• Sermon preached on 10 November 2013


    What are you fighting for…in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit?

    The gospel reading that we’ve just heard is a very particular one. The question is – if a man dies and his widow marries his brother, and six brothers die and she marries her way down the family, whose bride will she be in heaven.

    What deep truth does this question and Jesus’s answer convey to us.

    Well, I wasn’t supposed to be preaching today and swapped a couple of days ago with one of my colleagues.

    The deep truth that this passage conveys to me today is always to check what the bible readings are before you agree to swap a date in the pulpit.

    I’m going to start from a different place though and work my way back to what is going on in the gospel reading this morning. For the question is not straightforward at all, never mind the answer. (more…)

4 responses to “Sermon preached for Lent 1, 2013”

  1. Rosemary Hannah Avatar
    Rosemary Hannah

    For what it is worth – the story behind the Pentateuch and Judges is probably not historic. In fact, the Hebrews were either always in that Land, or just kind-of sidled in, quite harmlessly. It was largely AFTER they had been themselves brutally treated in the Exile that they retold the story, bigging themselves up. But that is another sermon…

  2. Suz Cate Avatar
    Suz Cate

    Amen, amen, and AMEN!

  3. Pam Avatar
    Pam

    The congregation I am part of (and love being part of) is itself part of the possibly most conservative diocese in the Anglican sphere – the Sydney Anglicans. We follow a traditional pattern of worship, reciting either the Nicene or Apostles Creed each week and I do find great relevance in this form of worship. I long for changed attitudes in a number of areas but walking away from the people I’ve grown to love isn’t an option. Talk about being between a rock and a hard place! 🙂

  4. AnnaMarie Hoos Avatar
    AnnaMarie Hoos

    I found very helpful the idea of “discovering the different, diverse, and bountiful ways in which we do believe the core doctrines that are shared by all those who count themselves as God’s beloved.” I hadn’t really thought of their being different ways of believing in doctrines before – even though I am constantly speaking up for different ways of acting/moving/leading in worship. I wonder where there is room (or if there is any use?) for talking about this more. Where, or who, would I ask “How do you believe in one God?” etc. — not to get at assent to the doctrine but at action flowing out of that belief. Hmm.

    Thanks for posting.

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