Talks, Sermons and Reflections

2 KINGS 23:1-23 Last week we were looking at bad King Manasseh This week we are looking at good King Josiah Josiah was Manasseh’s grandchild. As an aside, that is very reassuring. Evil is not hereditary. It does not run in families. If a grandparent or parent mess up, it does not mean that you are condemned to mess up. But our reading today tells us of Josiah’s reforms. REDISCOVERY It all begins with the discovery of the book of the covenant in the temple. It is the rediscovery of what, for us, forms most of the Old Testament of our bible. So many works of God in our lives begin with a discovery – or rediscovery - of the bible. There was Sally. She had had a child. She suddenly became very conscious of both the privilege that had been given her, and the responsibility. She became aware of her need to do things right. But she didn’t know what was right. So she started to read the bible – and God got hold of her Or there is the young man who began to come to church because his girlfrien...

Mark 7:24-29 This is one of those very hard passages in the bible In verse 27, Jesus answers the woman with what seems an incredibly offensive statement: "First let the children eat all they want," he told her, "for it is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to their dogs." He calls her a dog. It was the term that Jews used for Gentiles (the Gentiles could be just as abusive when talking about the Jews). Some commentators say that the word that Jesus uses here is the word that means 'little pet dog', but even if that is the case, it doesn't really change things. Jesus calls her a dog and says that the good things - God's salvation, healing and life - are for the children: for the Jews. It is not politically correct. The woman however, does not seem to be offended Maybe she had not expected an answer at all. After all she knew that she was not only a Gentile, but a woman, coming to a Jewish rabbi. Most Jewish rabbis would not ...

John 21:15-19 We’re looking today at Jesus’ question to Peter: “Do you love me?’ It is an unusual question. Peter has denied, let down Jesus. Three times he has told people: “I do not know the man” Jesus could have asked him: Are you sorry? Will you be loyal to me? Will you lay down your life for me? Instead, Jesus asks Peter, “Do you truly love me?” At the heart of the Christian life is love for God. It is the first and great command. To know God, to trust God is to love God. Because God is love. We do not love God because either we do not know God, or because we do not love love. Ø When we look at the one who is completely other to us, who is eternal (beyond all ages), who is bigger than all our concepts or categories, who created us with a word, and yet who loves us personally and knows us by name – how can we not love him? Ø When we look at the one who made us and this world, who gives us life, beauty, music, creativity – how can we not love him? Ø When we look a...