Readings:
Romans 6:1-14
John 19: 16 – 20: 9
 
He is Lord, He is Lord
He has risen from the dead
And He is Lord
Every knee shall bow
Every tongue confess
That Jesus Christ is Lord
 
In today’s sermon we consider the positive impacts on wellbeing that come from experiencing forgiveness. Over this sermon series we have been looking at the factors that contribute to well-being and long life and it is my strong belief that forgiving and being forgiven is a big contributing factor in this.

Watch the full sermon here: https://youtu.be/yNDCWuvqZ44

Reading: Mark 11:1-11

Psalm 118:1-4, 24-29
Give thanks to the LORD, because he is good,
and his love is eternal.
      Let the people of Israel say,
      “His love is eternal.”
Let the priests of God say,
“His love is eternal.”
         Let all who worship him say,
         “His love is eternal.”
This is the day of the LORD's victory;
let us be happy, let us celebrate!
         Save us, LORD, save us!
         Give us success, O LORD!
May God bless the one who comes in the name of the LORD!
         From the Temple of the LORD we bless you.
         The LORD is God; he has been good to us.
With branches in your hands, start the festival
and march round the altar.
         You are my God, and I give you thanks;
         I will proclaim your greatness.
Give thanks to the LORD, because he is good,
and his love is eternal.
 
The reading from Mark’s Gospel tells of the Triumphant Entry into Jerusalem. The accounts in the other 3 Gospels are not quite the same. What is the difference in the 4 Gospels? What is unique to Mark’s? And how do we respond to these accounts?
 
The recording of the sermon can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/v7AWe4QCh-I

Readings:
Philippians 2:1-11
John 12: 20-33

​In our John text today Jesus says ‘unless a kernel of wheat falls in the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies it produces many seeds.’ Service is a clear and repeating biblical theme - what does it mean to die to personal ambition and live for the needs of others? And what determines whether that service will be life-giving?
​
Watch the sermon here: https://youtu.be/yVw8cnYnD4A

Texts:
Ephesians 2: 1-10
Luke 12: 16-30

(rom Psalm 65.8,10,11,13; 67.
The earth has yielded its harvest;
God, our God, has blessed us.
You visit the earth and water it;
you make it very plenteous.
You soften the ground with showers;
and bless the increase of it.
You crown the year with your goodness;
and your paths overflow with plenty.
The meadows are clothed with sheep;
the valleys stand so thick with corn,
they shout for joy and sing.
The earth has yielded its harvest;
God, our God, has blessed us.
 
Generosity is a gift! Not only is it a gift to the recipient, it is possibly even more so to the giver! The New Zealand Health Foundation has identified giving as one of the ‘Five Ways to Wellbeing’ and they have a chart up in doctors’ surgeries everywhere saying this.
The Christian festival of Harvest Thanksgiving beautifully captures this idea of generosity, so let’s explore the gift of generosity through this ancient practice of Harvest Thanksgiving.
 
Watch the recorded sermon here: https://youtu.be/Z82TU7oq72w

A Foodie Prayer of Praise:
For food, glorious food and those who provide it
Let us praise God for potatoes and pasta, crumbly cheese and juicy tomatoes
Let us praise God for the smell of freshly baked bread, for butter and honey, jam and cream
Let us praise God for colourful carrots and bendy bananas, peppers and peanuts and pears
Let us praise God for sizzling sausages and bacon butties, for crunchy apples and seedless grapes
Let us praise God for milk and for juice, for fish and for chips
Let us praise God for chocolate and for biscuits, for cornflakes and toast
Let us praise God for food, glorious food and those who provide it
Let us praise God
Amen

Readings:
Ephesians 1: 3-10
Matthew 16: 21-23

Jesus was a man with a mission, resolute and purpose filled! We know just how resolute he was because, when Peter got in his way with protestations and opposition to the plan he was told, in effect
‘Get on board with God’s plan, Peter.’
Christians generally have a heightened sense of purpose. We believe that this is a planned and purposeful universe, planned from before the beginning of time and moving toward a time when all things are reconciled.
 
Watch the recorded sermon here: https://youtu.be/DeUvTzIbvQc