St Barnabas Anglican Parish ‐Bluff 
25.06.2024
Today's Gospel 
Mathew 7:6‐14

Reflection 
Jesus is trying to give us strength and encouragement. Do not give what is Holy to dogs. Do to others as you would have liked them to do to you 
Ask and it will be given, seek and you will find, knock and open the door. Father God is always ready to hear and answer our prayers. Jesus invites us to keep praying; to go through the narrow road it will lead us to the narrow gate to get true life with our Father in heaven.

Let us pray 
Heavenly Father may our actions, our attitudes, and innermost motives behind our thoughts and words be pleasing to you and reflection of Christ in us
Amen

St. Barnabas Anglican Parish, Bluff 
24.06.24
Today's gospel 
Matthew 7:1-5 

"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?

You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye."

Some comments 

This text is part of the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus teaches us about the importance of not judging others and instead focusing on our own actions and behavior.

We need to see others through/ with love and compassion. Forgiveness is key, for we too have wronged others and have been forgiven. We too have our own 
 flaws and weaknesses.

We must focus on my own journey, rather than criticizing the paths of others. May we be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to judge.

May we be an instrument of God's peace, love, and acceptance, and always seek to understand rather than to judge.

Let us pray 

Lord God, help us to overcome our tendency to judge others, and instead focus on our own growth and development. May we see others with love and be instruments of peace and acceptance.

Amen.

St. Barnabas Anglican Parish,  Bluff. 
22.06.23

Matthew 6:24-34

Reflection
One of the best known stories of Jesus leads us into the theme of trust. Only God is worth our total trust, and God is totally faithful to us. Worries about fashions and menus and diets can take us away from being concerned with the things of God. A prayerful walk among flowers while observing the birds of the air brings this story to life. It’s about recognising what’s really important in life. Even though birds and lilies also wither and die, their lifespan can remind us of where true happiness lies.

Prayer

​Heavenly Father, we thank You for being our source and supply. Thank You for meeting all of our needs from Your glorious riches in Christ Jesus. Thank You for being our Shepherd so we will not want for anything. We will exalt You and praise Your Name forever and ever. Lord, You are great and most worthy of praise! No one can measure Your greatness. You always keep Your promises, and You are gracious in all that You do. Father, You help the fallen and lift up those who are bent beneath their loads. We look to You in hope, and You give us our food as we need it. When You open Your hand, You satisfy the hunger and the thirst of every living thing.
Amen

St. Barnabas Anglican Parish, Bluff. 
21/6/24
Today's gospel 
Mathew 6 v19 to 23.

This is an easy reading BUT a very difficult one to follow. Put simply, Jesus is asking us not to put hearts and hopes in material possessions. 
He wants our hearts to be free for the great work in His Kingdom that he has prepared for us, that are our treasures in heaven.

Let us pray.

Father God, thanks for showing us the light and for keeping us from the darkness. Father, you are the source of all our spiritual blessings. Let our souls become the storehouse of all your blessings.
In Jesus Mighty name we pray. 

Amen.

St. Barnabas Anglican Parish, Bluff. 
19/6/24
Today's gospel 
Mathew 6 v1-6 and 16-18.

This reading teaches us of God's rewards for those who pray.
This is between you and God. He sees in secret and will reward you, that is a promise.

Worshipping God is a deeply personal and private activity even when ministering to the needs of others.
Just like fasting, we need to do the right things for the right reasons. If we show all that we are doing, we are hypocrites and will not receive favor from God.
So, through fasting, we can trust God at the deepest level.

Let us pray.

Father God, we pray that you teach us to pray earnestly to you. 
Also teach us to be humble and kind. 
In Jesus Mighty name, we pray.

Amen

St Barnabas Anglican Parish ‐ Bluff 
18.06.2024
Today's Gospel 
Mathew 5:43‐48

Reflection 
Jesus is telling us to not think about ourselves. He is telling us to think about others ahead of ourselves. We do not say I have a right. We give up our rights for others. We have to keep loving one another sincerely. Do not treat evil with evil but rather with love. Do not accumulate anger against other people who violated you and later would take revenge. 1 Peter 3: 9 Do does not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with a blessing because you are called so that you may inherit a blessing.

Let us pray 

Father God, we pray for your mercy upon us and that you would bring us into the right relationship with you. us to love our neighbors and pray for our enemies  

Amen

St. Barnabas Anglican Parish, Bluff. 
17.06.24
Today's gospel Matthew 5:38-42

The Sermon on the Mount is about Jesus teaching us to love our enemies, and going beyond the requirements of the law. Jesus uses the Old Testament law statements;

-  "An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth" (Exodus 21:24, Leviticus 24:20, Deuteronomy 19:21), but then says, "But I tell you not to resist an evil person."
-  "turn the other cheek" and not seek revenge.
- If someone takes your tunic, give them your cloak as well.
- If someone forces you to go one mile, go two miles with them.
- Give to those who ask, and don't turn away from those who want to borrow from you.

Brothers and sisters, Jesus is teaching us to go beyond the requirements of the law and to show love and kindness to those who may not deserve it. He's teaching us to be like God, who "makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust" (Matthew 5:45).

​Prayer. 
Lord God,  help us to love others,  even those who do wrong to us. 
Amen.

St. Barnabas Anglican Parish, Bluff. 
15.06.24
Matthew 5:33-37

Reflection
Jesus is speaking to my heart, the deepest parts of me, inviting me to be present to myself, to this now; let my ‘yes’ be yes and my ‘no’ be no. Sounds simple! Is it?
It has been described as “the naked now!” So challenging! When I am in that “simple” state am I aware how blest I feel? How together and present and open and free I am? Can I ask for this gift? Talk with Jesus about this.
The proper application of Jesus’ principle of “let your yes be yes” is that the Christian must be truthful in all circumstances. Whatever we promise to the Lord, we must honor wholeheartedly.
The focus of Jesus’ entire ministry Jesus' is on the heart because all our behaviors are centered there. Am I living for my own pleasure or for the glory of God?

Let us pray: 

Dear Lord, words matter. Promises matter. Integrity matters. Guide us in our dealings with others today that we might prove to be trustworthy people. Protect us from those who would manipulate us by promising what they cannot deliver or by appealing to our basest instincts and desires. In Jesus’ name.

Amen.

St. Barnabas Anglican Parish, Bluff. 
14/6/24
Today's gospel 
Mathew 5 v27to32.

This reading tells us that, Jesus acknowledges that adultery is a sin but also tells us that attitudes of lust are sinful as well.

He tells us that lust is not the same as adultery. He does tell us that lust is absolutely a sin even if it never results in physical action.
Ultimately the root of adultery is the human heart so mental adultery is as real as committing adultery.

Let us pray.

Father God, we pray for you to teach us moral righteousness.
We thank Jesus for us to rely on his righteousness and not on our own.
We thank Jesus for his teaching us to be faithful and righteous.
Thank you, Father God, for your son Jesus who took away all our sins on the cross.

Amen

St. Barnabas Anglican Parish, Bluff. 
13.06.24
The Gospel Reading Matthew 5:20-26

The main teaching today from Jesus is to love your Neighbour and be at peace with him/her. After doing this, then you can comfortably go before our Holy, Holy God with your sacrifice and pay Him homage.

When we start by loving ourselves, the love within us outpours to those next to us and the same love spreads to the neighborhood. This love then snowballs to other nations and to the world.

Love is the greatest commandment that Jesus gave us. Let us love one another so that our Joy may be full.

Prayer: 

​I love You, My God, with my whole heart and soul, above all things. This is because you are all good and therefore worthy of all my love. I love my neighbour as I love myself for Your love. I forgive all who have transgressed against me and I ask forgiveness of all whom I have transgressed against. Jesus, I love you.
​
Amen