 The thing that I love about our reading from Luke 7:1-10 this week is that we get to see something that we don’t usually see in the Gospel’s. Jesus is surprised! Jesus is amazed and surprised, because having worked hard to teach the importance of faith to the people of God, he discovers the greatest example of faith he has ever come across through an encounter with a Roman Centurion. The writer of the letter to the Hebrews describes faith this way; “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1 So confident is our centurion that Jesus can heal his servant that he knows that Jesus doesn’t even need to come to his house for the servant to be made well. ‘I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.’ Luke 7:9 ‘I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.’ Luke 7:9
Of course the enemy of faith and the opposite of faith is fear. “What if God doesn’t answer my prayer?” And so fear stops us praying and faith is never even given a chance. The reason Jesus marvels at the Centurion’s faith is because it is exactly the kind fear denying faith he calls each of us to. Corrie Ten Boom puts it this way, “Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God!” Of course the best way to grow in faith is to put it into practice as we entrust ourselves to God in prayer. Martin Luther King JR. said that “Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.” It’s not dependent upon our knowledge or understanding but by having confidence in Jesus promise that he always hears us whenever we turn to him in prayer. Phillip Yancey writes, “I have learned that faith means trusting in advance what will only make sense in reverse.” So let’s give faith a chance and dare to believe, just like the Centurion did, that when we turn to Jesus and pray according to his will he really does hear and answer our prayers. Till next time. Andrew DOWNLOAD THIS WEEK'S PEW SHEET PDF  ,Trinity Sunday is that day each year when preachers are supposed to tie themselves in knots as they try to explain the workings of the Trinity. To do this they talk of three leaf clovers, cherry pies, hard boiled eggs and ice - water - steam illustrations the list goes on and on. So I hope you’ll be pleased to discover that it is not my intention to try and do more of the same.
In our Gospel reading from John this week Jesus promises us that the Holy Spirit will guide us into all truth. And the truth is that our God is three in one, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. A truth that the scriptures themselves point us to. In the Great Commission, we read, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). Jesus emphasized one baptism into one name - Father, Son, and Spirit. Paul in his letters also makes clear reference to God as three in one. In 2 Corinthians 13:14 he prays, “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” Trinity Sunday reminds us of the faith that we affirm every Sunday when we say the Creed. That we believe in one amazing God who comes to us in three persons - Father Son and Holy Spirit. Till next time. Andrew Download this week's sermon Readings: Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31, Psalm 8, Romans 5:1-5, John 16:12-15 Download this week's Pew Sheet  Today we celebrate the birth of the church as God poured out his spirit and breathed life into his church. The Holy Spirit is the helper, comforter or advocate that Jesus told the disciples about in John 14 when he promised he would never leave them alone. “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever the Spirit of truth.” John 14:16-17 In the original Greek of the New Testament the word is paracletos. The word has been translated Advocate, Counselor, Comforter, and Intercessor, but each of those expresses only one facet of parakletos. The original readers of this Gospel would have heard the full richness of its various meanings.
As I did my usual google search for an image to paste onto this page I was surprised to discover that Paraclete is now a brand name used for the kind of full protective military armour used by modern soldiers in combat. At first I was a little shocked but the more I thought about it the more I concluded that this was indeed another great image for the Holy Spirit. Because not only does the presence of the Holy Spirit give us life, it also full protects, shields and equips us for all that the world throws up at us as believers. Today as we celebrate Pentecost remember Jesus promise that he would never leave us on our own and that the presence of his Holy Spirit dwelling in our hearts means that he is always with us to strengthen and guide us as we go out in his name. Till next time. Andrew Download this week's sermon THIS WEEK'S READINGS: Acts 2:1-21, PSALM 104:26-36, Romans 8:14-17, John 14:8-17, (25-27) DOWNLOAD THIS WEEK'S PEW SHEET  Not everyone will like me for what I am about to suggest but here goes anyway. Our reading this morning from John 17 contains a prayer that I think is the real Lord's Prayer! The prayer that begins, “Our Father,” isn't really the Lord's Prayer, but should be called “Our prayer” or even “the disciples prayer” because it is a prayer that Jesus gave us to pray. I think that the real Lord's Prayer is Jesus' prayer in John 17. In this prayer, as he prepares for his death, Jesus prays for us as he shows his strongest love and deepest longing. It’s an awesome prayer because instead of praying for himself or praying for courage or an easy death, he prays for his disciples and he prays for us. He prays that we may be one. “Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me” Jesus’ prayer is a prayer for unity, that we might become one with each other and with God. It is a prayer that we be bound together with God. Jesus is laying the foundation of his church and who he calls us to be. If we are one with God, everything will be as it should be. If we are one with God, nothing can shake our faith. And when we are one in God’s love we share his glory as he is truly glorified in all the earth. Till next time. Andrew This weeks readings: Acts 16:16-34, Psalm 97, Revelation 22:12-21, John 17:20-26 Download our latest pew sheet Download this week's sermon  In our Gospel reading this morning Jesus gives his disciples the ultimate in parting gifts - “The promise of the Holy Spirit and the gift of peace.”
If you’ve ever had to say goodbye to a loved one or a close friend you’ll begin to understand some of what must have been going in their hearts as Jesus prepares to say goodbye. If you’ve ever had to say goodbye to someone close to you for an extended period of time you’ll know that parting gestures can make all the difference and the more personal they are the better they get. Photographs, letters, trinkets are often given at farewells as reminders to those who are separated that their love and friendship still remains the same. These items are often a source of great comfort and reassurance to those who receive them. So what gift does the ultimate giver of all give to his friends as he prepares to leave them? The promise of the Comforter, the Advocate, Holy Spirit and the gift of life who will fill them to overflowing with the kind of peace that passes all understanding. Do you know what the best thing about all this is though? The gift is for us too. So the next time you find yourself struggling and feeling lost, why not use this gift that he has given you and let the Holy Spirit fill your heart and mind with the peace that passes all understanding. Till next time. Andrew Download this week's sermon |
Rev. Andrew SmithVicar of Light in the Hills |