The Old Testament points to Jesus
Melchizedek resembles Jesus because he both King and Priest, the King of Righteousness and Peace, and superior to both Abraham and Aaron.
Jesus is our Great High Priest who gives us a better hope, able to save completely those who come to God through him
After a detailed look at the Sermon on the Mount, time to put words into action. By his touch Jesus not only healed the leper but restored his place in society. We can encounter Jesus as the leper did by coming to him whatever the difficulties, kneeling before him with humility and pouring out our hearts to him.
Jesus is our Great High Priest who is making intercession for us now, to help us.
We’re not left alone!
The true sanctuary is in heaven.
Do we think spiritual things are somehow less real than material things?
The New Covenant is better because it's Internal and not External, and the entry requirement is based on the blood of Jesus and not earning our salvation through works.
Verse 11 says that “they will all know me”, Do you know the Lord?
Our salvation depends on Christ alone.
The Tabernacle was an accommodation to the fact that Israelites couldn't read and didn't have the whole of the Bible. (Isn't it great the the BibleApp has been downloaded over a billion times!).
Everyone should have a daily Bible reading plan.
Life is hard for Christians - a friend of mine has been put at risk at redundancy and another has been let go.
But it's OK because if we truly have faith in Jesus he will save us.
Today was billed as "Stewardship Sunday" (in past years it has been known by various names such as "Commitment Sunday" and "Vision Sunday"). Whatever its name, the aim is to briefly review this year's finances and outline proposed spending for 2026. Having seen the proposals we will be asked to (confidentially) indicate our planned giving, as advanced indications of potential income does help the PCC to set budgets.
The sermon on Philippians 4: 10-20 recalled Paul's thanks to the church in Philippi for their gifts to him. Our minister thanked us for past generosity while nicely asking us to prayerfully consider what our appropriate response might be next year.
We were staying with friends this weekend and in a marked contrast to Our Place, where we are working through the Gospel of Matthew a few verses at a time, the sermon at our friends' church encompassed Isaiah chapters 28-35 .
Sometimes we encounter God's "strange work" in our lives and the lives of others. In these times we see that God is God and we are not God. Is our trust in God or in other alliances? What makes us feel important, what are we listening to (with a nasty dig at the "false teachers and progressives who disregard what the Bible clearly teaches and only want to hear pleasant things"), where are we seeking rest and refuge?
It being the beginning of Advent, the sermon (good guest preacher) was on expectancy and expectations, based on Isaiah 64:1-4 and Matthew 24:36-44. i.e. the world places a burden of expectations on us, but the scriptures allow us the hope of expectancy. It worked quite well.
we should be hospitable to people.
We are motivated and enabled to love others in practical ways because we have experienced Jesus’ sacrificial love for us.
This includes inviting them to Church evangelistic events
Whether Jesus returns tomorrow, in a million years, or will never return in the way apparently imagined by the NT writers, the way we should live and look for him coming to us in our own lives is the same.
Our Lord's second coming will be sudden and inescapable and will be about justice, but we must be hopeful and not despair: all things will be made new and right in the eternal righteousness of God.
The OT sacrifices didn't work because they only dealt with the external.
Jesus' sacrifice deals with the internal as well. It clears our conscience and removes our guilt.
Let us thank God through worship and loyal obedience.
"You brood of vipers!" were the opening words of the interim minister's inaugural sermon today, quoting John the Baptist ranting at the Pharisees and Sadducees. I think he was making the point that the reactionaries had better make way for the changes that were coming.
Four baptisms at our place, on this second Sunday of Advent. John comes in the spirit of Elijah, the forerunner who announces the Messiah. Important moments of encounter with God are often preceded by desert moments, the desert being a place of stripping away and of formation.
Austrian TV (ORF) spent somewhat longer than the usual hour for its televised religious service on Monday 8th December with its Mass broadcast from St Stephan's cathedral in Vienna. Principal celebrant was the Apostolic Administrator of the diocese ,Josef Gruenwidl, who will become next month the new archbishop.
In his talk, which wasn't really a sermon, nor really a homily either,but which was splendidly and clearly delivered, he said that the Marian festival on 8th December is something which some people find challenging, but that Marian festivals are to be found at the beginning and at the completion of the life of the Church.
He reminded those listening that it was 60 years to the day that Pope Paul VI had solemnly closed the Second Vatican Council on 8th December 1965 and that it had begun on 11th October 1962 which was at that time the Feast of the Divine Maternity. In that Council which has had an enormous effect ,not only on the RCC but much of the whole Western Church ,Mary was there at the beginning and at the end.
During the Thirty Years War Vienna was spared from despoliation which raged in much of Central Europe and the then Emperor declared that the 8th December should be a holiday throughout all his territories. From 1647 onward until the arrival of the National Socialists it was a public holiday and it was one of the first things which was restored when Austria in 1955
became once again an independent sovereign country.
The music for the Mass was the Grosse Credo Messe of Mozart and the future archbishop commented on a number of the parts before they were sung by the cathedral choir including the word CREDO which means 'I give my heart' ( cor dare)
Comments
The Old Testament points to Jesus
Melchizedek resembles Jesus because he both King and Priest, the King of Righteousness and Peace, and superior to both Abraham and Aaron.
Jesus is our Great High Priest who gives us a better hope, able to save completely those who come to God through him
After a detailed look at the Sermon on the Mount, time to put words into action. By his touch Jesus not only healed the leper but restored his place in society. We can encounter Jesus as the leper did by coming to him whatever the difficulties, kneeling before him with humility and pouring out our hearts to him.
Jesus is our Great High Priest who is making intercession for us now, to help us.
We’re not left alone!
The true sanctuary is in heaven.
Do we think spiritual things are somehow less real than material things?
The New Covenant is better because it's Internal and not External, and the entry requirement is based on the blood of Jesus and not earning our salvation through works.
Verse 11 says that “they will all know me”, Do you know the Lord?
Our salvation depends on Christ alone.
The Tabernacle was an accommodation to the fact that Israelites couldn't read and didn't have the whole of the Bible. (Isn't it great the the BibleApp has been downloaded over a billion times!).
Everyone should have a daily Bible reading plan.
Life is hard for Christians - a friend of mine has been put at risk at redundancy and another has been let go.
But it's OK because if we truly have faith in Jesus he will save us.
The sermon on Philippians 4: 10-20 recalled Paul's thanks to the church in Philippi for their gifts to him. Our minister thanked us for past generosity while nicely asking us to prayerfully consider what our appropriate response might be next year.
Sometimes we encounter God's "strange work" in our lives and the lives of others. In these times we see that God is God and we are not God. Is our trust in God or in other alliances? What makes us feel important, what are we listening to (with a nasty dig at the "false teachers and progressives who disregard what the Bible clearly teaches and only want to hear pleasant things"), where are we seeking rest and refuge?
we should be hospitable to people.
We are motivated and enabled to love others in practical ways because we have experienced Jesus’ sacrificial love for us.
This includes inviting them to Church evangelistic events
God has a plan and purpose for our lives which he has prepared and reveals to us by his Spirit, in all sorts of ways.
The OT sacrifices didn't work because they only dealt with the external.
Jesus' sacrifice deals with the internal as well. It clears our conscience and removes our guilt.
Let us thank God through worship and loyal obedience.
Four baptisms at our place, on this second Sunday of Advent. John comes in the spirit of Elijah, the forerunner who announces the Messiah. Important moments of encounter with God are often preceded by desert moments, the desert being a place of stripping away and of formation.
In his talk, which wasn't really a sermon, nor really a homily either,but which was splendidly and clearly delivered, he said that the Marian festival on 8th December is something which some people find challenging, but that Marian festivals are to be found at the beginning and at the completion of the life of the Church.
He reminded those listening that it was 60 years to the day that Pope Paul VI had solemnly closed the Second Vatican Council on 8th December 1965 and that it had begun on 11th October 1962 which was at that time the Feast of the Divine Maternity. In that Council which has had an enormous effect ,not only on the RCC but much of the whole Western Church ,Mary was there at the beginning and at the end.
During the Thirty Years War Vienna was spared from despoliation which raged in much of Central Europe and the then Emperor declared that the 8th December should be a holiday throughout all his territories. From 1647 onward until the arrival of the National Socialists it was a public holiday and it was one of the first things which was restored when Austria in 1955
became once again an independent sovereign country.
The music for the Mass was the Grosse Credo Messe of Mozart and the future archbishop commented on a number of the parts before they were sung by the cathedral choir including the word CREDO which means 'I give my heart' ( cor dare)