(SERMON) Reformation Sunday: Nehemiah 8.1-12 and Colossians 3.12-17

Returning to my curacy church for the 500 year anniversary Reformation Sunday I preach on the glories of the Reformation.  What was the historical background that led to the explosion of the Reformation in the 1500's and how did this play into God's plan for reform of the church?  How was the light of the gospel passed down from men like John Wycliffe to a monk named Martin Luther? And what was this light in the darkness?  This wonderful light was the five great truths upon which the church of England was founded and we should build our lives:

Scripture teaches us that,
We are saved by grace alone,
Through faith alone,
In Christ alone,
To the glory of God alone.

(SERMON) Matthew 13.24-30, 26-43 Deep Teaching in Simple Parables

Jesus' parables are always deceptively simple but once we sit down and reflect on them they teach a whole range of things.  The parable of the Wheat and the Tares is one such parable.  In this short sermon we consider six different teaching that can be drawn from Jesus' words:

1)  Stay vigilant for the enemy comes at night.
2)  Weeds cans look like wheat - evil can look like good and only God can tell them apart for certain.
3) Not everyone is a Child of God instead many are children of the Evil One.
4) The Devil is real and we must arm ourselves to fight him in the spiritual realms.
5) Evil is here to stay in our societies and in our churches - we cannot completely run from it and make perfect communities
6) Hell is real and so is the righteous living for eternity shining with the Glory of God.

(SERMON) Matthew 9.9-13 Makes friends, don't compromise, stay humble

Jesus' meeting with the tax collector Matthew and what happens later at the banquet Matthew holds challenges us in three ways. Firstly, do we befriend and love the outcast and those living sinful lifestyles? Secondly, do we remain uncompromising in calling sin sin and calling sinners to repentance.  Finally, don't become deluded like the Pharisees into think you are spiritually healthy or righteous - instead live each day humbly at the foot of the cross.