A sermon by Rod Benson Nineteen weeks ago, I stood here for the first time, almost freezing, with snow falling outside, not really knowing any of you, and preached from 1 Timothy 1:1-7 on the purpose of Christian preaching. I reminded you that: In 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Paul reminds the young leader Timothy of the …
Things worth fighting for
A sermon by Rod Benson American poet and novelist Charles Bukowski once said, “People are strange: They are constantly angered by trivial things, but on a major matter like totally wasting their lives, they hardly seem to notice.” We might, in our weaker moments, be tempted to criticize the Apostle Paul for several apparent faults …
Being single, being Christian
A sermon by Rod Benson Twelve days ago, I stepped off a subway train at 15th Street in central Philadelphia, in search of the Clothespin, a large public sculpture created by Claes Oldenburg in 1976. I ascended the subway stairs to street level, and emerged in the sunlight, facing the magnificent City Hall, and looked …
Being Australian, being Christian
A sermon by Rod Benson Matthew 22:15-22 “Aussie, Aussie, Aussie! Oi, oi, oi!” Brothers and sisters of the Australian soil, I greet you. On Tuesday Australia celebrates its birthday, in recognition of that defining event of national history, the arrival of the First Fleet of British ships at Port Jackson, New South Wales, on 26 …
Why forgive?
A sermon by Rod Benson Matthew 18:21-35 Forgiveness is a gift we all like to receive, but we don’t all like to give. English writer and apologist C.S. Lewis said that forgiveness is a beautiful word, until you have something to forgive. One of Lewis’s mentors, G.K. Chesterton, said that forgiveness means pardoning the unpardonable, or …
iDigress 