There are a couple of important things left unsaid in this sermon as it was presented... some of them quite deliberately.

Firstly, there is the common theme of sheep running through the readings. I deliberately didn't dwell on this, because it could be confusing. There are two different and incompatible metaphors here:

• Jesus as the lamb of God.

• Jesus as the shepherd.

These are as far as I can tell unrelated themes. To attempt to correlate them is both confused and confusing.

Secondly, there is the question of how my claim that miracles are to bring glory to god relates to John 3:16 and similar passages and theology. Surely the resurrection was a miracle? Surely, it may be argued, its principle function was to save us, rather than bring glory to God?

Yes, the resurrection is a miracle, the most important miracle of all. But no, its function was not salvation.

The Christ-event consists of three events:

• The Incarnation.

• The Crucifixion.

• The Resurrection.

Of these, only the third is an event similar to the raising of Dorcas. The Incarnation is a mystery, and the most audacious of the three claims. Eastern Orthodox theology recognises this by its focus on Christmas as the most important event of the church year, in contrast to Roman Catholic and Protestant theologies which tend to focus instead on Easter.

But the Atonement is complete before Easter Sunday. God has, as John 3:16 says, given his son before Easter Sunday. The price is paid.

The Resurrection is not part of the Atonement, rather it bears witness to the Atonement, just as other miracles bear witness to other aspects of Gos's action.