Lossiemouth Church of Scotland

12 March 2017 is the second Sunday in Lent and Rev. Geoff McKee’s sermon has The Call of Abram (Genesis 12:1-4) as its scriptural basis. It can be helpful to view our lives as subject to two different types of forces – surface winds (day-to-day life) and deep ocean currents (God’s power). He discusses examples of people who have managed to see God’s bigger picture for their lives – often requiring great personal sacrifice. How do we follow the example of Abram? – How to find freedom in obedience?

The Scripture follows below and then the sermon, which you can also download as a PDF, if you wish.

Genesis 12:1-4 (New International Version)

The Call of Abram
12 The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.

2 “I will make you into a great nation,
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you.”
4 So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran.

During the US civil war, Abraham Lincoln met with a group of ministers for a prayer breakfast.

Lincoln was not a church-goer but was a man of deep, if at times unorthodox, faith.

At one point, one of the ministers said, “Mr President, let us pray that God is on our side”. Lincoln’s response showed far greater insight: “No, gentlemen, let us pray that we are on God’s side.” [Read more…]

05 March 2017 is the first Sunday in Lent and Rev. Geoff McKee’s sermon comes from the well-known story of Adam and Eve (“the fall of man”) in the first book of the Bible (Genesis 2:15-17 and 3:1-7). Geoff discusses how Adam’s disobedience could only be put right through the perfect obedience we have seen in Jesus: how the tree of the fall can only be restored by the tree of the cross.

The scripture is immediately below and the sermon follows after that. You can download the sermon as a PDF, if you wish.

Genesis 2:15-17 (New International Version)

15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” [Read more…]

Matthew 17:1-9 is the Scripture for 26 February 2017 and Rev. Geoff McKee discusses the Transfiguration of Jesus – an encouragement to us on our journey of faith.

The Scripture is immediately below and then the sermon, which you can also download as a PDF (74kB), if you wish.

Matthew 17:1-9 (New International Version)

The Transfiguration
17 After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. 3 Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.

4 Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”

5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”

6 When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. 7 But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” 8 When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.

9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”

I have often driven through Glencoe, on my way north from Glasgow over the years.

And, as many of you will know, it’s a spectacular drive; the mountains tower above the road on both sides and the waterfalls cascade right down to the road’s edge.

And I always enjoy driving that Glencoe stretch a wee bit slower than the rest of the journey, so that I can soak it all in.

But I remember one journey through Glencoe that was better than all the rest.

I was by myself in the car and the weather was bad. [Read more…]

Rev. Geoff McKee’s sermon for 19 February 2017 is based on another difficult, though familiar, passage in Matthew’s Gospel (Matthew 5:38-48), from the Sermon on the Mount. Geoff explains why Jesus is the Word of God and how, to be relevant for our time, the Bible needs Jesus, as the living Word, to speak through it. When that happens, general statements in the Bible become particular, personal and relevant to us as individuals. The Scripture is immediately below and, after that, comes the sermon. You can also download the sermon in PDF format by clicking here.

Matthew 5:38-48 (New International Version)

Eye for Eye
38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ 39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. 40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. 41 If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

Love for Enemies
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Consider:

• If I give to everyone who begs, I will have nothing left for myself.
• If I turn the other cheek, I will get slapped again.
• If I get sued, I am hiring the best lawyer I can afford to find a loophole in my favour.
• If I love my enemies, I will be more persecuted or even killed.
• If I am too nice, I will be seen as weak, a pushover, a doormat.

Who wants to be perfect anyway?

[Read more…]