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Author Archives: Stratocastermagic
Hosannas and Hallelujahs, Chocolate and bunny rabbits.
Those who know me well know that I am more at home on Good Friday than I am on Easter Sunday. And that I prefer Advent to Christmas. Some suggest it’s because I am a miserable so-and-so. I don’t contest … Continue reading
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Lent 3 – Sunday 8th March 2015
John 2:13-22 Jesus Cleanses the Temple We recently visited Westminster Abbey. It’s an amazing place, of course. But do you know how much it costs to get in? £20 for an adult. There were three of us in our party, … Continue reading
Lent 2 – Sunday 1st March 2015
Mark 8:31-38 Peter Rebuked Poor old Peter! One minute he gets it spot on: Jesus asked them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Peter answered him, ‘You are the Messiah. (Mark 8:29) The next, he’s being told: ‘Get … Continue reading
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Tagged Giving, Jesus Christ, Lent, Money
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In the Wilderness…
Lent 1 – Sunday 22nd February 2015 Mark 1:9-15 Jesus in the Wilderness In today’s Gospel, Mark tells us that, after his baptism and before his public ministry, Jesus is driven by the Spirit into the wilderness. At his baptism, … Continue reading
Ashes to ashes…
Each year, in my previous parish, as the Ministry Team was preparing for Ash Wednesday, we had the same conversation. Are we going to use ashes this year, or not? Some years we did, some we didn’t. It wasn’t a fixed … Continue reading
Transfiguration
Sermon preached at St Matthew’s, Stretton on Sunday 15th February 2015 In today’s gospel (Mark 9:2-9), Jesus takes three of his apostles – Peter, James and John – to the top of a mountain, where Jesus is ‘transfigured’ before them. … Continue reading
Water Into Wine
Some years ago, at a communion service, I read the gospel story of the wedding at Cana (John 2:1-11), and was about to speak about it when a young guy in the congregation, who was there with his mate – they’d … Continue reading
It’s No Secret…
In 1901 a German Lutheran theologian called William Wrede wrote a book called The Messianic Secret. It was an attempt to answer the question, Why does Jesus spend so much time forbidding people (and demons) to tell anyone that he … Continue reading
Come and See!
In John 1:35-51 Jesus calls his first disciples. They had previously been followers of John the Baptist, but John points them towards Jesus. Jesus asks them: “What are you looking for?” They ask where he is staying, and Jesus says: … Continue reading
Strange Visitors
Strange visitors, these! ‘Magi’ – exotic wise men from the East. They have travelled a long, long way and arrive in Jerusalem, the big city 9 or 10 kilometres away from Bethlehem. Astrologer priests, they have been reading the stars … Continue reading
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