Colourful Dreamer

This sermon can be heard here: Gate Pa – Advent 4 2014 Readings: First Reading:             2 Sam 7:1-11, 16         Second Reading:        Rom 16:25-27              Gospel:                        Luke 1:26-38                What I want to say: I want to explore the role Mary plays helping us enter into the mystery of Christmas, and living out God’s faith, hope, peace and hope for all people the rest of the year. What I want to happen: Who is Mary for me? How does she help or hinder my life in Christ? The Sermon      1.        Introduction: Focus of 4 th Sunday is traditionally Mary Nice I wonder – who is this Mary? -           how we understand her? -           what way  does she help or hinder our life in Christ?      2.        Mary the enigma Mary has been an enigma, even a problem since very beginning see it in way NT treats her                 Mark – most memorable appearance –with Jesus’ brothers and sisters and try take him

We enter the fourth week of Advent, this time with the theme of love. This Sunday traditionally focusses on Mary. To hear some of the back story to Mary and her son we take a break from Isaiah this week and instead hear David’s request of Nathan that he, David, build a permanent home for God in his, David’s, city. It was an astute political and religious move on David’s behalf – Jerusalem was his and his families, and it would tie God’s presence and action for ever with them. But God says taihoa, and instead offers to build David’s house and establish his family on the throne. To move our attention to Mary, the gospel reading shifts again from Mark – our gospel of the year – this time to Luke. Luke is the one gospel to exalt Mary. The others are much more low key in their presentation. So on the day we traditionally focus our attention on Mary it is right to hear from Luke. Mary has been presented in a number of ways or is downplayed and ignored. Luke exalts Mary not as a moth

The final version on this sermon can be heard here. Gate Pa – Advent 3, 2014 Readings: Psalm                         Psalm 126                                                                             First Reading:                         Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11                     Second Reading:        1 Thess 5:16-24                                  Gospel:                          John 1:6-8, 19-28                                   What I want to say: Explore what gives us joy as we approach Christmas, and then use our reading from Isaiah and St. Francis to talk about what gives God joy What I want to happen: What will give us joy this Christmas? How might we bring God’s joy to others?             The Sermon      1.      Introduction: The theme for this week is “Joy” so I wonder what gives us joy             talk to neighbour or ponder that for your selves             responses      2.      Isaiah Isaiah – 2 weeks ago he