King of the Castle! Pentecost 4A (Proper 7) 21st June 2026

2026  06  21  Pentecost 4 year A Proper 7(12)

Genesis 21.8-21  Psalm 86.1-10, 16-17  Romans 6.1-11  Matthew 10.24-39

 

Ooh!  TOUGH readings this week!  We could take the safe way out and talk about poor outcast Hagar and how God, who cares for the sparrows, cares for the outcast and so should we, but that completely ignores the fact that God encouraged Abraham to cast her out.

 

Ever played that game, “I’m the King of the castle and you’re the dirty old rascal”?  Sarah was not upset with a mere game being played, but that Ishmael, in mocking, was claiming his power and status over Isaac.  By the way, Ishmael was 16 or 17 years old and Isaac was 2 or 3 years old.  According to the law of the land, Ishmael, as the first-born son was the heir - not Isaac.  Legally, Ishmael truly was the “King of the Castle”.  Isaac was the “dirty rascal”.  

 

As a little insight into the current political climate; the Islamic people claim Ishmael as their ancestor, and therefore we can see that Ishmael is still “Playing” King of the castle with his little half brother Isaac.

 

As far as Ishmael was concerned, Isaac’s mother was a frail old lady of about 93, and his father was about 103.  In Ishmael’s eyes, Isaac’s days of favour and protection were numbered.  Isaac was very much the powerless “dirty rascal” in the eyes of Ishmael and Hagar.

 

Isaac’s existence was only because of a total miracle.  He was born by the intervention and work of God, and when you are a child, born of God’s intervention, everything is different and you enjoy the undeserved favour of God.  We also, are children born of God’s work through Jesus Christ.  We are born of God through our baptism.  We are spiritually born of God’s spirit through our baptism.  Without the gift of God’s intervention, what are we? Just dust in the wind.  Here today and gone without hope tomorrow.  Whether we experience losses or wins, riches or poverty, good fortune or disaster, would, in the end, be meaningless, as we go back to the dust of the earth – But this is not our reality.  By the intervention of God, through the sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus and the gift of the Holy Spirit, we are born of God.  It is the Holy Spirit, living in us that sets us apart.  We still experience the highs and lows of life, but there is purpose and there is meaning and a future that is sure.  Through the gift of God, we are inheritors of the Kingdom of God through Jesus Christ.  Just as Isaac was an inheritor of his father’s kingdom due to the promise of God.   Like us, Isaac did nothing to deserve this gift and God’s favour.

 

Our reading from Romans explains that, in Baptism, we died with Christ and we will rise with Christ.  Through baptism and the Holy Spirit, we become children of God, and Romans 8:17 tells us, ^“Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ,…"

 

We are assured of our eternal life through the Holy Spirit alive and active in our lives.  This is the very Good News.  However, there are those who mock the very thought of Christianity and the hope we have in Christ.  Sadly, due to this, instead of having the courage to stand separate from the world, there have been many Christians over the years, who strive to gain the approval of the world by compromising the truth of God’s message.  When I say “compromise”, what they – or we- do, is the mixing of the truth with societal views which ultimately water down the truth.  “God loves everyone” is a true statement.  “God accepts and approves all that you do” is certainly not right.  Another example would be that the Bible tells us all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God.  This “ALL” means “ALL”.  But we water down the concept of sin so as not to offend anyone – and this does not actually help anyone to come to Christ. 

 

What should we do with the mocking of Christianity and the hope that we have?  Instead of compromising the truth we need to stand firm…. And we need to send compromise out into the desert….  Now, although we have this story of Hagar as an analogy, we have compassion for the situation -But compassion should never usurp the truth with compromise.  ALSO, God promised to care for her.

 

Isaac is an analogy of the spiritual life.  Abraham had to do an important and hard thing.  To safe-guard the spiritual life, he had to send away the son who represented the “striving in our own strength”.   As you can imagine, Abraham was sad about this.  He cared for and loved his son Ishmahel, but God reassured him that he needed to do this thing.  In sending Hagar and Ishmael away, this served as a statement to legally sever the inheritance rights and ensure by every standard, the status of Isaac as heir in alignment with God’s directive.

 

So, technically, Hagar became divorced from Abraham, and she and her 16 or 17 year old son set off with some provisions, but when the youth collapsed from heat exhaustion, Hagar prayed and we see that God, who cares for the sparrows, also takes care of them also, miraculously providing water for them.  For Hagar and Ishmael… and those who believe that life is about working to earn God’s favour, and in fact everyone- God provides miraculous water… the water of rest… the water God provides – His gift of faith, and to come to Him by faith also.  God cares for us – and our enemies – He calls to all of us, but there is only ONE way to the father, and it is through the son, Jesus Christ!  No Compromise!

 

Abraham learned that sometimes following God is hard.  God promised blessing, but to ensure that blessing meant some sacrifices and hard choices needed to be made.  We too need to make hard choices at times and there will sometimes be division between us and those we love.  We will have to continue to stand on the word of God regardless… and some, even in our own families will be offended.

 

In the end, Abraham followed through with a God directed boundary.  We all need to have healthy boundaries where we follow God and put away those things that come between us and the promise of God.  It might not mean that those things are bad in and of themselves, but that they come between us and God’s call on our lives.  Do we have relationships and habits that cause us to compromise God’s call for us?  Realistically, we’ve all had them – or have them – that is why the letter to the Romans encourages the readers to “die to sin”, because we all do tend to take the easy road and compromise with aspects of life that are not good for us – more importantly, they get between us and the inheritance that God has prepared for us – and that, my friend, is really serious stuff.   As Jesus says, “Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, fear the one who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” 

 

We have been given eternal life through a great sacrifice – the life of Jesus – and this was no small thing.   Through the death and resurrection of Jesus, and us being baptised into Jesus, we become inheritors of the Kingdom of God with Christ.  This also, is no small thing.  This is a position of absolute privilege, and should be regarded seriously, appreciated and valued above all. 

 

This message was given to the early church, who were facing extreme persecution.  Being sure of their inheritance through Christ, they endured and stood firm, but many, like us all, were also inclined to compromise.  They, and we are reassured, God who cares about sparrows, cares infinitely more for us.  God loves us.

 

Hagar and Ishmael, in the New Testament writings, were likened to the concept of the law and the things that we DO for God – to manipulate and bring his kingdom into being by our own effort.  As in, Sarah gave Hagar to Abraham to help God give him an heir, seeing as she was barren.  There are many things we might DO, even in our liturgy to “Help” God…. But in the end, if it becomes a “work” – that is, something that we must DO, to earn God’s favour, then we have made Sarah’s mistake, and created a Hagar and Ishmael situation. 

 

The same can be said for any of our good works.  It isn’t that any of our works are bad – we are called to do good works, but are they “God-breathed”?  Do we do them because the Holy Spirit moves us?  There was a post on facebook recently about some of the charitable organisations and one was making accusations against another.  Many good people do great charitable works.  They are moved by compassion, but there is also a sense of ego, and making ourselves feel like a hero.  We talk about this in our street chaplaincy training because it is a real challenge with us all.  None of us are exempt from this temptation to see ourselves as the hero, and if good is achieved, then the motive doesn’t so much matter- except when facing God.  Because we are God’s children and inheritors of the Kingdom of God by what Jesus has done and by the Holy Spirit alive and active in us, and not by anything that we do and it is vital that we understand and remember this.  In fact, being led by God’s Spirit may well see us moved to do Good works that are NOT popular.

 

As an inheritor of the Kingdom of God, all we do needs to be in alignment with the Spirit of God alive and active through us.  God’s kingdom comes through him moving, working and living his life through us.  We are children of the promise.  We are the called and the chosen.  We need to live by faith, and this is by living according to the Holy Spirit working through us.

 

So, the final question for today is, who is the King of the castle in our life? Because this is the only way to know if we are living according to the Kingdom of God.   Is Jesus our Lord and do we defer to him in all our ways?  Is God our king whose direction we follow?  Or are we doing our own works to make ourselves feel good about ourselves?   Or are we compromising, and is there a dirty rascal standing in the place where God should be…  ?

SARAH LAUGHED! Pentecost 3 year A 14th June 2026

 2026  06  14  Pentecost 3 year A

Genesis 18.1-15   Psalm 116.1-2, 11-18    Romans 5.1-11    Matthew 9.35-10.8

Sarah laughed.

Mostly we hear about Abraham and his faith, but today I am sensing that there is something significant about Sarah.  She laughed.  We pick up the story in Genesis 18, after God had already called Abraham to leave his hometown and his family of origin – all that was recorded 6 chapters back in Genesis 12.  Most importantly last week, we read about God’s promise to Abraham.  He said, “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.  I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”  This is a promise that was for Abraham and his descendants.  But what descendants are they?

 

Sarah laughed.  I suspect it was the kind of laugh you laugh when you do it to hide the cry of your heartbreak.  Sarah had been swept along with the call of Abraham.  God called and Abraham answered.  Abraham left his extended family and set off for an unknown land, but what about Sarah?

 

Sarah was there when Abraham allowed his nephew Lot, who travelled with them to select the best land.  She stood faithfully by her man.  She was a woman of faith, but things were not going according to God’s promise.  All this talk of a blessing and making into a great nation was all good and well, but it had been years of waiting to fall pregnant and nothing happened.  I’m guessing that Sarah believed God – she was a woman of faith too, but it seems that she was thinking maybe that blessing was for Abraham and not for her.  Maybe Abraham was the called one, the chosen and the blessed… but not her. 

 

Finally, Sarah did the honourable and “sensible” thing and gave her handmaid to Abraham so that he could have an heir.  Sarah knew that she was beyond child-bearing age- way beyond - menopause was a speck in the rear-vision mirror.  God had declared the blessing and promised.  But it seemed like either God broke His promise or the promise would come about by this little “work around” where Sarah made a huge sacrifice.  She stepped aside and had her servant bear a child to Abraham.

 

Sarah suffered.  She put the needs of her husband above herself, but it backfired.  Once the servant, Hagar, gave birth to a son, she looked down on Sarah.  Hagar’s status threatened to usurp Sarah, as the matriarch of a wealthy and successful tribe.

 

Sarah was willing to suffer for the greater good.  She was willing to sacrifice, and I’m wondering, are we like her, believing in God, but feeling like His blessings are for others and not us?  So now that this visitor proclaims that SHE, herself, will have a child, she laughs.

 

Who was this mysterious visitor?  We read that the LORD visited Abraham but in the next sentence we read that there were three men.  In Messianic commentaries, this is viewed as a pre-incarnate appearance of the Messiah in human form – God almighty manifesting in flesh.  Jewish people would declare that it is God almighty accompanied by two angels.   Abraham addressed the visitor as, “My Lord”… in the original language this is Adonai – signifying that God can manifest physically as a man.  Later in Christian times, this is seen as an indication of the Trinity – a revelation of the triune nature of God.

 

Showing hospitality is important in the Jewish understanding of life and was passed on to Christians through Jesus declaring that what we do for the least of these, we do for him.  And also, the New Testament declares that in showing hospitality some have entertained Angels unaware.

 

This visit took place under the Oak trees of Mamre.  The word for these trees in the original language implies strength.   They were a prophetic sign that here was Abraham who was called to have great strength – in other words, a son, who would be a blessing and through him all the earth would be blessed.   Through Abraham Isaac was born and through Isaac, Jacob was born, whose name God changed to Israel… and through Israel, many generations later, Jesus the Messiah was born.

 

Sarah had faith, but she suffered through feelings of doubt and rejection, that maybe her part in God’s plan was more as a “cheer leader” or support figure, rather than an integral part.  For Sarah to fall pregnant at this point was nothing short of an absolute miracle.  It constantly blows my mind that today there is a nation called Israel.  That nation exists by the will of God… by a complete miracle.   And this should give us hope for those times when all hope is physically, logically and tangibly gone.

 

Our letter to the Romans tells us; “but we also boast in our afflictions, knowing that affliction produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.”  This is the absolutely unshakable attitude of the early Christians.  They were put to death and thrown to the lions, but they endured because they knew that God is the be all and end all, and eternal life was assured them and worth it all.  Well…. It was the attitude of so many, but the fact that Paul is writing this letter tells us that there were many who, like Sarah, were wondering where the promise of blessings had gone.  In 2026, we might be wondering the same.

 

St. Paul encourages the early Christians, ultimately to rely on the Holy

Spirit.  Remember, this is the season of encouraging us in the Holy Spirit.  What do our readings tell us about this?  It tells us that we need God’s love poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit so that we can continue in faith through every storm.

 

The early Christians were just the same as any group of people and after the big revival of the day of Pentecost and after the miracles and wonders, then came the persecution.  God wants to bring people into his kingdom, and he has given us the tools we need through His Holy Spirit filling our hearts with HIS love.  When revival such as the day of Pentecost happens, life gets messy.  Then life gets messy and tough.  We can’t sustain growth without leaning into the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

 

This is the challenge.  Do we really want full churches and churches that are alive with all kinds of people?  God does.  There is a harvest that is plentiful.  When the disciples went fishing and caught so many fish of all kind and Jesus commissioned them to be fishers of men, he was showing them that all kinds of humans would come into the family of God.  (not just people just like us).

 

What does Jesus have to say on this matter in our Gospel; "The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest."  Then Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness.”

 

Like Abraham and Sarah, the disciples were called, and through them all are blessed.  The disciples were called and chosen to carry on the work of Jesus.  Through them, we receive the same call and challenge.  However, do we, as the church, feel that we are like barren Sarah, and merely supporters and the “cheer squad” in this work of God?  We are not!!  Like Sarah, we are called and we are chosen to be an integral part of God’s plan to bless our world with the Good News of God’s love. 

 

Recently I was talking to someone who tried to get a ministry off the ground.  They felt like they failed.  Like Sarah, they toiled but there was no visible fruit for their labour.  But they didn’t fail.  They planted the seeds.  Others will harvest – but only if we don’t lose heart thinking that we are beyond the time and ability to bring forth life.  Maybe you look around at our smallish and oldish congregation and think we are just a dying breed.  Remember, the disciples of Jesus were given power and authority to raise the dead.  Today, we are called and chosen.  Don’t lose hope. God will, through us, call into being the fruitful life that is beyond our ability.  And we will laugh!

Jesus is Lord! Pentecost year A 24th May 2026

 2026  05  24  Pentecost Year A 

Acts 2.1-21 Psalm 104.26-36   1 Corinthians 12.1-13  John 20.19-23

THE DAY HAS ARRIVED!  The feast of Pentecost! and Christians are celebrating the coming of the Holy Spirit.  Also, the Jewish people are celebrating the feast of Pentecost, but it means something different to them.  Fifty days ago the Jewish people celebrated the Passover which coincided with our Good Friday and Easter.  The Jewish festivals are prophetic announcements of God at work.  They teach us what God has done, is doing and will do.  So... what does the Jewish understanding of Pentecost teach us?

 

At Passover, the Jewish people remembered that God saved them from slavery in Egypt and saved them from death by the blood of the lamb.  We celebrated at the same time, that God saved us from spiritual death and separation from God by the blood of the lamb of God, Jesus.  After Passover, the Jewish people count of 7 Sabbaths (just as we have had Easter 1, then 2, etc and last week was Easter 7), and then they were commanded by God to offer their first fruits of the harvest.  This time period between Passover and Pentecost is also considered the time of being led by God in the desert and the giving of God’s holy law.  It is a feast of the Law and of the harvest.

 

Jesus had told the disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit.  They were there at his command, just 50 days after the crowd had crucified their leader, Jesus.  They spent the time in prayer, and they were altogether in one place when they heard a rush of wind from heaven.  To these Jewish followers of Jesus there was something happening here that they immediately understood, because they were Jewish.  One of those things is the Jewish tradition that had been taught that when God gave the law at Mount Sinai, God’s voice was divided into seven voices and heard in various languages.  God was present!

 

Also…. There is something very significant about the wind.  The wind is reminiscent of Genesis 1 when the Spirit hovered over the waters.  The same word is used here in Acts, as was used in Genesis, and as was used in the book of Ezekiel when he prophecies the breath of God to bring life to the dry bones.  If you were at our Bible study a couple of weeks ago, you might have some insight also into the Gospel account we read today, where Jesus breathes on his followers and says, “Receive the Holy Spirit”.  It seems mysterious that Jesus should say this to his followers, breathe on them and then tell them to wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit.   

 

There is this thing in the Bible, loosely coined by one commentator, as the law of first mention.  To understand many things in the Bible, we need to see where it is first mentioned.  Do you recall the first time someone breathed the spirit of God?  It was in the Garden of Eden when God created man.   This was before the fall.  God had made all the living creatures, but it was only mankind upon which God specifically breathed His spirit and scripture tells us, that mankind became a living being.  This “living” is different from the normal earthly living.  This “Living” was eternal.  God’s Holy Spirit was breathed in us…. We did not just have the breath of life in us as every other creature, but we had something particular of God.  But then came the fall.  God said we would die.  Did we die or didn’t we?  Some read the story and say, “Adam and Eve didn’t die”….. not straight away.  It wasn’t the normal life that died that day, it was the eternal spiritual life that died.

 

Jesus breathed on his followers and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit."  It is a commission, but it is also a re-creation.  Through Jesus breathing his Holy Spirit, His followers have His Holy and eternal spirit, and we are restored to eternal life.   His followers are also commissioned, “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained”.  You might remember that only God can forgive sin, so what is going on with this?

 

The disciples of a rabbi are like the student of a great lecturer…. They are learners.  However, in the Jewish tradition of rabbis and disciples, the disciples live with the rabbi and do what he does.  Jesus breathes on his followers and commissions them to live as him – his body on earth.  This includes declaring the forgiveness of sins to those who accept the Gospel.  Sins are all forgiven through the sacrifice of Christ.  On this side of the cross it is simply a declaration of the truth – but also an acknowledgement that, for those who reject the sacrifice of Jesus, their sins are retained.  This is the message of the Gospel.  The disciples were sent to continue the work, with the authority of Jesus.

 

So why, after this re-creation and restoration and commissioning did the disciples need to receive the Holy Spirit to the extent that was witnessed at the feast of Pentecost?  My guess is that they needed it.  My guess is that a restoration is never going to prevent us from going down the same path as the original creation in the garden of Eden.  This “new creation” and restoration, needed to be different from the first.  Jesus died for our sin so that we could be renewed and restored, and when we fail again – as we will, we look to cross and find grace to be forgiven, restored and renewed – again and again…. But it is obvious we need another helper…. For everything.  Enter the Holy Spirit of Pentecost.

 

Jesus is Lord!  Anyone can say it, but we are told no one can say it unless they have the Holy Spirit.  In the original language and culture into which these words were spoken, words and actions were not separate.  What does it mean to say, “Jesus is Lord”?  In the Hebrew this would be “Yeshua Adonai” – Yeshua is Jesus and Adonai means master, however, it is also the reverent way of addressing God.  In other words; Jesus is God!  This is a declaration of the divine nature of Jesus – one of those difficult to grasp aspects of the trinity, and yet we are told no one can say this unless by the Holy Spirit of God.  More than that, it is a declaration that as Jesus or God is master, we defer to him, follow his lead – trust and obey.   Accept Jesus as God, and accept God as our Lord and master, we’ve never been very good at this.  We need the Holy Spirit and all the power that it has to offer which is the very power of God.

 

God always respects our free will and will not override our free will.  Therefore, we need to willingly “say” Jesus is Lord, and commit to having God as our master, allowing him to give us the Holy Spirit.  Notice that age doesn’t disqualify you.  Old men will dream dreams.  A dream implies desiring and working toward something for the future.  The Holy Spirit turns what you thought about life, completely upside down.  The Holy Spirit brings equality because the Spirit is poured out on ALL.

 

The Jewish feast of Pentecost is a harvest festival and when the Holy Spirit came there was a great harvest of souls.  Many people became followers of Jesus. Do we need the Holy Spirit to come again pouring out those gifts on the followers of Jesus?  If those taught by Jesus himself, who were eyewitnesses to the resurrection, needed the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, I’m pretty sure that we do too.

 

Receiving the gifts of the Holy Spirit is up to us.  God said he will pour out His Spirit on ALL FLESH – that means us!   Will we say, “YES – Thank you Jesus”?  What that means is saying, “Yes” to whatever of those spiritual gifts he might wish to give you.  Are you willingly to accept whatever gift the Spirit brings?

 

Today we have the opportunity to say, “Jesus is Lord”!  and in doing so, say yes to all that Jesus wants to pour out on us through His Holy Spirit.   Come Holy Spirit.

Then you will receive power - to complete the mission - 17th May 2026 Easter 7A

 2026  05  17 Easter 7 A

Acts 1:6-14   Psalm 68:1-10, 32-35   1 Peter 4:12-14; 5:6-11   John 17:1-11

Our readings today involve a bit of sky gazing.  In our Gospel reading we have the account of Jesus’ prayer that he made before the passion of the cross.  Jesus looked up to heaven and prayed.  His prayer seems somewhat mysterious, but it highlights some super important facts; At a time the world might perceive as the low point, that is, the crucifixion, Jesus counts this as the hour of Glory.   The only reason can be that finally Jesus publicly stands as the Messiah.  In all of Jesus time on earth, he was secretive about his true identity, not claiming to be God or equal to God, but waiting for people to see for themselves and come to this conclusion.  Also, in this passage, we see the eternal nature of the Son of God – of Jesus, when he says; “Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed.”  Jesus also speaks of his authority and affirms that the only way to God the father is through the Son.  These facts are central to Christianity.  We have many denominations, but we are the answer to Jesus’ prayer that we may be one, as we have unity in our acceptance and proclamation of these facts.

 

Our reading from Acts also has some sky gazing, but this time it is the disciples.  They had hoped that Jesus would bring about the restoration of the Israelite Kingdom at this time…. And were left…. Perhaps bewildered.  They still didn’t fully understand God’s plan, but the knew the prophecies of restoration.  It makes sense that they would expect this was the time of restoration.  We all long for the glory days and pray for restoration, for God to fill our churches with people.  Wishful thinking and staring at the sky perhaps…..  We raise our eyes to the heavens, but what is the answer?  God does have an answer.  We are HIS church.  We are not the boss – He is.  We are not the saviour – He is.  And the message of Jesus to us, is the same that he declares to the disciples; "It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority.  But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

 

The followers of Jesus were asked; “Why do you stand looking up toward heaven?”  Would the Angels say the same to us?  Let’s put ourselves in the shoes of those disciples for a minute.  They had been enjoying the fact that Jesus had risen from the dead.  They were comforted and encouraged, being taught by him for 40 days but now he was ascended to heaven, and they knew that something was changing.   Before their eyes he was taken up in a cloud.  They were not abandoned but it might have left them feeling that way and somewhat vulnerable.

 

If you are thinking there is something significant about that cloud, you are right.  When the ancient Israelites were escaping slavery in Egypt and the Red Sea was parted, they were led and protected by a fire through the night and a cloud through the day.  Here in our story of Jesus, we see him lifted up in a cloud.  Throughout the scriptures there are instances of the “cloud”, and the people of God knew what it meant.  The cloud is the presence of God. 

 

When the Temple was built, the presence of God was there as a cloud.  In the book of Ezekiel there is a very definite parallel to our story today as the glory of God departs the temple in a cloud that moves to the mountain east of the city.  Guess which mountain is east of the city?  Mount Olivet!  The very mountain where the disciples were when they saw Jesus ascend.  It is no coincidence.  We are told that Jesus will come back in the same way that he was seen to go.

 

Before Jesus left he answered their question about restoration by saying that it is not for them – or us – to know the times.  In other words, it isn’t our role to know, but it isn’t that we do nothing.   These readings that we have been enjoying between resurrection Sunday and Pentecost are purposefully placed to teach us and to prepare us.  In the early church, in the 3^rd and 4^th century, there was a two -step initiation process.  resurrection Sunday was the time when new believers were baptised.   Then they would have this intensive time of teaching them to prepare them for the feast of Pentecost and the receiving of the Holy Spirit by the laying on of hands.   The tradition evolved to have many baptisms at the feast of Pentecost, such that it became known as “White Sunday” – or “Whitsunday”.  For us, baptism has moved to happen at any time and the laying on of hands for the Holy Spirit, is what we celebrate at our confirmation. 

 

Part of being a Street Chaplain means having an up-to-date first aid certificate.  Each year we have to re-do our CPR as well as some general first aid.  Every 3 years we all re-do full first aid.  Why?  Because we forget.  Each year in the church, we celebrate the feasts, especially Paschal tide and Pentecost, because the teachings about these are vital for our faith.  These teachings focus us to remember and stir up the gift of the Holy Spirit.

 

At the time of our Baptism we become a child of God and we chose to belong to God and in doing so we become born of God’s Spirit – Born Again -  which is one of the reasons this happens in water, because water is a symbol of life – just like we begin before birth, surrounded by water, so this water of baptism is a sign of the new birth in the Holy Spirit.  However, there is a differentiation from being born of the Spirit and receiving the gifts of the Holy Spirit.  In one case in the New Testament, the believers received the gift of the Holy Spirit first and then they were baptised, to signify, celebrate and seal what God had already done.  Through baptism we have ALL the Holy Spirit, but scripture makes a differentiation in the laying on of the hands for the gifts of the Holy Spirit.  Also - having a gift and opening and using it are two different things.

 

Those disciples looking into the sky had been told that they would receive power to be the witnesses of Jesus when they received the Holy Spirit.  We too have received this power if we’ve been confirmed and had the laying on of hands at our confirmation, but often we haven’t had the chance or the knowledge to utilize this gift…. And in this “in between time” between resurrection and Pentecost, we are encouraged to stir up that gift. 

 

The power that the Holy Spirit was to bring, was the power to be the witnesses of Jesus.  When Jesus told his followers that it wasn’t for them to know the times, but they would receive power when the Holy Spirit came, he was telling them the same thing he tells us now; “YOU will receive power to complete all that I call you to, through the Holy Spirit.  You can not do any of this in your own strength”. 

 

Right now we are trying and striving, but wondering what we need to be effective in this modern world.  It isn’t that we don’t have correct theology.  It isn’t that we don’t have engaging services.  It isn’t that we need the latest tech gadgets…. It IS that we need to rely on the power of the Holy Spirit.

 

We need to go to Jerusalem – figuratively…. The place Jesus tells us.  Wait and Pray!  Everyday – wait and pray and be unified in our need for God and sure about the limits of our own efforts, but confident in the limitlessness of God’s Power.  This week lets commit to every day in prayer.  Let’s travel the journey to Pentecost with the disciples by being constantly in prayer asking God to send that Holy Spirit to give us courage to proclaim the Gospel truth, the message of Jesus, expecting the power of the Holy Spirit to convict the listeners….

The Advocate - the difference! 10th May 2026

2026  05  10  Easter 6 A

• Acts 17:22-31     Psalm 66:8-20     1 Peter 3:13-22      John 14:15-21

 

These readings between the resurrection and Pentecost are deliberately presented to us to teach us so that we prepare for the feast of Pentecost, and so that we can stir up that gift of the Holy Spirit that God has given us.  In today’s readings Jesus tells us he will send the Parakletos, translated as, advocate, and we are told He will be IN us.  If we are to grow as a church, it is imperative that we stir up this gift and rely on all that the Holy Spirit offers.

 

Our Bible study group has also been exploring this “in between” time.  It is a time of transition from “Pre Pentecost Poverty to Post Pentecost Power”.  We looked at the first time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after He rose from the dead, and He breathed on the disciples and said, “receive the Holy Spirit”.  Oooh and to find out all that was going on with that…. You need to join our Bible study group.  It’s been awesome!  Then we looked at what the disciples did next.  They had seen the risen Lord, and then Thomas had seen him, and they were told to meet Jesus in Galilee.  So, they went…. And nothing was happening…. So, they went fishing.  In other words, they went back to their old life.

 

We too might experience great things and get all keen and fired up, but then the event ends and we go back to the ways of yesterday.   We are much like the disciples in those days, unless we are empowered by the Holy Spirit.  Through our baptism we received the Holy Spirit, but do we live by the Holy Spirit?  It is the Holy Spirit that makes all the difference, but I wonder if we just don’t know how to live by the Spirit.  Perhaps the Holy Spirit is an unwrapped gift.  For Christmas I received an awesome gift.  I haven’t opened it, because I’m a bit afraid that I won’t know how to use it.  This is sometimes how we are with the Holy Spirit, and the gift remains, to some extent, unknown.

 

Speaking of unknown, St. Paul in our first reading, addresses a very spiritual group of people who worship many gods, including an unknown God.  Because St. Paul is filled with the Holy Spirit and living by the Spirit, he is empowered to clarify and reveal just exactly who is this formally unknown God.  One of the things that the Holy Spirit does is that He gives us the right words at the right time.  The result in St. Paul, is that we see him creatively build on what the people already know.  He meets these people where they are at and proclaims the Good News of Jesus Christ.  In doing so he doesn’t hold back in letting them know that their former religion was wrong, as he tells them that in the past God overlooked such ignorance, but he now commands all people everywhere to repent. 

 

St. Peter, in our 2^nd reading talks about telling the Good News to others in gentleness and respect.  Was St. Paul respectful when he gave his speech?  By todays’ standards critics might say that St. Paul was being “hateful”.  Their basis being the common belief that neither one religion nor the other is any more valid than each other.  Paul knew that he was actually being respectful, loving and merciful.  Here is why; Consider the context, these were a people who were worshiping idols.  Paul was someone who previously had his own strong ideas on God and how the spiritual world worked.  Paul didn’t worship idols.  He worshiped the one true God, but as a pharisee and a religious leader, he was persecuting Christians believing that they were a threat to his religion and the one true God.  However, as Paul was going to round up some of those pesky Christians, God struck Paul down and revealed himself to Paul, as JESUS. 

 

Paul knew, because of this, that what God says, as revealed through Jesus is the truth, and that Jesus is the Messiah – the Saviour who died to save us.  He discovered that Jesus is God…  and Jesus is IN the father and, when, in that encounter, Jesus said to Paul, “Why are you persecuting me?”, Paul understood that Jesus is in us and we in him.  Paul also knew that God, although merciful, has boundaries.  Paul, himself, experienced both God’s judgement and mercy on that day that God struck him.  Paul knew God has a day when God will have the world judged by Jesus.  Paul is not only proclaiming the Good News about Jesus, but he is aiming to prevent others from making his own mistakes.  As respectful and loving as we can be, if we are truly loving people, there will be times that we need to speak the truth in love as we proclaim God’s truth.

 

As we speak to people, we remember God’s far-reaching mercy.  St. Peter tells us about those who drowned in the flood.  At that time, God looked at the intense evil in the world and he pronounced judgement.  Only 8, the family of Noah, were saved.  But just as you might be thinking about the eternal state of those who died, we read that Jesus went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison.  God always respects our free will, and yet he makes every effort and opportunity to save us.  He is the Good Shepherd who actively pursues us to bestow on us his goodness and mercy.  God is merciful and loves us all more than we can imagine.  If there is a way for people to come to know of God’s saving grace, God will do it.  But here is where we need to be challenged, because now that baton has been passed; we are the body of Christ on earth, and we are to be his voice and proclaim his message to those around us. 

 

St Paul’s message to the Athenians began with a complimentary statement of truth about the people, "Athenians, I see how extremely spiritual you are in every way.  For as I went through the city and looked carefully at the objects of your worship, I found among them an altar with the inscription, 'To an unknown god.' What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you.”  These Athenians did not need another philosophical idea.  They did not need another god to worship.  In our community we have the same.  We have SO many “religions” and New Age philosophies, why would we proclaim Christianity to people?  In the 19^th century a new religion arose that blended the best of all the religious ideas – aiming to create unity -  they sometimes even sound Christian.  It sounds like a great idea, doesn’t it?  but so did that fruit in the garden of Eden!  Either Jesus is God and is who he says he is, or any idea will do.  And if Jesus is who he says he is, we need to be absolutely uncompromising on that truth.  Why?  Because Jesus sacrificed his life to bring us life and to bring us eternal life.  It was price no one else can pay.   Peter tells us, “For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring you to God.” That is an absolute and serious statement.  Unless we are very clear and understand what and who we are, we are only passing on to people another “idea”.   What we all need is the truth.  The ONE truth.

 

In our Gospel reading Jesus says, “On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.”  Here is the difference and the heart of what it is to be a Christian.  These are words that we hear often, but not something we often explain.  Essentially, what is being announced here, is that Christianity is not a mere religion.  Christianity is more than a group of people who adhere to some philosophical understanding about the spiritual and physical life and how everything works.  Christianity is God alive and living in and through us.  He does this by His Holy Spirit.

 

Unless God’s Holy Spirit is alive and living in and through us, we are not actually Christians, we are merely adherents to the Christian philosophy  - onlookers. Colossians 1:27 says, “"Christ in you, the hope of glory".  It is through Christ who lives in us and through us, by the Holy Spirit, that is EVERYTHING. The Holy Spirit is our teacher, helper, advocate, guide.  The Holy Spirit is our eternal life already present.  The Bible describes it as the deposit guaranteeing our eternal life.   But it is also how God transforms us.

 

Through the Holy Spirit living in and through us, God empowers us to achieve his purpose – if we let him.  Can any of us in our own strength do this?  I don’t believe so.  And God will never over-ride our free will, and so, for the Holy Spirit to do anything in our lives, we need to give our expressed permission – Without it we are like a house with all the power of electricity but never turning on the switch.  Jesus commissions us to go and make disciples, but he never intended for us to do this in our own strength.  As we journey to Pentecost, lets stir up the gift we have, use our free will to flick on the power that is already in us, by thanking Jesus for the advocate, the Holy Spirit.

Hear and Follow His Voice 26th April 2026 Easter 4A

2026   04   26  Easter 4 A

Acts 2:42-47     Psalm 23     1 Peter 2:1-10     John 10:1-10

In the time of Jesus there were many voices.  Many ideas about how life works and how the spiritual world works.  The Romans had different gods, as did the Greeks…..  and every other nation around.  Into this world came Jesus, who died and rose from the dead, and it seemed that there was another “voice” in the wilderness.  But this voice was different – Not just a voice – but eye-witnesses that he had risen from the dead.  And then there were the numerous signs and wonders that followed his apostles.  These all gave testimony to the authority of this voice – this way – this truth.

 

 During this time between Resurrection Sunday and the Day of Pentecost, instead of having an Old Testament reading, we have readings from the Book of Acts.  Notably, Acts chapter 2 verses 1-4, tell the story of the coming of the Holy Spirit, but our reading begins at verse 42, meaning that we are reading about the impact of the Holy Spirit on the community of believers – the church.  We are given a snapshot of the aspects of the life of the church, and we are told that day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

 

Note the incredible things about that early church, and that those things are because of the impact of the Holy Spirit.  I have been harping on a bit – and I make no apology – about how the plan of God was not complete at the day of resurrection.  It was only completed on the day of Pentecost.  We have these readings from Acts to draw attention to the working of the Holy Spirit and to prepare us to celebrate the day of Pentecost.  So, it stands to reason that we should explore this impact of the Holy Spirit.

 

Our reading from Acts paints the picture of a vibrant and united group.  This is the kind of community that we become when we allow the Holy Spirit to impact our church and us as members of the church.  Vibrant and united!  Generous, loving and genuinely dedicated to learning about God and growing in spirituality!  There were many wonders and signs being done through the apostles also.  How great is that?  That is what we’d love all our churches to look like.  That is this kind of community that will impact the world around them, and it is this kind of community that will grow - and we are told, day by day the LORD added to their numbers those who are being saved.  Consider; With that same Holy Spirit working through our Church, we can look the same!

 

An important aspect of this, is that it is the LORD who adds the numbers.  It is God’s Holy Spirit that does this.  God wants our church to grow.  But absolutely NOT so that we can justify our existence by having bottoms on seats.  On this ANZAC weekend it is pertinent that we see the Church as the Army of God.  The place of learning and training and most importantly, of being an active Army – here is where we mobilize the forces to be God’s body on earth.  It is God’s desire that the church should grow, and the reason is that God, in his love and mercy, wants people to be saved.  “Saved” is a word that we don’t use a lot.  The name “Jesus” means “God Saves”.  We are saved by Jesus.  We are saved from the consequence of our sin – which is death.  Not natural death – but spiritual death.  We need to know that this “being saved” is vital.  We also need to be clear that we are ONLY saved by Jesus.

 

We don’t like to talk in exclusive ways when it comes to our faith.  It doesn’t feel very politically correct or “NICE” and we know that God’s love is INCLUSIVE – God loves everyone and wants everyone to be saved.  But there is only one way to be saved – JESUS – who is God, is who saves us.  In our Gospel reading Jesus explains that he is the gate.  This is Jesus making a statement about how it is only through him that we can be saved.  He is the only legitimate way to God and eternal life.  Any other form of spiritual life is from a thief or liar. 

 

It sounds harsh and definite, and that is because it is! But I’m only saying what Jesus said, and Jesus said this because it is important.  Surely, we know that there are other ideas about connecting with God and the spiritual world.  It is all around us.  It is in the shows that we watch, and on the lips of people talking about life.  We need to know that there are spiritual thieves and liars.   I don’t say this to put anyone down, but I say this because it comes from Jesus – who, surely has proved, is the authority.  These “other ways” to god and spirituality, will offer a form of spirituality which seems true and legitimate, but it is a deceptive lie that leads to death.   God loves everyone and wants all to be saved, but we can only, according to Jesus, come in through him.  Do we trust Jesus or not.  Do we agree with Jesus or not.  Jesus who died to bring us life says that he is the gate – All others are thieves and liars.  It is important that we know this.

 

In the time leading up to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit celebration of Pentecost we are reminded of these important facts because those miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit can lead people to think that anything supernatural is from God.  We need to know that Jesus is the gate we only receive our spiritual life through him.  All spiritual truth is found in him alone.

 

Recently I saw a post on facebook.  It was someone who wanted to see a psychic because her Aunt had died and she desperately wanted to know where her Aunt was now.   It frustrated me, because I know that this lady was someone who went through the Catholic school system and should know better… but do we?  The “better” that we should know is two things; One is that it is forbidden by God to seek answers through “Mediums” or psychics.  The reason being is that these are not of God and, often, are doing what they do through demons and lying spirits –in other words; they are thieves and liars!.  If we have been involved in these things we need to renounce them in Jesus’ name and repent.   Two, is that scripture gives us the answer.  It says that we are not to say who will ascend and who will go down.  These things are between the person and God. BUT we must understand that God does desperately love everyone and desires all to be saved.  God always respects our free will.  The choice is ours.  I can’t make that decision for you and you can’t make that decision for me – but what we can do is make it clear for each other, what IS the way to life.

 

Our Psalm today is the famous Psalm 23.  The Lord is my Shepherd.  There is a line at the end that reads; “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life…”  This, in the original language implies that God actively and persistently follows us – kind of like a blood hound – God relentlessly and persistently pursues each of us, to bestow on us His goodness and mercy.  God does all He can to bring us to salvation.  We still have free will to say yes or no.  The job of the church, therefore, is to be God’s body on earth and also actively and persistently reach out to those around us with the message of God’s goodness and mercy.

 

It was always God’s plan to bring us life.  In our Gospel reading we note that Jesus said he came that we might have life and have it abundantly – to the full – overflowing….  When Jesus suffered and died on the cross, he took the sins of the world.  He was the lamb of God to which our sins were transferred, and we are redeemed because the debt for sin was paid through his sacrifice.  Jesus rose from the dead, proving that he is God and he has power over the grave, and we identify with him through our baptism.  We accept his death for our own spiritual debt and through baptism, we are told we rise with him.  Jesus came to bring us life.  – abundant life.  And that abundant life comes to us through the Holy Spirit which was poured out on the day of Pentecost.

 

It had been prophesied, hundreds of years before Jesus was born, that God would send his Holy Spirit, and we are told that through the Holy Spirit we are born anew of a seed that is eternal.   We read about this last week.  We know that the followers of Jesus were overjoyed at discovering that Jesus was risen from the dead.  But it is significant that they remained a small, frightened group until the day of Pentecost. 

 

None of us, in our own strength, has the power to live the Christian life and effect any change in the world.  But what we can achieve if we invite the Holy Spirit to live through us is ….????  It is the power of God working through us.  How much are we willing to allow him to live through us?  We saw what impact it had on the early church when the followers allowed the Holy Spirit to live through them…. And eventually the whole world was changed.  Today, pretty much, the whole world needs changing.  Our world needs the LIFE that Jesus offers.  But we need to be happy to be sheep.  Sheep who trust the shepherd completely and only follow his voice.  We trust this shepherd because he doesn’t leave us when we go astray, but he pursues us to bring us back to his goodness and mercy.  He has proven himself, as he laid down his life for us.

 

The Israelite shepherds differ from Australian shepherds.  Where we herd from behind, urging the sheep on with threats of pain for going astray, the Israelite shepherd led from the front.  The relationship with the shepherd is the reason to move in his direction.  This tells us that in all our worries Jesus goes before us.  His ways are good and he makes us rest in green pastures where there are waters of refreshment.  How good is that!!  He leads us in paths that are right, and cares for our every need.  Even his rod and staff are a comfort because though it may seem harsh, they keep us safe. But to follow him we must listen to His voice only.