Talks, Sermons and Reflections

John 20:19-31 Thomas does not believe the other disciples. Thomas and the Disciples. Ravenna.  Basilica di Sant'Apollinare Nuovo He has been with them for 3 years. At times life will have been intense, and they will have had to completely rely on each other. But when the other disciples tell Thomas that they have seen Jesus, that he is risen from the dead; when they tell him that they have seen his hands and side, Thomas refuses to believe them. We are told a little about Thomas in John’s gospel. When Jesus says that he is going to Jerusalem, Thomas says to the other disciples, “Let’s go with him so that we may die with him”. And later, when Jesus says that his disciples know the way to the place where he is going – Thomas asks, ‘How can we know the way?’. And Jesus answers him by saying, “I am the way and the truth and the life.” I think it tells us quite a bit about Thomas It tells us that he imagined in his mind the worst possible outcome: death for Jesus and death for Jesus’ ...

Acts 10:34-43 This reading is about the passing on of a message. It was a message that began in Galilee with John the Baptist. It spread through Judea to Jerusalem, and from there to all people. The Acts of the Apostles ends with the message reaching the centre of the then world: Rome It is a very simple message. It is about Jesus God anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit and power to do good and to set people free. God raised this Jesus, who they rejected and crucified, from the dead. It is an incredible, almost unbelievable message. André Kamba Luesa (Congolese, 1944–1995), The Resurrection), 1992. Easter, Day 6: Mfurahini, Haleluya – Art & Theology When the women told the first followers of Jesus that the tomb was empty and that men in dazzling clothes had said that Jesus was risen – the disciples do not believe them. It is only when they see the empty tomb for themselves, and the graveclothes wrapped up in a separate place, that the penny begins to drop. And notice here how Pe...

And Jesus says, “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself” (John 12:32) At first glance this is a very simple icon. But it is rich in meaning. Icon of the Resurrection, Moscow C14th, Rublev museum We’ve looked at this when we were talking about John 19:26-27 how Jesus – by his death – makes a new community, and links his mother and the beloved disciple. And we saw how, certainly in John’s gospel, Mary represents both the mother of Jesus but also all people who put their faith in the promises of God; she represents the whole church. And John represents the individual believer, beloved by Jesus. The title above the icon is the Crucifixion of our Lord, and there are six characters here There are two angels representing the heavenly world. I think we can see three of their six wings There is Christ himself on the cross. Above him on the left and right are the initials – they appear to us as IC and XC – IC Jesus, XC Christ. On his halo – it is faded – a...

Luke 19:28-40 Our reading today is about kingship, choice and discipleship. Listen to a podcast of this talk 1. Kingship Today we celebrate the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. Jesus comes to Jerusalem as its rightful king, as the one who God has anointed to be his King. Jesus is riding a colt. He knows what he is doing. He does not enter into the city on a magnificent war horse, and there is something about him coming in humility. But Jesus is making a statement. He knows the great prophecy of Zechariah 9:9 “Lo, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he,  humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” And Jesus’ disciples understand what he is doing.  They declare him as king. And when the Pharisees tell Jesus to order his disciples to stop, he tells them; ‘If they were silent the stones would shout out’. In other words, even if there is no human who recognises that he is king, creation itself declares that he is king’. I’ve brou...

John 12:1-9 Mary was so embarrassing. And Judas speaks for us, for sensible, grown-up church. He doesn’t refer to her outrageous behaviour: wiping Jesus’ feet with her hair. That speaks for itself. But he does question her complete irresponsibility in pouring a precious perfume that cost approximately £22000 over Jesus feet. But Jesus challenges Judas, and perhaps he challenges sensible grown-up church. ‘Leave her alone’. Four reasons why he should have left her alone 1. Mary was an adult. She could do with her money what she wanted to do.  There is no reason to assume that Mary, Martha and Lazarus are poor. On the contrary, they were probably reasonably well off. And Mary had chosen to buy some special perfume which, she had told Jesus, was put aside for him at his funeral. Probably she had said, when you die, I want you to have an amazing funeral. I want there to be fragrance around your body in death, because you brought fragrance, beauty to all that you touched in life. ...