Sermons on Greg Smith:

The Battle For The Vineyard (Matthew 21:33-40)

Contributed by David Smith on Nov 6, 2007

Like so much of life, the parables of Jesus are often stories of violence. Here the violence is between a landlord and his tenants. ...

“We were told that this [operation] was against armed people and against people climbing on our armed vehicles. Our APCs (armed personnel carriers) were cruising 24 hours a day close to buildings (in Jenin), waiting for kids to climb on them, trying to dislodge the top -mounted MG (machine gun) and ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 21:33-40

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

Ripped Off By God? (Matthew 20:1-16)

Contributed by David Smith on Nov 6, 2007

Sermons by Father Dave ...

I’m really sorry Kon isn’t here. Kon is my best mate, and was my trainer and corner-man for all my fights, and it’s not that I need him here ‘in my corner’ when I’m preaching. It’s because when I first met him, he said to me, “Dave, I’ve read the Bible, and what about that guy who hires some ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 20:1-16

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

How To Waste Your Time Looking For Lost Sheep! (Matthew 18:10-17)

Contributed by David Smith on Nov 6, 2007

Why waste time with negative pepole who are never going to make much progress? Because we follow a shepherd who will leave the ninety-nine grazing to pursue one lost sheep....

One of the things I hear a lot in the business world is that if you want to be successful, you need to hang around successful people. I don’t know if you’ve heard of the concept of the ‘Mastermind Group’, but I’ve been encouraged repeatedly, over recent years, to join one. The concept of the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 18:10-17

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

The Deserving Poor? (Matthew 15:10-28)

Contributed by David Smith on Nov 7, 2007

Why waste time with negative pepole who are never going to make much progress? Because we follow a shepherd who will leave the ninety-nine grazing to pursue one lost sheep....

‘And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a Canaanite woman from the region came out and cried, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely possessed by a demon.”’ (Matthew 15:21-22) One of the most formative experiences in my ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 15:10-28

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

The Macdonaldtown Parables (Matthew 13:31-33, 44-45)

Contributed by David Smith on Nov 7, 2007

Sermons by Father Dave ...

Our Gospel reading this week confronts us with a series of parables - the sort that my dad (if he was still alive) might well have referred to as MacDonaldtown Parables. I don’t know if you’re familiar with MacDonaldtown Station. It‘s not far from our church building. I don’t believe there’s ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:31-33

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

Unbind Him And Let Him Go! (John 11:1-53)

Contributed by David Smith on Nov 7, 2007

Here’s a story that might seem hard to know what to do with. That’s OK. Even the disciples didn’t know how to handle this one! ...

“Unbind him and let him go!” These are the words of Jesus, recorded in John 11 - dramatic words that come at the climax of a dramatic story - the death and resuscitation of Jesus’ friend Lazarus. It is an extraordinary story. It’s filled with mysterious dialogues, doubting disciples, tears and ...read more

Scripture: John 11:1-53

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

Luke 21:5-19 (A Guest Sermon From Sandy Gray)

Contributed by David Smith on Nov 7, 2007

A guest sermon by Sandy Gray on the transitory nature of human life BODY,P,A,TD,TH,UL,OL,LI,DL,DT,DD...

“All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the Lord blows on them”. (Isaiah 40:6-8). I’m wondering if you noticed a new grey hair when you were getting ready for church this morning? I’m wondering if ...read more

Scripture: Luke 21:5-19

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

Beatitudes Or Be-Attitudes? (Matthew 5:1-13)

Contributed by David Smith on Nov 7, 2007

Christianity is not a form of self-help therapy. It’s a call to radical discipleship ...

We have as our Gospel reading this morning what is certainly one of the best known and best loved portions of the Bible. Along with ’The Lord is my Shepherd’ and ’For God so love the world ...’, the verses from the beginning of Matthew Chapter 5 must be amongst the most popular in the world, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-13

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

Promises To Keep Before I Sleep

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Nov 8, 2007

We find it difficult to keep promises because we are focused on dealing with today’s issues. We back off our commitments to God because they are hard, but we can receive help from accountability partners, and can know joy and fulfillment.

To be a saint is not to be perfect; to be a saint is to be someone who makes promises and keeps them. Sainthood is not some magic status, conferred by the church for merit or miracles; sainthood is ordinary people living in extraordinary faithfulness, making promises and keeping them. Did you ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 1:48

Denomination: Baptist

Is The Tsunami God's Judgement? (A Reflection On John 9)

Contributed by David Smith on Nov 8, 2007

Do you think that bad things don’t happen to good people? Think again! ...

"As [Jesus] passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" Jesus answered, "It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. We must work the works of ...read more

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

The Murder Of The Innocents! (Matthew 2:13-23)

Contributed by David Smith on Nov 8, 2007

The streets of Bethlehem awash with blood! What happened to gentle Jesus, meek and mild? ...

O little Town of Bethlehem! How still we see thee lie! No! Not today! Did you listen to today’s Gospel reading – there is blood running in the streets of Bethlehem, and mothers weeping for their dead children! Yesterday, ’the little Lord Jesus no crying he makes’, but today there is crying a ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 2:13-23

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

There's No Marriage In Heaven! (Luke 20:27-38)

Contributed by David Smith on Nov 9, 2007

Things are about to change. The things we love as well as the things we hate - all is to be ’recreated’! ...

Luke Chapter 20 – Jesus tells us that there is no marriage in heaven. One of the few clear memories I have of being lectured to by our current Archbishop while in seminary was when he spoke on this passage. He began by saying that early on in his marriage, whenever his wife Christine read this ...read more

Scripture: Luke 20:27-38

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

Resurrection & Worship (Luke 24:13-35)

Contributed by David Smith on Nov 9, 2007

Christian worship starts at the resurrection of Jesus. ...

If I asked you what events you believe are most likely to rock our world (ie. make the biggest impact) over the next 12 months, it would be interesting to see what you’d come up with I doubt that the wedding of Charles and Camilla is going to change much. I could be wrong. The choice made in ...read more

Scripture: Luke 24:13-35

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

The Visit Of The Magi (Matthew 2:1-12)

Contributed by David Smith on Nov 9, 2007

These guys are the wrong people, from the wrong religion! What are they doing in the Christmas story? ...

The Xmas season is over! We’ve wished each other a Merry Xmas AND a Happy New Year, and now the festive season is PAST. The holidays (for most of us) are over. The time for singing carols and wishing peace and goodwill to all is finished. The presents have been handed out. The cards have all been ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 2:1-12

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

Gifted For Ministry

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Nov 10, 2007

We are a gifted church, with diversely gifted members, and we need to turn that into creative expressions of love for our community.

I don’t get to watch the Miss America pageant any more. Used to be, every September I would hunker down in front of a TV set and prepare to ogle. Gorgeous gals, we called them, in those Neanderthal days, before our language had to become politically correct. Beauty contest, we called it, before ...read more

Denomination: Baptist