St Michael's talks & sermons

Traveling through this week's key texts, Tim reflects on the critique of modern life as producing many who feel entitled, lonely and fearful. Baptism itself has something to tell us, about our antidote, which is to live in loving community, and trust in God's love - where we can find freedom from entitlement, loneliness and fear.

(Earlier in our service we celebrated an infant baptism, you may here some references to this in the sermon. )

Gospel reading and key texts:

John 14.15-21

Acts 17:22-33

1Peter 3:13-22

This sermon looks at scriptures which describe leadership responsibilities in terms of shepherding. God calls all leaders to care for the whole, whether they are in the church, politics, the family or wherever.

John 10.1-11

Ezekiel 34.1-12

1 Peter 2.19-25

Competing with the sound of the rain, Vicar Tim has as rethinking the Emmaus story. As Jesus show ups incognito, interrupting ordinary lives rather than arriving in a blaze of glory - there's a lesson. God's grace often comes by way of interruption but are we too wedded to our own agenda? And we do notice, how do we respond?

Gospel reading and key texts:

Luke 24:13-35

1 Peter 1:17-23

Acts 2:14a, 36-41

Is 'Doubting Thomas' the right label for a man who volunteered to die with Jesus and was the first person in scripture to call Jesus 'my Lord and my God'?

Guest preacher Lawrence challenges us that perhaps doubt isn't the enemy of faith - it's often the pathway to something much deeper.

Gospel reading and key texts:

John 20:19-31

Colossians 1:15-20

Psalm 16

In this discussion, Professor Dr. Cyril Hovorun analyses the religious dimensions of both Trump and Putin's self-projected mythologies.

What do they have in common? And how do they differ? And how does religious myth making help us understand present global affairs?

The book referenced is Political Orthodoxies: The Unorthodoxies of the Church Coerced by Cyril Hovorun.

The Front Porch is a series of community-facing lectures hosted by St Michael's Kelburn that sits at the intersection of Christian faith and public life, with topics like (but not limited to) Aotearoa's bicultural identity, democracy and the pressing social questions of today.

Getting closer to Lent, the Gospel episodes from the lectionary sequence show opposition to Jesus growing on the way to Easter.

As a blind man is healed by Jesus, rather than compelling belief, an undeniable miracle seems to lead to dispute and reinterpretation.

In this sermon, Tim argues that faith is not an intellectual conclusion you can reason from a safe distance, but it's a trust you act on step by step. Hear how each one of us is invited to believe in the Son of Man, not to claim we can 'see' better than others but to offer our lives to Him.

Gospel reading:

John 9:1-41

Matthew reflects on Jesus' encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well - taking us through the historical and cultural context.

As this marginalised woman became a witness to many, Matthew also challenged us to consider the difference between 'attractional ministry' and Jesus' model of going out and sharing faith. Who might we consider Samaritans in our own lives and how can we cross those boundaries with humility, truth and compassion?

Gospel reading:

John 4:5-26, 27-42

Tim explores the Transfiguration in this sermon, considering that strange moment when Jesus is revealed in full glory before three bewildered disciples and why it might exactly the vision we need in the sombre season of Lent.

As Lenten practices clear the way to hear Jesus' voice and find courage to shine his light - we're invited to ask ourselves, 'what would it look like to go up the mountain and then have courage to go back down?'

Gospel reading and key texts

Matt 17:1-9

Romans 4:1-5, 13-17

The forty days of Lent in the church calendar echo Jesus' temptations in the wilderness as described in Matthew 4.

In this sermon Rebecca investigates the meaning of Lent and why it matters. As temptation distorts good things sought apart from trust in the Father, we are encouraged into, "..allowing our habits and routines to be disrupted and reshaped, so that we are formed as disciples, rather than units of production or consumption."

Consider:

What ministry could God be preparing you for?

What spiritual muscle could you start exercising?

What Lenten practices might support your preparation?

Gospel reading and key texts

Mat 4:1-11

Romans 5:12-19

Tim takes on the next part of the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus takes God's law deeper from external rule keeping to an inner heart-level righteousness that reflects the character of the Father.

As we move into the season of Lent the invitation to practical response is clear, and we know the goodness of the Jesus way, where our part starts with the heart.

Gospel reading and key text

Mat 5:21-48

Starting with Jesus' call to his followers to be salt and light in the Gospel of Matthew - in this sermon Tim contrasts an oftentimes bleak, cynical view of humanity with this charge to live visibly different lives shaped by the Spirit and his purposes.

Listen for Bugonia spoilers, four practical cautions about living the Jesus way, and to be reminded of our lives as a chance to re-humanise others and draw them towards God's love.

Gospel reading and key texts

Mat 5:13-20

1 Cor 2:1-12

Isa 58:1-9

The Beatitudes from Sermon on the Mount contain both blessings and promises as Jesus establishes what the kingdom of God looks like and who is at its heart.

Jachin explores and encourages our understanding with these three key questions:

What does blessed mean?

Who are the blessed?

Why are these blessed?

Gospel reading and key text:

Mat 4:23-5:16

In the first week of Advent Tim takes us on the journey of Gus' (Saint Augustine) conversion and how intellectual understanding gave way to humility before Christ.

Instead of rapture timelines and attempts to control the future, we are reminded that Advent's invitation is to a season of humility, as we orient our lives towards Christ's return with hope, active faith and a longing prayer, "Come, Lord Jesus."

References:

The meaning is in the waiting: The spirit of Advent by Paula Gooder

Gospel reading:

Matt 24:36-44

Key texts:

Isaiah 2:1-5

Romans 13:11-14

Using the lens of St. Francis' life, Steve invites us to reexamine our relationship to power, money and sex, to hold them loosely, rather than central to our identity.

As we reflect on the call to obedience and the example of Jesus' temptation in the wilderness (from the Matthew reading), we're prompted to trust that letting go of power and controls leads to spiritual armour and divine care.

Gospel reading:

Mat 4:1-11

Key texts:

1 Samuel 15:22-24, Ephesians 6:5-12

In this message Tim recounts St Francis’ a.k.a Frank’s conversion from wealthy youth to a life of simplicity, service, and devotion to Christ, highlighting that his call to ‘rebuild the church’ meant renewing people’s faith through action and love.

We are encouraged as listeners—married or single—to let our whole lives serve God’s kingdom. True freedom comes not from wealth or self‑gratification, but from wholehearted commitment to God’s purpose.

Gospel reading:

Mat 9:10-12

Key texts:

2 Timothy 2:8-15, 22-26

We welcomed Reverend Keri-Ann Hokianga, a Māori evangelist within NZCMS.

In this sermon Keri-Ann touches on the history of the gospel's arrival in Aotearoa and the ongoing journey of Māori Christian community and identity.

Gospel reading and key text:

Luke 2:8-14, 17:5-10

A week out from St Michael's Day and contemplating the example of our patron saint, Tim encourages us towards deeper engagement with both material and spiritual realities.

Gospel reading:

Matthew 12:43-45

Key text:

Daniel 10:4-6, 10-15

September has been declared St Michael's month! As Kate reminds us in this sermon, remaining faithful often means resisting cultural norms and enduring challenges. Drawing on inspiring examples both biblical (Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego) and local (Kate Sheppard and Michael Jones), we are assured that discernment in community and trust in God's presence is the equipping we need.

Gospel reading:

Matthew 5:13-16

Key text:

Daniel 3

Part seven of our sermon series on Philippians. With a little inspiration from Wendell Berry but mostly drawing on Paul's letter to the Philippians, Anya shares three keys for living out joy as Christians: prayer, thought and embodiment.

Gospel reading:

John 16:16-24

Key text:

Philippians 4:1-9

Rev. Dr Sam Wells visiting us from St Martins-in-the-Fields, London, explores six moments of inspiration and what they tell us about the theology of the Holy Spirit.

Part six of our sermon series on Philippians. On a rainy day in Wellington, Tim challenged us to live as citizens of heaven right where we are, in work, at home and in community.

Book mentions:

Practising the way by John Mark Comer

The Other Half of Church by Jim Wilder and Michel Hendricks

Gospel reading:

Luke 12:32-40

Key text:

Philippians 3:12-21

Tragically, part 4 of this series failed to record, sorry people.

However, here in Part V, Sam Jackson compares the life of Paul with the life of King Saul. Paul, we learn, is compelled to give up his status as one of the religious elite, to serve a crucified master.

Readings:

1 Samuel 9.1-2

Philippians 3.1-11

Matthew 11.25-30

Philippians 2.1-11 are among the most discussed verses in the New Testament. They include the stunning poem in verses 6-11, which celebrate Jesus' journey from glory to a cradle in the dirt, and then a cross beside criminals. In this sermon, Chris Marshall walks us through the beauty of this poem, and its extraordinary portrait not just of Jesus, but therefore of God.

In Part 2* of our series on Philippians, Kate Sampson explores Chapter 1, verses 12 to 30. Given that suffering seems to be an inevitable part of the Christian life, how are we to face it? Paul's example can give us hope and confidence to undergo the suffering that is an inevitable part of following in Christ's steps.

* Part 1, on verses 1 to 11, was lost to the mists of time.

Death is all around us. We often pretend otherwise, but the fact is, it's coming to us all. Since the dawn of time, people have tried to cheat death, whether through magic, diet, or (increasingly) technology. Would the life gained through these means be eternal life? Or is Jesus promising something different? Not surprisingly, Matthew here outlines that life with Jesus, eternal life, is not the same as life uploaded to the cloud...

Texts:

Ezekiel 47.1-12

John 4.1-15

John 3.16

At the business end of John 3.16, John tells us that those who put their trust in Jesus will "not perish". What, then, will happen to them? That's what soteriology, the doctrine of salvation, is all about. Looking at Ephesians 1, Tim outlines some of the benefits of salvation as Paul describes them for the Corinthians. But what of those who don't put their trust in Jesus? Tim finishes with some brief reflections on what kinds of creatures humans are, drawn from Psalm 49, and concluding with the hope of resurrection.

Texts:

Psalm 49

Ephesians 1.3-14

John 3.16-21

In this sermon, Ginni Shaw continues our series on John 3.16, exploring what it means to "believe in Jesus", by means of 3 vignettes in Acts 16, where three very different people come to live by means of their trust in him.

Key reading

Acts 16.11-34

Steve Shaw continues our series on John 3.16. What is this world that God loves? How does it sit in relation to God's providence, love and care?

Readings:Proverbs 8.22-31

Romans 8.18-28

John 1.1-14

Continuing our series on John 3.16, Tim unpacks how it is possible for God to love, and how the doctrine of the Trinity seems to be a necessary basis for a loving God.

Key texts:

1 John 4.7-16

Exodus 34.4-7

This sermon is the first full sermon in a series on John 3.16. It's one of the most famous verses in the bible, but worth unpacking slowly. This week, Tim asks, who is the God who so loved the world?

The key text here is Exodus 3.1-15

Tim begins by reading an extract from what's called 'The Memorial' of Blaise Pascal.

The disciples who gather behind locked doors in John 20 are afraid of the authorities; afraid because of their loyalty to Jesus. Are there parallels with us? Are we loyal to Jesus, but afraid because of Christianity's cultured despisers? If so, how might we let Jesus breathe his Holy Spirit on us this Easter.

Texts:

John 20.19-23

Acts 5.27-32

In this sermon, Rebecca Packer breaks down the story in John 12.1-9, where Mary anoints Jesus' feet. What becomes possible when we sit at Jesus' feet?

Reading:

John 12.1-11

Reconciliation is a major theme in the New Testament. What does it look like in practice? Jesus' parable of the "prodigal son" helps us work out what we need to do to become reconcilers, rather than clinging to entitlement or resentment. In this sermon, Tim borrows heavily from Henri Nouwen to explore how to live in Gods' love, and how to rejoice when your children beat you at chess.

Readings:

Luke 15.1-3, 11-32

2 Corinthians 5.16-23

Lent is hard work, because it asks us to stop distracting ourselves from letting God examine us, inside and out. In this sermon, Matthew explores the idea of God's judgement; why we find it so difficult, and why we need to listen to Jesus' call to repentance.

Reading: Luke 13.1-8

In Luke 13.31-35, Jesus gets a tip-off that Herod wants to kill him. This triggers his famous lament over Jerusalem.

In this sermon, visiting preacher, Alison Swinfen, walks through that gospel passage, drawing clear parallels between the tyranny of Herod, and the tyranny of those rulers today who want to kill innocent citizens. How does Jesus' response to Herod guide our response to the political violence of our day?

A great drive of contemporary Western culture encourages us to be our "authentic", "our true selves". But is that a desirable goal, for Christians or anyone? On the second Sunday of Advent, when John the Baptist excoriates his audience for their hypocrisy, Matt Packer guides us to ponder what true authenticity looks like...

At our parish camp earlier in the year, our speaker suggested that the tyranny of overwork is the biggest barrier to Kingdom growth in our parish. Rebecca takes up the challenge by taking us through the challenging territory of resisting the pressure to let work define our lives. On the first Sunday of Advent, she calls us to make commitment to Jesus the very centre of our lives, not a side-hobby

Useful scriptures

Exodus 5

Ephesians 6

On the Feast of Christ the King, Ginni unpacks the good news from Isaiah 40, bringing us the affirmation that our hope is in what God has done and will do, so that we need not give in to the power of despair.

Key Readings

Isaiah 40

One of the biggest powers that holds Western people captive is intellectualism. The intellect is obviously a great gift from God. But what about when it goes wrong? Jessie declares what's important in this sermon in our series on the Powers .

Readings:

Jeremiah 9.23-26

1 Corinthians 1.18-31

Mark 13.1-8

Westerners live in an epoch and a culture that celebrates powerful personalities and encourages self-assertion. How does this square with a biblical understanding of humans, made in the image of God, and yet called to community?

Readings:

Psalm 139.1-18

Romans 12.3-8

Matthew 12.46-50

Continuing the series on the Powers, Tim picks up the suggestion from parish camp that "superficiality" is one of the key powers of our age, distracting us from deep life in Christ. While pleasure is clearly a God-given gift (after all, "the Son of Man came eating and drinking..."), what goes wrong when it becomes all we live for? And then what happens when unchecked pleasure allies with some of the other powers, like Money and Sex? With some trepidation, Tim closes by offering a defence of the traditional Christian understanding of marriage, recognising that our ideals don't always match reality...

Readings:

from Job 28.12-15, 20-28

James 3.13-18

Luke 7.31-35