Texts:
Revelation 1: 4-8
John 18:33-37
 
Like leaves skipping over the carpet of grass,
God comes to us, the One who was and is and is to come.
Like the first glimpses of the sun peeking over the hori­zon:
God comes to us, the One who was and is and is to come.
Like the moon lighting our way on a cloudless, autumn night:
God comes to us, the One who was and is and is to come.
We have chosen to be here, where God remembers us.
God comes to us, the One who was and is and is to come.
 
Who rules and how do they rule? That question lies behind our reading for today. The question of who holds political power is not modern.
The reading seems a bit out of context as we approach Christmas. We would normally associate this reading with Easter. But as today is Christ the King Sunday, this is the reading where Pontius Pilate and Jesus, in an extended discourse, discuss the issue of political power and what this entails.
Over the centuries, because of this encounter with Jesus, Pilate has tended to be viewed as a villain with Jesus being an innocent victim of a political conspiracy. But the truth be told, Pontius Pilate is actually following the best of Roman rule and jurisprudence, which was a kind of triumph for its day because it was just and fair to all.
 
Watch the recorded sermon here: https://youtu.be/4a7UegTNZIc

Readings:
1 Samuel 1: 4-20
1 Samuel 2: 1-10

We are the body of Christ
The Spirit of the Lord is upon us
Anointing us to proclaim good news to the poor
Sending us to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
And recovery of sight for the blind
Calling us to set the oppressed free
 
Today, we are focusing on the PCANZ’s outreach in and to Myanmar. Hamish has recorded a short reflection, which can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/GHjOJJp4mz4

Text: Mark 12: 38-44
 
Jesus sat down at the place where offerings were made and watched…

​He watched the rich men making their offerings. He watched the poor widow making hers.

But he not only saw the external actions - his gaze penetrated into the heart, the motives, the intentions, the driving desires.

Jesus embarks on journey to expose the religious scammers of his day.

The sermon has been recorded, and can be watched here: https://youtu.be/3poKOEyYLLQ

Text: 1 Corinthians 1:2
 
Friday was All Saints Day, or All Hallows Day. It is a Christian festival dating back to around 800AD, as a time to honour those who have died, especially the recently departed. The night before, All Hallows Eve, was a vigil in preparation for the feast of All Saints. But we all know the way popular culture has now overtaken this ancient Christian feast and turned it into a commercial operation with extravagant costumes, house decorations and trick or treating!

The question we ask today is, how do we untangle ourselves from this crass commercialisation of a Christian tradition and get to the biblical essence of All Saints Day?

You can watch the recorded Sermon here: https://youtu.be/6Ulsbf0S7XA