUT EQUALLY JESUS WAS GETTING UNDER THEIR SKIN,
AND THEREFORE THEY WERE HAPPY TO GET RID OF HIM,
OR CAUSE IT TO HAPPEN.
THE HERODIANS WHERE COLLABORATORS, WHILST THE PHARISEES
COULD BE DESCRIBED AS GRASS ROOTS LEADERS.
IT IS INTERESTING THAT THE JESUS GETS IN THE WAY OF THE
INTERESTS OF BOTH GROUPS.
LIKE HIS SERVANT DESMOND TUTU HE SPARES NO ONE!
THEREFORE BOTH GROUPS ASK THE QUESTION, AND THEY ARE OBSEQUIOUS TO THE POINT OF SOUNDING SUSPICIOUS.
“TEACHER WE KNOW THAT YOU ARE A MAN OF INTEGRITY AND THAT YOU TEACH THE WAY OF GOD IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TRUTH. YOU AREN’T SWAYED BY MEN, BECAUSE YOU PAY NO ATTENTION TO WHO
THEY ARE”.
SUCH SWEET WORD WITH SUCH FOUL INTENTIONS.
YES JESUS WAS MAN OF INTEGRITY, AND WHO SAW THEIR INTENTIONS
AND HE REFUSED TO BE TRAPPED INTO LOYALTY OF PARTY OR TO
KOWTOW TO THEIR NARROW VIEWS OF PATRIOTISM.
THIS WAY THEY WANTED TO ENTRAP HIM .ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
AND SO THEY GO ON TO SAY,
“IS IT LAWFUL TO PAY TAXES TO THE EMPEROR NOT?”
….TRYING TO FORCE HIM INTO ONE GROUP OR THE OTHER.
IF HE SAYS ‘YES’ HE IS COLLABORATOR AND HE LOOSES THE RESPECT OF GRASS ROOTS PEOPLE.
IF HE SAYS NOT HE CAN BE HAD UP FOR SEDITION.
JESUS IMMEDIATELY RECOGNISES THEIR PRETENCE AND CALLS THEM
ACTORS, HYPOCRITES AS THE GREEK SAYS.
"YOU HYPOCRITES! WHY ARE YOU TRYING TO TRAP ME?"
…BUT IT MORE THEN PRETENCE. IT IS EVIL
THEN HE CALLS FOR A DENARIUS WITH TIBERIUS' HEAD ON IT.
IT WAS THE DAILY WAGE OF A LABOURER.
THEN LIKE GOOD TEACHER HE ASKS AN OBVIOUS QUESTION,
DRAWING THEM INTO THE DISCUSSION …THE NET,
“WHOSE HEAD IS THIS?”
AND THEY ANSWERED, “CAESARS.”
THEN HE GIVES HIS FAMOUS RESPONSE.
"THEN GIVE TO CAESAR THE THINGS THAT BELONG TO CAESAR, AND TO GOD THE THINGS THAT BELONG TO GOD".
IF CAESAR’S HEAD IS ON THE COIN THEN IT IS HIS, AND GIVES IT TO HIM.
AND GIVE TO GOD THINGS THAT BELONG TO GOD.
AND THE JEWS STANDING THERE WOULD HAVE UNDERSTOOD THE
IMPORTANCE OF WHAT THE WAS SAYING,
KNOWING THAT IN GENESIS, HUMANKIND WAS MADE IN THE IMAGE OF
GOD.
THE PHARISEES AND THE HERODIANS WOULD HAVE ALSO KNOWN!
IT IS A RESPONSIBILITY TO GIVE MONEY TO CAESAR,
BUT IT IS AN EVEN GREATER RESPONSIBILITY TO GIVE ONESELF TO
GOD.
FOR THAT IS WHERE A PERSON'S TRUE LOYALTY IS.
AND SO JESUS SHIFTS THE CONVERSATION OF THOSE THERE,
FROM ENTRAPMENT IN PARTY POLITICAL LOYALTIES TO THE GREATER
LOYALTY TO GOD AND HIS VALUES
TIBERIUS MIGHT BE THE SON OF THE GREAT AUGUSTUS
BUT EVERY MAN, WOMAN THERE …WAS A CHILD OF THE TRUE KING,
THE GOD OF ISRAEL.
AND SO WE READ, THUNDERSTRUCK, THE HERODIANS AND PHARISEES
SLIP AWAY.
THIS ENCOUNTER DOES NOT ANSWER ALL THE QUESTIONS ABOUT
BEING A GOOD CITIZEN IN SOCIETY AND A CHRISTIAN.
IT DOES NOT ANSWER EVERY QUESTION ABOUT OBEDIENCE AND
TAXATION AND RESISTANCE.
BUT REMINDS US WHERE OUR FIRST LOYALTY IS CALLED TO BE.
THAT WE ARE MADE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD WE BELONG TO HIM.
WE ARE PRECIOUS IN HIS SIGHT THAT OTHERS ARE THE SAME AND
THAT JUSTICE AND RIGHTEOUSNESS MUST BE THE VALUES THAT WE
SHOULD SEE AND LIVE THEM OUT TO HIS GLORY.
AND IT IS BY THESE VALUES THAT WE LIVE OUT OUR LIVES
SEEING BEYOND,
NOT BEING ENTRAPPED
IN NARROW PARTY VIEWS, KOWTOWING TO THESE LOYALTIES,
BUT SEEING GOD’S GREATER LOYALTY FOR OUR LIVES AND LIVING
THAT OUT TO HIS GLORY.
JESUS SAID,
"THEN GIVE TO CAESAR THE THINGS THAT BELONG TO CAESAR, AND TO GOD THE THINGS THAT BELONG TO GOD". |
| Date | 2008-11-02 | | Preacher | Very Rev. David Bannerman | | Title | ALL SAINTS | | Sermon Details | YESTERDAY, WAS THE FEAST OF ALL SAINTS OR ALL HALLOWS, WHEN
WE REMEMBER BEFORE FOR GOD THOSE MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE
NOT NECESSARILY BEEN MADE SAINTS OFFICIAL,
BUT WHO IN SPECIAL WAYS HAVE LOVED AND SERVED GOD AND HAVE
ENTERED HIS GREATER GLORY.
IN THE UNITED STATES AND IN OTHER PLACES IN THE WORLD
THEY HAVE THE TRADITION OF YOUNG CHILDREN GOING ROUND
SAYING “TRICK OR TREAT”,
AND WE HAVE IT SOME EXTANT ON ALL HALLOWS EVE.
CHILDREN DRESS UP IN COSTUMES OF WITCHES AND DRACULA, AND
ALL MANNER OF NASTY COSTUMES.
THIS TRADITION COMES FROM THE ANCIENT CELTIC RELIGION WHEN
THERE IS A BELIEF THAT ON THE 31 OCTOBER, THE BOUNDARY
BETWEEN THE DEAD AND THE LIVING DISSOLVED AND THE DEAD
CAME TO HAUNT THE LIVING ….HENCE THE NASTY MASKS!
WELL, ON ALL SAINTS DAY WE REMEMBER ALL THOSE GOOD MEN AND
WOMEN WHO IN SOME SPECIAL WAY HAVE MANIFEST THE LOVE,
THE GRACE OF CHRIST IN THEIR LIVES.
THEY ARE FROM ALL NATIONS - MEN AND WOMEN - KNOWN AND
UNKNOWN
DOCTORS
MISSIONARIES,
HOUSEWIVES,
CLERGY
TEACHERS – PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE.
THEY MAY BE PEOPLE YOU HAVE KNOW IN YOUR OWN LIFE, AND NOW
SHARE IN HIS GREATER GLORY.
THERE MAY EVEN BE SAINTS AROUND YOU NOW WHO ARE LIVING
WITH YOU. YOU ARE LOOKING AT, BUT NOT SEEING.
THEY WERE AND ARE NOT PERFECT, BUT THEY ARE THE KIND OF
PEOPLE WHO ENCOURAGE US TO BE COME MORE TRULY WHAT GOD
WOULD HAVE US BE AS HIS DISCIPLES.
THEY ARE THOSE WHO HAVE SHOWN US FOR EXAMPLE WHAT ….
LOVE
COMPASSION
FAITH IN SUFFERING
TRUST IN GOD
ARE ALL ABOUT
THEY ARE AN EXAMPLE TO US OF WHAT WE CAN BE
AS GOD WORKS IN OUR LIVES, LIKE THEM,
AS FAITHFUL DISCIPLES OF CHRIST.
THEY REMIND US OF WHAT WE CAN BE AT OUR BEST.
THEIR LIVES ENCOURAGE US TO BECOME MORE TRULY WHAT GOD
WOULD HAVE US BE IN OUR OWN LIVES.
IF WE LOOK AT THE LIVES OF THE SAINTS THEY WERE NOT PERFECT.
BUT IN SPITE OF THEIR FAILURES
THERE WAS AS SINGLENESS OF PURPOSE IN THEIR LIVES –
TO GLORIFY GOD IN THEIR LIVES WITH GIFTEDNESS THAT GOD GAVE
THEM -
AS THEY REFLECTED ON THE LIFE OF JESUS AND HIS WILL FOR THEIR
LIVES.
AND IN THIS MORNING'S GOSPEL WE HAVE JESUS' TEACHING ABOUT
THE QUALITIES OF WHAT LEADING A FAITHFUL LIFE IS ALL ABOUT.
IN THIS HE TELLS US
BLESSED ARE THE POOR IN SPIRIT.
(HAPPY AND FULFILLED ARE THOSE WHO ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR NEED OF GOD DAY BY DAY, RECOGNISING THEIR LIMITATIONS AND THE NEED OF HIS GRACE)
BLESSED ARE THE MEEK.
(HAPPY ARE THOSE WHOSE GIFTEDNESS, AND STRENGTHS HAVE PLACED “IN THE HANDS” OF THE MASTER IN A DISCIPLINED LIFE)
BLESSED OR THE THOSE WHO MOURN.
(BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO ACKNOWLEDGED THEIR SIN FOR IN THAT LIES OPPORTUNITY FOR FORGIVENESS GROWTH AND STRENGTHENING. EQUALLY THIS APPLIES TO SOCIETY FOR IN THAT REALISATION THERE IS THE RECOGNITION OF THE NEED FOR CHANGE – JESUS WEPT OVER JERUSALEM)
BLESSED ARE THOSE HUNGER THIRST FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
(HAPPY, BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO STRIVE A HOLINESS AND WHOLENESS THAT IS ROOTED IN A RIGHT RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, SELF AND OTHERS, AND WHO HUNGERS FOR THAT IN SOCIETY IN TERMS OF JUSTICE PEACE.)
BLESSED ARE THOSE MERCIFUL.
(HAPPY ARE THOSE WHO HAVE KNOW THE MERCY FO GOD AND READY TO GIVE IT TO OTHERS)
BLESSED ARE THE PURE IN HEART.
(HAPPY ARE THOSE WHOSE SINGLE PURPOSE IN LIFE IS TO DO HIS WILL OF LOVE AND HOLINESS)
BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS.
(BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO STRIVE TO BRING CHRIST’S PEACE TO MEN AND WOMEN’S HEARTS AND TO BRING HIS PEACE TO COMMUNITY. THIS IS THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION.)
BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO PERSECUTED FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
(BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO ARE PERSECUTED FOR THE SAKE OF THE KING AND HIS KINGDOM. THEY KNOW THE INEXPLICABLE JOY OF KNOWING THAT IN THE FACE OF DARKNESS, THEY HAVE STOOD FOR THE LIGHT OF THE CHRIST AND HIS REIGN)
A CROSS I HAVE TO WEAR AT DIFFERENT TIME IS THE CROSS OF ST
JOHN AND ITS EIGHT POINTS ARE SHARP,
AND THE EIGHT OF THEM REPRESENT THE EIGHT BEATITUDES.
THOSE SHARP POINT(ER)S FOR ME, AND MAYBE FOR US ALL
ARE GOADS INTO THAT LOVING DEPENDENCE ON GOD AND SERVICE
OF OTHERS THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR LIVES AND ENABLE US
TO STAND WITH THOSE MEN AND WOMEN WHO AS THE SAINTS HAVE
ACKNOWLEDGED THEIR NEED OF GOD AND LOVED AND SERVED HIM
IN HIS WORLD. |
| Date | 2009-01-18 | | Preacher | Very Rev. David Bannerman | | Title | DISCIPLESHIP | | Sermon Details | JESUS TURNED AND SAW THEM FOLLOWING AND SAID. “WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?”
THIS MORNING’S LESSONS FOCUS ON THE CALL THE RESPONSE OF
DISCIPLESHIP.
….IN THE OLD TESTAMENT WE HAVE THE CALL OF THE YOUNG SAMUEL,
….IN THE LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS WE HAVE PAUL’S REMINDER
THAT WE TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THEREFORE OF THE TOTAL
RESPONSE TO THAT CALL IN ALL ASPECTS OF OUR LIFE, AND
….IN THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN WE HAVE THE FIRST DISCIPLES
AND THEIR CALL.
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN IS STRUCTURED VERY DIFFERENTLY
TO THE OTHER GOSPELS.
JOHN GOSPEL LIKE MARK’S DOES NOT HAVE THE INFANCY
NARRATIVES OF THE EARLY LIFE OF JESUS.
IN JOHN’S GOSPEL WE MEET JESUS AS AN ADULT IN THE FIRST PAGES.
AND, HIS FIRST WORDS IN THE GOSPEL ARE TO THOSE DISCIPLES ON
THAT ROAD,
“WHAT ARE YOU SEEKING?”
AND THAT QUESTION RUNS THROUGHOUT THE GOSPEL
UNDERNEATH THE TEXT.
UNDERNEATH THAT TEXT THERE IS THE NAGGING QUESTION
“WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?”
AND JESUS ASKS THAT QUESTION AGAIN AT THE END OF THE GOSPEL.
"WHAT ARE YOU SEEKING?”
IN THE EASTER GARDEN WHEN MARY MAGDALENE IS LOOKING FOR
HIM, READY TO EMBALM HIS BODY.
CONFUSED AND FEARFUL SHE ASKS WHERE SHE MIGHT FIND JESUS
SOME THING I THINK THAT WE DO OFTEN IN PRAYER.
THEN JESUS ASKS THE SAME QUESTION THAT OPENS THE GOSPEL
WHEN HE SAYS,
"WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?"
AND THERE IS A PAUSE A DRAMATIC PAUSE.
THEN, HE ANSWERS IT.
WITH DEEP LOVE AND AFFECTION HE SAYS,
“MARY!”
IN THAT HE TELLS HER WHAT SHE AND EVERYONE ELSE IS LOOKING
FOR,
GOD’S VOICE,
ONE-TO-ONE,
SPEAKING HIS UNCONDITIONAL LOVE.
IN THE END THAT IS WHAT WE LOOKING FOR
AND MOST NEED.
THAT LOVE THAT GIVES FUNDAMENTAL
ACCEPTANCE
SECURITY
PURPOSE TO OUR LIVES …
MORE THAN ALL OUR EFFORTS TO MAKE OURSELVES
LOVABLE
& WORTHWHILE.
WE ARE FOREVER IN FEAR OF LOOSING OUR SUBSTANCE OUR
SIGNIFICANCE.
THEREFOR WE ARE EVER IN NEED OF HEARING GOD LOVINGLY,
ONE TO ONE,
PRONOUNCE OUR NAME….
JOHN DAVID PETER RICHARD IAN MARY ELIZABETH.
NOTHING HEALS OUR INSECURITY ANXIETY FEAR MORE THAN TO
HEAR GOD SAY, “I LOVE YOU”.
THEREFORE WE NEED TO PLACE OURSELVES IN THE PLACE
WHERE THAT NAMING AND LOVING IS POSSIBLE.
IN PLACES OF STILLNESS APART WITH GOD.
BEING PREPARED TO SAY TO GOD, ‘I LOVE YOU’.
BECAUSE ANY RELATIONSHIP NEEDS TO BE MUTUAL,
IF IT IS TO BE A MEANINGFUL ONE.
IN ALL LONG-TERM AFFECTIONATE RELATIONSHIPS THERE COME
TIMES WHEN THE ONE HAS TO PROMPT THE OTHER TO HEAR
EXPRESSIONS OF AFFECTION AND REASSURANCE.
IT IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO SAY ONCE IN A BLUE MOON TO
YOUR PARTNER OR FRIEND. “I LOVE YOU”.
IT NEEDS TO BE SAID REGULARLY.
AND, THE RELATIONSHIP OF PRAYER IS NO DIFFERENT.
PRAYER, IT IS SAID, IS NOT MEANT TO CHANGE GOD BUT US.
TRUE.
AND NOTHING CHANGES US FOR THE GOOD THAN TO HEAR SOMEONE
SAY THAT HE OR SHE LOVES US,
ESPECIALLY IF THAT SOME ONE IS GOD.
AND SO THIS GOSPEL REMINDS US THAT IF WE ARE TO KNOW
THAT LOVE
THAT SECURITY
THAT PURPOSE
THAT POWER …
WE NEED TO GIVE TIME TO BE WITH HIM IN PRAYER, IN A ONE TO ONE.
RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM.
WE CALLED TO STAY WITH HIM.
SO THAT AS WE LOVE HIM AND WE ARE OPEN TO THE ACTION OF HIS
LOVE IN OUR LIVES, WE MAY BECOME MORE TRULLY THE LOVING
HOLY LIVES THAT HE WOULD HAVE THEM BE. |
| Date | 2009-02-09 | | Preacher | Very Rev. David Bannerman | | Title | Fifth Sunday of the Year | | Sermon Details | I AM SURE THAT MANY OF US WOULD IDENTIFY WITH THE WORDS OF JOB
ABOUT THE WAY IN WHICH WE SOMETIMES SEE OUR LIVES, AND OUR
ACTIVITIES,
FOR HE SPEAKS OF LIFE AS BEING ‘HARD SERVICE’.
(QUOTE)
WE CAN SOMETIMES RESONATE WITH THAT, CAN’T WE?
ONE DAY AFTER ANOTHER….THE HARD SLOG.
THOSE TIMES WHEN WE HAVE LOST VISION, WE ARE FEELING
EXHAUSTED, AND WHEN IT SEEMS MEANINGLESS.
AND WE WAKE EARLY AND IT IS HARD TO GET UP IN THE MORNING.
YES., WE IDENTIFY WITH POOR JOB!
HE ALSO SPEAKS OF OUR DAYS AS SOMETIMES LIKE THE BUSINESS OF A
SHUTTLE AS IT GOES BACK AND FORTH ACROSS THE LOOM .
(QUOTE)
THE FRENETIC ‘TO-ING’ IN AND ‘FRO-ING’ OF LIFE,
BEING PUSHED BACK WARDS AND FORWARDS IN THE DEMANDS OF THE
OFFICE OR WHEREVER WE WORK.
YES WE CAN IDENTIFY WITH JOB IN A REAL WAY.
AND THIS REMINDS US THAT SCRIPTURE IS NOT BOOK OF SO CALLED
SAINTS
WHO HAVE ARRIVED, BUT PEOPLE LIKE YOU AND ME
WHO SEEKING TO A RELEVANT AND MEANINGFUL WAY OF LIVING.
IF WE TAKE THAT TEXT AND PLACE IT NEXT TO OUR GOSPEL READING
FOR THE DAY,
WE SEE ANOTHER HARD, BUSY LIFE.
AS WE HEARD LAST SUNDAY, THERE IS AN INCREDIBLE URGENCY ABOUT
THE GOSPEL,
BECAUSE MARK’S GOSPEL EVERYTHING IS DONE ‘IMMEDIATELY’.
IN THE LIFE OF JESUS WE SEE HECTIC ACTIVITY-FILLED LIFE.
WE READ THAT JESUS WAS
TEACHING ON THE SYNAGOGUE
PREACHING TO THE PEOPLE
THEOLOGICALLY DEBATING WITH THE PHARISEES,
HEALING THE SICK,
AND THE CROWDS WERE JUST FLOCKING TO HIM.
HIS LIFE MIGHT BE DESCRIBED AS THE ‘SHUTTLE’ IN THE BOOK OF JOB.
BUT WITH ONE DIFFERENCE
IN ALL THE PRESSURE OF THAT ACTIVITY,
WE READ THAT JESUS ROSE EARLY TO PRAY.
IT WAS IN THAT PLACE OF SOLITUDE THAT HE WAS ABLE
TO ROOT HIMSELF IN HIS FATHER’S LOVE
TO KNOW THAT HE WAS LOVED A FUNDAMENTAL WAY
TO SEE HIS MINISTRY IN TERMS OF THAT BIGGER PERSPECTIVE OF HIS FATHER’S WILL
TO SEE WHAT WERE THE IMPORTANT THINGS TO BE ACCOMPLISHED IN HIS MINISTRY
TO HAVE THE COURAGE, STRENGTH TO DO …
AND …
TO BE THE LOVING SERVANT/SON OF HIS FATHER AND NO OTHER.
YES LIFE WAS HECTIC.
HIS LIFE WAS HARD, BUT HE LIVED IT IN THE LOVE, THE POWER OF HIS
FATHER…
AS A WILLING, LOVING JOYFUL SON AND OUR SUFFERING SERVANT.
THEREFORE THE WRITER OF THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS COULD SAY
OF HIM,
‘….WHO FOR THE JOY THAT WAS SET BEFORE HIM ENDURED THE CROSS DESPISING ITS SHAME AND IS SEATED AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD’
AND AS WE READ THE EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS,
THERE IS THAT SAME SENSE OF JOYOUS SERVANTHOOD IN THE LIFE OF
PAUL –
WHO COULD SAY,
“REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS, AND AGAIN I SAY REJOICE”
HE WAS MORE THAN READY TO PROCLAIM THE GOSPEL,
HE WAS MORE THAN READY TO COME ALONGSIDE PEOPLE IN THEIR DIFFERING NEEDS
REFLECTIVE OF A HECTIC PASTORAL APOSTOLIC LIFE.
WELL WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO SAY TO ME, MY HECTIC LIFE STYLE?
THE CHRISTIAN VOCATION IS NOT CONFINED TO RELIGIOUS WORKERS
SUCH AS MYSELF.
THE CHRISTIAN VOCATION IS CALLED TO BE LIVED OUT IN ALL WALKS OF
LIFE.
AS DOCTORS TEACHERS HOUSEWIVES POLITICIANS RETAILERS 'CORPORATES',
FOR IT THERE THAT GOD CALLS US TO LIVE OUT OUR MINISTRY.
IF THAT MINISTRY IS TO BE GOD’S MINISTRY, IT NEEDS TO BE
EMPOWERED BY GOD.
AND IF JESUS NEED TO SPEND TIME ON A REGULAR BASIS IN THE
PRESENCE OF HIS FATHER TO EMPOWER HIM IN HIS HARD AND FRENETIC
LIFE THAT LEAD HIM EVENTUALLY TO THE CROSS,
MAYBE GOD REQUIRES THE SAME OF US AS WE LIVE OUT OUR LIVES AS
HIS SONS AND DAUGHTERS.
SO MARK THROUGH THE EXAMPLE OF JESUS REMINDS US OF THE NEED
TO HAVE TIME APART ON A REGULAR BASIS.
TO BE WITH HIM THAT CAN TAKE DIFFERENT FORMS
PRAYER WALKS
PRAYER TIME
TIME REFLECT ON MY DAY
LECTIO DIVINA
PRAYER WORD
I SPEAK FROM A LITTLE EXPERIENCE.
AND I BELIEVE THAT YOUR COMING HERE IS AN EXPRESSION OF YOUR
NEED FOR THAT APARTNESS FOR YOUR LIFE'S JOURNEY.
JESUS DID THE SAME AS HE WENT TO THE SYNAGOGUE ‘AS WAS HIS
CUSTOM.’
BUT HE ALSO REMINDS US TO GO APART IN OUR DAILY LIVES
SO THAT AS WE JOURNEY THROUGH LIFE AND ITS STRUGGLES WHICH ARE
A PART OF OUR GROWTH IN HOLINESS,
WE CAN BE CHANGED FROM ONE DEGREE OF GLORY TO ANOTHER
THROUGH THE LORD WHO IS THE SPIRIT.
‘AND JESUS A GREAT WHILE BEFORE DAWN WHILST IT WAS STILL WENT
OUT AND PRAYED.’
LET US MAKE OUR LIFE’S JOURNEY NOT JOB ONE, BUT A JESUS ONE! |
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