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‘For your to-morrows these gave their to-day’: sermon for Remembrance Sunday
Sermon preached at Moortown Baptist Church on 10th November 2024, Remembrance Sunday. The texts for the sermon are: 14 At that time David was in the stronghold, and the Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem. 15 David longed for water and said, “Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!” 16 So…
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Questions to ask when reading Luke’s parables
In a recent talk, Haddon points to a connection between Luke’s parables and Nathan’s parable in 2 Samuel 12. Luke’s stories are not like the puzzling parables which begin ‘the kingdom of heaven is like …’. They are more like Nathan’s parable in 2 Samuel 12. Nathan tells David a parable about a cruel rich…
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What is a person?
I wish to offer you a few comments at the beginning of this conference. First, our question, What is a person? would appear to be a question looking for a definition as its appropriate answer. But in parallel with those in the Gospel who looked for a sign, we may say that this is a…
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The silence of eternity, interpreted by love
A sermon preached at the funeral of Barbara Dews, 11 April 2024. Barbara went to church and sang hymns through her long life. So they got woven into her heart and mind. They gave her language which made some sense of her experience, encouraged her, giving direction. And so it is not surprising that near her end, she…
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Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?
Sermon on Luke 7.18-23, preached at Moortown Baptist Church, 25 February 2024 You can watch this at the link below, from 26.40 – 56.40 minutes, followed by the hymn ‘Fold to your heart your sister and your brother‘.
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Twice-baptised Christians – a way forward for church reform and unity
Published in The Fraternal, Feb 1976 At present, the United Reformed Church and the Churches of Christ in England are discussing a scheme of union. One of the problems they have to face is that while the U.R.C. allows both believers’ and infant baptism (with the emphasis in practice on the latter), the Churches of…
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Why read Jonah?
Why read Jonah? The word of the Lord came to Jonah, son of Amitai, many centuries ago. What word of the Lord comes to us today? It’s a colourful, exciting story, but the word of the Lord to us is not in the excitement, in the wind, earthquake or fire. Let me remind you of…
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A good politician’s reverberating mistake
Readings : Nehemiah 13.23-31; Matthew 5.38-48 You can watch this sermon here (27:00-52:00, with prayers from 52:00-54:00). I respect and value Nehemiah because he was a politician – a good politician, good hearted, good ideas, great skill and courage. Politics is unavoidable in our living together. We know how much we need good politicians every…
While it is yet day
Haddon Willmer