This post is another one of my sermons – this one preached just before Christmas at our church. It’s based on Matthew 1:18-25, the story of Joseph’s reaction to Mary’s pregnancy and the angelic visitor. There is lots that could be said, both about Joseph, and about the names the baby will have, but hereContinue reading “Joseph and Immanuel”
Category Archives: Scripture
Living under the Blessing
It’s a while since we’ve blogged, but I (Mark) wanted to start again – and so I thought I’d put up my sermon on Genesis 26 from July. It’s a slightly odd passage – which is reflected in my introduction. So it may be worth just looking up the passage alongside reading this post. ThisContinue reading “Living under the Blessing”
Grace and Effort: 2 Peter 1:1-11
I preached a few weeks ago on 2 Peter 1:1-11, and I often put up my sermons, afterwards. In this case it is harder to do exactly as I managed to give myself enough time to write my sermon out, then to take notes on it, and then to write out enough prompts to enableContinue reading “Grace and Effort: 2 Peter 1:1-11”
John 11: The Resurrection and the Life
In the second half of the story Jesus arrives in Bethany. He finds Lazarus dead, and friends gathered with Mary and Martha. We see the conversation unfold as follows: 17 On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. 18 Now Bethany was less than two miles fromContinue reading “John 11: The Resurrection and the Life”
Jesus: when we don’t get it
In our home group church we ending up looking at John 11 last week. This is the story of Lazarus’ death, and Jesus raising him from the dead. It is a story though, that doesn’t go quite as we might expect, and certainly not as his disciples expect. Here are the first verses of theContinue reading “Jesus: when we don’t get it”
Generous Creator
I (Mark) have been trying to write something for a while now. This is evidenced by a lot of half started blog posts. But I also needed to write a sermon for last Sunday where I preached at a friends church. This was the first sermon in a series on stewardship – and I wasContinue reading “Generous Creator”
The Vineyard
It is so easy to gloss over the gospels, thinking we know the big picture; Jesus’ birth, death and resurrection with a sprinkling of parables and teachings. Yet I am struck time and again as I am journeying through the gospel of Matthew how rich it is and how much there is to take andContinue reading “The Vineyard”
The Fig Tree
Leadership, mercy and Good Friday I am steadily working my way through the Matthew’s Gospel and Holy Week is just not long enough to soak in all that happens in that week and all that Jesus shows us and teaches us. I hadn’t started a reading plan that would neatly bring me to Palm SundayContinue reading “The Fig Tree”
Psalm 103: The Compassion of our God
I’m working on an idea of blogging about God’s blessing – but I came across some notes of a talk I gave the week before Covid lockdowns came at the student group at our previous church. It was on one of my favourite Psalms – Psalm 103 – and is an invitation to drink deeplyContinue reading “Psalm 103: The Compassion of our God”
Saul and Fear
Fear is the “mind-killer” – or so the hero of cult sci-fi classic Dune is told to remember. In the case of Saul – and potentially in our case we could say much the same. Perhaps even more seriously that fear, because it is a mind-killer, is also a soul-slayer. Fear comes repeatedly in Saul’sContinue reading “Saul and Fear”
Joshua's Tree Rooted 