Readings

Acts 2:14a, 22-32

Following Easter we read from the book of Acts which not only tells of the rise of the early church but also the first reaction to the resurrection by the followers of Jesus.  To fit the Christian year we skip the details of the Pentecost episode and begin with Peter’s Sermon immediately after the arrival of the Holy Spirit.

The major thrust of the sermon argues that Jesus fulfils prophesy in Hebrew Scripture which is a feature of the Christian testaments.  William Barclay suggests that ‘to believe in the possibility of prophecy is to believe that God is in control and that God is working out the divine purpose’.^[1]

What would certainly seem to be true is that the gospel writers looked to find meaning in the life of Jesus through their sacred text and expressed that meaning to their readers through proof texts and allusion.  As the Emmaus Road episode illustrates that may also reflect the way the followers of Jesus found meaning in what they had experienced of Jesus. Their heart burned within them as they shared the scripture along the way.

Hear what the spirit is saying to the Church.

Thanks be to God.

John 20:19-31

This is a private transfer of the Holy Spirit which makes a wonderful counterclaim to those Christians who demand proof of our commitment to Christ through a public ‘Pentecostal’ experience of the Holy Spirit.

This episode connects with the first chapter of John’s Gospel where John the Baptist says he saw the Holy Spirit descend on Jesus.  As John baptises with water, the reader is told, Jesus will baptise with the Holy Spirit.  Now in the locked room the spirit sequence is completed.  The Holy Spirit came from God into Jesus at his baptism; the risen Christ is therefore able to pass that Spirit on to the disciples.

Thomas’ doubt in no way inhibits his apostolic mission because there is strong archaeological and mythic evidence that Thomas established a church in India long before the European church was established and even predating the writing of the Gospels.

This is the Gospel of Christ.

Praise to Christ the word.

Sermon

Absolute faith corrupts as absolutely as absolute power.[2]

Continue reading April 12 2026- Rev Hugh Perry →

Readings

Exodus 17:1-7

Writing of this Exodus reading Maurice Andrew suggests that :

Creation does not of itself liberate an oppressed people, but a liberated people must also be able to live from creation, as we see when, after only three days in the wilderness, they find no water.  After liberation, people become migratory and their wandering is characterised not by the will to go forward for life, but by the desire to return to security.  In the difficult period between liberation and the gaining of land, which the wilderness wandering represents, the limitations of the people are witheringly exposed. ^[1]   We could call this episode ‘the whinging in the wilderness’ and there is a lot of it about.

John 4: 5-42

We often get long readings from John’s Gospel because in John’s Gospel Jesus makes long complicated theological speeches and the teaching is in those speeches rather than in the description of events.  In this episode we get the vision of the inclusive Christ who will accept a drink from a woman who is of a race considered unclean. Jesus also teaches this woman and sends her out on mission and she in turn brings people to Christ.

Sermon

The Exodus journey certainly had its issues with Moses’ leadership right from the very beginning.  When the escaping slaves saw the Egyptians advancing on them, they cried out:

‘Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness?’ (Exodus 14:11)

You will remember that the Egyptians were fearful and resentful of the growing population of Israelites. The Egyptians blamed the Israelites for everything that went wrong.  Not just unemployment and the rising cost of housing but inflation plagues as well.  They were pleased to get rid of them.  They might have even called them illegal immigrants.

Continue reading March 8th 2026: Rev Hugh Perry →

Readings: Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7 and Matthew 4:1-11
Growing Up in God.

Let us pray.

God of the wilderness, As we enter the season of Lent, we gather to seek your guidance as we look anew at biblical stories, and think about our responsibilities as stewards of your creation. Amen.

In the 1500s a reformed theology emerged from the Roman Catholic tradition- a movement of change. Perceived doctrinal errors were abandoned and the written word became available to all people.

And in ancient times these were collected and written down for us in the Genesis scripture – then poetic stories of creation from ancient storytellers who embraced and lived with mystery, not fact. Creation as we now know it evolved over billions of years- not the symbolic 6 days. But the biblical creation poetic story touches us in a deep, unique spiritual way,
E.g. – “Adam & Eve heard ‘the sound of the Lord walking in the garden at the cool of the day” – Storytelling is an unrivalled way of conveying a message, a truth. God was there in the beginning of time.

Today’s readings speak to our human longing to understand, to grow, to be in a relationship with God. And they invite us into a different way of understanding what it means to be faithful, mature, and truly human.

Continue reading February 22nd 2026: Tricia Crumpton →

Readings

Isaiah 58:1-9a,

Isaiah’s words are more detailed and have more of a challenge to them than a similar reading from Micah. But Micah wanted us to walk humbly with God, but Isaiah also wants some action, a rethink of our expectations and lives changed.

Maurice Andrew suggests that people want to be given credit for their fasting, but the trouble is they serve their own interest on a fast day, oppressing their workers.  Balanced budgets and increased productivity are not satisfactory in themselves unless bread is shared with the hungry and the oppressed are allowed to go free. ^[1] 

Matthew 5:13-20

Today’s Gospel follows on from Beatitudes which were directed to the disciples.  Those same disciples are now instructed to be the salt of the earth, the light of the world.

Warren Carter points out that ‘as salt of the earth the community of disciples, not the ruling elite or the synagogue, are to live this flavouring, purifying way of life that is committed to the world’s wellbeing and loyal to God’s purpose’.^[2]  The disciples are to live in the world in the midst of the poor in spirit, the mourning, the powerless, and the hungry and thirsty, dominated and exploited by the ruling elite.

To shine as a light, to be salt, and to be a city on a hill is to be living out the attitudes espoused in the Beatitudes.^[3]

Sermon

This is the Sunday nearest Waitangi Day. A time when we celebrate the beginning of our nation with a treaty which, despite what followed, was a genuine effort to humanise colonialism.  Early colonisers who rightly felt cheated by the New Zealand company forced the confiscation of Māori land with unfortunate results. But over recent years we have made huge steps to honour the treaty, restoring mana and lost wealth.  We have tried to bring Māori culture into mainstream Aotearoa and celebrate the uniqueness of who we are becoming.

But in the last two years we have seen a backlash against such progress from people who ought to know better.  Continue reading February 8th 2026: Rev Hugh Perry →

TEXTS:

Matthew 5: 1-12 [NRSV]

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them saying:

‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.’

‘Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.’

‘Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.’

‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.’

‘Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.’

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.’

‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.’

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.’

‘Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.’

‘Following God’s rules’

Jesus tells us here that these people should consider themselves blessed; the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, peacemakers, and those who are persecuted. Sometimes we think his words mean that if we are meek we will be blessed, that if we are persecuted we will be blessed, and we put up with situations we shouldn’t because of it. Continue reading Sunday 1 February- Rev Stephanie Wells →

Readings

Isaiah 42: 1-9

In our reading from Isaiah we get a fair amount of the scripture that outlines Jesus’ mission beginning in verse one where the divine voice declares ‘I have put my spirit upon him,’ which of course we will read about shortly in Matthew’s account of Jesus’ baptism.

This Isaiah passage could easily be read as Jesus’ mission plan and I am sure it would be acceptable to both the Synod and the Presbytery.  However we must always keep in mind Dr. Andrews’ caution, mentioned regularly in The Old Testament in Aotearoa New Zealand, that Hebrew Scripture was written for its own particular time and place.  Nevertheless that doesn’t stop the Gospel writers using texts like this to frame their story of the life and meaning of Jesus.  Indeed, as other scripture indicates that was the tradition of the genre in which they wrote.

Matthew 3: 13-17

Chapter 3 of Matthew’s Gospel introduces John the Baptist using much of Mark’s original text.  John is cast as a returning Elijah with his description alluding to 2^nd Kings verse 8 where Elijah is described as ‘A hairy man, with a leather belt around his waist.’  According to scripture Elijah did not die but was carried up to heaven in a whirlwind, and, as the expectation of a messiah grew so did the idea that Elijah would return to announce the arrival of God’s Messiah.  Therefore Mark, with the other Gospel writers copying, has the Elijah figure of John the Baptist arriving on stage, by the Jordon, where Elijah had left.

We begin our reading where Jesus arrives to be baptised.  Warren Carter, in his commentary, notes that the heavens opening to reveal divine knowledge is a traditional motive in both Jewish and Roman literature and he draws attention to the importance of liberation through water in the exodus account.^[1]  Bill Loader makes the point that ‘In all the gospels the baptism has a mythical quality as portraying a point where the heavenly world and earthly reality meet’.^[2]  But unlike Mark, where only Jesus hears the divine voice, that heavenly proclamation is addressed to everyone in Matthew.

In framing the Gospel within traditional motives the gospel writers want us to understand is that everything that happens in Jesus’ ministry is part of their religious tradition where new things grow from past tradition.

Sermon 

The last verse of Shirley Murray’s hymn links our two readings together and maps out our calling for this year.

Prophets are our travel agents,

gospel-makers lay this road:

to the place of peace and promise

faith will take us to our God.

So far the new lectionary year has led us through Advent and Christmas. It now begins again the mission journey of Jesus.  In line with the concluding verse of Shirley Murray’s hymn the travel agent prophet who books the beginning of our faith journey this morning is Isaiah.

But, with the exception of a few diversions to view significant events it will be Matthew that lays the road this year for our retracing of the discipleship journey.

Continue reading Rev Hugh Perry, Sunday 11 January →