(SERMON) Acts 19.21-41 A Sermon Against Idolatry

Looking at the anti-idol Christians of Ephesus who caused a riot by threatening the idol-makers profit and religion. We also see in Ephesus the importance of having Christians in all levels and areas of society - and of course the importance of reaching out to them all too. Thinking about the making of idols this sermon considers how the early church was emphatically iconoclastic -they destroyed and opposed religious images, statues, amulets, icons etc. Whilst the influx of unconverted pagans in slowly changed this, at the Reformation the Church of England took a stark Iconoclastic stance and ensured that all images and statues and idols were destroyed. Our confession of faith (39 Articles) explicitly rejects worship or honouring/reverencing images, statues, and relics whilst the "godly and wholesome doctrine" of the longest Homily (Against Idolatry in three parts) in depth destroys the arguments for religious images from Bible and history. Likewise the old injunctions and canons enjoined such things to be destroyed. Whilst today the church has changed and opinions have swayed we must be careful to always be on guard against idolatry.

(I personally believe the Reformers were correct in removing religious art, shrines, icons, statues, relics, and images from churches though think it possible with great care to use some religious art for educational purposes yet even this is to risk a unhealthy legacy so must be sparse at best.  Given the current state of canon law, the views of many in the congregation, and the fact I am only a curate I did not feel able to as strongly and categorically condemn Christian Idolatry in our church as I would have liked but pray my warning would lead to personal reformations.)

[SERMON] Acts 18.1-7

Paul leaves Athens and heads to Corinth where he meets Priscilla and Aquila who had to flee Rome due to the Emperor Claudius - something corroborated by history and proving Acts is reliable.  Paul preaches that Jesus is the Messiah and those who deny this commit blasphemy, deserving death for rejecting Jesus.  Ministers, as the CofE Ordinal lays out, and asks us to vow, must be watchmen (Ezekiel 33.7) warning people of sin and blasphemy otherwise it is our own fault they perish.  Ultimately, despite opposition God promises to protect Paul and, as always - then and now - God fulfills that promise.

[SERMON] John 10.31-39 - Can we trust the Bible?

Can we trust the Bible?  All of it? Really?  ~ If we believe Jesus is God our answer must be yes.  This sermon looks at Article 6 of the CofE Confession of Faith which claims all that we could ever need to know to be saved and please God is in the Bible.  Not only is it in the Bible but in matters of faith and salvation Scripture is clear and easy to understand - it is 'perspicuous'.  One thing it is clear on, and Jesus says time and again, is that all of the Bible, from start to finish, even stories like Jonah and the Big Fish, are true - completely true.  Jesus says the Bible is so true it cannot be broken, and Jesus is God so cannot lie - as Christians we have a simple choice, either we believe Jesus is God and completely believe the Bible or we deny parts of the Bible and thus say that Jesus is a liar and not God.