In Sermons: showing 1-15 of 19

The God Who Makes All Things New

Contributed by Philip Gill on May 31, 2008

Even with its outrageous characters and weird scenery the Book of Revelation does have relevance for us today. We can look around us and name some of the beasts that plague us – terrorism, global warming, severe drought, rampant consumerism,and so on.

I have a love hate relationship with the telephone. Real phones I mean not these mobile ones with which I simply have a hate relationship. On one occasion when I was just beginning in ministry I answered a phone. On the other end was a voice of a man who wanted to come and discuss the Book of ...read more

Denomination: Anglican

The Camel The Eye And The Faith To Get Through

Contributed by Philip Gill on May 29, 2008

This rich man stands in stark contrast with the many whose lives were changed through their encounter with Jesus. From Andrew to Zacchaeus, men and women shared in the joy Jesus offered them through a renewed relationship with God. That joy is for those

The Camel the eye and the faith to get through A Sermon for the 22nd Sunday of Pentecost Luke 18.18-30 This story of the joylessly religious rich man is a setting for the most memorable of images - that of the camel trying to get through the eye of a needle. To our ears this is hyperbole of the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 18:18-30

Denomination: Anglican

Want To Be Truly Healed? Include Gratitude!

Contributed by Philip Gill on Oct 16, 2007

To give thanks, to show gratitude is crucial for our wellbeing and our proper relationship with each other, with nature and with God.

Want to be Truly Healed? Include Gratitude. This morning’s gospel story presents us with two basic needs that can sometimes be in competition. One is that we need to be satisfied with our lot if we are to be in the least bit ‘happy’. The other need is to be able to look beyond that same situation ...read more

Scripture: Luke 17:11-19

Denomination: Anglican

Kingdom Values And Our Values: Challenges To A Contemorary Way Of Life

Contributed by Philip Gill on Oct 3, 2007

As the lives of the rich man and Lazarus are reversed by their experience of the Kingdom so our contemorary values are challenged by the call to discipleship.

In the gospel passage this morning there is a great reversal of fortunes for the rich man and Lazarus the poor beggar. Lazarus, after enduring great suffering is taken into heaven, into the bosom of Abraham. This end suggests that he led a faithful life while the rich man is depicted in typical ...read more

Scripture: Luke 16:19-31

Denomination: Anglican

"Unless You Become Like A Little Child..."

Contributed by Philip Gill on Jul 29, 2007

With the Church at the perephery of many lives and Baptism no longer the "done thing" it is an act of faith in itself when parents bring young children for baptism.

Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it." I the light of my recent experience as a locum school chaplian I particularly notice about this passage that Jesus speaks here of little children and not anyone old enough to be in year seven or ...read more

Scripture: Luke 18:15-21

Denomination: Anglican

The Continuing Search For Satisfaction

Contributed by Philip Gill on Jul 14, 2007

The satisfaction found in God is no simple "self satisfaction", as Isaiah warns his people, but that God offers purpose, meaning and a reason to live!

The prophet Isaiah has discovered something crucial in his relationship with God. God calls us toward that which offers real satisfaction. Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you that have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 55:1-9

Denomination: Anglican

The Hero, The Knight And The Good Samaritan: There's One Big Difference

Contributed by Philip Gill on Jul 13, 2007

From time to time we hear of many heroic actions of those who risk themselves to help others. These people are often called ’Good Samaritans’. This sermon explores Jesus’ challenge to act positively in the lives of the despised and rejected.

The hero, the knight, and the Good Samaritan: There’s one big difference. As our Gospel this morning we have heard a story that has seared its characters onto the consciousness of countless generations. Only recently we have had cause to use the term “Good Samaritan” in relation to the events of ...read more

Scripture: Luke 10:25-37

Denomination: Anglican

The Fruit Of The Spirit

Contributed by Philip Gill on Jun 29, 2007

A naval officer once described his ship and crew as having a spirit that made it a happy ship. St Paul, in the fruits of the spirit defines the characteristics of the Church and its members.

While I was flat on my back, sick and feeling sorry for myself last Sunday morning I turned the radio on for a VERY short time. Ian McNamara played an interview with Kylie and Wesley Herron who were special guests at the launching of a new Royal Australian Navy vessel the patrol boat HMAS ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:22-23

Denomination: Anglican

The Trinity

Contributed by Philip Gill on Jun 22, 2007

Artists can reinvigorate our understanding of the trinity using the examples of Rublev’s icon and David Hetland’s stained glass.

A Sermon for Trinity Sunday 2007 One of the things I was most looking forward to in moving to Surrey Hills was that coming to a Church named Holy Trinity. Trinity Sunday would then be our patronal festival. This means we always celebrate our patronal festival on a Sunday and don’t have to ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 8:1-10

Denomination: Anglican

Are We There Yet: Hope And The Curious People Of God Series

Contributed by Philip Gill on Jun 21, 2007

In Luke 21.25-28, Jesus turns the curiosity about the end times into living in the present with hope for God’s purposes.

Sermon for the first Sunday in Advent 2006 Like a similar passage in Mark, today’s Gospel forms part of Jesus’ response to discussions about the end times. For some people curiosity about the end has continued unabated down through the centuries despite Jesus’ encouragement to concentrate on ...read more

Scripture: Luke 21:25-38

Denomination: Anglican

Why I Am A Christian

Contributed by Philip Gill on Mar 30, 2003

I am a Christian because of the mysterious movement of the spirit of God in my life, the encouragement and teaching of my parents and my response to the void that only conscious discipleship of Christ could fill. This only begins the story!

Why I am A Christian The picture on the front of the pew bulletin sums up the journey before us. There is the central image of the cross with several symbols of holy Week. The palms are for the triumphal entry of Christ into Jerusalem as the King riding on a colt rather than in a chariot. The ...read more

Scripture: John 3:14-18, 1 Corinthians 6:12

Denomination: Anglican

Transfiguration And The Three Monuments To Fundamentalism

Contributed by Philip Gill on Mar 17, 2003

On the Mount of transfiguration Peter wanted to freeze the moment by building three dwellings or monuments. We are called to transformation and must therefore resist the three monuments to fundamentalism.

Sermon for the Second Sunday in Lent Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them. (Mark 9:2 NRSV) As ...read more

Scripture: Mark 9:2-9, Psalm 8:1-9

Denomination: Anglican

Bringing The Paralytic To Christ: A Witness To Compassion, Faith, Courage

Contributed by Philip Gill on Feb 26, 2003

We pray for a peaceful resolution to the tensions between the US and Iraq and support those working towards that end, but we must consider that for the longer term, military action could be the most compassionate, faithful and courageous response.

Bringing the Paralytic to Christ: a witness to compassion, faith and courage Then some people came, bringing to him a paralysed man, carried by four of them. And when they could not bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and after having dug through it, they let ...read more

Scripture: Mark 2:3-4

Denomination: Anglican

What Are Your Expectations Of The Messiah?

Contributed by Philip Gill on Feb 10, 2003

If John the Baptist had to make sure Jesus was the Messiah it may well have been because there were several examples upon which the expected messiah could be modelled. What are our expectations of the Messiah?

When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, "Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?" Jesus answered them, "Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 11:2-5

Denomination: Anglican

Ways Of Prayer - "Who Is Like You O Lord?"

Contributed by Philip Gill on Feb 7, 2003

What is prayer and more specifically, what is prayer for us? There are guide posts that the Church has provided for us,forms of prayer known as adoration, confession, intercession, confession, thanksgiving and petition.

Ways of Prayer - "Who is like you, O Lord?" Some time ago, a former Prime minister of our nation got into a bit of trouble when he was overheard to utter the name of our Lord as some said "in vain". He retorted that he was actually offering an involuntary prayer. His detractors found it hard to ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:35-39, Exodus 15:11

Denomination: Anglican