What do you want?

This sermon has not been preached.

Reading Isaiah 49:1-7; John 1:29-42

Prayer

Father God, open our hearts as we gather. Teach us to seek Christ with honesty and courage, and to follow where he leads, just as those first disciples did. Amen.

Prologue

Since Christmas, we have been looking in different ways at the start of Jesus’ ministry. John starts by telling his readers who Jesus is, then we watch as that becomes clear to the people around him, or they avoid the truth. The other gospels tell about Jesus’ beginnings as stories of his birth and childhood, and how he was recognised.

Introduction

All the Gospels mention John the Baptist to a greater or lesser extent. This morning we see John doing the job he was sent to do. That was to point out the Messiah to the people. John has disciples of his own, they have come to him to repent and be baptised. The act of baptising is what is going to reveal to him who the messiah is. He has seen the spirit of God come down and remain on Jesus, so now he knows. John’s job now is to send people to Jesus. He is not to hang on to his disciples, but to pass them on.

Calling Disciples

We are used to Jesus calling the disciples, perhaps by walking past them and saying ‘follow me’. That isn’t how it always happens. Here we see the new disciples being told to follow Jesus.

Lamb of God / light for the Gentiles

They are told he is the Lamb of God. John has already explained that the Lamb of God takes away the sin of the world.

The title “Lamb of God” is found only in John.

I wonder if John’s disciples were aware of just how far that title went.

As we heard in the Isaiah reading:

“It is too small a thing for you to be my servant
to restore the tribes of Jacob
and bring back those of Israel I have kept.
I will also make you a light for the Gentiles,
that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”

These were young men, with little eduction, so I doubt they would understand the enormity of what was happening. But like good disciples, they do as they are told and follow Jesus.

Follow

It’s quite difficult, I think, to get a proper picture of just what’s happening here.

They are at Bethany, on the other side of the Jordan. There are two Bethanys, so this is how this one is distinguished. John is there baptizing, so there are a lot of strangers about. People have come from far and wide to see him and be baptised, there are also a number of highly sceptical religious leaders. Jesus has also been baptised – that’s how John knows who He is.

These two are following Jesus, but it isn’t like someone following you down the High Street. The tone when you turn around and ask “What do you want?” is completely different. Their following is not creepy or threatening in any way.

What do you want?

Nevertheless, Jesus still has to turn around and ask them the question. “What do you want?”.

It seems a rather vague question. If I ask you, “What do you want?” I wonder how you’d respond.

“I want this sermon to end”

or perhaps it would be more philosophical

"I want peace of mind." or

“I want wars to stop”

Context

Without context, it’s difficult to know what I’m really asking. We all have so many different wants.

So let’s set some context to the question Jesus is asking. Firstly, remember that the two would be disciples have come to him at the direction of John the Baptist, so it is reasonable to assume that the context is within discipleship somehow.

Secondly, our translation does not help. The Greek word translated ‘want’, is more usually translated ‘seek’, which is true in most of the other places it is used in the NT, and also true of a lot of other translations of the Bible.

So, perhaps we can better understand the question as “What are you seeking?”, or “What are you looking for?”

If I was to ask you, “What are you seeking?”, I’m pretty sure that I’d get a very different answer. So, what are you seeking? – Think about that, while we hear what the two disciples said.

The Answer

If you thought the question was a bit vague, the answer will seem very odd indeed. They answer Jesus’ question with another question.

“Where are you staying?”

This is apparently a middle eastern way of saying that they want to get to know you better. So we might have said something like, “Can we be friends?”.

Although I don’t think I’ve said that to anyone since I was six.

What were they seeking?

It all begs the question, “What were they really seeking?” They had been followers of John, and therefore presumably baptised by him. So they understood that they needed to get right with God, and that was definitely something they were seeking.

The Messiah

Expecting the messiah and looking out for Him had become something of a national obsession with the Israelites at that time. They were desperate to get their country back from the Romans, as the oppression they perceived was getting worse and worse. For devout young men, this is also a priority.

Jesus invites them to where ever he is staying, and they spent some time with him. It’s 4pm, and the day, which starts and ends with sunset, is really nearly over. Sunset is around 5:30pm. I suppose talking with Jesus for an hour or an hour and a half is a pretty amazing experience.

Invite

Andrew was clearly impressed, so the next day he takes his brother Simon to meet the messiah. There is no evidence that Simon was one of John’s disciples, but judging by Andrew’s reaction, they were both looking for the messiah.

Simon → Peter

Jesus sees something in Simon, that he did not see in Andrew, and gives him the Aramaic name Cephas, which means Peter.

Our Seeking

Andrew, his friend and his brother were all wanting to find the messiah, but for those of us who have found Jesus already, there are also other things we can seek. If you haven’t found Jesus already, you may be seeking other things, that will ultimately lead you to Jesus.

Hidden, but not very well hidden around the church are six things that we might be seeking. If you could find them and bring them to me that would be very helpful.

Wisdom	James 1:5 — If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, … and it will be given to you.
Peace	Philippians 4:7 — “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Strength	Isaiah 40:31 — “But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength…”
Love	1 John 4:7 — “Let us love one another, for love comes from God.”
Guidance	Psalm 32:8 — “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go
Protection	Psalm 91:2 — I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

Closing Prayer

“Lord Jesus, you asked your would-be disciples ‘What do you want?’. Today, as your disciples, we want you to draw us ever closer to you. Grant us wisdom to discern your way, peace to steady our hearts, strength to follow faithfully, love that reflects your own, guidance for each step, and protection in all we face. Send us out as seekers who have been found by you. Amen.”

A Fountain for the New Year

Preached at Anisha Grange on 11 January 2026 at 15:00 (not recorded).

Reading: John 7:37-44

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we thank you for the gift of this new year and for your presence that is always with us. Open our hearts today to hear your voice and refresh our souls with the living water of your Holy Spirit. Amen.

Introduction: The Promise of Something New

I know we’re almost 2 weeks into the new year now, but I think it’s still early enough to wish you all a “Happy New Year”. The new year is often a time when we reflect on the past year and decide that we would like to make some changes. This might result in a New Year's resolution. Maybe you still do that, or maybe you used to. The last one I made was years ago and is the only one I’ve ever kept. “No more new year’s resolutions”. That doesn’t mean that I don’t make changes in my life, it’s just that they don’t follow a calendar schedule.

Feast of Tabernacles

In our reading today, Jesus has been to the Feast of Tabernacles. It’s one of three Pilgrimage Festivals, where the Israelites were expected to visit Jerusalem. It is a seven-day harvest festival. One of the rituals is the water-drawing ritual. Fresh water was drawn from the Siloam Spring, located outside Jerusalem. Moving water, such as from a spring, was known as living water. As the flasks of water were brought into the Temple through the Water Gate, trumpets sounded fanfare. A priest would pour a flask of this freshly drawn water onto the corner of the altar, along with the regular morning offering.

The Invitation: "If Anyone is Thirsty"

At the end of the festival, picking up on the theme of living water, Jesus stands up and cries out: "Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink." The symbolism would have been obvious to them.

For us, perhaps think about a hot summer day after a long walk. There is nothing quite like a glass of cold, clear water. It revives you. It makes you feel human again.

Jesus isn't talking about a dry throat here; He is talking about a dry spirit. Sometimes, life can feel a bit "dry." We might feel lonely, or tired, or wonder what the purpose of this next year is. Jesus looks at every person here and says, "If you are thirsty for peace, if you are thirsty for hope, come to me."

You don’t have to be strong to come to Jesus. You only have to be thirsty.

The Promise: Streams of Living Water

He goes on to say something incredible in verse 38. "Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water." The word translated as ‘heart’ literally means ‘belly’, but if we used that, it would give completely the wrong idea. In our culture, the heart represents the centre of our being.

Notice He doesn’t say a "trickle" or a "drop." He says rivers.

In Ezekiel 47 there is a vision of a trickle of water leaving the temple. It becomes a stream then eventually a river of pure water that empties enough water into the Dead Sea, one of the saltiest places known. There is so much of God’s water flowing that the Dead Sea is purified.

Even if you feel like you don't have much to give right now, God’s Holy Spirit is like a spring that never runs dry. This means that in this coming year, we have a source of joy that doesn't depend on the news, or our health, or even how we feel when we wake up.

This "Living Water" is the Holy Spirit, that John says is promised in v39. It is God’s own presence living inside us, refreshing our hearts even when the world outside feels weary.

The Response: Who is This Man?

In the final verses (40-44), we see the crowd arguing. Some say, "He is the Prophet." Others say, "He is the Messiah." Others are sceptical because of where He came from.

They were so busy arguing about the details that many of them forgot to actually drink.

As we start this year, we don't need to have all the answers. We don't need to understand every mystery of the Bible or know exactly what the future holds. The question for us isn't "Can I explain Jesus?" but rather "Will I trust Him?"

A Prayer for the Year Ahead

As we head into this New Year, remember that we carry a fountain within us.

• When we feel worried: Drink from His peace.
• When we feel lonely: Remember His presence.
• When we feel like the "old me" is tired: Let His "Living Water" make us new.

God isn't finished with our story. Every morning is a new beginning, and His ‘living water’ is flowing today.

A Short Closing Prayer

Lord, we thank you for these dear friends. As we begin this New Year, refresh our spirits. When we feel thirsty for hope, remind us of your promise. Let your Living Water flow through our hearts.

Amen.

 

References 

 

John for everyone, part 1.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukkot

The sermon was developed from a 'Gemini AI' script 

 

 

Reset

Preached at Christ church, Billericay on 4 January 2026 at 10:00

Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OW4Tstb0kFo, from 28:55 to 42:34

Prayer

Gracious Father, we come seeking your presence and your wisdom. Speak to us today, and help us to walk in the grace you so freely give.

New Year

Well, although it’s not our new year, the church year starts at Advent, it is still the civic New Year, so I should wish you all “Happy New Year”. The start of the new year can be a bit of a reset. As we reflect on 2025, and decide that we’re not going to do that again, or we need to do things better, or at least differently. This is where new year’s resolutions come from. It’s common to think of improving our diet, reducing alcohol, taking more exercise – which seems to be the cure for most of our ills, these days. Suddenly, people join the gym.

Perhaps you are going to try a spiritual reset. To try to read your bible more, or pray more.

Quit Day

The problem is these things rarely last. The second Friday of January is being called “quit day” (there’s already a TV advert showing a crowd of people leaving a gym). That’s next Friday, only 9 days into the year. Mostly, it’s better to change your habits when there’s something more impactful than a calendar date.

If you’re going to try a spiritual reset, the first ‘in-church’ prayer evening is next Wednesday at 7:45pm, two days before ‘quit day’.

Jeremiah

In the Jeremiah reading, the Israelites are in a bad way. Jerusalem has been defeated. They are tired and possibly injured by the war. They have been forced across the desert by their enemies. It has been a long and difficult journey. They feel abandoned by their God:

Psalm 137:4 How can we sing the songs of the LORD while in a foreign land?

Here, we see God is promising a return from exile. Not only that, but the return will be easy, as we see from 31:9.

They will come with weeping;
    they will pray as I bring them back.
I will lead them beside streams of water
    on a level path where they will not stumble,
because I am Israel’s father,
    and Ephraim is my firstborn son.

The promise should reset their thinking, allowing them to focus more on the future than the past. They will still have a lot of thinking and praying to do as they try to understand the disaster that has befallen them. Their thinking has to turn from “why did God abandon us?” to “why did we ignore God and His love for us?”.

What it teaches us

The experience of the Israelites, is no different from the experience of so many people in our world today. Millions have been displaced by war, or famine. They will all feel abandoned, and will not understand the culture of the countries they end up in. They just want to go home and resume their normal life.

Gaza refugees

I was struck by the scenes of the refugees in Gaza when the fighting stopped. Endless streams of people, carrying what little they had left. Making their way along the wide dusty road, with piles of rubble, destroyed homes and businesses, on either side, heading back to their homes – if they even existed now.

Like the Israelites, they will face the painful work of rebuilding and re‑thinking their future.

John 1

John, on the other hand, doesn’t want there to be too much of a reset in people's thinking as they read his Gospel. Today we are looking at his prologue. John is setting the scene, and providing the context for the story of Jesus’s life, death and resurrection.

Unlike the other gospels, where the question “Who is this man?” is slowly uncovered, John dives straight in.

¹ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was with God in the beginning. ³ Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.

So, Jesus is the Word, who was with God, and who was God. We see the beginnings of Trinitarian understanding here, though John’s main emphasis is on Jesus as Creator. Verse 3 links Him back to creation. All the “God said” verses in Genesis chapter 1 are Jesus, the Word creating everything.

That alone, is not enough, John also tells us that the Word has life, the implication being that all life comes from Him, and Him alone. His life is what gives us our ‘light’. The light Christ gives us is what awakens and shapes our moral conscience. It’s that quality within us that enables us, encourages us to do good.

As James 1 say

¹⁷ Everything good comes from God. Every perfect gift is from him. These good gifts come down from the Father who made all the lights in the sky. But God never changes like the shadows from those lights. He is always the same. ¹⁸ God decided to give us life through the true message he sent to us. He wanted us to be the most important of all that he created.

Darkness

There is also a darkness inside each one of us, which again goes back to Genesis and the story of how sin entered the world. The darkness though has not overcome the light.

I remember being on a small, narrow gauge train. We were on the first carriage, sat sideways, back to back with the people on the other side. Maybe 8 to a carriage. The little diesel engine groaned as it took us into the mountain - up hill. The driver was telling us about the mining operation, and reminding us to keep our heads down. The miners had followed the seam, it was a bit twisty in the little tunnels. Then we stopped, and the driver told us that he was going to switch the lights off so that we could see the conditions the miners worked in.

It was completely dark. You couldn't see a centimetre in front of you. On the dashboard there was the tiniest dim red light. I hadn’t noticed it before, but now I couldn’t take my eyes off it. The darkness had not overcome it.

John the Baptist

Next John introduces John the Baptist, so I’m guessing the people he was writing for will have heard of John the Baptist, and perhaps some of them were even following his teaching. John the Baptist was only a witness to the light, and that light, Jesus, was coming into the world.

He came to that which was His own – the Israelites, the descendants of those who had returned to Jerusalem and later been conquered again. They were now so far from really understanding God, that they did not recognise Him when He arrived. He was rejected by their religious leaders, well, most of them. To those who did recognise Him and welcome Him, He gave the right to become children of God.

Children of God?

If we choose to accept that right, it forms the basis of our relationship with God:

We can speak directly to God in prayer (Heb 4:16).

We are not condemned for our sins, but forgiven. (Ro 8:1)

We will inherit eternal life (Ro 8:17)

but the offer also comes with responsibilities:

Love your neighbour (Matthew 22:39)

Do justice and love mercy (Micah 6:8)

Forgive others (Matthew 6:14–15)

Care for the poor and oppressed (Isaiah 1:17)

Accepting that right, is a major reset in anyone’s life.

The birth

In verse 14 we are told that the Word, became flesh, this is as near as John gets to a birth narrative. Rather than concentrate on the baby, because that’s not really relevant to a prologue, we are told that the one and only Son, is full of grace and truth.

Grace

God has already been gracious in His dealings with the Israelites, He has given them the Law and the Prophets to guide them, but they have chosen to ignore both. Even when they suffered the consequences of their action, He rescued them and returned them to their land. Now there is more grace from God, as He sent His son to guide all people everywhere. This is not a reset in God’s thinking, this is part of His long term plan.

Reset

If we are going to take this opportunity to reset our thinking, to review our spirituality, to determine to go in a better direction, let’s remember the grace that we have been given, and determine to have that same grace with others that God has with us.

In 2025 the world seems to have become a darker place, with more wars and hatred. So, let us shine Jesus’s spiritual light on the world. We can either be a reflection of Jesus’s light, [Show a mirror] or we can be a refraction of Jesus’s light [Show 'Dark side of the Moon cover'], and just pass on some of what we receive. This light cannot be overcome, it will continue to shine however deep the darkness gets, until perhaps it is the only thing we can see.

Or, it could become so bright that it's the only thing we can see 

Amen.

References 

• https://www.psephizo.com/biblical-studies/jesus-the-word-become-flesh-in-john-1/
• https://mypastoralponderings.com/2025/01/03/living-in-the-real-world-with-god-my-sermon-on-john-11-18-and-ephesians-13-14/
• https://www.mfbc.org/hp_wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Hand-Out-for-John-1.1-18-Sermon.pdf
• https://shortpowerfulsermons.com/john-11-18-in-the-beginning-was-the-word/ 
• https://biblehub.com/q/archeological_proof_of_israel's_regathering.htm
• https://biblehub.com/q/Archaeological_proof_for_Jeremiah_31_events.htm
• https://www.bibliaplus.org/en/commentaries/138/peter-petts-commentary-on-the-bible/jeremiah/31/7-14
• https://desperatepreacher.com/sermonbuilder/a_2c.htm
• https://desperatepreacher.com/sermonbuilder/newsermons/close_to_the_fathers_heart.htm
• https://youtu.be/5VJMgzvrTZA?si=d_Z5BxkJpkKBHV2m. The prologue 
• https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/second-sunday-of-christmas-3/commentary-on-jeremiah-317-14-10
• https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/12/31/3211800/0/en/Why-Most-New-Year-s-Resolutions-Fail-by-January-And-How-to-Make-Them-Stick-in-2026.html

 

 

Star of the show

Preached at Christ church, Billericay on 25 December 2025 at 10:00

Recording here : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quW6tGZnghk 19:04 to 36:16 

Prayer

Gracious God, on this holy Christmas morning we gather in awe of the good news proclaimed to shepherds long ago—that a Saviour has been born for us in Bethlehem. May Christ’s presence among us today renew our hope and deepen our love.

Star of the Show.

The star of the show is usually the actor with the most lines, or whose character has the biggest influence on the plot. I wonder, though, who you would consider the star of a game show – the presenter, or one of the contestants, the winner perhaps? The largest audience for a TV program this year was for Celebrity Traitors, I don’t know the numbers for the strictly final yet. 'Traitors' is not a program I watch, but I understand that Alan Carr won the game. I also heard that he said something like, “I just kept quiet.” Quite an achievement for someone whose TV series was called “Chatty Man”.

Reading

In our reading today, we have two scenes from the birth of Jesus. I wonder which character you think would get the starring role in each of these scenes, if they were acted out.

Mary and Joseph

Our first scene is Mary and Joseph travelling to Bethlehem. We only get the end of their story. It starts way back, when they were betrothed (that’s an agreement to marry, and it’s a full-on contract, not like our engagement at all really, although that is the nearest equivalent).

Angel visited Mary

Back then, an Angel visited Mary. He told her that she was going to have God’s child. That must have been quite scary for a girl, who was hardly even a woman at the time. But she was OK with it, and said “May it be for me as you have said”.

What Joseph did

Now, Joseph would be in big trouble if people thought that he had got the bride to be pregnant, but Joseph knew it wasn’t his baby. It took the intervention of an angel in a dream to stop Joseph quietly divorcing Mary and sending her away. That is the least that would be expected of him in those days.

More challenges

As the baby grew, Mary had to hide away with her cousin to stop there being a scandal.

Even that wasn’t the worst of the challenges they faced. Now, they have to make the trip to Bethlehem, because that’s where Joseph is from. He needs to go there to register with the Roman authorities.

Some estimates put the distance they must travel at 80 miles, but Google tells me it’s 90. That’s a lot of walking, but there were are no cars or trains back then.

Donkey?

In our crib scene, we have a donkey, a sheep, and a cow. If Mary had actually ridden a donkey, it would have taken longer than if she had walked. That’s partly because donkeys are slow, and also because some extra time is needed to feed and water them. The most likely thing is that she walked with Joseph and probably others who were travelling in the same direction.

Joseph – home at last

Some 4 or 5 days after they set out, they arrived in Bethlehem and would have headed straight for Joseph’s family home. It was probably a mud brick house, with just one room, divided in two – the sheep and any other animals in one part and the humans in the other. They would all sleep in the same space, or possibly, on the flat roof if the weather was warm enough.

If we are correct that Jesus was born in September, the conditions would be good for sleeping on the roof, it would be warm enough and it is generally dry. But, there is still a limit to the amount of space, so Mary and the baby would have ended up downstairs, inside with the animals, if there were any.

Starring Role?

So who do you think would get then starring role?

Mary or Joseph, or perhaps the donkey?

 

[Comment on result]

 

Shepherds

Once the baby was born, the focus shifts to the hills above Bethlehem. Up there are shepherds, looking after their sheep. The fact that they were living outside, suggests that it was warm enough, and that there was food for the sheep. So, again, this wouldn’t be likely to be winter.

We’re not told whether it was a clear night, or whether there was cloud cover. Cloud and rain are fairly unlikely in Bethlehem in September, so let’s assume that the Milky Way would be clearly visible.

Angel appears

The Angel appears quite suddenly, and the glory of the Lord shone around them. My imagination immediately goes to sci-fi film, with an alien abduction scene. It’s dark, a huge spotlight surrounds the victim, so bright that they cannot see beyond it. No wonder they were terrified, I think anyone would be. The angel said, “Do not be afraid”. Angels always have to say that, and I’m not sure, it is a great comfort, until you realise what’s going on.

The angel then makes his announcement.

I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. ¹¹ Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. ¹² This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Shepherds (outcasts, poor)

Even shepherds, who were generally outcasts, would have heard of the coming messiah. There was a lot of expectation that God would do something to free His people from the Romans. Now, here it is. A child is born to be their messiah, the Lord. They will find Him in Bethlehem, just down the hill. A baby of poor parents, wrapped in cloths, and lying in a feeding trough. Nothing like the sort of thing they were expecting. Which would be someone born in a palace, of well respected wealthy parents who would want for nothing – and would certainly have clothes bought from whatever the equivalent of Harrods was.

Heavenly Host

Then to underline the message, a heavenly host appears – loads more angels, I suppose. They are praising God, and saying:

¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest heaven,

and on earth peace to those on whom his favour rests.”

As suddenly as it started, it’s dark again. Their eyes probably took a few seconds to adjust to looking only at stars in the sky. They decided to go down into Bethlehem and see if it was true. Now, as I said, shepherds have a reputation. So a bunch of them, peaking in houses, looking for a baby, might have seemed a little suspicious. I can imagine there might have been one or two rather awkward conversations. They find Mary and Joseph and the baby, who hasn't yet been officially named Jesus.

It’s true

Now they know that everything the angel said was true, and they have to tell everyone about it. It’s the best news that they have ever had, and they can’t stop praising God, either. That must have been something to see and hear.

So, if this scene was acted out, who would be the star?

The angel, or one of the shepherds?

[Comment on result]

 

 

 

Jesus

Of course, I hope we all know that the real star of the whole show is Jesus, here he is just a tiny baby. As he grows he will experience everything that any normal human would experience – the joy, the tears, the confusion, the love, the successes, and the failures. When he’s grown up, He will show us all how we should live our lives. For this reason and others He is called the light of the world, and the sun of righteousness (that’s s-u-n).

Celebrate in winter

We celebrate today because we have just passed the winter solstice, and the sun – the light is coming back into the world. That’s why this time of year was chosen to mark His birth.

The birth of Jesus provided hope to the shepherds and all those they told, that God was finally going to do something for the Israelites. But the promise is

“on earth, peace to those on whom his favour rests.”

All humanity

So, we know that Jesus came not only for the Israelites, but for the whole of humanity. Through his death and resurrection, He will provide us with a way back to God, ending the separation caused by our sinfulness.

As we sit down to celebrate in our traditional way, whether that’s with turkey and all the trimmings, or something else, let’s remember, not only the baby who gives us so much hope, but the man who fulfilled the promises of God, and brings us life and light at all times of the year.

Amen.

 

References

https://mypastoralponderings.com/2024/12/30/the-joy-of-christmas-my-sermon-on-luke-21-20/

https://interruptingthesilence.com/2024/12/24/our-original-blessing-a-christmas-eve-sermon-on-luke-21-20/

https://www.rayfowler.org/sermons/luke/christmas/

https://shortpowerfulsermons.com/christmas-service-the-birth-of-jesus-luke-2-1-20/

https://www.revival.tv/sermons/topical-singles/the-christmas-miracles/

https://sundayschool.works/childrens-sermon-object-lessons/childrens-sermon-object-lesson-luke-21-20-the-birth-of-jesus-christ/?utm_source=copilot.com

https://yougov.com/en-gb/articles/52970-the-most-streamed-tv-in-the-uk-july-2025-friends-the-big-bang-theory-and-squid-game

https://www.hellomagazine.com/film/870494/the-celebrity-traitors-most-watched-tv-show-of-2025/

https://influencermatchmaker.co.uk/news/top-20-instagram-influencers-trending

 

Review: Murder at the Black Cat Cafe - Seishi Yokomiso

 ISBN 987-1-80533-551-1

There are two stories in this short book.  Both are cases of the famous detective Kosuke Kindaichi . 

Murder at the Black Cat Café. 

The beginning of the story is a discussion on the different types of murder and the difficulties and opportunities they present.  It provides a little insight into the detective, but is otherwise less interesting than it should be.  This is an 'unidentifiable corpse mystery.  The story itself has enough twists and turns to keep any crime fiction reader engaged.  I had some difficult with the style of the writing, or of the translation, it's difficult to tell.  So there were a couple of occasions when I had to back track and re-read parts.  The story is presented as a mystery that is apparently solved, then solved again and again - I didn't count.  I was just looking forward to the next few pages.  I very much enjoyed this story, and would give it 4 stars.

★★★★☆ 

Why did the Well Wheel Creak ?

The second story is a mystery of the identification of a person returning from war.  Here there is a lot of scene setting.  Just before that gets really tedious, the first murder occurs, and the story livens up.  The unknowns are well set up by now, and we are just waiting for the resolution.  At the end of the story, there is a whole set of newspaper reports.  This didn't really work, it slowed the pace and left me not knowing whether to trust them or not.  The final pages explain the mystery well, but by then I was sagging slightly.

★★★☆☆  

My overall rating is ★★★☆☆ 

 

Jesus the King

Preached at St. John the Divine, Billericay on 23 November 2025 at 10:00. The sermon was not recorded.

Prayer

Father God, our refuge and strength, reign in our lives as you reigned from the cross, bringing mercy and hope to all. Be exalted among the nations, and let your peace dwell with us now and forever.

Christ the King

Today is the last Sunday in the church’s year. Next Sunday will be Advent, but for today we remember Jesus as King. Personally, I’m not a great fan of celebrating Jesus as King, although I understand that He, most definitely, is. My reasons for that are that it can lead to triumphalism, and that we don’t really understand what a king is these days anyway. Even if we did, the model of kingship that Jesus shows us is very different, and so much better than any earthly king you’ve ever seen. We’ll look at that in a minute, but first let's outline the role of an earthly king.

Kings

What has a king ever done for us?

Our King, Charles III, is a constitutional monarch, his role is primarily ceremonial. Should he ever choose to refuse to sign a bill that had been passed by parliament and the lords, there would be a huge constitutional crisis, and he would probably go the same way as the first Charles? But, I hope he would keep his head!

If we think about Kings in medieval times, or perhaps even earlier, we will get an idea of what a king does:

• His primary role is defence of the kingdom, from external and internal threats.

• He is also responsible for the legal system and may sometimes hear cases himself.

• He is responsible for infrastructure, trade and taxation (to pay for all of the above).

There is one other thing that a king should do, that is ensure there is a successor.

Kings in the medieval times were subject to the authority of the Christian church - by which I mean the Pope – to a greater or lesser extent. Sometimes having to raise an army, and sometimes not being allowed to divorce a wife.

Psalm 46

Our psalm starts with the line:

God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.

The Korahites, the authors and performers of the psalm, were recognising that God helps them in their struggles against the surrounding tribes and empires. This psalm seems to be celebrating the victory at the Assyrian Crisis of 701 BC. Where Sennacherib’s armies invaded Judah (2 Kings 18–19; Isaiah 36–37; 2 Chronicles 32). They overran forty-six walled towns, and penned Jerusalem “like a bird in a cage” (Sennacherib Prism, BM 91 032). Hezekiah’s refusal to surrender led to a siege that was broken miraculously when “that night the angel of the LORD went out and struck down 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians” (2 Kings 19:35).

The authors then take it a step further in the following two verses and assert that they will not fear, even if there are natural disasters.

This is something no earthly king would want his subjects to expect of him. Remember what happened to poor king Canute. According to legend, he tried to hold back the tide and got wet feet. The story is an object lesson in how people get the wrong message, he was actually trying to show his noblemen that he WASN’T able to do that. But I digress.

The Israelites king at this time was Hezekiah, and he might have been seen as a stubborn fool, if God had not fulfilled the primary role of the king and defeated the invaders. Now they see that with God protecting them, the impossible happens.

The psalm ends:

‘Be still, and know that I am God!

I am exalted among the nations,

I am exalted in the earth.’

The LORD of hosts is with us;

the God of Jacob is our refuge.

This is great worship, but there is the beginning of the triumphalism that I am so worried about. They start to think that God can do anything they need, but they forget that they have certain responsibilities.

Duties of a Subject

You and I are subjects of King Charles III. If he is to run his kingdom successfully, we all have to play our part. In medieval times, the duties of a subject were:

• to serve in the king's army during wars or conflicts.

• to protect the kingdom from invaders and uphold the king's authority.

• to pay taxes to support the king's rule and the maintenance of the realm.

• to work on the king's lands or provide labour for public projects.

• to swear loyalty to their lord or king, promising to support and defend them.

• to follow the laws established by the king and the customs of the land.

• to be involved in local councils or assemblies, providing input on community matters.

• to support the Church, both financially and through participation in religious activities.

• to live according to the moral and ethical standards set by the Church and society.

Rather more things for us than for the king.

The King of the Jews

Pilate

In our New Testament reading, Pilate has put a sign above Jesus that read “Jesus of Nazareth, The King of the Jews”. Each of the three crosses would have had some inscription, it was how the Romans made the charge public, and was required by their law. From Pilate’s point of view, it was also a way of helping to keep the Jews in their place, but if you read the rest of the account you will see that the Jewish leaders had already put themselves under his leadership anyway. Pilate was right, of course, but would have been incapable of understanding what his message really meant.

The thief

One of the thieves, on the other hand, seems to have a better understanding. He knows he has done wrong and is getting the punishment he deserves. He has also worked out something of who Jesus is, he knows Jesus does not deserve death, and he believes the message that Pilate has written (although it’s doubtful he could have read it).

The kingdom

Just exactly what he means by ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ is open to endless debate. It’s like a deathbed confession, but whatever he means, it’s enough for Jesus to accept him into His kingdom.

The King

We know that Jesus is king, not just of the Jews, but of the whole of humanity, but as king, He has some different roles than an earthly king.

Jesus’s kingship is one of humility and service, not power. To show that, he entered Jerusalem on a donkey, fulfilling the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9

Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!
Shout, Daughter Jerusalem!

See, your king comes to you,
righteous and victorious,

lowly and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

So, Jesus was clearly identifying himself, and making a statement that He was a different type of king.

Rather than make war, He offers himself as the ultimate sacrifice. His fight now is not against the Assyrians, or any other people or nation. His fight is against the powers in the heavenly realms, and his resurrection is the proof that the fight is won. All that remains is to rescue His people.

Subjects of the heavenly King

As subjects our role is simple, there is not a long list of things that we might be required to do. John says (1:12):

But to all who have received him – those who believe in his name – he has given the right to become God’s children.

Or as Paul puts it in Romans 10:9

if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

Belief is all we need, and belief in our King is more powerful than a list of responsibilities and expectations. Then there are a couple of commands that summarise all we need to do:

(Matthew 22) ³⁷ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ and ³⁹ ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’

and, if we obey these commands, we become friends of the king:

John 15:14 You are my friends if you do what I command.

None of this stops us worshipping God, exulting His name, proclaiming His victories, or any of the other things that the psalmist does, it simply reminds us that we are on the King’s mission of rescue, not a mission of conquest.

Amen.

All Saints (for Pensioners Praise)

Preached at Christ church, Billericay  

Prayer

Almighty God, We give thanks for all your saints, who have shone with your light in every age. As we worship, kindle in us the same faith and love, that we may follow in their steps and glorify your name. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

History

In the 4th century, there began to be feast days to remember all the Christian martyrs. The feast days were either 13th May, or the Sunday after Pentecost. By the 7th century, the feast day included all the saints, not just the martyrs. 

Some say that on November 1st 731 Pope Gregory dedicated an oratory in Old St. Peter's Basilica to the relics of the holy apostles and of all saints, martyrs and confessors, of all the just, made perfect, who are at rest throughout the world. But there is also evidence that he may have been doing other things that day.

Others believe that the date was chosen because it is the festival of Samhain, the Celtic festival of the dead, and also the festival of the end of harvest and the start of winter.

It was not until 800, that we have records from Gaelic Ireland and Anglo-Saxon Northumbria holding All Saints' Day on the 1st November. By the 13th Century, the optional date of 13th May had disappeared.

Hebrew’s Saints

In our reading from the letter to the Hebrews, the author, whoever that was, talks about a great cloud of witnesses. If we look back at the previous chapter, he has listed them. He starts with “By faith Abel bought a better offering than Cain.” Then many of the heroes of the scriptures are introduced, starting with the words “By faith …”. The writer, in each case, outlines something of their lives – some small (or huge) action, that demonstrates their faith. In verse 13, part of the way through the passage, the writer says:

13 All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth.

These are the people who make up the great cloud of witnesses.

New Testament Saints

To us, if we look back in a similar way, our great cloud of witnesses, might include the disciples, the apostle Paul, Barnabas, Luke, and many of the other Christians mentioned in the New Testament. Each of them could have their faithful actions listed.

• By faith, Andrew brought his brother to Jesus.
• By faith, Peter and John spread the word of God and healed people, despite the threats and the beatings given them by the religious authorities.
• By faith Ananias, went to straight Street and laid his hands on Saul of Tarsus.
• By faith, Paul continued his journeys to reach the gentiles, knowing how much he would suffer for the Lord Jesus.
• By faith, Barnabas sold a field to support the work of the apostles.
• By faith, Stephen spoke the message the Holy Spirit gave him. 

I could go on, and on. There are an almost endless list of people that could be mentioned in the New Testament alone. It is also true that:

13 All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. 

The promise that these people were looking forward to was the return of Jesus, to bring the current age to an end.

More Recent Saints

Of course, 2000 years later, there are lots of other saints we could look at. I wonder who you think of, if I ask who is your favourite saint?
…

The Catholic Church has a very specific, detailed process for declaring someone a saint. Each stage is carefully processed and agreed by a number of people. The stages are:

• Servant of God
• Venerable
• Blessed
• Saint

and none of the stages can start until a person has been dead for five years. The Pope can excuse this waiting period, which he did with Saints Mother Teresa and Pope John Paul II. Here are a couple of the more obscure ones :
 

1. St. Casimir of Poland (1458–1484)
- Known for: His deep piety, chastity, and commitment to peace.
- Legacy: A royal prince who refused to lead a war he believed was unjust, choosing instead a life of prayer and service. He is the patron saint of bachelors and Poland. 

2. St. Lidwina of Schiedam (1380–1433)
- Known for: Enduring a lifetime of suffering after a skating accident left her paralysed.
- Legacy: She offered her pain for the conversion of sinners and became a mystic. She is considered a patron saint of ice skaters and the chronically ill. 

These then, among many many others, are the people that the Catholic Church officially recognises. Jesus may recognise many, many more. In our own time there are also many who should be in the great cloud of witnesses. I’m going to read 3 short passages for you.
 

1. – Story and Martyrdom of Frith. P 151

Frith was a young man famed for learning, and was the first in England who wrote against the corporeal presence in the sacrament. In May 1533 he was charged with not believing in purgatory and transubstantiation. He gave the reasons that determined him to look on neither of these as articles of faith. The bishops seemed unwilling to proceed, but Stokesler, the accuser, delivered him to the secular power, at the same time desiring that his punishment might be moderated: a piece of hypocrisy which deceived no one. Frith, with a fellow-martyr named Hewitt, was brought to the stake at Smithfield on July 4th 1533. On arriving there, he expressed great joy and even embraced the faggots (in the 16th century this meant bundles of sticks, tied together). A priest named Cook, who stood by, told the people not to pray for them more than they would for a dog. At this, Frith smiled, and said, "God forgive you." The fire was then kindled, and the martyrs burned to ashes.

2. – Stolyarov behind the truck. PP 200, 203

Stolyarov was released early from the disciplinary barracks, but on the next Saturday announced that he could not work on Sunday due to his convictions. A harsher punishment was required. The guards tied a rope around Stolyarov and attached it to the truck. The driver drove slowly, but still Stolyarov was dragged through the snow. When the driver a year later questioned Stolyarov about his feelings during the drive, Stolyarov answered, “I saw the blue sky. And think, brother, of what I saw there: Jesus Christ, seated at the right hand of the Father. I became filled with such joy and bliss that I couldn't feel that I was being dragged behind the truck! I did not feel the snow creeping into my jacket and trousers. I had the sense of being carried on the wings of angels and of Christ watching over me to see that nothing happened to me. I had never previously encountered such a state of ecstasy! I was so grateful to all those who had tried to hurt me in the name of Christ! After all, they jeer at me for his names' sake! Stolyarov forgave the guards, saying, “We have to have sympathy for them. They carry out the will of the enemy of every human soul. They are much more unfortunate than we are.”

What does it take to be a Saint?

So, what does it take to be a saint? We have already had the answer. We become saints by faith. We have heard a couple of remarkable stories of those who stood up for their faith. It is, of course, only the remarkable stories that get written down. Faith is the only requirement, if we have the same sort of faith as we have seen in our great cloud of witnesses, then, in due time, we too will be in that cloud, and stories of faith may be told about us and our lives. 
So, let us fix our eyes on Jesus, and remember what the writer to the Hebrews said about the great cloud of witnesses, because it applies to those in the two stories, and to us:

13 All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth.

Amen.