James Lawrence: Sermons from Blackburn Cathedral

On the birthday of the Church, James preaches on the coming of the Holy Spirit — the wind and fire of Pentecost, the gift of languages, and the extraordinary, continuing work of the Spirit in the world today.

On the night Jesus was betrayed, James preaches on the Last Supper — the extraordinary act of foot-washing, the new commandment to love, and the bread and cup that carry the weight of the world.

James returns to the Jordan to explore the baptism of Jesus — the descent of the Spirit, the Father's voice of affirmation, and the way this definitive moment shapes the entire arc of Jesus's ministry and our own call as the baptised.

James explores the journey of the Magi — astronomers and outsiders drawn to worship the king of the Jews — as a window into the universal reach of the Gospel and the surprising ways God draws people home.

At Midnight Mass, James preaches on the extraordinary heart of Christmas — that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. A sermon of wonder, warmth, and the scandalous particularity of the Incarnation: that God chose to arrive as a child.

On Gaudete Sunday, James explores the paradox of Advent joy — a joy that does not deny darkness but chooses hope anyway, rooted in the unshakeable promise of the one who is coming.

James opens the new liturgical year with Advent's great themes — the coming of Christ in history, in the present moment, and in final glory — and the peculiarly counter-cultural invitation to wait with hope rather than to consume with haste.

At the Cathedral's Remembrance service, James holds together grief and gratitude, the horror of war and the hope of peace — preaching with honesty and pastoral care on what it means to remember, and what the dead ask of the living.

On Bible Sunday, James celebrates the gift of scripture — exploring how this ancient library of texts continues to speak with living authority into every generation, and how we might read it more faithfully, honestly, and generously.

At the Harvest Thanksgiving, James reflects on gratitude, abundance, and the responsibility that comes with God's generosity — inviting the congregation to hold lightly what they have received and generously what they can give.

James preaches on one of the most demanding and liberating teachings of Jesus — the call to forgive as we have been forgiven. A searching and pastoral exploration of what forgiveness actually costs, what it gives, and why it lies at the heart of the Gospel.

James turns to the story of Peter — his failures, his restoration, and his remarkable transformation — asking what this flawed and passionate disciple can teach us about grace, identity, and what it truly means to follow Jesus.

On the Feast of the Transfiguration, James explores the moment when the veil between heaven and earth grew thin on the mountain — and what it means to glimpse the glory of Christ in the midst of ordinary life and discipleship.

James brings Romans 8 to its soaring conclusion — the Spirit interceding for us in our weakness, all things working together for good, and the unbreakable love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. A sermon of extraordinary confidence and hope.

James engages with Paul's raw and honest wrestling in Romans 7 — the battle between the good we want to do and the patterns that pull us away — and what it means to find freedom in Christ rather than in our own moral effort.

Drawing on the Epiphany season's theme of revelation, James considers how Christ continues to make himself known — in scripture, sacrament, and the surprising encounters of everyday life.

James explores the significance of Jesus's baptism in the Jordan — a moment of divine affirmation, Spirit-anointing, and the launch of a ministry that would change the world. What does it mean to hear the Father say 'you are my beloved'?

In the final Sunday before Christmas, James reflects on the mystery of the Incarnation — the astonishing claim that God chose to enter human history through the birth of a child — and what it means to receive him with the openness of Mary.