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 Jesus really couldn’t have made it any clearer for us could he? “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” John 13:34 Have you got this verse marked in your Bible? Is it burned into your memory? If not do it quickly because this new command to love is the mark that sets us apart and defines who we are. Even more importantly though, it is through the act of loving as Jesus loved us, that we make Jesus love be truly known in the world. “By this will everyone know that you are my disciples” John 13:35 “If you love one another” For many Jesus’ new commandment is as radical and surprising as the first time he spoke it. But for those of us who dare to call ourselves his disciples we really should’ve got the hang of it by now don’t you think? Sadly though, I fear that sometimes these words have become so old and we have become so familiar with them, that we are in danger of forgetting who Jesus has called us to be. So perhaps it’s best if we remind our selves one more time of who it is that Jesus calls us to be. Let’s take it once more from the top; ‘A new command I give you: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.’ John 13:34-35 Lord fill us with your Holy Spirit and show us how to love others the way that you have loved us. May your love be seen each day in all that we do and say. Amen. Till next time. Andrew This weeks readings: Acts 11:1-18, Psalm 148, Revelation 21:1-16, John 13:31-35 download this week's notice sheet pdf download this weeks sermon “The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want.” Psalm 23:1 With these simple words the psalmist pretty much sums up the secret to living a peaceful and satisfied life. Today as we celebrate Harvest Festival, we would do well to remember that we have much to be thankful for. Yet in spite of the abundance and plenty that surrounds us, most of the time the world is always telling us that our lives are incomplete and that we need even more stuff if we are to be truly happy. The problem is that all too often we fail to recognise and value the gifts that God has already, in his abundant grace, placed right in front of us. ‘How long will you keep us in suspense?’ ‘If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.’ Jesus answered, ‘I have told you, and you do not believe.’ John 10:24-25 As they were gathered around Jesus, the Jewish leaders failed to recognize that God’s greatest gift was already standing right in front of them. I wonder just how often we risk doing the same? Jesus’ advice to Thomas was to stop doubting and believe... So the next time you find yourself struggling in with your faith, remember that the answer to your fears is right under your nose. Take some time to stop and listen to the voice of the shepherd. With the Lord as our shepherd we have everything we need and there is nothing that can snatch us from his hand. Thanks be to God. Till next time. Andrew This week's readings; Acts 9:36-43, Psalm 23, Revelation 7:9-17, John 10:22-30 Download this week's pew sheet pdf Download this weeks sermon I have clear memories of my grade 4 teacher in primary school teaching us that the best way to remember how verbs work is to describe them as "doing words". In our Gospel reading this morning Jesus teaches Peter about perhaps the most important verb of all. Three times he asks Peter ‘Simon son of John, do you love me? Jesus’ questions to Peter are a reversal of his three denials of Jesus and a sign to him that he is loved and forgiven. Peter may have let him down but Jesus as always looks past his failings and gives him what he needs to realise his full potential. Jesus wants Peter to know that love is about far more than making great claims. Love is shown best through faithfulness and action. ‘Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my lambs.’ A second time he said to him, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Tend my sheep.’ He said to him the third time, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ And he said to him, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep.’ John 21:15-17 It’s as if Jesus were saying “If you really love me Peter show me by the way you live your life.” In the same way Jesus calls us to not only talk about love but to be people who put our love into action in the way that we share it with others. Till next time. Andrew This week's readings; Acts 9:1-20, Psalm 30, Revelation 5:6-14, John 21:1-19 Download this week's pew sheet Download this weeks sermon Have you ever wondered if you have enough faith? Have you ever felt overcome by doubt? In others? In God? In Jesus? In yourself? You have! Well you’re in good company so join the club. Even the disciples, Jesus’ closest friends knew what it was to be overcome by doubt and fear. But huddled away in a hidden room, Jesus comes among them and gives them his peace. Thomas wasn’t in the room with them all the first time he came and refused to believe until he could see for himself. So what did Jesus do? He gave him the gift of peace as well. What’s that I hear you say? “You weren’t there either.” Well Jesus thought of that one too. His gift of peace is for you also. “Peace be with you” is his prayer. “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe” he told the disciples. And you guessed it he was talking about you and me. ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you,’ he said to the disciples as he prayed for them to be filled with the Holy Spirit. John got the memo, and full of the Holy Spirit, wrote his Gospel including all the information you and I need so that we can believe too. So the next time you find yourself struggling with doubt and fear, try not to be overcome by it and remember that Jesus gift to those first doubters was a gift for you too. May the peace of the Lord be always with you. Till next time. Andrew This week's readings; Acts 5:27-32, Psalm 118:14-29, Revelation 1:4-8, John 20:19-31 Download this week's pew sheet pdf A question that I often get asked by people is; “How could Jesus have died for me? I’m not worth it.” Which is exactly the point— you may not think that you are worth it, and the world and the devil may tell you that you are not worth it, but Easter says that you are. God sent Jesus to take our place on the cross because he thought that we were worth it. Because although the world loves to remind us of our failings, God’s will for us is to realize our true worth. Just like any good parent God never stops loving us, no matter how far off the beaten track we may wander, and he is willing to go to any length to help us find our way home. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son that whosoever believes in him might not perish but have eternal life.” On the cross Jesus conquered the power of sin and death for all time. He won for us, what we could never achieve for ourselves— the gift of eternal life in God’s kingdom. All we need to do is put our faith in him and open our lives to receive his transforming love. So the next time someone says you’re not worth it, tell them that you know someone who says that you are! Christ is Risen! He is risen indeed! Till next time. Andrew This week's readings; Isaiah 65:17-25, Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24, Acts 10:34-43, Luke 24:1-12 Download this week's pew sheet pdf Download this week's sermon Today we celebrate Jesus triumphal entry into Jerusalem. His approach was humble and gentle and the crowds opened their hearts and welcomed him as their King. Sadly crowds can often be fickle things and as we know all to well it won’t be long before many in this crowd gather again. Not to praise him but to condemn him to death on a Roman cross. Sadly too, we know that our hearts can also be fickle things. So let me ask some direct and pointed questions. How welcoming is your heart towards Jesus this Easter? What kind of welcome does Jesus receives when he reaches out to you? Can you receive him with all your heart and mind and soul and strength? Will you receive him as your Saviour and King? And finally, as we enter into this Holy Week are you willing to deny yourself, take up your cross and follow him? Till next time. Andrew This week's readings ; Isaiah 50:4-9a, Psalm 31:9-18, Philippians 2:5-11, Luke 22:14-23:56 Download this week's pew sheet pdf In our Gospel reading this week we find a demonstration of the most spectacular and extravagant love. Jesus has been invited to be the guest of honour at a dinner party at the home of his dear friends Mary, Martha and Lazarus. As the evening progresses Mary take out a bottle of the most expensive perfume and uses it to wash Jesus’ feet. The act is both breathtaking and shocking as the perfume would have cost Mary almost a years wages. But as we have seen before Mary is no shrinking violet when it comes to expressing her devotion to the Lord. We would do well to take a leaf out of her book. Jesus himself will soon show them all a thing or two about breathtaking love. They will see it when he shows them that true love is best expressed when we are willing to serve others by washing their feet. But most breathtakingly of all Jesus will soon willingly allow his own breath to be taken away in order that we may know life. This life giving love is the kind of love he expects from us too. Till next time. Andrew “A new commandment I give you, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-35. _This weeks readings; Isaiah 43:16-21 Psalm 126 Philippians 3:3-14 John 12:1-8 Download this week's pew sheet We all know one, have been one or are waiting for one to come home. One of the reasons the story of the prodigal son is so powerful is because at one time or another in our lives each of us can relate to the characters in the story. The most important thing to remember about this story is that no matter how far off we might have wandered from God, or no matter how close we have stayed to him, and how hard we have tried to remain faithful, God’s love for each of us is just the same. Just like the father in this story our heavenly father loves us so much that whenever he sees us turning towards him he runs to us with outstretched arms. For whenever we return to him there is much rejoicing in heaven as he welcomes us home with his Amazing Grace Till next time. Andrew Download this weeks pew sheet pdf In our Gospel lesson today we read about Jesus’s Temptation in the wilderness. Almost immediately after his baptism, Jesus is lead into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit to fast and pray for forty days after which time he is tempted by the Devil. I don’t know about you but if I were writing this story I would much prefer the Spirit to lead Jesus away from the Devil and not towards him. Good thing then that I am not the writer of this story. For if Jesus had led a life of privilege and been shielded from the Devil he never could have understood what it’s like to be you and me. Filled with the Spirt of God, Jesus is able to resist the Devil’s testing and in doing so brings glory to God. . The good news is that the secret to Jesus’ success in resisting temptation is no secret at all. His secret weapon is our secret weapon and comes through the gift of the Holy Spirit which we received at our Baptism. Filled with the Spirit, Jesus shows us that the only way to resist the devil is to trust in God and to make it a priority always to do things His way. In Matthew 6 Jesus tells us to, _“Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.” Jesus resists the devil’s temptations, not because he needs to prove how good he is, but rather he does it to show us that by trusting in the Spirit we are able to stand against the devil too. Till next time. Andrew Download this weeks pew sheet pdf |
Rev. Andrew SmithVicar of Light in the Hills |