What is in Kelvin's Head?

  • Not drowning but thriving – sermon from 10 August 2014

     

    Turn your eyes upon Jesus
    Look full in his wonderful face
    And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
    In the light of his glory and grace

     

    When I was growing up – that’s exactly the kind of thing that I would have been singing on a Sunday morning.

    And it came to mind when I was starting to think about what to say about the gospel this morning.

    You see, the gospel reading that we have today tends to lead to sermons which represent that kind of mawkish sentimentality that suggests that Jesus will solve everything.

    I’ve found in life that Jesus doesn’t solve everything. If he did, the world would already be a very different place.

    I’ve learned that if Jesus does anything he calls us to build that better place not simply with him but with people of goodwill wherever we find them.

    Turn your eyes upon Jesus.

    That’s the thing about this passage – the evangelist lays on that sentiment with a trowel. Peter leaps out of the boat and starts to sink – only when he looks at Jesus is he safe. And thus, so many sermons will say – we need to fix our eyes on the saviour and all will be well.

    Well, I certainly think that Jesus can be a brilliant inspiration and I look on him as Saviour and Lord.

    But when I look at Jesus I find that he is looking at the world and asking me to gaze with compassion upon it with him. (more…)

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3 responses to “Not in my name. Not in my city.”

  1. Bro David Avatar
    Bro David

    I wondered how you were fairing in the city that’s reported to have voted Yes.

    Just to let you know, you can best guage what it means in your neck o’ the woods, but that form of salute is still used in a number of countries in the world and isn’t associated in any respect with Nazism. That salute is common in Mexico, as it was in the US before WW2.
    http://rationalrevolution.net/images/salute2.jpg

    However, they have since opted for the right hand flat over the heart and we get flack from our northern neighbors for our “Nazi” salute to our flag.
    http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ca/Civil_Salute_Mexican_Flag.jpg/477px-Civil_Salute_Mexican_Flag.jpg

    Reply
    1. Kelvin Avatar
      Kelvin

      The gesture they were making here is entirely associated in local minds with the nazis.

      Reply
  2. Seph Avatar
    Seph

    I gather that there were EDL/SDL members present, in addition to the usual Lodge suspects. This may go some way to explaining the Nazi salutes.

    Reply

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