Holy Trinity Church, HuddersfieldSunday 20th December 2020 It was like watching a scene from the transporter room in Star Trek. At the end of the sermon retired vicar John became Vicar Mike, similar jumper and shirt colours added to the effect. It was the fade they used in editing, one merging fairly quickly into the …
Use what you are given? – Matthew in Advent day 18
"You know sometimes words have two meanings," wrote Robert Plant in Led Zeppelin's Stairway to heaven, and it is true. Several passages in the Old Testament have an immediate meaning to the people at the time and then a further Messianic meaning, fulfilled in Jesus Christ. As Christmas is almost upon us I will take …
Continue reading Use what you are given? – Matthew in Advent day 18
Are you ready? – Matthew in Advent day 17
In just one week it will be Christmas, are you ready? Have you bought and wrapped the presents, bought all the non perishable food so the last week is as smooth as possible? Or are you a stereotypical man? Men, rumour has it, though I have not met one who admits to it, start their …
The sensible servant – Matthew in Advent day 16
Time for an perspective shift. Matthew chapter 24 is not about Jesus returning in this generation or any other one. It never has been and never will be. As we come to the end of the chapter we can look back on it, and look at how it goes. It stated with a warning not …
Continue reading The sensible servant – Matthew in Advent day 16
The beginning of the end – Matthew in Advent day 15
This is so like God. Before a season of blessing comes a season of waiting. It has been so ever since creation. In the first three days God separated light from darkness, separated the sky from the sea and made the dry land appear. In the second set of three God populated the light and …
Continue reading The beginning of the end – Matthew in Advent day 15
The fig tree – Matthew in Advent day 14
Some years ago I heard a talk by a Christian which turned out to be an hour long advert for a scheme he was involved in which comprised finding Jewish people living in Russia and paying them to emigrate to Israel. Which seemed like a very strange thing for a Christian based in the UK …
Christingle
Holy Trinity Church, HuddersfieldSunday 13th December 2020 Another week in a pandemic world, and I wish I had something more upbeat to share, but imposter syndrome is beginning to set in. I am beginning to wonder if I am capable of doing things I know I have done. The news has been positive with the …
That’s Gnostics for you – Matthew in Advent day 13
Creeds. Those statements of belief that traditional churches use in the service as a "these are the beliefs of the church" statements. The Church of England says the Apostles' Creed at daily office (morning and evening prayer), and the Nicene Creed at communion, they are the Church's mission statement, written in response to heresies that …
Continue reading That’s Gnostics for you – Matthew in Advent day 13
Abomination of desecration – Matthew in Advent day 12
The destruction of the Jerusalem temple happened very quickly. Herod's Temple was in fact Zerubabbel's temple, built somewhere between 538 and 520 BC. Far from being the country taken into captivity, Judah was by that time a small province, stretching no more than 25 km, 15 miles from Jerusalem. A small province had a small …
Continue reading Abomination of desecration – Matthew in Advent day 12
Velocirapture? – Matthew in Advent day 11
I became a Christian in 1974 whilst at university. Only a few weeks later a fellow member of the Christian Union, a technician in the computer department, suggested I read a book called The Clock Strikes, which set about saying how the return of Christ would be very soon. Christ would take the Christians on …
Making an ass of myself 