Meetings at the Chapel

Posted on Dec 22, 2024 by M Emlyn Humphries
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Welcome

Posted on Apr 10, 2017 by M Emlyn Humphries

Please join us to find a place of prayer and rest in a busy week. From intimacy in prayer God is able to do many things.

Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives
May you never give up praying.
When you pray, may you keep alert and be thankful.
Pray that together we may make the message of the mystery of Christ as clear as possible.
Amen
(Based on Colossians 3 and 4)

Readings for Sunday: Vanderbilt Divinity Library

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If you are the Son of God…

Posted on Feb 22, 2026 by M Emlyn Humphries

Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7 Psalm 32 Romans 5:12-19 Matthew 4:1-11    

Audio Podcast

Devotional Resource

If you are the Son of God…

If you are the Son of God… The principalities and powers heard the Voice, This is my Son, and they heard the testimonies of John. The Son of God famished? How could it be that God would be weak; isn’t this just a man.

Did God say…

The first temptation in Genesis. Did God say?

Then the promise, you will be like God… and the fruit was good for food; and the first trespass.

And sin came into the world, as Paul tells us by one man. The sin? An offence against God’s command not to eat.

Jesus knows and affirms and counters from the law , “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Truly we are sustained by the Father in community and in the breaking of bread and, in affliction, it is the voice of God that keeps us nourished.

 “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” Not just one loaf but many! One loaf would be enough. Give us today our daily bread we are taught to pray..

“If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down.”

Jesus answers from Psalm 91, stopping short at the verse, … the serpent you will trample under foot; the prophecy in Genesis, believed by Christians to promise salvation from the sin of the world. The true sign of God’s sonship is the life, the Cross and resurrection of Jesus the Christ not a pointless dare. Did the snake hear Genesis in the answer?’ I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.’

“All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” This is the slavery to the world offered from which we are redeemed in the Cross. …death spread to all because all have sinned, Paul tells us. We are held in captivity to sin, to the rule of death and violence; of subjecting and subjugation. This is what is on offer; slavery.

Jesus has the authority of the rule of God, “Away with you, Satan! for it is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.’” Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.

And this is where we must rest too. Sin tempts us to fall short, to not be content with the word of the Father in our hearts that speaks so that we might know him sustaining us. The sin in the world seeks to make us miss the mark in tempting us to a  longing for more than we need, vain glory and power.

Church listen: God’s rule is not of this world. In our sinning our guilt is in falling short, of beholding the tree of life and believing a lie. The rule of God is always there for us.

In Christ we are saved from the sin of the world, from slavery to the system that enslaves us with lies. God always sets before us the good. We know this and aim for the target and sometimes miss. But the free gift is not like the trespass.

Paul writes

For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the gift following many trespasses brings justification. If, because of the one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one, much more surely will those who receive the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.

Paul continues, one man’s act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all.

Think hard about this.

The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it.

God’s purposes will not fail; Eden is in our hearts; we are temples of the Holy Spirit; there is life for all.

The psalmist writes:

  • Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. 
  • Happy are those to whom the LORD imputes no iniquity and in whose spirit there is no deceit. 

This is our inheritance in Christ and was ever so. And sin is in the world so we need to be aware and keep a short account of sin.

  • Then I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not hide my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and you forgave the guilt of my sin.

In this we are reassured and stand on truth, the steadfastness of God.

  • Therefore let all who are faithful offer prayer to you; at a time of distress, the rush of mighty waters shall not reach them.
  • You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with glad cries of deliverance.

God’s promise in all circumstances is to be with us and for us.

  • I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you. 
  • Do not be like a horse or a mule, without understanding, whose temper must be curbed with bit and bridle, else it will not stay near you. 
  • Many are the torments of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds those who trust in the LORD. 
  • Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart.  

Grace and peace

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Christ is Revealed

Posted on Feb 15, 2026 by M Emlyn Humphries
Readings

Devotional Resources

Podcast Episode

How are we to approach this well worn story of Jesus’ transfiguration. We are familiar with its glory, the audacity of Peter and the voice from the bright cloud.

Peter says of himself in the letter,  we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known the power and coming of the Lord.

Lord, keep us from this temptation as we approach this passage of scripture.

It is a revelation of Jesus as the crucified Son of God and of God as the Father. It is a revelation of the Christ who was to be killed and after three days rise from the dead.

Peter says, no prophecy is a matter of one’s own interpretation, because no prophecy ever came by human will, but men and women moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. Let’s receive this story as such.

To Peter he recalls the word spoken out of the cloud as he was inviting himself into the conversation, This is my Son, my Beloved, with whom I am well pleased. So important is this revelation in the letter he says it is a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in our hearts. Mattthew adds, Listen to him! To what God spoke.

And how Peter’s heart must have burned as he declared his faith in Jesus as the Christ, Son of the Living God, a heart soon to be cast down as he rebuked Jesus when he said that he was to suffer, be killed and rise again after three days. This is Peter who Jesus first calls a Rock on which faith is to be founded and then Satan. This is Peter the one who would deny Christ three times. This is the Peter who here learns to listen.

On the mountain he saw and recognized Moses and Elijah talking with Jesus and boldly joined the conversation without being called, Lord it is good for us to be here… let us build…, only to be engulfed in a cloud.

And the voice of God speaks from a bright cloud like a devouring fire we hear in Exodus. Moses had to wait and listen for the call for six days in the cloud we learn. Six days after the rebuke, get behind me Satan, Jesus had called Peter and James and John up to the holy mountain.

On that mountain, in a vision, Moses, Elijah and Peter, James and John hear God speak, This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!

Listen to him! This is the command of God from the mountain. Listen to him!

Holy is he! The psalm teaches us; he is to be extoled and worshipped: the Lord our God is holy.

When Christ is truly revealed to us in his holiness; when words fail us, we fall to the ground overcome with fear.

Jesus touches us and says, Get up do not be afraid.

Get up, do not be afraid.

This is the morning star rising in our hearts. And as we look, there is no one except Jesus himself alone.

The vision has ended and life on the mountain is resumed, the disciples and Jesus go down the mountain and Peter, who six days earlier was rebuked carries the word, This is my Son, my Beloved, with whom I am well pleased. Listen to him!

We have the Law. We have the Prophets. We have Peter and the traditions. Elijah had to learn to hear the sound of sheer silence in his time of darkness. Moses taught of the forgiving God, whose word is to be found near us, in our mouths and in our hearts. The Psalm teaches, the LORD to be a righter of their wrongs; avenger of their wrongdoings.

This is the grace of the cross where God is perfectly revealed. Listen!

This is the throne of Christ, the earth shook; in his death and resurrection Jesus is transfigured, exalted over all peoples.

Mighty King, lover of justice, you have established equity; you have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob, on Calvary, on the cross.

And at the table, a feast of good things is laid before all principalities and powers as we share in the cup and the bread is broken; truly the flesh and blood of Christ; real food transfigured.

We may be few, appear foolish, but Christ is revealed in  and through us, in what we say and in what we do, and as Christ is revealed in us we are transfigured and the world is transformed. Go deep little children: God deep and listen to him!

Grace and peace.

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Foolishness Revealed

Posted on Feb 8, 2026 by M Emlyn Humphries

Isaiah 58:1-9a (9b-12)  Psalm 112:1-9 (10)  1 Corinthians 2:1-12 (13-16)  Matthew 5:13-20

Devotional Resource

Audio Version

And we are salt and we are light- salt of the earth and light of the world.

Salt speaks of purity and wisdom, light of our Lord Jesus Christ.

When purity and wisdom have lost their taste, they are of no worth, wisdom and purity are rejected, cast out and trampled underfoot- worthless!

It is easy to appear wise. It is easy to be religious and follow rules; to seem pure; to enculture righteousness. But does this season the earth?

When Christ shines in us, people see good works- the salt of the law, the salt of the letter, the prophets; this salt is good works and the letter of scripture and the prophets  does not change anything- only Christ’s Light working through us can fulfil and accomplish the word’s meaning and intent- deepen our understanding so that we act righteous.

It’s a mystery; the mystery of the cross that brings us into the kingdom. Even the one who breaks the command becomes the least- even the one who teaches poorly is in the kingdom, such is the power of the cross- the good news of Christ crucified.

Lord fill us with your light and inspire us to be those called to be great in the kingdom; who do and teach the word, knowing, in its fullness, the forgiveness of the Father  so that we might exceed the righteousness of the Pharisees who indeed were wise and pure in word and action.

And what is this light that is to shine in us and bring us to the knowledge of the Father, the knowledge of the Holy, that God our Father is glorified?

God is our Father, so we are light, bearing the light of God the Son. Through the Son, others are lead to see the Father. Jesus reveals God to be our Father.

Isaiah warns us, to want God to be on our side, to set others as the least, is our downfall. To fast, to humble ourselves even, does not open our eyes. It is what we do that reveals faith.

Do you participate in oppression, do you quarrel and fight and strike with a wicked fist? Is that what your religion leads you to do? Is violence how you strive to catch God’s ear- make your voice heard on high. White washed  words of death?

Lose the bonds of injustice!

Undo the straps of the worker’s yoke! Let the oppressed go free!

Share your bread with the hungry and the poor and hear oh Church, with your many buildings and investments, bring the homeless poor into your house, clothe the naked and feed the hungry. Those who would teach, look after your family.

Then the light will break forth, the light that shouldn’t be hidden under a bushel basket.

Here I am! is the cry of our hearts.

Fed and strengthened in the Lord- a foundation for many generations, repairers of breaches, rifts, and restorers of communities torn apart by hate is our identity.

And this is the wealth the Psalmist tells us is, light for the upright, as we shine-out grace, mercy and at-one-ness with the rule of God. All fear is faced down, secure in the Lord. Our hearts are steady.

That the poor have received food is the root of our power. God himself, the Father is glorified. The desire of the wicked comes to nothing; those who would have victory through violence are nothing.

We, with Paul stand, not with persuasive words of wisdom but with demonstrations of the power of the Spirit, so that our faith might not rest on human wisdom, our latest hero preacher high and lifted up, but on the power of the Cross, the throne of God.

This is God’s wisdom- set out in the scripture that cannot be changed but not understood by principalities and powers set to nothing by the cross. The religious took these words and used them to crucify Jesus, the Lord of glory.

This cuts  to the quick; the Law and the Prophets, the cannon of scripture killed Jesus. We must know the Law and the Prophets as words wrought in heaven- foolishness and incredible to the wise.

We have the mind of Christ!

So let your light shine before others; let our light shine before others, so that they may see our good works and give glory to our Father in heaven.

Grace and peace.

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Truly Blessed.

Posted on Feb 1, 2026 by M Emlyn Humphries

Fourth Sunday after Epihany

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Audio for Fourth Sunday after Epiphany 2026

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Texts
  • Micah 6:1-8    
  • Psalm 15      
  • 1 Corinthians 1:18-31      
  • Matthew 5:1-12

Children of God, little ones, beloved of God; those who make peace; those who are poor in spirit.

Merciful, we mourn for a world where power rules and in this place, as those who appear foolish, we say, listen principalities and powers look and see, we are meek but in Christ we inherit the earth. We reject peace through violence.

Your rule is over in this people. Meek, we weep, mourning for a world ruled by death, by those who speak violence, those who neglect the poor and despise the stranger, who fuel hate and division. This is a frightening moment, and we hunger for righteousness, for beauty, goodness and truth; for justice. We are filled as we see God, as we wait, as we tarry, as we trust, lingering in hope and expectation, receiving the gift of a pure heart, looking foolish.

Together with Christ, through his cross, we receive the rule of heaven. Poor in spirit, ridiculed and persecuted, the kingdom of heaven is ours. Spoken ill of, accused we are broken in time; tarred with the sins of the world and those who in our midst abuse.

In heaven all is healed; in God’s now flowing presence we join with those who speak peace; overflowing becoming, filled. These are blessings bought with a price, they cost a life as God’s ever-flowing forgiveness is revealed, forgiveness which is, always has been and always will be. Jesus is the alpha and the omega.

Micah speaks God’s word in our readings:

“With what shall I come before the LORD and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” He has told you, O mortal, what is good, and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God? 

And this is what it is to be a peacemaker- to be a child of God, a little one, beloved of God.

The psalm is our rallying call:

Walk blamelessly and do what is right and speak the truth from your heart;  do not slander with your tongue and do no evil to your friends nor heap shame upon your neighbours; in your eyes despise the wicked, do not idolise them, but honour those who fear the LORD whoever they might be; who stand by their oath even to their hurt- stand with them; do not lend money at interest and do not take a bribe against the innocent.

Those who do these things shall never be moved.

Are we wise?

In the foolishness of the Lord’s table, of the bread and wine that are Christ’s flesh and blood, true food and drink that nourishes now, always and always will; gathered let us bless the world. From the cross to the table let us join with Paul who tells us,

God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to abolish things that are, so that no one might boast in the presence of God. In contrast, God is why you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness

(I understand here goodness, truth and beauty), and sanctification (my understanding here is that God cleanses us through Christ’s sacrifice and forms us, pure in heart), and redemption (I say restored by grace to what we were created to be, light in the darkness), in order that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

Grace and peace to you all.

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We appear foolish

Posted on Jan 25, 2026 by M Emlyn Humphries
Listen to Epiphany 3 2026

Follow me says Jesus- how their hearts must have been warmed to immediately follow the call.

To leave boats, to leave parents.

Follow me – the kingdom of heaven is at hand and it is good news.

Follow me – Jesus proclaims the coming of his kingdom of light – out of Galilee – his new home.

Come let us fish for people!

The LORD is my light and salvation, declares the psalmist, “Come,” my heart says, “seek his face!”

Peter, Andrew, brothers James and John follow, and might they know, in their hearts the sense of the Psalm,

The LORD is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear, The LORD is the stronghold of my life, of whom shall I be afraid?

Jesus’ home is now in Capernaum, a refugee from persecution. John has been arrested and Jesus takes up his mantle and proclaims, Repent for the kingdom of heaven is near. Elisha is greater than Elijah. The followers share his life, they walk in Jesus’ shadow, seeking the rule of heaven, the way of Jesus, turning from darkness to light. This is good news

Isaiah declares that those who walk in darkness see a great light.

The darkness of the gentiles is pierced with light. There is victory in the cross, victory as in the time of Gideon when against all odds there was victory in Midian.

We too are a small band. A family. Brothers and sisters.

Paul reminds us to include and not other.

John preached repentance; Jesus took up his cause – emptying himself.

Pride in our ways, our traditions, empties Christ of power.

Look at us, truly we appear foolish. Why bother?

No!

What we have is the power of the cross – good news;

Beautiful news;

The truth.

See the Nations are healed, the people are cured.

And so we follow Jesus and sing:

One thing I ask of the LORD,

this I seek;

to live in the house of the lord

all the days of my life,

to behold the beauty of the LORD

and to inquire in his temple.

And so we gather, little children, beloved of God, appearing foolish

To share the light,

to share our being,

to love one another,

to break bread.

To behold beauty as we share our hearts, troubled though they might be: in anguish.

And we wait, we tarry to serve the LORD.

To serve in loving one another;

to serve in sharing the good news.

This is healing, this is goodness, righteousness and true.

Come let us follow Jesu.

Grace and peace to you all.

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