Sermons at St Aidan's

Over the next couple of weeks, we'll be returning to the book of Romans. Today we look at the first part of Romans 8, where we see how the Holy Spirit helps us fight sin and assures us of the wonderful privilege of being God's children.

Today we will reflect on Psalm 90 which contrasts the eternal God with frailty of humanity. Yet, we can be thankful that because of God's grace shown to us in Jesus, the eternal one came to give us an eternal home and to satisfy us with his unfailing love.

Today we finish our series in the Lord's Prayer as we consider the final petition, asking our Father to lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. As we live now as God's children temptations will come, so we are to pray and seek God's help for protection and deliverance.

Today, we continue our series looking at the prayer Jesus taught his disciples to pray, the Lord's Prayer. We are considering the meaning of each line of the Lord's Prayer, and today we consider what it means for us to pray "Father, forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors."

Today, we look at the fourth petition of the Lord's Prayer, "give us today our daily bread". To pray this prayer is to live under God's sovereign, gracious rule, knowing our daily needs are provided for by our Heavenly Father.

Today we consider the third petition of the Lord's Prayer, where Jesus instructs us to pray for our Father's will to be done on earth as it is in heaven, This is a prayer for God to bring about his sovereign purposes, to do that throughout the earth, and to do that in us, as we entrust ourselves to our Father's care.

Today, we continue our series in the Lord's Prayer considering the second petition, "Your Kingdom Come". Jesus came announcing that in him the Kingdom of God has come near, and a day is coming when the Kingdom of God will be all in all. Today we pray that the reign of our King will be manifest among us, and that many will be brought into Jesus' Kingdom.

Jesus visits his home town with a royal message. How is it going to go? And what does it mean for our city?

Continuing with the Lord's Prayer, we consider the first petition that God's name would be hallowed. God has acted in history to reveal his name, and this finds its ultimate expression in Jesus the Christ, who having been raised to the Father's right hand, has been given the name above all names. We'll see how God's name is hallowed on earth as the saviour Jesus is proclaimed a...

Today we begin a series considering the prayer which Jesus taught his disciples, the Lord's Prayer. We will see how this is much more than a set prayer to memorize and repeat. Rather it is a launching pad teaching us how to pray, beginning with who we pray to - our Father in heaven.

This is the finish to ours series on Paul's prayers, looking at his prayer to the Colossians. In this prayer he shows what is of first importance; the Gospel proclaimed and lived not in his life but in the lives of others.

As Paul hears about the church in Philippi, which he founded 10 years earlier, he is full of joy and gives thanks for the outworking of God's grace in that place. He also prays for God's continued work among his people, highlighting for us how we can pray for ourselves and one another.

Paul prays that the Ephesians will have power. Power, to be strengthened through the Holy Spirit and to grasp the unfathomable love of Christ. Only possible because of God, the powerful Father.

Today we continue in Mark's Gospel following Jesus as he makes his way to the cross. As Jesus has now arrived in Jerusalem as God's promised King, he finds himself in conflict with the religious leaders and authorities. Jesus' teaching soon shows that he is the one who speaks with God's authority, and he is the one to whom we are to listen.

How does what we pray for reveal what we believe about God? As we are challenged in today's passage about what we might have believed about Jesus, we can pray in confidence for God's will to be done as we forgive one another.

Today we continue in Mark's gospel and come to what should be a climactic point in Jesus' ministry, the triumphal entry into Jerusalem. But as God's promised King arrives in God's city, the reception is mixed at best, most do not recognise him, and many will reject him. We are asked the same question today; will we welcome God's King?

Jesus now meets the blind man Bartimaeus who shows us what it looks like to see Jesus clearly, and how to enter the Kingdom.

In a world where we're all suspicious of power and influence of others, Jesus uses his power not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life for others.

In our passage today, a rich man comes to Jesus asking how to inherit Eternal Life. Jesus' answer shows how none of us can ever do enough to earn our salvation. It is only though God that we can be in a restored relationship with our creator.

Today we continue listening to Jesus' teaching about life in his Kingdom. The Pharisees come to Jesus with a question about divorce, seeking to test him and minimize obedience. Jesus highlights God's original purposes for our relationships, and we are challenged to emulate little children in approaching and listening to Jesus' words.

As we continue in Mark's Gospel, we listen to Jesus' teaching about discipleship. Jesus says some radical things that turn our expectations upside down. These are teachings that have changed our world, and still stand as challenges to us as we are called to follow the suffering King.

After the mountain top high of the transfiguration, Jesus and his disciples now return to the reality of a world of sickness, evil, and sin. Confronted with powers beyond their control the disciples learn an important lesson about faith. We too are invited to come to Jesus in our struggles and doubts, and place place our lives in his strong hands.

Today we begin a new series in Mark's Gospel. We pick it up at the turning point in the gospel as Jesus begins to make his way towards Jerusalem. Jesus reveals his mission as the one who must suffer, he is revealed from heaven as the Divine Son, and calls us to follow him on the path of suffering before glory.

This Psalm celebrates the marvelous things that the Lord has done in his salvation and in his reign over all nations and all creation. As we see God's great plan to bring all things under the Lordship of Jesus, may we in 2026 join in his work and join in the celebration and praise.

Psalm 88 is known as "the Bible's darkest prayer, and it teaches as about loneliness, chronic suffering, and faithful prayer. By placing this Psalm alongside other scripture, we will consider why unresolved pain often isolates people, and what it means for the church to be truly good a suffering.