St Barnabas Swanland, Sunday Sermon Summaries

 Matthew 28   The lectionary for Trinity Sunday usually picks out a short passage that just contains the words “Father, Son and Holy Spirit” – and suggests, “There you go – there are the three words, preach on the doctrine of the Trinity!” The verses, or usually very short passages, don’t give us much to unpack the mystery of the Trinity itself; it just picks out where someone says or writes…Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Actually, the bible doesn’t explicitly say anything about the doctrine of the Trinity. What we call the Trinity is just a theological construct that helps us make sense of how God has revealed himself to us….and in truth, I’m sure our attempts are woefully inadequate. How can we fully explain and contain the nature of God? There has to be room for mystery! So, I’m sorry to disappoint you if you thought you’d get a nice neat theological message tying up all those uncertainties and controversies over what we actually mean by Trinity! There is peril if ...

  Acts 2: 1-21 John 20: 19-23   Surprisingly, Pentecost can bring mixed emotions: ·         Some love it – it’s exciting… supernatural gifts of the Spirit are given to the church.    There is life.    There is power.    The church is not some dusty institution confined to history, carrying out meaningless rituals.    God is real.    God is here. ·         Some hate it – it can be divisive, with some Christians feeling “second-class” to the ones who show the charismatic gifts… o    Especially if these gifts are seen as building up individuals rather than building up the church. o    Especially if they are not exercised with love.   ·           Maybe some feel guilty that they have not had this experience, or jealous of those who have.    But if it becomes all about “ch...