Here are the sermon notes for today's sermon - given without a full script this week!
1 John 3: 1-3
Matthew 10: 26-33
St John – Jesus
beloved – wrote a gospel; Revelation & three love letters
His gospel
is distinctly different from the other three for its focus is on the timeless
relationship between God and humanity
His epistles
read like love letters
They describe
the love affair between God and humanity
The limitless
generosity of God to his beloved people
That’s us!!
First verse
of today’s epistle: 3 See how much the Father has loved us! His
love is so great that we are called God's children!
This is
directed at everyone who ever read his letter... it was written for future
generations
It was
written for us
What comfort!
When the
world is falling apart
When we are
beset by uncertainty and doubt
When the
future seems vague or insecure
We have that
knowledge; that promise – God loves us – each and every one.
This gives
us the reassurance to be able to read these difficult words recorded in St
Matthew’s gospel: words that describe hardship, and persecutions and the threat
of rejection too – not easy listening...
But...
Again, as
is so often the case when Jesus is
introducing hard teaching – he begins “Do not be afraid...”
Go – shout it
from the rooftops
You can do it!
Be brave –
you’re so much more valuable than the sparrows – and God knows each and every
one of them.
So what is
it we are to shout out?
We are God’s
Children
Those who
declare publically that they belong to God
So – yes we
are Christians
Yes, we love
God
Yes – God loves
us
Now not all
the world thinks this is a universally Good Thing
The media
likes to ask questions that make us look silly; look blinkered
Science wants
answers for everything
Science wants
God in a Petri-dish – explained, defined, dissected; broken down into component
parts
So – when we
stand by our faith; our beliefs; our imperfect understanding
What happens?
The world
may reject or ridicule us
And so may
friends, colleagues, family even...
But God.
Jesus asserts:
“Those who declare publicly that they
belong to me, I will do the same for them before my Father in heaven”
That’s a promise
to hold on to....
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