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Reign of Christ in this world and eternity

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Jeremiah 23.1-6; Psalm 46; Colossians 1.11-20; Luke 23.33-43 Sovereign Lord, you restore all things in your Only- Begotten,the Ruler of the universe: give us faith to be steadfast amid the tumults of this secular world, knowing that your Kingdom shall come, and bring all people together under the gracious reign of Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, One God now and forever. Amen. Today is the last Sunday of the Christian year. The Christian year, begins with Advent, takes us through the events in the life of Jesus, upto Pentecost. Thereon we have a period of time known as ordinary time when the church reflects on themes of growth and life. This season ends with what is known as the reign of Christ or Christ the king. Reminding us that we live under the rule of Christ all the days of our life. Next week we begin a new Christian year with Advent Sunday, where the main theme is hope, that hope is that the one who rules over us will, return one day....
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God's greatest gift

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Christmas is one of the most happiest times of the year for children, adults for all Our families. It is a time for fun, celebration, special food and gifts. No party or get to gather is complete without a gift. And children anticipate gifts and there is excitement, most often hoping that they will get what they want. That can be seen when they open their gifts. Well, the highlight of Christmas is about a gift and opening it with much expectation and joy. This gift is the most valuable gift the world has received. It is a gift of God's love to this world - Jesus. Jesus is God's gift to this whole world. To every man and woman, to every child, to the youth, to the elderly, to those who speak different languages, to those who are of different social class, you name it, to everyone. Jesus is a unique gift. A gift that is useful and valuable to everyone.  Just as we open the gifts that we receive at Christmas, we ought to open the gift that God has given us - Jesus, and see what it...
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Youth with a purpose

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Galatians 3:26-29 & 4:6 - 7;  Luke 4:16 - 21 Today the church remembers William Wilberforce. I wonder how many of you know who he is. He was a reformer. He grew up surrounded by wealth. He wasn’t a serious student but educated at St. John's College at Cambridge. He was a man with a purpose.  Two causes caught his attention. One the issue of slavery. He saw it as wickedness. And he made up his mind that it has to be abolished. As a young parliamentarian 30 years, he faced much opposition and he was vilified. Yet he did not give up. One of his friends feared that he would be broiled by Indian planters, barbecued by African merchants. His antislavery efforts bore fruit in 1807. That was an impact he had on the world. His second interest was the "reformation of manners," that is, morals. At the age of 28 he started a society for the Suppression of Vice.  He gave away one-quarter of his annual income to the poor. He fought on behalf of chimney sweeps, single mothers, Sunda...
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Prayer

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Genesis 18:20 - 32; Psalm 138; Colossians 2:6 - 19; Luke 11:1 - 13 Almighty God, you are always more ready to hear than we to pray, and know our necessities before we ask and our ignorance in asking: Have compassion on our weakness and divisions, and grant that, those things we ask faithfully we may obtain effectively; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. If someone of your family were to go abroad, how will you keep in touch with them? How would you have a relationship with such a person? Would we stop speaking to them and wait until they return? Would be forget them? Would we call them only when we want? The answer I believe is a no. We would no want to lose touch with that member of our family. Now that is very much that our readings are speaking to us today. Communication. God’s people communicating with God the father. The body communicating with the head. And that is what the bible calls prayer.  Prayer is a two-way communication. Hence when you pray both get t...
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The Call to Transform

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Genesis 45:3-11, 15;  Psalm 37:1-11, 39-40;  1 Corinthians 15:35-38, 42-50;  Luke 6:27-38 Merciful Lord, grant your people grace to obey your call and to withstand the temptations of the world, the flesh and the devil. May we be strengthened by your Holy Spirit to be truly converted to the faith once for all delivered to the saints, and with pure hearts and minds follow you the Only God; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Call to Transform is our theme for this Sunday. Transformation is to undergo a change in form, appearance, or character; You let go of what is old and put on what is new. And you become a different, a new person. As a human being, the nature, attitude, character, behaviour, thinking, everything undergoes transformation. As far as Jesus is concerned transformation is a call to live differently. To live Jesus. A transformed life means people are seeing Jesus wherever a Christian is. That is how Jesus’ disciples got the name Christian (Acts 11:26). And wh...
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Christian Unity- Anyone who is not against us is for us

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Numbers 11: 4- 6, 10-16,  24 - 29;  Psalm 124;  James 5:13 - 20;  Mark 9: 38 - 50 God our Redeemer, to an expectant and united Church you granted the gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Help us with the same Spirit in all our life and worship, to usher in justice, unity and peace in Church and society, so that we may expect great things from you and attempt great things for you (and in you may the elderly find consolation and the children their inspiration); through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. If Jesus was living in Sri Lanka today, and he had spoken the words of today's Gospel, on one side he would create confusion on the other he would have been arrested for inciting violence. Jesus' words were hard, it most of the time was.   I suppose that is why some left him saying these are hard sayings. However hard his sayings were, it was words of truth. And for most who are caught up with one kind of thinking, it is hard to accept. However hard his sayings were...
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Remembering Rev. Canon. John & Mrs Kamala Isaac

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Life is God's gift to this world. First to a family, then to a community and then to the world. Today we are gathered as family, friends and community to remember, celebrate and give thanks to God who gives life. Today we remember with gratitude and thank God for lives of Rev. Canon John Isaac & Mrs. Kamala Isaac and their service. The two of them were God's gift to the church, the Diocese of Kurunegala and to Mowbray College respectively. It is 25 years but it is as though it was just yesterday. That’s what memories do, they keep people living in our hearts long, long after they have returned to their maker. Very specially when they are good people, when they impact our lives, when they leave their mark, in people's lives, in communities and in what they have been doing. That is because they were true and committed to their calling and vocation. Fr. John and Mrs. Isaac, or to me John Isaac uncle and aunty kamala, never disappointed the one who called them. Fr. John...
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