Now it is high time to awake out of sleep… Happy New Year to you all! Our new year begins again with Advent: we look back on Christ’s first coming into the world, we look to the completion of his work when he will come again in glory, and we ask for his present coming to our souls. It is on this last aspect that I want to focus on this morning. My question to…
O God, our Good Shepherd, you who lead us as a flock. We invite you through spoken words, restore our souls and lead us in paths for your name’s sake. Let your face shine upon us in this place. Amen. Reactions and responses. Last night at the Christmas party, some of us heard a lovely piece of piano music by Chopin followed by a variation of a Bulgarian folk song, by Kristian. There was warm…
Lord, as we consider written words of Scripture, take us through spoken words, to the Living Word, our Lord and Saviour. Amen. Our Second Sunday of Advent, Advent a time of purple when we prepare to celebrate the birth of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords in that manger, and also a time when we remind ourselves, we focus, remind ourselves upon the Lord’s promise that he will someday return. As the angels…
Now it is high time to awake out of sleep! Happy New Year to you all! Today we begin the new Christian year with Advent, a season full of hope and expectation. Advent is a time (1) to look back on Christ’s first coming into the world as we prepare for Christmas (2) to look to the completion of his work when he will come again in glory at the end of time, and (3)…
Think of us in this way, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of God’s mysteries. This morning we can feel the growing anticipation and joy of the coming Feast! We cannot contain ourselves it seems – our Christmas party this Friday, people at work having similar gatherings, Nine Carols and Lessons this coming Sunday! All a kind of Christmas joy and celebration spilling out before the Feast! And perhaps this is right –…
As you all hopefully know, the theme of tonight is hope. This theme fits of course very well to these weeks before Christmas, as we both look forward and back: back to the fulfilment of many prophecies with the birth of Christ, and forward to the fulfilment of many prophecies with the coming of Christ in glory. But there is another reason why I’m talking about hope today. In October we started a Student Bible…
Micah 4:1-4, 6-7 Romans 13:8-14 Matthew 21:1-13 Now it is high time to awake out of sleep… Today we begin the new Christian year with the season of Advent. Our colour has changed to purple to symbolize penitence – it is a recognition that not all the work is done, once we become a Christian – but there is a call to the ongoing conversion of our hearts. Advent is a time to reflect on…