Todays sermon was given by our priest in charge the Rev Nick Mwandia on the 2nd Sunday before Advent, 19th November 2023.
Download Mp3 HERE!
Sermon starts at 5:13
Zephaniah 1 v 7 & 12-18
7 Be silent before the Sovereign Lord, for the day of the Lord is near. The Lord has
prepared a sacrifice; he has consecrated those he has invited.
12 At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps and punish those who are
complacent, who are like wine left on its dregs, who think, ‘The Lord will do nothing,
either good or bad.’
13 Their wealth will be plundered, their houses demolished.
Though they build houses, they will not live in them; though they plant vineyards,
they will not drink the wine.”
14 The great day of the Lord is near—near and coming quickly. The cry on the day of
the Lord is bitter; the Mighty Warrior shouts his battle cry.
15 That day will be a day of
wrath—a day of distress and anguish, a day of trouble and ruin, a day of
darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness—
16 a day of trumpet and battle
cry against the fortified cities and against the corner towers.
17 “I will bring such distress on all people that they will grope about like those who
are blind, because they have sinned against the Lord. Their blood will be poured
out like dust and their entrails like dung.
18 Neither their silver nor their gold will be
able to save them on the day of the Lord’s wrath.”
In the fire of his jealousy the whole earth will be consumed, for he will make a
sudden end of all who live on the earth.
Second Reading: Matthew 25 v 14-30
The Parable of the Bags Of Gold
14 “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and
entrusted his wealth to them.
15 To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two
bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his
journey.
16 The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his
money to work and gained five bags more.
17 So also, the one with two bags of gold
gained two more.
18 But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in
the ground and hid his master’s money.
19 “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with
them.
20 The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’
he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’
21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful
with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your
master’s happiness!’
22 “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me
with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’
23 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful
with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your
master’s happiness!’
24 “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew
that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where
you have not scattered seed.
25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the
ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’
26 “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So, you knew that I harvest where I
have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed?
27 Well then, you should
have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned, I would
have received it back with interest.
28 “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags.
29 For
whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does
not have, even what they have will be taken from them.
30 And throw that worthless
servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of
teeth.’
