Sermon Blog 2026

Heidi and I recently saw the musical version of Back to the Future for my 60th Birthday. As with many musicals, it got me thinking about how the story connects to scripture. The film’s famous parting line, ‘Your future hasn't been written yet. No one's has. Your future is whatever you make it. So make it a good one,’ sounds wonderfully liberating. However, our future is not a blank page.

In the film, time is fragile, and Marty’s choices in 1955 nearly erase his existence. The whole premise is that the future is dependent on human choice. But the scriptures offer a different perspective. Isaiah 46 tells us that God is unique - He stands outside of time, declaring ‘the end from the beginning’. While we are trapped in the here and now, God knows our whole story. Psalm 139 reinforces this truth: ‘Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be’.

This is in stark contrast to Doc Brown's assertion that the future is unwritten. While making plans is fine and right, Proverbs 19:21 reminds us that ‘Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails’. We may try to be the captain of our own destiny, but our human plans are fragile. Our choices should be aligned with God’s prevailing will.

God does promise us a future and a hope in Jeremiah 29:11, but we often miss the context. The Israelites had to wait 70 years in exile for this promise to be fulfilled, enduring suffering and waiting. The future God promises is what He is making of you, which involves patience and trust. That word often translated as ‘prosper’ is actually Shalom, meaning peace, wellbeing, and contentment - not material success.

Back to the Future is a fantasy about controlling our destiny. I prefer the Biblical reality: God creates, God knows, God governs, and God restores. Our future is not whatever we make it. For us, it is not "back to the future" - it is back to the Father.

The recent lectionary reading from the second book of Peter focuses on a testimony - an eyewitness account of something that actually happened. This testimony is part of Peter's story, and critically, we all have testimonies that are part of our story, and the great thing about them is that no one can dispute them. They might try, but you know it is true because no one can take your story away from you.

For example, when I recently shared my story at a curry evening in Littleport, some people may have been unsure. Was what I talked about a coincidence or a God-incidence? Perhaps some thought it was a story elaborated on for the occasion. But the fact remains that it was a true testimony of what actually happened. Peter faced the same challenges, which is why he insisted his account of the Transfiguration was not a 'cleverly devised story' but an eyewitness account of what he saw and heard.

We live in a world saturated with fake news, where social media constantly adds to the reprogramming of our minds. This reality makes it even more essential that we stick to the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth in the stories and testimonies we share. If we try to embellish them or add things just to make them sound better, we risk getting caught out. And if someone spots one falsehood, how can we assure them the rest of the story is true? Peter pushed back on those who wanted to turn the Gospel into a myth by simply stating, ‘I saw and I heard. This is the account of what happened on that day’.

I want to encourage you to do the same. Call it mission or evangelism if you like, but if you call it ‘Telling your story,’ it becomes so much easier. All you are doing is sharing your experience of God and your life as a Christian - and no one can take that away from you. This is far more accessible than you might think; it doesn't require you to preach or have a degree in theology. Some of the most powerful testimonies can be shared in a mere 60 seconds - a simple, focused, one-minute story about a specific moment when God met you. If you are interested in exploring this further or would value a hands-on workshop to equip you with the skills to confidently share your godly stories, then please let me know.

When we encounter the opening chapter of the Bible in Genesis we are immediately confronted with a deeply contested passage. Is it purely a myth, a literal seven-day account of creation, or a poetic rendition of God's work over millions of years? While our understanding may evolve as God reveals the Bible to us, the fundamental theological question remains the same: Do we believe that God created the world and everything in it? 

The story, regardless of the lens we use, anchors us to the truth that God was there right from the very beginning. "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth". Indeed, the Bible itself always assumes, and never argues, the existence of God. 

God's first command was, "Let there be light," and the light was separated from the darkness. This is a constant biblical theme: light overcomes darkness, yet the darkness remains.

The majestic narrative continues through the separation of waters and dry ground, the production of vegetation, and the filling of the sky, sea, and land. Finally, the creation is completed with mankind and we were created in God’s image, male and female, and entrusted with the world.

Whether you see Genesis 1 as a scientific allegory mirroring the order of evolution as seen in fossil records - or simply a powerful story, remember this: we were created as part of God's plan.

This profound truth gives rise to our mission today. We are called to embody the 5th mark of mission: "To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation, and sustain and renew the life of the earth". As you ponder creation this week, let us seek to reflect God's light and love in the world He entrusted to us.

As we celebrate the Feast of the Presentation of Christ, also known as Candlemas, we mark 40 days since Christmas - a vital turning point where we look back at the birth of Jesus and forward to his ministry. Fundamentally, this is a story about recognizing God in the midst of the ordinary.

Our Gospel reading tells us of Mary and Joseph bringing their baby, Jesus, to the temple for the purification rites, being faithful to the law. In today's service we have proud parents doing something similar in bringing their child for baptism. 

Taking a newborn to the temple was an ordinary, everyday occurrence. Yet, in that ordinary moment, Jesus was recognized as God Himself.

It was there we meet two remarkable figures: Simeon, the righteous and devout man who had waited his whole life to see the Messiah, and Anna, the 84-year-old prophetess who never left the temple, worshipping day and night.

Simeon took the child in his arms and praised God, proclaiming: ‘Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, my eyes have seen your salvation; a light for the revelation to the Gentiles’. Anna, too, gave thanks and spoke about the child to all who were looking for redemption.

Their story reminds us that in our own moments of faithful, ordinary routine - whether it is bringing a child to baptism, gathering for worship, or simply praying - God can be revealed.

In baptism, we are called out of darkness and into God's marvellous light - a light for revelation to the Gentiles. The lighted candle given to the newly baptised signifies the light of Christ going with them, as we all affirm: ‘Shine as a light in the world to the glory of God the Father’.

As we witness a new generation begin this journey of faith, we can also use this opportunity to renew our own baptismal vows. We are all called to be the Simeons and Annas of the day: to welcome, to pray for, and to recognise the light of God within one another. We come to church because of salvation, a salvation we see made visible in the water of baptism, in the light of the candle, and in the community gathered to welcome a new life into God’s marvellous light. May we all go out into the world carrying that light, living in His peace. Amen.

Rural West Norfolk might feel a million miles away from the bustling, cosmopolitan city of Corinth, but the challenges Paul addressed 2,000 years ago are remarkably similar to those that can face many churches today. The struggle to maintain unity often stems from one core problem: we forget who we are and, more importantly, who we belong to.

When a church loses sight of its true identity in Christ, it becomes easy to retreat into comfortable, even judgemental, groups. We start scrutinising those outside our fellowship, and sometimes, even those sitting right next to us. Paul's opening address in his letter is a powerful reminder of our foundational truth: ‘To the Church of God in Corinth.’ It’s God’s church, not the Corinthians', not the leaders', not ours. We are simply members, called to be part of the "gathered assembly" - the ekklesia - people called together for a divine purpose.

It is too easy to become focused on the bricks and mortar of our beautiful buildings, or on the internal workings of our local parish. We risk an inward-looking faith, forgetting the call to mission and the glorious reality that we are part of the universal worldwide church. Paul explicitly links the local church to ‘all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ - their Lord and ours.’ Our unity extends far beyond the parish boundary, connecting us to every believer across the benefice, the diocese, and the entire world.

Even in their disunity and weaknesses, Paul opened with grace, affirming the Corinthians' status: ‘sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be his Holy people.’ He affirmed their identity first, not waiting for perfect behaviour. This call culminates in 1 Corinthians 1:9: ‘God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.’ The Greek word for "fellowship" emphasises what we have in common, what truly unites us: partnership in Christ. When we realise we are all called together into this fellowship, our love for others will naturally outweigh any fears or differences we might have. We are one body, called to celebrate our common ground as we seek to grow God's kingdom here.

As we mark the Festival of the Epiphany, we celebrate far more than just the end of the Christmas season. Epiphany - meaning 'an appearing' or a 'glorious display' - is the moment the Christmas message shines brightest: the revelation of Christ to the Gentiles. It is the heart of the Christian story, that ‘eureka’ moment where the light of the stable lights up the entire world.

The Magi from the east, representing the nations, followed a star. This celestial sign was their first revelation, catching their attention and drawing them to search for the newborn King. Their journey, however, came in stages. Seeing the star was just the beginning; they still had to seek counsel in Jerusalem before finally being led to Bethlehem.

This narrative invites us to ask: What is the ‘star’ that God is using to draw you in today? It may not be a physical star, but perhaps a meaningful conversation, a profound personal realization, or a specific passage of Scripture. It's anything that catches your attention and draws you into a search for God. Once you see that star, your role is to follow it, and like the Magi, to go deeper in your search for truth.

When the Magi found the Messiah, they presented gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. For us, having received the gift of God’s Grace, the offering required is ourselves - our lives presented to acknowledge our newborn King and Saviour.

After seeing Jesus, the Magi returned home by another route, warned in a dream not to return to Herod. This is a profound metaphor for the Christian life. An authentic encounter with the light of Christ demands a change in direction. It requires a new path forward. So as the New Year begins, let us reflect: what is our new route? For me, that new path is mission. We are called to ‘Go and make disciples of all nations’ and to be ‘witnesses to the ends of the earth’. Having seen the light of Christ our Saviour once again, what will our mission be for the coming year?