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2012: January, February, March, April, May
May 6, Easter 5 - I am the True Vine
April 29, Easter 4 - I am the Good Shepherd
April 22, Easter 3 - Who Gets the Credit
April 8, Easter Sunday - Christ`s Resurrection - A New Identity for You
April 1, Palm Sunday - Jesus Crucified King
March 25, Fifth Sunday of Lent - Great High Priest
March 18, Fourth Sunday of Lent - What Shall I Leave Behind
March 11, Third Sunday of Lent - Cleansing the Temple
February 26, First Sunday of Lent - Covenant or Contract?
February 19, Last Sunday after Epiphany - Putting Yourself in God’s Hands
February 5, Fifth Sunday after Epiphany - From Dark Matter to the Service of Christ
January 29, The Presentation of Christ in the Temple - Building on the Pattern
January 15, Second Sunday after Epiphany - When God Calls
January 8, The Baptism of the Lord - Is a Perfect Record Enough?
January 1, Epiphany Sunday 2012 - Changing How We See God
December 25, Christmas Day - Joy in Hardship
December 24, Christmas Eve - The Word Entrusted to Us
December 11, Third Sunday of Advent - What is the Good News We Share?
December 4, Second Sunday of Advent - How Can We Bring the Kingdom of God?
November 27, First Sunday of Advent - Longing and Waiting
Jesus said, “I am the true Vine, you are the branches.” “You must remain in me.” All the best producing fruits do not use their own root system, but are grafted into another vine, or tree. God values the gifts and abilities of each of us. When grafted into Jesus, he invigorates our own gifts and abilities that we might produce much fruit for God’s kingdom. Hardships in life, like pruning, enable us to see what is really important in life. Based on John 15.1-8, 1 John 4.7-21 and Acts 8.26-40
I Am the Good Shepherd Easter 4 Apr 29 2012 by FrDavidBarker.mov
Jesus said, "I am the Good Shepherd." This is one of many of Jesus' declarations in the Gospel of John that begin with "I am". From Exodus 3 where God says to Moses, "I am that I am" to Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane saying "It is I" (better translated) "I am I", we see Jesus fulfilling all the images of salvation from all the ages. Based on John 10.
Who Gets the Credit? Easter 3 Apr 22 2012 by FrDavidBarker
From Adam and Eve until today the question of who gets the credit often motivates us for both good and ill. Knowing where our strength and power comes from helps us to know where to give the credit. Based on Acts 3.12-19; 1 John 3.1-7; Luke 24.36-48.
Christ's Resurrection- A New Identity for You.
Easter Day 2012 by FrDavidBarker
Jesus called Mary by name at the Resurrection. When God calls us by name, God gives us new life. What do we look for at the empty tomb? Are we expecting a new name? New life, and a new identity, for each of us is the promise of the resurrection.
Jesus, Crucified King. Palm Sunday 2012 by FrDavidBarker
From the triumphant entry to Jerusalem to the passion of the cross, Jesus was steadfast in his purpose, to bring salvation and joy to the whole world. Listen to this sermon about those momentous events.
Great High Priest. Lent 5 Mar 25 2012 by FrDavidBarker
Jesus, the Great High Priest after the order of Melchizedek, was perfect in every way except that he did not sin. This made him the only one able to both offer the sacrifice for the sins of all, as well as be that sacrifice. This sermon sets the historical context for Melchizedek, and shows how Jesus is the inheritor of that role.
What Shall I Leave Behind? Lent 4 Mar 18 2012 FrDavidBarker
Snakes on a Pole! For this passage in Numbers 21 it is better to apply the scripture than to interpret it! In this sermon I look at how important it is for us to leave things behind us in this season of Lent, as the Israelites left behind their doubters over 40 years in the desert. In the part of the sermon about light in the darkness there is even a product placement for phone! I hope you find this sermon helpful!
Cleansing the Temple Lent 3 2012 by FrDavidBarker
All the artwork of Jesus' cleansing the temple shows him with a whip chasing people. But the Gospel of John clearly tells of Jesus herding the animals out. The other Gospels tell of Jesus herding out the people, but do not mention whips. In this sermon we look at the implications for us in our Christian lives of how we interpret this passage.
The agreements that God makes with us give us inspiration and direction about covenants that we may make with one another and with God. This sermon talks about a good Lenten practice to draw us closer to God. Preached at St Simon-the-Apostle Toronto Canada on the first Sunday of Lent, February 26 2012.
Elijah is taken up to heaven in a whirlwind. Elisha, faithful to the end, inherited the mantle of Elijah, and courageously placed himself in the hand of God, and found God there to support and bless him. We, too, stand at the edge and wait.
Times change. We started with stick pens; our grandchildren can use computers. Richard Panek and the search for Dark Matter in the universe tells us that 96% of the universe is totally unknown to us. Isaiah tells us to look to the heavens and wonder and be amazed. How far have we come in those 2500 years! What does this sense of wonder do for us? Consider the practice of becoming a willing slave in the culture of the ancient Israelites and consider Christ's call to follow him. Our wonder at the magnitude of creation brings us to that point of willing service.
Einstein discovered e=mc2, but 2+2 still equals 4. In the same way, Jesus came in the established pattern, and built something new. Because Jesus came according to the law and the prophets, Anna and Simeon were able to recognize him as the Messiah. We can bridge perceived differences in the world when we with an act of kindness meet people where they are, rather than expecting them to become like us.
God called Nathanael from under the fig tree (a place of waiting for the Messiah). God called Samuel within the temple. God calls each of us. For what does God call us?
by FrDavidBarker Jan 8 2012 The Baptism of the Lord
Looking at the change from the 10 commandments to the summary of the law that Jesus gave. Is it enough just to be without blame, or is there more that we can do. The Baptism that John promises Jesus will do gives us insight into what we can do.
In the early days of humanity people believed that a god cared only for their own small group of people. By the Epiphany we see that God is to be seen as God for all the world, and that the grace that comes through Jesus spreads to everyone. It changes the way we look at other people. We are all one together.
In the midst of that scene at the stable, all those that gathered knew that this was the pivotal moment in history. There was hardship and difficulty in that stable. There was hardship in the flight to Egypt. Yet, even in those difficult circumstances, there was the presence of joy. We, too, can embrace that joy in our hardships.
In the beginning was the Word. Logos. Not just a word, not just a name Jesus. Like the modern logo which conveys more than just a picture or a word, The Word Jesus brings us much more than a simple word. The angels were conveyors of the message about Jesus, but Jesus was the main message from God. And today, we, as God’s people are entrusted to convey that message.
The Apostle Paul took a life-threatening occasion and used it to do some good. As did Joseph in Egypt. Isaiah 61: preach good news. That is our challenge. What is the Good News that we can share? That we are free, no matter what are the difficulties of our situation. That is a message worth sharing.
Some of our biblical heroes were distracted from what they should be doing, and ended up in deep trouble. In contrast, John the Baptist was entirely focussed on one task only. He was a single minded person. If we focus just on our own righteousness and spiritual worth we might lose track of what is really important: caring for others. So, what does encumber us? What stops us from finding the kingdom of heaven?
When young we wait excitedly for the birth of a child. We look forward to all the wonderful things that are coming. When we are older our hope is centred on our desire to live long enough to see the things we want to. Sometimes what is coming is also to be feared. We read Isaiah 64 which is filled with longing. Coming of the Lord is also about when we leave this life. What is it that we really long for? Are we crying out for redemption?