Talks, Sermons and Reflections

Matthew 12:15-22 What does Jesus mean when he says that we should ‘give to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s’? Has he just answered a difficult question in a way that gets him out of trouble, but doesn’t actually say anything. It is a very clever answer to a difficult question that is designed to stitch Jesus up. They asked him, ‘Should we pay taxes to the emperor?’ The tax that they were speaking about was a poll tax, a charge that was levied by the Roman authorities on every individual. When you paid your poll tax, it was usually when there were Roman soldiers around, and you knew that you lived in an occupied land. So, if Jesus says, ‘yes, we should pay taxes’, then he is spiritually hopelessly compromised. For a Jew there were so many reasons why they should not pay the tax. There was national pride. Quite a significant number of people had chosen armed rebellion. They read in their history, from the boo...

Matthew 22.1-14 In a few minutes time, we will be invited to come to communion. At one level, it is not much of an invitation: you’re invited to receive a wafer and a sip of wine. At another level this is the greatest invitation that you will ever receive: It is the invitation to participate in the Kingdom of Heaven, to live the life of God. It is the invitation to participate in the King’s wedding banquet for his son. Of course, what happens here is just the hors d’oevre, the zakuski, the taster of the wedding banquet in heaven, but it is still part of that banquet. And the parable that Jesus tells is 1.       About a great invitation An invitation to participate in God’s Kingdom. It is amazing invitation. It is a wedding feast: about new beginnings, love and joy and hope and deep intimacy. It is an invitation to start again; to know the deep love that God has for you; to receive the joy that he would give you - even in th...

Luke 12.16-30 We worry about many things. About school, friends, our health, business, money, investments, visas; how to support the family, children or parents; what people think of us, whether we’re doing the right thing or not; whether we’re wearing the right thing, being given enough respect, whether I’ll get this talk completed on time – and then, to top it all, Jesus says that we are not to worry so I worry because I am worrying! But it seems here that Jesus doesn’t simply tell us not to worry. I think he gives us, in these verses, at least 4 reasons why we do not need to worry 1.       Jesus reminds us how foolish it is to worry! Worrying can’t really do anything. We certainly can’t make ourselves live even an hour longer by worrying (v25) In fact, if anything, worry can make it worse! One doctor wrote, ‘Worry affects the circulation, the heart, the glands, the whole nervous system, and profoundly affects the health”. And th...

Matthew 21.23-32 The question that the chief priests and elders ask is one of the most important questions that was asked of Jesus: What is your authority? Is his authority simply ‘earthly’? Does his authority rest solely on the fact that he was a charismatic attractive individual, who was able to speak well, do remarkable things and draw crowds? Because if that is the case, we can respect him as a great historical figure, we can admire and learn from his teaching, we can marvel at his works – but he does not have any claim on our life. We can treat him as we would treat any other great figure from history. We can learn from him, and we can pick and choose which bits we like from him and reject the rest. But if Jesus’ authority comes from heaven, if he is the eternal Son of God, then we really need to listen to what he says, and do what he says. If he has come from God, does the work of God and speaks the word of God, then we need to treat him as God.   So ...

Matthew 18.21-35 This is a great passage for building a relationship. It was important for Alison and myself, though probably for the wrong reason! I was single, and had started work as a curate, an assistant pastor, in Ipswich. I visited, on my rounds, one of the local schools where I saw this rather attractive teacher. Her class were due to take an assembly and she asked me if I would help – she must have been desperate. The assembly was about this story and so we worked together on it. And the rest, as they say, was very good news for Peter, John and Andrew! And for you Lev and Vasilisa, I hope that this story that Jesus tells will be special for you. Both because it is the set reading for our communion service today, but also because it is about grace and forgiveness – and that is what a marriage, or for that matter, any relationship, is built on. I’d like to suggest three key words for marriage and relationships 1.       Communication...

Matthew18.15-20 We need unity. We need unity so that we know what to pray for, things will happen and Jesus will be present. Matthew 18 is about how as Christians, as people who are citizens of the Kingdom of God, we live together. It is remarkably helpful and practical It tells us (vv1-5) that we need to come into the kingdom as little children - not standing on our status, but receiving it as a gift It tells us (vv6-14) that because God has welcomed us we need to welcome each other - whoever we are, even the person who we consider the most insignificant. We are not to put obstacles in their way; we are not to despise each other And it tells us (vv 21-35) that because we are forgiven, we are to forgive each other - not once, not twice, not seven times, but seventy times seven. And then we have our verses, verses 15-20. They seem a bit out of place because they speak of church discipline. But I guess that for a body of people to live together in unity t...

Hebrews 10.19-25 Thank you: for the immense privilege of working here among you – amazing place, remarkable people from whom I have learnt so much, from the town and from the parish. Sorry: There are so many of you who I would have loved to have spent time with before we go, especially those with whom I have had the privilege of going through times of immense pain or of great joy - but it has not been possible I’d like to look today at Hebrews 10.19-25. Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess Let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds I call it the Rabbit passage. Lots of lettuce in it! (That is not even worthy of David Crofts or Ricky Wilkinson) And on this occasion, I haven’t brought a visual aid with me because today – and I ask people from St Peters to forgive me – St Mary's building is my visual aid.  This building speaks of the glory of God and of Jesus, th...