Book: Luke

A sermon on Luke 11:1-13 by the Revd Geoff Leslie… read more

In difficult times, the simple virtues of love, humility, and non-judgement are the starting point of faithful living.

We all get trapped in demonic and dehumanising social structures, but Jesus unmasks the truth so that we can be set free.

When we fear for our own safety, we condone the violence that promises to protect us, and we use religion to justify it, but Jesus wants to free us to rise above the fear without resorting to hatred and violence.

The ascension is the completion of the cosmic liturgy that frees us from our entanglement in sin, lifts us into the holy of holies, and sends us forth as the body of Christ for the world.

The life-changing implications of the resurrection can be just as bewildering and impossible to get our heads around as the resurrection itself.

If you set yourself against the other, you also cut yourself off from the Father who loves you both. You diminish yourself, cut off the other, and break the Father’s heart.

We wait for a Saviour who will bring the Kingdom of God – a kingdom of which we see many foretastes and which we strive to live for in the here and now.

Temptation is something we all have to deal with, and Jesus shows the way in dealing with it.

The glory that has been seen in Jesus can shine forth in us, but there will be obstructions to be purged and commitments to be made first.

The call to love our enemies is not a new law to slave at, but a call into a culture of love so wild and free and strong that no one can hate it out of us.

There is a fundamental culture clash between those who put their trust in God and those who pursue wealth, comfort and celebrity.