Talks, Sermons and Reflections

Luke 11.1-13 The disciples come to Jesus and say, 'Lord teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples'. It is interesting to see how Jesus does not answer that question He does not give them practical instructions. He doesn’t tell them to put their hands together and close their eyes. He gives the practical stuff, elsewhere, in Matthew 6.6-7: go to a room, shut the door, pray in secret, don’t use many words and trust that your Father in heaven will hear you. But here he doesn't. And he does not begin by telling them to silence or still themselves Again, meditation (or mindfulness), the discipline of seeking to silence all the thoughts that are coming in, often linked with sitting correctly and making sure that our breathing is correct, is an extremely helpful way of stilling ourselves and becoming aware of that something or someone who is so much bigger than ourselves. It is very precious and it is something that I do – when I stop, focus on my ...

Galatians 4.8-20 This is a passage for people who have forgotten what it is to be saved by faith. When the Galatian Christians first came to faith, it was because they realised how much God loved them and what he had done for them. They realized that, however good or religious they were, they could not save themselves; that they could not do anything to earn the love of God. But they also understood what God had done for them in Jesus – and so they received his love, his forgiveness and his Spirit simply by putting their trust in him. But some false teachers have come to the church in Galatia, and they are telling them, ‘You need to do more than just receive the Spirit of God. You need to earn it. You need to be good; you need to be circumcised; you need to keep special days in special ways’. That is what Paul is on about when he speaks about observing special days, months, seasons and years. He is not having a go at Christians who fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Frid...