Chosen people, promised land
1st in Lent February 18 2018 Genesis 15.1-6, 18-19; Psalm 25.1-10; 1 Peter 2.4-10; Mark 1.9-15 Rev Páraic Réamonn, Church of Scotland: St Andrew’s Galilee “The God of Abraham praise.”[1] But how, exactly, are we to do that? * It was probably in 1770 that Thomas Olivers wrote The God of Abraham Praise, immediately after he heard …
It’s uncanny. It’s meant to be
The Transfiguration of our Lord February 11 2018 2 Kings 2.1-12; Psalm 50.1-6; 2 Corinthians 4.3-6; Mark 9.2-10 St Andrew’s Scots Memorial Church, Jerusalem We’re in California. Bill S Preston, Esquire and Ted “Theodore” Logan are outside a store in downtown San Dimas, looking desperately for help. Ted asks a woman going into the store, …
What on earth possesses us?
Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany January 28 2018 Deuteronomy 18.15-22; Psalm 111.1-10; 1 Corinthians 8.1-6; Mark 1.21-28 St Andrew’s Scots Memorial Church, Jerusalem Those of us who have come to Jerusalem from elsewhere, and even those who were born here, may find food for thought in this exchange between Alice and the Cheshire Cat, taken …
God with us. And we with God?
Christmas Day December 25 2017 Isaiah 52.7-10; Hebrews 1.1-5; John 1.1-14 St Andrew’s Scots Memorial Church, Jerusalem The trouble with Christmas Day is it comes immediately after Christmas Eve. I said everything I had to say last night, and John even said some of it yesterday morning. So I propose to do today what preachers …
The hope of a gift
Christmas Eve December 24 2017 Genesis 18.1-21; Isaiah 9.2-7a;Luke 1.26-38; Luke 2.1-14; Matthew 2.1-12; John 1.1-14 St Andrew’s Scots Memorial Church, Jerusalem As they near the end of a long journey, the young man and young woman are invited by an aged shepherd abiding in the field to stop, just for a moment, and warm …
Come, Lord, and open in us the gates of your kingdom
December 15 2017 Last month saw the publication of Naim Ateek’s latest book, A Palestinian Theology of Liberation.[1] On November 3, I was at the Notre Dame Centre in Jerusalem to launch the book, along with Cedar Duaybis and Omar Haramy of Sabeel, Ann-Sofie Lasell of the Swedish Christian Study Centre, Russ McDougall of the …
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City of hope
Advent Sunday December 3 2017 Isaiah 64.1-9; Psalm 80.1-7, 17-19; Mark 13.24-37 St Andrew’s Scots Memorial Church, Jerusalem Today marks the beginning of Advent – Lent’s shabby second cousin. Like Lent, it is a time of preparation. Just as Lent prepares us to remember the death and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth, so Advent encourages …
Witness to the light
St Andrew’s Day November 30 2017 John 1.29-42 St Andrew’s Scots Memorial Church, Jerusalem “Barbara Trapido’s first novel, published in 1982, was called Brother of the More Famous Jack, a book that redefined the coming-of-age novel.” This is how I began my sermon for St Andrew’s Day two years ago. I promised you then a …
The hope to which we are called
Christ the King: Last after Pentecost November 26 2017 Ezekiel 34.11-12, 15-24; Psalm 100; Ephesians 1.15-23; Matthew 25.31-46 St Andrew’s Scots Memorial Church, Jerusalem When I was a teenager, Matthew’s parable of the sheep and the goats was one of my favourite texts. I read it as a job description of what it means to …
Courageous and tender, gentle and brave
21st Sunday after Pentecost October 29 2017 Deuteronomy 34.1-12; Psalm 90.1-6, 12-14; 1 Thessalonians 2.1-8; Matthew 22.34-46 St Andrew’s Scots Memorial Church, Jerusalem For the last nine Sundays, we have been wandering through the book of Exodus like the Israelites in the wilderness. Now suddenly our lectionary fast-forwards through the Torah, skipping past Leviticus and …