10 Minute Message

10 Minute Message

This sermon on generosity is based on Deuteronomy 15:7 –15; 1 John 3:16 –18; Matthew 26:6 –13. It's a bit long so Chat GPT and I edited it down, but I though the original was worth preserving. Celebration and Generosity Some years ago you may have heard of Tony Campolo’s book The Kingdom of God is a Party. One of the most memorable stories in that book is about a time when he found himself walking through the streets of Honolulu late at night with jet lag. He found an all night café and stopped for a donut and coffee.   It tuned out to be a spot where prostitutes hang out....

10 Minute Message

Bible passages NOTE THIS TEXT IS A LONGER VERSION THAN THE VERSION PREACHED. Imagine you're an office worker in a medium sized family business. You like your job and the boss. You get on with the other staff. You do your job well and are respected and liked, by both your fellow workers and the owner of the company but you’re a little discontent.               You see you have a dream about being the manager about being in charge. -You would do it right. You’d make the firm more competitive, efficient, but also just plain...

10 Minute Message

An Exciting but Scary Kingdom [Slide 1] At the start of the Gospel reading for today in what he says not only with his words but with his actions Jesus says something revolutionary and political, scary, life changing and exciting. “Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing every disease and every sickness.” (Matthew 9:35, NRSV) Later he tells the newly commissioned 12 disciples ... “As you go, proclaim the good news, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’” Cure the sick, raise the dead,...

10 Minute Message

7. Sermon God is relationship. (Trinity Sunday) [Slide] The Trinity is the traditional belief of the church which was formalised in the 4th century. It says that there is one God, but that one God is three persons. God the Father is the one God, Jesus is the one God and the Holy Spirit is the one God. Over the years there have been lots of analogies used to try to explain this. God is like water which remains water even though it can be liquid, ice and steam each with different characters but still the one thing. Or God is like a man or is like a Woman who is at once a mother, a daughter and a...

10 Minute Message

Readings    Sermon God’s kindness and our action  a. Kindness That Shapes Faith i. Kindness at a Time of Transition Just over 40 years ago aged 18 I went to O week at the University of Queensland for the beginning of my University studies. At the stalls put up to promote the clubs and societies of the University, I deliberately looked for one of the Christian clubs. I don’t think I got much further than the first one. That was because the young man staffing the stall listened to me. He engaged me in genuine conversation. He took a real interest in me and what I was doing and...

10 Minute Message

125 years ago today the six colonies of the South Land (Australia) became a nation with their own constitution, peacefully voted for in all six colonies, and passed by an act of the British Parliament. This is something worth celebrating but it seems to have passed without a public mention. I believe that Federation Day the first of January is the most appropriate day for us to both celebrate the good things of our nation and to reflect upon our shortcomings. It was on this day 125 years ago that the Australian Constitution came into effect. It happened not in a violent revolution but in a...

10 Minute Message

Sermon Jesus is the One (who brings Joy)  [SLIDE] “Jesus the One” Uniting Church - Bible based - When the Church preaches Jesus Christ, her message is controlled by the Biblical witnesses. In other words our speaking about, life for, and worship of Jesus must be based on the Bible. Jesus must be first of all  the Jesus of the Bible, not the Jesus of our experience, or the Jesus of our expectations -  In today’s reading from the Gospel - we hear that Jesus didn’t fit John’s expectations.   [SLIDE] Jesus did not fit John’s experctations. He sends some of his...

10 Minute Message

Full text of sermon. (Detailed notes original to authour - Script filled out by Chat GPT) Sermon: Standing Firm Until He Comes (Based on 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17) a. The Fear and Confusion About Christ's Return The church in Thessalonica was confused and fearful. They had been told that "the Day of the Lord" had already come - that Christ had either already returned or was about to come at any moment. Rumours were circulating, false letters were being passed around, and people were unsettled.   It might sound strange to us, but we can understand how easy it is to get caught up in...

10 Minute Message

a.             The Illusion of Acceptance What makes you valuable and acceptable to God and/or your fellow human beings? Paul in his letter to the Galatians is arguing with a group of people who believe that what makes you valuable and acceptable to God and others is your obedience to the Law.  The Galatians think only we keep the Law and adopt Jewish practices, God will love us and accept us.             Today we may not talk about the Law but I don’t think much has...

10 Minute Message

Readings 1 Cor 12:31b-14:1a  and  Luke 4:21–30 The Greatest is Love Misconceptions and Paul’s Teaching The people of the church in the City of Corinth were convinced that being a good Christian and a good Christian leader was about spiritual gifts, clever ideas, eloquent language, or preaching. Some believed that Christians with greater gifts, impressive preaching, or even wealth should have more influence.             Last week (and throughout the book of Corinthians), we hear Paul say, "No." Being a Christian is about...