Sermons from January 2020

Set free in Christ: the gospel of good (Lunchtime)

Galatians 5:26-6:18 At work are you clear what your boss expects of you? If not, it tends to result in poor performance, high staff turnover, disengagement. How about with the ultimate boss – God himself? In this final section of Galatians God has clearly defined and written down what he wants from us – that we boast in the cross of Christ, and fulfil the law of Christ.

Habakkuk – the coming (Sunday)

Habakkuk 3:1-19 Samuel Beckett’s play ‘Waiting for Godot’ is about two tramps, in despair, waiting for someone to show up, who never does. Believers can sometimes feel like that – waiting for God to show up in a world of evil and suffering. Habakkuk felt that way. But he ends his book assured that God will come, and finding joy and strength in God as he waits.

Set free in Christ: the gospel of love (Lunchtime)

Galatians 5:1-15 In Greek mythology sailors had to navigate between two deadly monsters – Scylla and Charybdis – on opposing shores of a narrow stretch of water. The risk was that in seeking to steer away from one, they ended up in the clutches of the other. As Christians we too need to steer a course between two opposing dangers – legalism and licence. Galatians tells us how.

Treasuring King Jesus

John 12:1-8 As we head into a new year, and a new decade, a number of us will say things like: “I want to be a better Christian this year”…or perhaps after attending a carol service we were prompted to think: “I really must get round to making more time to understand and investigate Jesus.” But what level of time and attention to Jesus is ‘appropriate? What is the right amount of effort to put into serving Jesus? See what John, the Gospel writer, has to say about your new year’s ambitions.

Thanksgiving

Colossians 2:7 ‘Daddy, I want another pony’, proclaims Veruca Salt,in the film ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’. She’s the archetypal spoilt brat – but sometimes we may be closer to her than we may like to think, instead of overflowing with thanksgiving.