In Sermons:

Jesus And The Starship Enterprise Series

Contributed by David Smith on Jul 22, 2010

And they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is over against Galilee. And when he went forth to land, there met him out of the city a certain man, which had devils long time, and ware no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs ...

Are you a Star Trek fan? Don't be embarrassed. I'm not going to make fun of you. Admittedly, I am not a Star Trek fan and, yes, I do recognise that Star Trek has a fan-base made up almost entirely of computer nerds and guys who really should have stopped reading comics by now BUT my mate Scottie ...read more

Scripture: Luke 8:26-39

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

Circumcision And Other Cutting Edge Issues Series

Contributed by David Smith on Jul 22, 2010

"For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. I testify again to every man who accepts circumcisio

Cicero's first rule of public speaking was, "render your audience benevolent". We preachers tend to follow that rule by opening our sermons with a joke. But what do you do when the passage you're preaching on includes a statement from St Paul such as the one we find in Galatians 5:12: "I wish that ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:1-12

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

How Long O Lord

Contributed by Stanley Tay on May 26, 2010

A lesson to be learnt from the psalmist with regards to what our perspectives should be towards the issue of pain & suffering.

INTRODUCTION I would like us to turn our attention today to the Book of Psalms. My hope is that we will get to learn something from the psalmist with regards to what our perspectives should be when it comes to this whole issue of pain & suffering. Most of us are probably more familiar with those ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 13:1-6

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

Jesus' Preaching

Contributed by Ian Lyall on May 24, 2010

Jesus, in his ministry healed the sick, raised the dead, proclaimed God's Kingdom, yet his real work was to proclaim the Good News

We have just heard that reading from Mark's gospel where we hear of Jesus, first healing Simon's mother-in-law (Do we, by the way, realise that Simon- or Peter as he was renamed, was a married man?), then healing many sick people and driving out many demons in Capernaum. Mark's Gospel is an ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:29-39

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

Don't Lose You Focus

Contributed by Ian Lyall on May 20, 2010

God's people were in exile, facing hardship and a sense of abandonment. But God's plan of resoration cannot fail; we must keep our focus

The Jews were in exile in Babylon. They had turned their backs on their God, and they were, you might say, in a state on national depression. You only have to, for example, look at the words of Psalm 137: How could we sing the Lord's song in a foreign land? If I forget you, O Jerusalem, ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 35:1-10

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

The Resurrection Story

Contributed by John Donnelly on Mar 22, 2010

The resurrection is true

EASTER SUNDAY SERMON APRIL 8, 2007 The Rev. Canon John A. Donnelly The story was first · Told by 3 women, · Then told by the slain rabbi’s disciples, · then told throughout the whole city of Jerusalem. · It spread like wildfire throughout the Roman world---through Europe & Asia; and later ...read more

Scripture: Luke 24:1-9

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

Be Tempted! Series

Contributed by David Smith on Mar 3, 2010

"And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry. The devil said to him,

And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, and said to him, "To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours." And Jesus ...read more

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

The Unexpected Yuletide Messenger Series

Contributed by David Smith on Jan 12, 2010

n the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, during the high priesth

Some of you may remember the answer to the question: ’What is green, has four legs, and if it falls on you from a tree and hits you it will kill you?’ The answer, of course, is a billiard table, though some of you may have been wondering whether the answer was ’Christmas’’, which is also green ...read more

Scripture: Luke 3:1-2

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

The Yuletide Cheer Of John The Baptist Series

Contributed by David Smith on Jan 12, 2010

[John] said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ’We have Abraham as our father.’ F

Last week we welcomed back to the Christmas stage that most unlikely of Yuletide figures - the gaunt and rather unjolly figure of John the Baptist. He emerges from the background shadows of the Nativity scene each year at this time, and last week I focused on just what an unexpected and unwanted ...read more

Scripture: Luke 3:7-18

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

The Dysfunctional Family Of Jesus? Series

Contributed by David Smith on Jan 12, 2010

Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom. And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did

For he was our childhood pattern Day by day like us He grew; He was little, weak, and helpless; Tears and smiles like us he knew; ... Christian children all must be Mild, obedient, good as He. (Cecil Frances Alexander, 1848) It’s the first Sunday after Christmas - the ’Feast of the Holy Family’. ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:41-49

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

Christ Is King! Series

Contributed by David Smith on Dec 3, 2009

Then Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, ’Are you the King of the Jews?’ Jesus answered, ’Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?’ Pilate replied, ’I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief

Welcome to the last Sunday of the Christian year - a day traditionally referred to as the feast of ’Christ the King’. I appreciate that there are probably not many here that manage their schedule according to the ecclesiastical calendar, yet I’m sure w are all familiar with the way in which ...read more

Scripture: John 18:33-38

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

Everything Will Be Thrown Down!

Contributed by David Smith on Dec 3, 2009

"Jesus said ’Do you see these great buildings?’ Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.’" (Mark 3:2)

It is such an offensive thing to say! Oh, I know that nothing in permanent in this life and that the greatest of our human institutions and heroic achievements will eventually pass and go the way of all flesh, but I really didn’t want to be confronted with that just now!. And though they take our ...read more

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

Celebrating Ruth Series

Contributed by David Smith on Nov 14, 2009

But Ruth said, "Do not press me to leave you or to turn back from following you! Where you go, I will go; Where you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Where you die, I will die - there will I be buried. May the Lord

Today is ’All Saints Day’ (or ’All Hallows Day’) and while I appreciate that this day is not as celebrated in our broader culture as is the day that precedes it - ’All Hallows Eve’ (or ’Halloween’) it is nonetheless a significant day of celebration in the church - a day when we celebrate our ...read more

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

Life Is A Box Of Chocolates ... Not! Series

Contributed by David Smith on Oct 29, 2009

“Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?” (Job 38:2) Yes, I’m quoting God from the book of Job, chapter 38, second verse - a book that I’ve finally decided, reluctantly, needs to be looked at.

I say reluctantly because it’s a depressing book, and depressing not only because it deals with the series of depressing events that befall the story’s main character, but depressing too because the man’s search for an answer to his problems never gets a result that I find satisfying. I’m assuming ...read more

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

No Rich People In Heaven Series

Contributed by David Smith on Oct 27, 2009

"Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!" And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, "Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom

In any journey, such as a trek through the bush, there are exciting parts, such as when we start out (perhaps) and when we near your destination, there are relatively boring parts, and there are patches that are just hard work. In our journey through the Gospel of Mark we seem to have reached an ...read more

Scripture: Mark 10:23-25

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican