Thought for the Week 14 June 2026

Welcome to our service today. We will be reflecting on Luke’s Sermon on the Plain, which is a shortened version of Matthew’s Sermon on the Mount. Both these sermons outline a new vision for the people of God and how they should live and turn upside down a worldview that insisted that wealth equalled blessing from God. This attitude persists among those who subscribe to the ‘prosperity gospel’ that teaches material blessings are a sign of God’s favour and God’s desire is that we all become rich. The story Luke tells is more about evening out the wealth so that no one is deprived. He shows Jesus with the rich tax collectors who are transformed by his message (Levi, Matthew, Zaccheus) and he shows Jesus ministering with great compassion to the most needy and desperate. In Acts we see the generosity of those who sold property and gave the proceeds to the Church to aid the needy (see Acts 2:45). A great sign of God’s inbreaking kingdom is the transformation of hearts from self-centredness to generosity; from self-interest to seeing the needs of others and doing something about it.

Coming up next Saturday we have Barbara Samson with us to lead a special prayer retreat from 9:30-3pm at St Stephens. Barabra is a Salvation Army officer and Spiritual Director with extensive experiences in leading prayer retreats. She will also be preaching at our Sunday service on the ‘Hidden Life”. Following the service, we will be having a pizza lunch, cost is a koha (donation).

Nga mihi nui,  Brent