Light of Christ Podcast: Recent Episodes
Light of Christ Anglican Church Georgetown
Following Jesus on the Anglican way, the Light of Christ Weekly Podcast offers a brief, prayerful time in God’s word. Light of Christ Anglican Church is a “modern expression of the ancient faith” located in Georgetown, TX.
Find out more about the new podcast at https://www.lightofchristgeorgetown.org/anglican-catechesis-podcast
“Men are reluctant to pass over from the notion of an abstract and negative deity to the living God. I do not wonder. Here lies the deepest tap-root of Pantheism and of the objection to traditional imagery. It was hated not, at bottom, because it pictured Him as man but because it pictured Him as king, or even as warrior. The Pantheist’s God does nothing, demands nothing. He is there if you wish for Him, like a book on a shelf. He will not pursue you. There is no danger that at any time heaven and earth should flee away at His glance. If He were the truth, then we could really say that all the Christian images of kingship were a historical accident of which our religion ought to be cleansed. It is with a shock that we discover them to be indispensable. You have had a shock like that before, in connection with smaller matters—when the line pulls at your hand, when something breathes beside you in the darkness. So here; the shock comes at the precise moment when the thrill of life is communicated to us along the clue we have been following. It is always shocking to meet life where we thought we were alone. ‘Look out!’ we cry, ‘it’s alive’. And therefore this is the very point at which so many draw back—I would have done so myself if I could— and proceed no further with Christianity. An ‘impersonal God’—well and good. A subjective God of beauty, truth and goodness, inside our own heads—better still. A formless life-force surging through us, a vast power which we can tap—best of all. But God Himself, alive, pulling at the other end of the cord, perhaps approaching at an infinite speed, the hunter, king, husband—that is quite another matter. There comes a moment when the children who have been playing at burglars hush suddenly: was that a real footstep in the hall? There comes a moment when people who have been dabbling in religion (‘Man’s search for God!’) suddenly draw back. Supposing we really found Him? We never meant it to come to that! Worse still, supposing He had found us?” – C. S. Lewis, Miracles (London: Harper Collins, 2012), 149–50.
The Homilies played an important role in the Anglican church.
"During the reign of Edward VI and later during the reign of Elizabeth I, Thomas Cranmer and other English reformers saw the need for local congregations to be taught Christian theology and practice. Before the English Reformation, the liturgy was conducted entirely in Latin, to which the common people listened passively except twice a year during Communion, when only the consecrated bread was administered. Since parsons, vicars and curates often lacked the education and experience needed to write sermons and were often unfamiliar with Reformed doctrine, scholars and bishops wrote out a collection of sermons for them, which were appointed to be read each Sunday and holy day. The reading of the homilies in church is still mandated under Article XXXV of the Thirty-Nine Articles." - Wikipedia
The Homilies played an important role in the Anglican church.
"During the reign of Edward VI and later during the reign of Elizabeth I, Thomas Cranmer and other English reformers saw the need for local congregations to be taught Christian theology and practice. Before the English Reformation, the liturgy was conducted entirely in Latin, to which the common people listened passively except twice a year during Communion, when only the consecrated bread was administered. Since parsons, vicars and curates often lacked the education and experience needed to write sermons and were often unfamiliar with Reformed doctrine, scholars and bishops wrote out a collection of sermons for them, which were appointed to be read each Sunday and holy day. The reading of the homilies in church is still mandated under Article XXXV of the Thirty-Nine Articles." - Wikipedia
The Homilies played an important role in the Anglican church.
"During the reign of Edward VI and later during the reign of Elizabeth I, Thomas Cranmer and other English reformers saw the need for local congregations to be taught Christian theology and practice. Before the English Reformation, the liturgy was conducted entirely in Latin, to which the common people listened passively except twice a year during Communion, when only the consecrated bread was administered. Since parsons, vicars and curates often lacked the education and experience needed to write sermons and were often unfamiliar with Reformed doctrine, scholars and bishops wrote out a collection of sermons for them, which were appointed to be read each Sunday and holy day. The reading of the homilies in church is still mandated under Article XXXV of the Thirty-Nine Articles." - Wikipedia
The Homilies played an important role in the Anglican church.
"During the reign of Edward VI and later during the reign of Elizabeth I, Thomas Cranmer and other English reformers saw the need for local congregations to be taught Christian theology and practice. Before the English Reformation, the liturgy was conducted entirely in Latin, to which the common people listened passively except twice a year during Communion, when only the consecrated bread was administered. Since parsons, vicars and curates often lacked the education and experience needed to write sermons and were often unfamiliar with Reformed doctrine, scholars and bishops wrote out a collection of sermons for them, which were appointed to be read each Sunday and holy day. The reading of the homilies in church is still mandated under Article XXXV of the Thirty-Nine Articles." - Wikipedia
The Homilies played an important role in the Anglican church.
"During the reign of Edward VI and later during the reign of Elizabeth I, Thomas Cranmer and other English reformers saw the need for local congregations to be taught Christian theology and practice. Before the English Reformation, the liturgy was conducted entirely in Latin, to which the common people listened passively except twice a year during Communion, when only the consecrated bread was administered. Since parsons, vicars and curates often lacked the education and experience needed to write sermons and were often unfamiliar with Reformed doctrine, scholars and bishops wrote out a collection of sermons for them, which were appointed to be read each Sunday and holy day. The reading of the homilies in church is still mandated under Article XXXV of the Thirty-Nine Articles." - Wikipedia
The Homilies played an important role in the Anglican church.
"During the reign of Edward VI and later during the reign of Elizabeth I, Thomas Cranmer and other English reformers saw the need for local congregations to be taught Christian theology and practice. Before the English Reformation, the liturgy was conducted entirely in Latin, to which the common people listened passively except twice a year during Communion, when only the consecrated bread was administered. Since parsons, vicars and curates often lacked the education and experience needed to write sermons and were often unfamiliar with Reformed doctrine, scholars and bishops wrote out a collection of sermons for them, which were appointed to be read each Sunday and holy day. The reading of the homilies in church is still mandated under Article XXXV of the Thirty-Nine Articles." - Wikipedia
The Homilies played an important role in the Anglican church.
"During the reign of Edward VI and later during the reign of Elizabeth I, Thomas Cranmer and other English reformers saw the need for local congregations to be taught Christian theology and practice. Before the English Reformation, the liturgy was conducted entirely in Latin, to which the common people listened passively except twice a year during Communion, when only the consecrated bread was administered. Since parsons, vicars and curates often lacked the education and experience needed to write sermons and were often unfamiliar with Reformed doctrine, scholars and bishops wrote out a collection of sermons for them, which were appointed to be read each Sunday and holy day. The reading of the homilies in church is still mandated under Article XXXV of the Thirty-Nine Articles." - Wikipedia
The Homilies played an important role in the Anglican church.
"During the reign of Edward VI and later during the reign of Elizabeth I, Thomas Cranmer and other English reformers saw the need for local congregations to be taught Christian theology and practice. Before the English Reformation, the liturgy was conducted entirely in Latin, to which the common people listened passively except twice a year during Communion, when only the consecrated bread was administered. Since parsons, vicars and curates often lacked the education and experience needed to write sermons and were often unfamiliar with Reformed doctrine, scholars and bishops wrote out a collection of sermons for them, which were appointed to be read each Sunday and holy day. The reading of the homilies in church is still mandated under Article XXXV of the Thirty-Nine Articles." - Wikipedia
The Homilies played an important role in the Anglican church.
"During the reign of Edward VI and later during the reign of Elizabeth I, Thomas Cranmer and other English reformers saw the need for local congregations to be taught Christian theology and practice. Before the English Reformation, the liturgy was conducted entirely in Latin, to which the common people listened passively except twice a year during Communion, when only the consecrated bread was administered. Since parsons, vicars and curates often lacked the education and experience needed to write sermons and were often unfamiliar with Reformed doctrine, scholars and bishops wrote out a collection of sermons for them, which were appointed to be read each Sunday and holy day. The reading of the homilies in church is still mandated under Article XXXV of the Thirty-Nine Articles." - Wikipedia
The Homilies played an important role in the Anglican church.
"During the reign of Edward VI and later during the reign of Elizabeth I, Thomas Cranmer and other English reformers saw the need for local congregations to be taught Christian theology and practice. Before the English Reformation, the liturgy was conducted entirely in Latin, to which the common people listened passively except twice a year during Communion, when only the consecrated bread was administered. Since parsons, vicars and curates often lacked the education and experience needed to write sermons and were often unfamiliar with Reformed doctrine, scholars and bishops wrote out a collection of sermons for them, which were appointed to be read each Sunday and holy day. The reading of the homilies in church is still mandated under Article XXXV of the Thirty-Nine Articles." - Wikipedia
The Homilies played an important role in the Anglican church.
"During the reign of Edward VI and later during the reign of Elizabeth I, Thomas Cranmer and other English reformers saw the need for local congregations to be taught Christian theology and practice. Before the English Reformation, the liturgy was conducted entirely in Latin, to which the common people listened passively except twice a year during Communion, when only the consecrated bread was administered. Since parsons, vicars and curates often lacked the education and experience needed to write sermons and were often unfamiliar with Reformed doctrine, scholars and bishops wrote out a collection of sermons for them, which were appointed to be read each Sunday and holy day. The reading of the homilies in church is still mandated under Article XXXV of the Thirty-Nine Articles." - Wikipedia
The Homilies played an important role in the Anglican church.
"During the reign of Edward VI and later during the reign of Elizabeth I, Thomas Cranmer and other English reformers saw the need for local congregations to be taught Christian theology and practice. Before the English Reformation, the liturgy was conducted entirely in Latin, to which the common people listened passively except twice a year during Communion, when only the consecrated bread was administered. Since parsons, vicars and curates often lacked the education and experience needed to write sermons and were often unfamiliar with Reformed doctrine, scholars and bishops wrote out a collection of sermons for them, which were appointed to be read each Sunday and holy day. The reading of the homilies in church is still mandated under Article XXXV of the Thirty-Nine Articles." - Wikipedia
The Homilies played an important role in the Anglican church.
"During the reign of Edward VI and later during the reign of Elizabeth I, Thomas Cranmer and other English reformers saw the need for local congregations to be taught Christian theology and practice. Before the English Reformation, the liturgy was conducted entirely in Latin, to which the common people listened passively except twice a year during Communion, when only the consecrated bread was administered. Since parsons, vicars and curates often lacked the education and experience needed to write sermons and were often unfamiliar with Reformed doctrine, scholars and bishops wrote out a collection of sermons for them, which were appointed to be read each Sunday and holy day. The reading of the homilies in church is still mandated under Article XXXV of the Thirty-Nine Articles." - Wikipedia
The Homilies played an important role in the Anglican church.
"During the reign of Edward VI and later during the reign of Elizabeth I, Thomas Cranmer and other English reformers saw the need for local congregations to be taught Christian theology and practice. Before the English Reformation, the liturgy was conducted entirely in Latin, to which the common people listened passively except twice a year during Communion, when only the consecrated bread was administered. Since parsons, vicars and curates often lacked the education and experience needed to write sermons and were often unfamiliar with Reformed doctrine, scholars and bishops wrote out a collection of sermons for them, which were appointed to be read each Sunday and holy day. The reading of the homilies in church is still mandated under Article XXXV of the Thirty-Nine Articles." - Wikipedia
Examining Assumptions
The religious leadership and Jesus had far different understandings of God’s kingdom.
How to Live: Song of Songs
The greatest wisdom is love.
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An Open Heart
Obtaining God’s heart for others.
So, how do we develop an open heart like our Father who makes the sun rise and the rainfall on both the evil and the good?
Welcome to the Light of Christ Weekly Podcast. Light of Christ Anglican Church is located in Georgetown, Texas at MLK and University Avenue. We are a modern expression of the ancient faith. You can learn more about us at lightofchristgeorgetown.org.
Our sermon soundbite today is based on Matthew 5 beginning at verse 43. "And you have heard that it was said, you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you so that you may be sons of your Father, who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the just and on the unjust."
So how do we develop an open heart like our Father who makes the sun rise and the rain fall on both evil and the good. Well, just like the sunlight falls and the rain falls and brings life to the barren ground, we are invited by God to let his love, flowing from his open heart, fall on us. This is the gift of the Holy Spirit. And when God's love falls on our hearts, our hearts are opened up and flow out with love for enemy. And where do we find this love that flows to even the enemy? We find it here at the cross.
This is where God loved his enemy. Where he turns the other cheek, to be beaten by us. Where he goes the second mile to carry his cross. Where, through giving his body, he gives eternal life to the robber and all other sinners who ask him. Do you want to have an open heart like God, a heart that's in sync with the Triune Love? The only way is to be snatched up into his loving embrace at the foot of the cross, where he declares, "Father forgive them for they don't know what they do."
Thank you for listening to the Light of Christ Weekly Podcast. Let us end our time together with a prayer from the Book of Common Prayer. This prayer is found on page 24.
Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the Cross that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace: So clothe us in your Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; for the honor of your Name. Amen.
Set Apart For a Greater Purpose
You have been called to be holy for a special purpose.
Holiness is being set apart. It’s being set apart for something.
Welcome to the Light of Christ Weekly Podcast. Light of Christ Anglican Church is located in Georgetown, Texas at MLK and University Avenue. We are a modern expression of the ancient faith. You can learn more about us at LightofChristGeorgetown.org.
Our sermon soundbite today is based on John 17:19, where Christ prays to the Father, "And for their sake, I consecrate myself that they also may be sanctified in truth."
So he prays for our security. He prays for our oneness, and finally, he prays that we be set apart, set apart. The Bible words for this are words like, holy. This is the same word. And, you'll see it throughout John 17. Holy, consecrated, sanctified. All these words mean the same thing, meaning to be set apart for a special purpose.
Sometimes when we think about being holy what's the first thing that you think about? For me, I think about, "Oh, holiness is not doing bad stuff." I think of the 10 Commandments, "Thou shalt not, thou shalt not, thou shalt not, thou shall honor your father and mother." And, then "Thou shalt not." It's a lot of thou shalt nots, but being set apart is much more. Obviously part of it is not doing certain things for sure. But, holiness, being set apart, is actually being set apart for something. You see, every yes we say is a no to something else. Every no we say is a yes to something else. They are two sides of the same coin. Yesterday, when I said yes to painting the front of my house, I said no to grilling a T-bone steak on my grill.
Had I said yes to grilling a T-bone steak, I would have had to say no to painting. But I needed to paint because they're saying it's going to rain for two months. Well, not two months, but for a week and a half starting sometime today. So, I had to paint, right? Every yes is a no to something else and every no is a yes. And, we've been called to a huge and beautiful, yes. We have been set apart for a higher purpose.
I remember being at a party once and this guy was there who was just ripped and shredded. He was a huge, big guy. And, I think we were going to drink some margaritas or something. And, I said, "Hey, do you want one?" He's like, "No." It was a perfect time for a margarita. “You don't want a margarita?” And he pulls out of his backpack some plastic bottle and pours some weird looking powder in there and puts water in there, shakes it up and drinks it. I was thinking, "Oh, that's a poor substitute." Why did he say no to the margarita? Well, he had a bodybuilding championship coming up. He had to be in perfect shape. He said no to the margarita because he had a higher yes. And likewise you have been set apart to a higher yes.
And, this is what Christ is praying for us. This is God's deep desire. This is the Holy Spirit's work. This is what He will most certainly accomplish. We have been set apart for the purpose of loving. We have been set apart for the sake of others, to use your unique gifts, to bless those around you. And, as we are called to that set-apart-ness, to be like Christ, who was so different and weird than the people around Him. We have been called to be set apart and weird, to be that guy, when everyone else is “drinking a margarita”, who drinks some powder in a bottle. People don't understand, but we have a higher purpose.
And so, we say no to lying. We say no to sexual immorality. We say no to greed and selfishness, because we are saying yes to a greater purpose. We have been set apart and this is Jesus' desire. This is the Holy Spirit's work. And, this is what He most certainly will accomplish.
Thank you for listening to the Light of Christ Weekly Podcast. Let us end our time together with a prayer from the Book of Common Prayer. This prayer by John Wesley can be found on page 673.
I am no longer my own, but thine. Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt. Put me to doing, put me to suffering. Let me be employed by thee or laid aside for thee, exalted for thee or brought low for thee. Let me be full, let me be empty. Let me have all things, let me have nothing. I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal. And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, thou art mine, and I am thine. So be it. And the covenant which I have made on earth, let it be ratified in heaven. Amen.
Healing in COVID Grief
Walking the path of lament with God.
Grief is that feeling that you have, that emotional state that we experience when we lose someone or something important to us.
Welcome to the Light of Christ weekly podcast. Light of Christ Anglican Church is located in Georgetown, Texas at MLK and University Avenue. We are a modern expression of the ancient faith. You can learn more about us at lightofchristgeorgetown.org.
In this sermon soundbite, we talk about the difficult process of healing through grief. Paul writes in Romans 12:15, "Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep."
Let's talk a little bit about grief. Grief is that feeling that you have, that emotional state deep inside of us that we experience when we lose someone or something important to us. This pain that we feel inside of ourselves called grief is as real a thing as the pain that happens to you if you were to chop off the tip of your index finger. In fact, grief and shame are the two most painful of human emotions, and humans will do almost anything to not feel grief and to not feel shame.
Now, as I have been working through the process of all of this in my own heart, I've noticed something, and perhaps it's in your heart as well? I've noticed that these feelings of grief I'm having difficulty recognizing, but instead what I'm seeing come up in my heart is anger. Anger. So I ask you, are you angry?
Anger is one of the emotions we would rather go to than deal with our grief. And I'd like to pose the question, perhaps your anger, like mine, may be actually grief that has not been dealt with. We're all grieving. We've all lost a tremendous amount. Certainly I'm not comparing my loss to the loss of someone who's lost their job and their livelihood or someone who's lost someone to COVID. But certainly we've all experienced incredible loss during this time.
One thing I learned as a hospice chaplain in dealing and working and loving people through their grief is that there's only one way to heal, and that is to let yourself feel. There is really only one way to heal and that's to let yourself feel. Grief, it's kind of like waves at a beach. I remember growing up, we went to the East coast and they have really good waves there. And as a kid, if you saw a wave coming, I first would try to run from that wave. And what happens when you run from a wave? Man, it just wallops you and you come up with a face full of sand and salt coming out your nose, especially when you're a little kid like I was. I quickly learned that the best way to deal with a wave that was coming towards me was to dive into it, dive right into it.
And so it is with grief. Unpredictable, like the waves as they're coming, we see them and we're tempted because of the pain of grief to run away, to shut down the tears, to push it inside, to clamp it in. But this is not the way to heal. No, the way to heal in grief is to embrace it, to dive in.
The Bible calls this lamentation, to lament, and the Bible is full of lamentation. Psalms 77, I'd like to read that to you. Did you know that one third of the Psalms are lamentation. In other words, one third of the Psalms are a Psalmist voicing their grief to God in prayer. And I encourage you, whether it's Psalm 77 or some other Psalm to join in lament at this time.
Listen to the Psalmist. He says,
1 I cry aloud to God,
aloud to God, and he will hear me.
2 In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord;
in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying;
my soul refuses to be comforted.
3 When I remember God, I moan;
when I meditate, my spirit faints. Selah
4 You hold my eyelids open;
I am so troubled that I cannot speak.
5 I consider the days of old,
the years long ago.
6 I said, “Let me remember my song in the night;
let me meditate in my heart.”
Then my spirit made a diligent search:
7 “Will the Lord spurn forever,
and never again be favorable?
8 Has his steadfast love forever ceased?
Are his promises at an end for all time?
9 Has God forgotten to be gracious?
Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” Selah
10 Then I said, “I will appeal to this,
to the years of the right hand of the Most High.”
11 I will remember the deeds of the LORD;
yes, I will remember your wonders of old.
12 I will ponder all your work,
and meditate on your mighty deeds.
13 Your way, O God, is holy.
What god is great like our God?
14 You are the God who works wonders;
you have made known your might among the peoples.
15 You with your arm redeemed your people,
the children of Jacob and Joseph. Selah
16 When the waters saw you, O God,
when the waters saw you, they were afraid;
indeed, the deep trembled.
17 The clouds poured out water;
the skies gave forth thunder;
your arrows flashed on every side.
18 The crash of your thunder was in the whirlwind;
your lightnings lighted up the world;
the earth trembled and shook.
19 Your way was through the sea,
your path through the great waters;
yet your footprints were unseen.
20 You led your people like a flock
by the hand of Moses and Aaron. (ESV)
The Psalmist cries out bearing his soul to the Lord, his true self, his grief, his pain. And so I encourage you. I encourage you to cry, to grieve, to lament, to write down the pain of your heart, if it's helpful, in a form of a prayer to God. To sing, to read, to pray a Psalm of lament before the Lord. And for those who were in that class earlier, using the Jesus Prayer as well in and a prayer Chaplet can be helpful. Grief, bring your lament with me before the Lord.
Thank you for listening to the Light of Christ weekly podcast. Let us end our time together with a prayer from the Book of Common Prayer. This prayer is found on page 254.
"Grant to all who mourn, a sure confidence in your Fatherly care, that casting their grief on you they may know the consolation of your love. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.”
Motherhood as Temple
The beautiful and divine mystery of woman.
Who was the first temple of Christ?
Welcome to The Light of Christ weekly podcast. Light of Christ Anglican Church is located in Georgetown, Texas at MLK and University Avenue. We are a modern expression of the ancient faith. You can learn more about us at lightofchristgeorgetown.org.
Last Sunday was Mother's Day and I am thankful for mothers. On today's podcast, we have the sermon from Evening Prayer on what motherhood teaches us about being temples of God.
Temples, that's the theme of the Gospel that we read this morning and is the theme that we see here in First Peter chapter two. Peter the apostle tells us that we are living stones being built together to be a house for God. We know from what Paul says that this does not only include us corporately but this idea of temple includes us personally. Our bodies are temples of the image of God. Our bodies are temples of Christ. This is an appropriate topic for Mother's Day. Who was the first temple of Christ? Was it not the blessed Virgin Mary, a young lady who in that moment when the angel came to her with the message of the Lord, of God's love for her, "Blessed are you among women." She said yes to God's love.
And in her, Christ was conceived. Christ dwelt in her. She was the first temple. She was the first Christian. You see, women can do something men cannot. And it's a beautiful, beautiful mystery that they join in the very act of creation, the act of creating, not just anything, but creating a person within them. Think about that. An image of God, a little tiny itsy bitsy, little image of God inside of the woman is created and she co-works with God in this creation of an image of God within her. And in this, in her body, she is a temple of the image of God, bringing a life into the world and each and every one of us. (Whether our biological mothers were involved in our life or not is one question) but we all do owe our life to a mom. We owe our lives to this incredible mystery of the female body.
Now, not all women have physical children, but all women are called to be mothers. Let me explain. Some women are called to celibacy as their vocation, called to live out their life single for the purposes of God. Mother Theresa is an example of this. Some women are past the age of childbearing. Others never find a husband and others have the great struggle and heavy burden of infertility. Yet motherhood is a much larger thing than just having physical kids. Mother Theresa reminds us that spiritual motherhood is no less real and no less powerful than physical motherhood. All women are called to this beauty that we see in Mary, called to be a temple. And I encourage you mothers out there, spiritual mothers and physical mothers, women who are growing into their spiritual or physical motherhood, to embrace this, that your body is a temple of Christ, a sacred space, and God has called you and invites you to say yes to his love, to let Christ reside in you so that you can bring life to those around you, to your world. Let us thank God for our physical and spiritual mothers.
Thank you for listening to the Light of Christ weekly podcast. Let us end our time together with a prayer from The Book of Common Prayer.
"Oh God, you have taken to yourself the blessed Virgin Mary, mother of your incarnate son. Grant that we who have been redeemed by his blood may share with her the glory of your eternal kingdom. Through Jesus Christ our Lord who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit. One God now and forever. Amen."
Grace in Sadness
God enters into our conversation, journey, and sorrow.
Grace is about God's love always initiating, always moving forward first.
Welcome to the Light of Christ Weekly Podcast. Light of Christ Anglican Church is located in Georgetown, Texas at MLK and University Avenue. We are a modern expression of the ancient faith. You can learn more about us at lightofchristgeorgetown.org.
Our sermon soundbite for today comes from Luke chapter 24 where we get a vignette of the resurrected Christ. We meet Cleopas and his friend, disciples of Jesus who are walking on the road to Emmaus, and they are sad because of what they've seen about Christ dying and what they've heard about this empty tomb and the inability to find the body of Jesus. Suddenly, this mysterious character joins them. They don't recognize him, but he is the risen Christ.
Notice that Jesus engages them in their journey. He enters into their conversation, their sadness. So, they aren't looking for Jesus, Jesus is looking for them, and this is what grace is. This is the good news, not that we love, but that God first loved us. John tells us in his first epistle, it's God. Grace is about God's love always initiating, always moving forward first. We don't. We are blind. We run away from God, but he seeks us out.
And notice how Jesus engages them in the conversation and invites a response through a series of questions, which are really funny because it's Jesus there that they don't recognize and he knows, right? Jesus knows what's happening. Who would know more about the resurrection than Jesus? No one, but yet he asked them verse 17, “What's this conversation that you're holding with each other as you walk?” And then they say, “Well, what haven't you heard what's happened? Have you been living under a rock stranger?” And then he says, “What thing?”
What does this response remind you of? I think Luke wants us to remember something in our past. Think for a moment through Genesis one, two and three, what happens when Adam and Eve's eyes are open to sin, when their eyes are closed to the loving presence of God, what do they do? They run and they hide from God. And what does God do? He seeks after them. And what does he ask? Where are you Adam? Where are you Eve? Who told you that you were naked? God was asking these questions not because he didn't know, but because he was seeking them out, inviting them, calling them to a response out of their fear, shame, sadness, and in to the recognition of his loving presence for them.
Thank you for listening to the Light of Christ Weekly Podcast. Let us end our time together with a prayer from the Book of Common Prayer. You can find the prayer for the third Sunday of Easter on page 612.
Almighty God, you gave your only Son to be for us both a sacrifice for sin and an example of godly living: Give us grace thankfully to receive his inestimable benefits, and daily to follow the blessed steps of his most holy life; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Peace Be With You
Following God through the valley of shadows.
“Let him show you his wounds and remind you that he died for you and was resurrected.”
Welcome to the Light of Christ weekly podcast. Light of Christ Anglican Church is located in Georgetown, Texas at MLK and University Avenue. We are a modern expression of the ancient faith. You can learn more about us at lightofchristgeorgetown.org.
Hello everyone. The Lord is risen! Our sermon soundbite today comes from John chapter 20, "Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, Peace be with you. Then he said to Thomas, Put your fingers here and see my hands, and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe. Thomas answered him, My Lord and my God. Jesus said to him, Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
Last Sunday we had the privilege of Jamie Tanner, the founder and president of Simple Sparrow, a care farm ministry. Come and deliver us the message of Jesus Christ, crucified and risen. God is using her powerfully to bring healing to those who have significant trauma. You can find out more at simplesparrow.farm.
Jamie Tanner:
Indeed, the entirety of scripture is story after story of the juxtapositions of trusting and following God versus trusting and following not God. Following not God lends itself to darkness, to death, to fear, to unbelief. Whereas following God leads to light, life, peace, belief. We cannot serve God and not Gods at the same time. Just like fear cannot dwell where there is peace. In this moment, do you have peace? Who or what are you following? What are you believing?
As we move forward as a church into the unknown, while it is still dark, we must lean into our good shepherd. He may not give us the eyes to see the distance or the severity of the Valley of the Shadow of Death, but we choose to trust that he is with us. We choose to follow where he leads our next step. We choose to lean into him instead of ourselves. His leading is into peace. Peace, despite our circumstances. That doesn't mean we instantly transform, but rather he is transforming us more and more into the image of the sun.
We are a work in progress. We will still feel fearful, anxious, depressed, and panicked these days and beyond these days, and it's in these moments that we can learn to pause and take every thought captive. We can measure it against who Christ is and what he said. We ask the Holy Spirit for help and guidance. Is our thought peace? Is our thought belief? If it's not, I would encourage you to let Jesus work on you. Let him show you his wounds and remind you that he died for you and was resurrected because he indeed is the Christ, our good shepherd, a light of the world, prince of peace. Peace be with you.
Thank you for listening to the Light of Christ weekly podcast. Let us end our time together with a prayer from the book of common prayer. You can find this prayer for a person in trouble or bereavement, on page 663.
O merciful Father, you have taught us in your holy Word that you do not willingly afflict or grieve the children of men: Look with pity on the sorrows of your servant. Remember them, O Lord, in mercy; nourish their soul with patience; comfort them with a sense of your goodness; lift up your countenance upon them; and give them peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
We are spiritually dead apart from God, but God makes alive.
Welcome to the Light of Christ Weekly podcast. Light of Christ Anglican Church is located in Georgetown, Texas at MLK and University Avenue. We are a modern expression of the ancient faith. You can learn more about us at lightofchristgeorgetown.org.
Our sermon soundbite today comes from Romans Chapter 6, Verse 17. "But thanks be to God that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed.”
Notice our collect, the prayer that we prayed together at the beginning after the collect for purity, the collect of the day, we prayed, "Almighty God, you alone can bring into order the unruly wills and affections of sinners."
That's our dead hearts, right? Dead to God, but very much alive the sin. "Grant your people grace to love what you command and desire what you promise." Now notice this next part, "That among this swift and varied changes of this world, our hearts may surely be fixed where true joys are to be found." I think that statement very much applies and describes very well our pattern of life in the last two or three weeks, hasn't it? Swift and varied change?
Yeah, I'd say so. As I look around this mostly empty place, as I look towards this camera to speak to you, "Swift and very changes of the world."
What does this breath of God give us during this time? It gives us a new heart so that in this moment of chaos and change, we know what we're here for. We know that we are forgiven. We know that we are loved of God, and we know that we are here to seek the good of the other for their own sake. The world may be wondering, "What do we do during this time?" But we're not because the crucified Word of God has given us His Spirit, a new heart, and we have direction. We have joy. Yes. Even in the weeping of this time.
"Through Jesus Christ, our Lord who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen."
We're spiritually dead apart from God, but God makes alive.
Thank you for listening to the Light of Christ Weekly podcast. Let us end our time together with a prayer from the Book of Common Prayer. You can find the collect for the fifth Sunday of Lent on page 606.
Almighty God, you alone can bring into order the unruly wills and affections of sinners: Grant your people grace to love what you command and desire what you promise; that, among the swift and varied changes of this world, our hearts may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Who is on God's team?
Welcome to The Light of Christ weekly podcast. Light of Christ Anglican churches located in Georgetown, Texas at MLK and University Avenue. We are a modern expression of the ancient faith. You can learn more about us at lightofchristgeorgetown.org
The homily that you are about to hear was preached on Sunday, March 22nd, during our evening prayer service at 6:00 PM. You can join online at lightofchristgeorgetown.org/visit.
Our Old Testament lesson is a favorite of mine, 1 Samuel, Chapter 16. Have you ever asked the question, who's on God's team? Who is on God's team? I remember as a youth, we would play pickup basketball games and so we would pick two team captains and then we would be in just this mass, undifferentiated mass, and the two team captains would take turns picking who they wanted on their team.
Of course, who do they start with? Well, they start with the guys that have a lot of skill who can shoot threes or have a good jump shot or lay up. A lot of times, I don't like to admit this, I was chosen last. It never feels good to be chosen last. Everyone gets chosen. You're like, "Oh, can I just be second to last? Second to last."
So how does God choose his team? Does he do it based upon how good we are? The sort of talents that we bring to the table? Our stature, how good we are at layups, how much money we have, how much power?
In our Old Testament lesson Samuel is on an undercover mission. You see the first king that Samuel, the prophet of God, anointed to be King over Israel, Saul, has been a absolute failure and so God is calling Samuel to anoint a new king. So you can imagine a new king in town would be what? Treason. And so Samuel is told by God to go down to Bethlehem where Jesse lives and has a bunch of boys there, men, and he's told to go down there and meet with Jesse because in Jesse's house is going to be the new king. Samuel says, "Hey, how am I going to do that? Because if Saul finds out, he'll kill me."
So God gives him a cover story, if you will, for this undercover operation. The cover story is you go down there and you go like you're going to sacrifice in Bethlehem and then just invite Jesse over. “Okay, sounds good. Sounds like a good cover story.” So he goes down there, gets ready to do the sacrifice. Notice when he comes to Bethlehem, the elders of the city are terrified. They meet him trembling and they said, "Do you come peaceably?"
So Samuel, the prophet of God had a lot of power, spiritual power, and so the people were terrified of what might happen. They thought he might be coming in judgment. He says, "No, it's okay. I've come to do the sacrifice."
So Jesse comes and as Jesse comes with his sons, he sees the firstborn Eliab and he's the one you want on your team. He's tall, he's handsome, he looks like just the guy to be king. That's what Samuel thinks. It's like surely the Lord's anointed is before him.
Verse six, but notice the Lord says to Samuel, "Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature because I have rejected him, for the Lord sees not as man sees. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."
So Eliab isn't chosen. So Jesse brings his next son and then his next son and each one is rejected, rejected, rejected, until there are no sons left. He says, "Are these all the sons you have?" Jesse says, "No. Actually my youngest, I didn't even bother to bring him. He's with the sheep." He was like, “Bring him right away. He's the one!” And so David is chosen.
Why was David chosen? Who is on God's team? Is it the ones that are talented? Is it the ones that are really good? The ones that have lots of power or lots of money? That only the beautiful people? Sometimes I wonder, I've asked this question and maybe you have to. I've asked him, "Lord, how can you use me? I know my imperfections and my inability. How can you use me? There's so many more talented people out there; people that seem more right for this than me."
But how does God choose someone to be on his team? He looks at the heart. What he's looking for is not how talented you are; how good you are. He's looking at your heart. He's looking for a heart that trusts him. No, David wasn't a perfect guy. We see that in his life, right? He had lots of failures in his life but the one thing that was always there, on the mountain top and in the valley, when he was doing well and then when he messed up so bad that you can barely believe it when you read it in scripture, he just face plants. God still had him on his team. Why? Because he had a heart of trust. He had a heart of faith in the Lord. He had a soft heart so that when he was confronted with sin, he turned to the Lord in repentance.
Paul quoting Habakkuk says, "The righteous, (the ones that are right with God, the ones that are on God's team) shall live by faith; by trust."
So do you want to be on God's team? You want to be with God? Of course you do, right? He's the one that's on the winning team. We go back to that analogy of God picking his team. You know what he's looking for? He's not looking for you to be uber-talented or the best person out there or beautiful or rich or any of those things. All he's looking for is the heart can trust.
In the name of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen
Thank you for listening to The Light of Christ weekly podcast. Let us end our time together with a prayer from The Book of Common Prayer. You can find this prayer for submission to God's will on page 673.
Oh Holy spirit, beloved of my soul, I adore you. Enlightened me, guide me, strengthen me, console me. Tell me what I should do. Give me your orders. I promise to submit myself to all that you desire of me and to accept all that you permit to happen to me. Let me only know your will. Amen.
Love First
The most essential human need.
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
Welcome to the Light of Christ weekly podcast. Light of Christ Anglican Church is located in Georgetown, Texas at MLK and University Avenue. We are a modern expression of the ancient faith. You can learn more about us at lightofchristgeorgetown.org.
During this time of uncertainty because of COVID-19, it's important that we reduce our social contact in order to protect the vulnerable among us. But why do we do this? Is it because safety is first or is it because love is first? Today's sermon soundbite is based on Romans chapter 8, verse 35. “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” We can follow Jesus in this time by listening primarily to God. It is the first priority. Often you hear safety first, safety first. Well, as Christians we have to push back on that. No, it's not safety first. It's love first, right? The commandment is to love God with all your heart, soul, and mind and to love your neighbor as yourself.
Sometimes love means taking risks for the sake of the other, but love is also the reason that we want to be prudent and we want to be careful with how we are interacting with people today because we don't want to unnecessarily spread this disease as we heard before. But our primary human need is not safety in this temporary life which is inherently unsafe and eventually will end for all of us. The first and primary need of humans is to know, to know relationaly, that they are loved by God. We see this in our gospel reading as Jesus is there with the Samaritan woman. He knows the issue isn't physical water. Physical water is the most important thing for us besides air. Is it not right? We're mostly water. We need water, but Jesus is clear. What is more important than water? What really refreshes the soul? The living water. To know the love of God through Jesus Christ who poured out the love of God through his wounds on that cross for you, for your community.
This is the most essential thing, to know you are loved of God. To know that your neighbor is loved of God. Romans 8. Paul is going to talk about the power of God's love. The true safety is in God's love because when we know we are loved by God, when we are in a relationship with God, no virus can take us and snatch us out of God's hand, not even death itself. The cross proves that. Jesus went into death and rose again. Not even death itself can separate us from the love of God, from our belonging and from our eternal destiny. Listen to the faith of Paul as he speaks to us.
Romans 8:35. “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword, (and you could put in there pestilence coronavirus, economic uncertainty?)” What is the answer? “As it is written, for your sake we are being killed all the day long. We are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered. No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Thank you for listening to the Light of Christ weekly podcast. Let us end our time together with a prayer from the Book of Common Prayer. You can find the collect for the third Sunday in Lent on page 606.
Heavenly Father, you have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you: Look with compassion upon the heartfelt desires of your servants, and purify our disordered affections, that we may behold your eternal glory in the face of Christ Jesus; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Powerless to Help Ourselves
We need a powerful rescuer.
I am powerless, but he is a powerful savior.
Welcome to the Light of Christ weekly podcast. Light of Christ Anglican Church is located in Georgetown, Texas at MLK and University Avenue. We are a modern expression of the ancient faith. You can learn more about us at lightofchristgeorgetown.org.
Our sermon soundbite today comes from the Gospel of John 3:3,13. "Jesus answered him, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God. No one has ascended into heaven except he who has descended from heaven, the son of man'"
”Almighty God, you know that we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves.” Who are you apart from God? You are powerless to help yourself apart from God. I am powerless apart from God, to help myself. I remember when I was a child, we went to the Ozarks in the State of Missouri. The Lake of the Ozarks is a beautiful park there. It was gorgeous. We went to a cave that was there, the cave of the Ozarks. They take you down into this cave and each of you have a light, and then the tour guide says turn off the light. You turn off the lights and it is completely black night, not a single photon. You can't see anything. Then you realize, "Wow, without this lamp, I don't think I could find my way out of here. I would be powerless to find my way out."
I think of the story of the 12 soccer players in the very north of Thailand, who are in a junior soccer league, with their assistant coach went down into a cave. It was monsoon season, so this was not smart. The rains came and the waters rose and so the path that they took down, they could not take back up. They're stuck there for a week, no one knew where they were until divers finally found them two and a half miles inside that cave in Thailand. Through their heroic effort of over 10,000 people combined working on this, they were able to bring each and every one to safety. But not without a cost, it cost two people their lives. They were helpless, powerless to save themselves.
I think about the story of Nicodemus. He comes to Jesus. He's a religious leader of their day. He comes to Jesus by night. I think this is important imagery. We, born in Adam, are in night. We are in that cave stuck and powerless to help ourselves. He comes to Jesus and Jesus tells him, "Truly, truly. Amen amen." We end our prayers with amen, Jesus starts speaking with amen. He says, "Amen, amen. Truly, truly I say to you, unless one is born again", and that word again also means from above. Unless one is born from above, has this new birth from above, "He cannot see the Kingdom of God." He cannot enter the Kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is what God is doing on this earth.
Apart from this rescue, from above, this new birth, we are powerless. Ironically, Nicodemus can't see and understand what Jesus is saying, and Jesus clarifies, "That which is born of flesh, is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." Our problem is that we've been disconnected from the Spirit of God, from God's life. Sin has done that to us. So we are like in this dark cave. We've wandered down the pathway of lust with our father Adam. Sin, remember we talked about self-gratification, self-glorification and greed. We thought we could remain in control, but what happened? It took control of us. We went down into that cave thinking it was great fun and then the waters rose and now we're trapped.
Who am I apart from God? I am powerless. Yeah, we're able to do nice things, but we're not able to rescue ourselves from this situation that we're in. A classic example of this, and we'll talk a little bit more about this, is we have pride. The moment you think that you are humble, that pride is still lurking there. That's why you can't write the book, How I Overcame Pride. It's always there, always there. Jesus is saying they need a new life, we need a rescuer from above who can come down and pull us to safety. I am powerless, but he is a powerful savior.
Jesus is the one that gives us this birth from above. Notice what he says "No one has ascended to heaven except he who has descended from heaven, who is the son of man." Notice that? When we think of our relationship before God, we often think of it as a ladder that we ascend by doing good works, but we can't do that, as we've already shown. But what did God do? He descended that ladder to us. He came down in Jesus Christ to reconnect us with God. Like those Thai divers who went down into the cave, into the water to reconnect those kids with food and with water and with what they needed. Jesus came down to give us the life of God and to reconnect us with heaven.
Thank you for listening to the Light of Christ weekly podcast. Let us end our time together with a prayer from the Book of Common Prayer. You can find this Collect for the Second Sunday in Lent on page 605.
Almighty God, you know that we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves: Keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls, that we may be defended from all adversities that may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts that may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Self-Gratification, Self-Glorification, and Greed
God’s creation is a gift that we abuse.
Where Adam failed, Jesus won.
Welcome to the Light of Christ weekly podcast. Light of Christ Anglican Church is located in Georgetown, Texas at MLK and University Avenue. We are a modern expression of the ancient faith. You can learn more about us at lightofchristgeorgetown.org.
Today, we will hear a selection from Sunday's sermon based on Romans 5:19, "For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous."
Imagine yourself as a child. Maybe middle school. It's Christmas day. There's a gift under the tree. You open up that gift and it is a beautiful new bat. It's like the best that money can buy. You take that gift and that very day you go over to your neighbor's house, break in using the bat through the window, beat your neighbor and take his candy and eat it. That's sin. Is the bat bad? No, the bat is a good gift given to you. Sin is the misuse of God's good gifts. Sin is the misuse of God's good gifts. We see in Genesis that God created everything good, and he puts Adam and Eve in the garden to work it, to steward it, to receive that gift. But what do they do? They take that good gift and they misuse it. That is sin. Sin is the misuse of God's good gift.
What is the baseball bat made for? Baseball, right? It's made to hit a home run, hit a base hit, or put a bunt down. It's not meant to beat your neighbor. What have we done? Adam shows really what all of us have done. “Because through one man's disobedience, we were all made sinners.”
How do we take God's good gift and sin? Well, first we use God's good gift for self-gratification. For self-gratification. We were meant to be gratified. God made that in us, but we were meant to be gratified in using our bodies and the good gifts he's given us to love our neighbor. What is love? To seek the good of the other for their own sake. Love is to seek the good of the other for their own sake. Why did God make this world? Why did he make you?
Why has he given you everything you have, including your body? So that you can seek the good of the other for their own sake. The reason he's given you the baseball bat is to play baseball. The reason he's given you a body and given you everything you have is to love others. But what have we done? Instead, we use that for self-gratification, right? Like the child who beats his neighbor and takes his candy, we use our bodies to not love other people, but to use other people and manipulate other people to get what we want for self-gratification. Not gratification because we've loved, but gratification at others' expense. Self-gratification. Adam sees sees that the fruit is good. He wants to be self-gratified apart from God's plan for him, which is to love.
How do we abuse God's good gift of creation? Self-gratification and self-glorification. What does the serpent say to Adam and Eve? “If you take this fruit, you will be like God.” You know what's really interesting about that? What did God make us to be like? God. God made us to be like God. God made us to be glorified. But how? Adam and Eve were placed in the garden to learn how to love one another. That's why there was Adam and Eve, so they could learn to love one another and have kids and learn how to love. This is why God made us, so we could be glorified. We could become like God because God is love. But instead we chose self-glorification. “I'm not going to be glorified by God because I love my neighbor! No, I am going to seek glory for myself on my own terms.”
If you were a kid, you ever play king of the hill wherever there was a dirt hill? You would try to be the one on top. You would try to be the glorious one on top. How did you get there? You push everyone else down. That's right. You give them a good kick in the face to stay on top. This is what we do, isn't it? We don't seek glorification by laying our lives down, by loving. We seek glorification by stepping on other people and pushing them down.
Self-gratification. Self-glorification. What's the last way that we abuse God's good creation? Greed. Greed. They took it and they ate. Mine. Mine. This idea that it's mine, I can do whatever I want with it. I'm going to accumulate, accumulate, accumulate.
“It is mine.” Is it yours? When Adam and Eve are put in the garden, they were placed there as managers, stewards. It's as if God has an investment account and he's placed you as the investment manager, or he has a small business and he's placed you as a manager over it. Can an investment manager ever say, "These investments are mine?" No, he's doing it for someone else. It's by God's grace that he's allowed us in on his work. We're part of it, but what have we done? We have stolen from him. We've said, "No, it's not yours, God, it is mine. I don't have to use everything you've given me to love. My body is mine and everything I have is mine. I can use it for myself. I don't have to use it to seek the good of the others for their sake. It is mine." It is greed. We've been made managers, but we try to take ownership.
Here's a time for a little self-diagnosis. How are you seeking the good of others for their own sake with your possessions, with your time, with your talent, with yourself? I think if we're being honest with ourselves more often than not we are seeking our own self-gratification, our own self-glorification and greed at the expense of others. I am a sinner. I need a Savior to heal this heart that's all tangled up inside. We need a better father than Adam. A better example to follow.
I am a sinner, but He is righteous. Here in this painting is Jesus in the desert place. He's the second Adam, and he's placed by God... Remember, the Spirit takes him into the desert. He's placed by God not in a garden, but in the desert. The desert that we have made because of our sin.
The desert represents the consequences of our sin. It is the God forsaken place. God himself, God the Son goes into the god-forsaken place. Why? To undo what Adam did. Like the tangled string, he's going to undo what Adam did. How does he do that? Well, the tempter comes. What does he tempt Jesus with?
Jesus is on a very clear mission. Jesus' mission is to undo what Adam did. His mission is to love, to use his body and everything that he has, all of his power to seek the good of the other for their own sake. The way he specifically going to do that because he's the savior, and this is what's unique to Jesus, is he's going to do that by going to the cross, dying and rising again.
He knows that that's his mission, and what Satan is trying to do is the same thing he tried to do with the first Adam. He's trying to get this man off of God's mission to love. How does he do that? He tempts him with the very same temptations.
Self-gratification. Jesus is there hungry, fasting for 40 days and 40 nights, and Satan comes to him and says, "Hey, you've got the power to do it." We know that, right? Because later what does Jesus do? He does make bread. "You got the power to do it. You're hungry. Turn these rocks into bread. Gratify yourself. Step out of God's plan to love others with your power and use your power to gratify yourself." Jesus says no.
Then Satan moves to self-glorification. Hey, will you seek glorification apart from the cross? Look, Satan is actually advanced in his techniques here. What did Satan do? He quotes scripture. Just a little side note, you can quote scripture to hide your lust. You can quote scripture to maintain your life of self-gratification, self-glorification, and greed. It's something to remember. Satan says, “Look the scriptures say, ‘If you jump down off of this temple, that God has you completely protected.’" What does Jesus say? "No. You're missing the heart of it. I'm protected as I am walking in God's plan for me. Do not put the Lord your God to the test. I will not seek glorification for myself. My glorification will come as I love others, and it will come from my father."
Finally, greed. This is where Satan is his most honest I guess you could say. He shows him all the kingdoms of the world. He says, "I will give you all of this. Everything. You can have it if you fall down and worship me." I think Satan's getting desperate at this point because it's so obvious. Jesus says, "Get away from me. We only worship the Lord God." What Adam failed to do and sinned, Jesus did and was righteous. Where Adam failed, Jesus won. He was always seeking the good of the other, always using his power for love, even to this cross where he poured out his entire life for you. I am a sinner. He is righteous.
Thank you for listening to the Light of Christ weekly podcast. Let us end our time together with a prayer from the Book of Common Prayer. You can find the Collect for the First Sunday in Lent on page 605.
Almighty God, whose blessed Son was led by the Spirit to be tempted by Satan: Come quickly to help us who are assaulted by many temptations, and, as you know the weaknesses of each of us, let each one find you mighty to save; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The Mission Motive
God’s Mission is Motivated by God’s Compassion
God's motivation for His mission is God's compassion.
Welcome to the Light of Christ weekly podcast. Light of Christ Anglican Church is located in Georgetown, Texas at MLK and University Avenue. We are a modern expression of the ancient faith. You can learn more about us at lightofchristgeorgetown.org.
Our sermon soundbite today comes from Matthew 9:35-38, "And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom, and healing every disease and every affliction. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them because they were harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, 'The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore, pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.'"
"When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them." Notice the motivation is not fear. It's not guilt. It's not anger. God's motivation for His mission is God's compassion, His compassion, His love, because God is love. To quote the Jesus Storybook Bible ... Who here has read the Jesus Storybook Bible? Okay. It's for little kids, but I tell you what, if you read it, it's like a theological education. Please buy yourself that regardless of your age, read it to your grandchildren. Read it to your children. It's a beautiful book.
As Jesus Storybook Bible says about God's love, "It's a never stopping, never giving up, unbreaking, always and forever love." That's God's love. That means that the moment that humanity walked away from God, the moment Adam and Eve walked away, ran away from God, God was running after them because God is full of compassion. That means every time that you make a decision where you turn away from God, what is God doing? He's running after you.
Notice that it's Jesus that goes out. He doesn't wait for people to come. He's the one going out from village to village, healing and bringing his good news. Compassion. it comes from this Greek word that's related to the gut. It's that feeling you get, that intense feeling when you see someone in need that compels you to move forward into their pain. It compels you to join them in it, to bring them what they need. That's compassion. And that is the heart of God.
It's God's compassion that led Him to His mission. When He saw our situation, it's His compassion that brought Him to join us in our suffering on the cross, so that as He's connected to us in our suffering, He brings us the healing we need. He brings us Himself.
So likewise, when we think about God's mission, about being on God's mission with Him, because He's inviting us into His mission with Him, we need to think about our motivations. Not guilt, not fear, not anger, but compassion.
Thank you for listening to the Light of Christ weekly podcast. Let us end our time together with a prayer from the Book of Common Prayer. The collect for World Mission Sunday can be found on page 604.
Almighty God, through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, you revealed the way of eternal life to every race and nation: Pour out this gift anew, that by the preaching of the Gospel your salvation may reach to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
One of the Great Secrets
What would I do if I loved this person?
Do not waste time bothering whether you love your neighbor. Act as if you did. As soon as we do this, we will find one of the great secrets.
Welcome to the Light of Christ weekly podcast. Light of Christ Anglican Church is located in Georgetown, Texas, at MLK and University Avenue. We are a modern expression of the ancient faith. You can learn more about us at lightofchristgeorgetown.org.
Our sermon sound bite today is brought to us by Chris Wright, as he comments on First John, chapter four, verse seven. "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God."
So this love that we show to others comes from him. It's this outpouring, right? So in John's gospel, Jesus commands us. He says, "As I have loved you, so you must love one another." So we're sent out to love as we are loved. Now what does that look like? Well, C.S. Lewis, who I think I have a requirement to quote him at least once a day, he suggested that if we were to think about, okay, what does this look like to love our neighbor, to love one another, is we should ask ourselves, first off, "If I really love this person, what would I do? How would I act? I just imagine this person here, if I really, really love them, what would I do for this person? What do they need? How can I fulfill that need? How can I love them?"
And in Mere Christianity, he says, "Do not waste time bothering whether you love your neighbor. Act as if you did. As soon as we do this, we will find one of the great secrets. When you are behaving as if you loved someone, you will presently come to love him."
So sometimes the attitude isn't always there, right? You think, "Okay, I'm supposed to love one another. Great, okay, except him, right? He's a jerk. I'll love him. Bless your heart." Right? But you ever notice that like if you really don't like someone, the more time you think about how much you don't like them, the more you don't like them? And maybe the more time you start treating them badly, it just becomes easier, right? But it's that same effect. It's the more you start loving someone, the more lovable you find them. That's actually how G.K. Chesterton saw the moral of the story for Beauty and the Beast. It was someone has to be loved before they can become lovable. So she, by loving the beast, he became a prince. That was how he saw that story. So it is through our actions that we begin to show love and that love begins to grow in us, this love from Christ that is pouring through us.
So when you wonder about loving your neighbor, think about, "If I were to love this person, what would I do?" Do it. Act upon it. Continue to actively love them.
Thank you for listening to the Light of Christ weekly podcast. Let us end our time together with a prayer from the Book of Common Prayer. You can find this prayer for the human family on page 659.
O God, you made us in your own image, and you have redeemed us through your Son Jesus Christ: Look with compassion on the whole human family; take away the arrogance and hatred which infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us; unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that, in your good time, all nations and races may serve you in harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Lord Arrives in His Temple
God has come to live with us.
“And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple.”
Welcome to the Light of Christ Weekly Podcast. Light of Christ Anglican Church is located in Georgetown, Texas at MLK and University Avenue. We are a modern expression of the ancient faith. You can learn more about us at lightofchristgeorgetown.org
Today's morning meditation comes from the Old Testament reading from this Sunday from Malachi three, beginning at verse one: "Behold, I send my messenger and he will prepare the way before me: And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to his temple, and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight: Behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming? And who can stand when he appears for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap: He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he will purify the sons of Levi, and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord. Then the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord, as in the days of old, and as in former years."
Yesterday was The Feast of the Presentation of our Lord Jesus Christ at the Temple. Forty days after the Lord's birth, Mary and Joseph come to the Temple to fulfill the Law of Moses to present their firstborn son to the Lord. And as Jesus is presented in the Temple, we're reminded of these words of the prophet Malachi who says that, "The Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple." The people of Jesus’ day were waiting in expectation for the Lord's presence to return to the temple.
Remember in Ezekiel, because of the faithlessness of God's people, he saw the presence of the Lord leave the Temple grounds? And so the remnant of God's people that were faithful to him were waiting in expectation of the Lord's presence to return to the temple so that God would be with them and Israel's fortunes would be restored.
And the Lord does come suddenly to his temple in this little baby Jesus, but it points to a much deeper reality. See, the Lord has come into the temple of his human body. He dwells with us in an even more intimate way. And the Lord, Yahweh, taking on flesh, human flesh, now he experiences life like us. Hebrews says that, "he was tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin." And in taking on a human body, he's even able to die, enter death; and through his resurrection, destroy death.
And so let's meditate on that today, that the Lord has come suddenly into his temple, that our Lord knows the temptations and struggles we go through; and that through his death and resurrection, he has provided a way for us to be cleansed and to offer ourselves as pleasing sacrifices to the Lord. To love him and to love our neighbor.
Thank you for listening to the Light of Christ Weekly Podcast. Let us end our time together with a prayer from the Book of Common Prayer. The collect for The Presentation of Christ in the Temple can be found on page 626.
Almighty and everliving God, we humbly pray that, as your only-begotten Son was this day presented in the temple in the substance of our flesh, so we may be presented to you with pure and clean hearts by Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Jesus the Rebuilder
He rebuilds the broken down.
Transcript:
Let's listen and join Jesus the rebuilder of the broken.
Welcome to the Light of Christ weekly podcast. Light of Christ Anglican church is located in Georgetown, Texas at MLK and University Avenue. We are a modern expression of the ancient faith. You can learn more about us at lightofchristgeorgetown.org.
Our sermon sound bite today comes from Matthew 4:12. Jesus chooses to begin his ministry in a place that has a history of trauma and brokenness. In the North, the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali is where the Assyrians in about 700 BC came and destroyed the Northern Kingdom, and this is where Jesus chose to begin his ministry. Beginning at verse 12. “Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee and leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah, might be fulfilled. The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles. The people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned.”
”From that time, Jesus began to preach saying, ‘Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ While walking by the sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon, who was called Peter and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea for they were fishermen, and he said to them, ‘Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.’ Immediately they left their nets and followed him and going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father mending their nets and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.”
Well, I think we can look around at the brokenness of this world and we can get discouraged. We can look at the brokenness in our own heart and we can get discouraged and ask, "Is there hope?" Yes, there is. God rebuilds from the ashes just like he did with Israel. And how does he do it? In broken systems, he goes to the broken people, to us, and he calls us and he says, "Will you join me in rebuilding?" There's also a warning here. The kingdom of God is at hand. What's the call? To turn. To not maintain our selfish attitudes. To be open to what God wants to do. The other... Let's see, I think it was a week ago, we went up to Waco. Where did you go in Waco?
Magnolia.
Magnolia, right. Magnolia is a beautiful place. And how have they made their name? Chip and Joanna Gaines. And what do they do?
They rebuild.
They rebuild. They go and rebuild things. Now, imagine if they tried to go to a house and the person said, "No, I'm not going to sell it to you and I'm going to lock all the doors." Would they be able to rebuild?
No.
No. How often do we do that to Jesus? When he sends us his call and says, will you join me in rebuilding? He is a much better rebuilder of lives. Is he not? He rebuilds the heart. Yet we shut down to him. We say, "No, this is my property, get off. I don't need your help. I like how things are." And we can do this as Christians too, we can let him in the front door, but, “You can't get into this room or that room because they're still mine!”
So there's a warning. Repent! To turn, to unlock the bolts of our heart and allow Christ to begin to renovate us, to follow him. So if you look at your life, if you see the brokenness and you wonder, is there hope, don't lose hope, but continue to open the doors to Jesus. Don't lock him out of the house, don't lock him out of any room. Like the disciples who are in that dark place of Zebulun and Naphtali, let's listen and join Jesus, the rebuilder of the broken. And as he rebuilds our lives begin working with him to rebuild this world.
Thank you for listening to the Light of Christ weekly podcast. Let us end our time together with a prayer from the book of common prayer. Today we'll be praying the collect for the Third Sunday of Epiphany, found on page 602.
Give us grace, O Lord, to answer readily the call of our Savior Jesus Christ and proclaim to all people the Good News of his salvation, that we and the whole world may perceive the glory of his marvelous works; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Behold the Lamb of God
We no longer need to live with shame and guilt.
Transcript:
Jesus is the greater and better passover lamb who carries the sin of God's people.
Welcome to the Light of Christ weekly podcast. Light of Christ Anglican Church is located in Georgetown, Texas, at MLK and University Avenue. We are a modern expression of the ancient faith. You can learn more about us at lightofchristgeorgetown.org.
Our sermon soundbite today comes from the Gospel of John, chapter one. Where John the Baptist seeing Jesus says, "Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.”
Jesus is the greater and better Passover lamb who carries the sins of God's people. Pay attention. He is the lamb of God, the Passover lamb. This is Passover language. John is absolutely clear. Who can carry your sin? Can you? Who will carry your sin? Jesus will carry your sin. He is the lamb. This refers to Jesus' humanity. Jesus is fully God and fully man, his humanity. He's the lamb. He's obedient. The perfect, spotless lamb without sin, and he is able as a human, fully as a human, to suffer and to die, to be sacrificed, to enter with his perfect humanity into the fray because he's one of us. He's able to experience death and sin and all of those consequences, all of those wages and weight of sin, he's able to experience on the cross. The full weight of it and through dying he's able to destroy the tyranny of death through his resurrection.
Hebrews 2 says this. Exactly. “Since therefore, we share in flesh and blood. He himself likewise partook of the same things so that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is the devil and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.” He took on humanity. He was the lamb, the lamb of God. Notice he's a lamb provided by God. This is Christ's divinity, fully God and fully man. No one takes Christ's life from him. He lays it down willingly and he is of the same heart and mind to the father. It's for God so loved, the Father so loved the world that he sent his Son. Notice what John 10:18 says. Jesus says, "No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”
It is God who provides the lamb. No, it's not us. And this is what makes the sacrifice of Jesus absolutely opposite of the pagan sacrifices. What were the pagan sacrifices about? You want something from the deity who is selfish and you want something because you're selfish. And so what you do is you basically bribe the deity. I am going to give you something of worth and the deity will like it. And so he'll give you what you want. That's how pagan sacrifices work. But this is nothing like that at all. This is a sacrifice of pure love. It's provided by God for your benefit, for our benefit. What is love?
”Seeking the good of the other for their own sake.” Exactly, and that's what the sacrifice is. A sacrifice of pure love and what does this sacrifice do? Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world and this word takes away. It doesn't quite capture the Greek here. It could be translated carries. It has the sense, behold the lamb of God who will lift up and carry away the sin of the world. You see that? By God becoming a human, right? He's able to, like in the days of the Passover, he's able to insert himself. God inserts himself into our humanity so that he can be our passover, our covering. He places himself on that cross between the wages of your sin, the weight of your sin, and it's eternal consequences and you. So that you are saved. So that you do not have to bear the shame and guilt anymore. You can't! But God could. No human alone could do it but God did.
Thank you for listening to the Light of Christ weekly podcast. Let us end our time together with a prayer from The Book of Common Prayer. You can find the collect for the Second Sunday of Epiphany on page 602.
Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ is the light of the world: Grant that your people, illumined by your Word and Sacraments, may shine with the radiance of Christ’s glory, that he may be known, worshiped, and obeyed to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The Father’s Business
Even as a boy he was willingly following his Father’s will.
There's a phrase that people try to find in scripture, but it's not there. It goes, "God helps those that help themselves." But this is not the Father's mission. God helps those that can't help themselves.
Welcome to The Light of Christ weekly podcast. Light of Christ Anglican Church is located in Georgetown Texas at MLK and University Avenue. We are a modern expression of the ancient faith. You can learn more about us at lightofchristgeorgetown.org.
Our sermon sound bite today comes from Luke chapter two. The famous story of the boy Jesus becoming lost and his parents finding him after looking for him for three days in the temple, and frustrated with him Mary says, "Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress."
And then Jesus says in verse 49, "And he said to them, "Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be about my Father's business?" We pair that with Jeremiah 31 verse 11 where the prophet Jeremiah tells us what the Father's business is, what Jesus is all about.
"For the Lord has ransomed Jacob and has redeemed him from hands to strong for him.” The Father's business is to ransom Jacob, God's people, from hands too strong for him.
Verse 11, "For the Lord, Yahweh has ransomed Jacob and has redeemed him from hands too strong for him." His first order of business is to ransom his people. If you put something into a pawn shop you ransom it when you come back and you pay for it and you get it back. So, there's this idea in ransom that you're getting back that which is yours by right.
But God's people have been enslaved. Enslaved by sin. Now, we're in the beginning of a new year and what do people do in the new year? They make new year’s resolutions, and how often do we keep those resolutions? Let's face it, more often than not we've already broken those by month two.
And there's a phrase that people try to find in scripture, but it's not there. It goes, "God helps those that help themselves." And this is kind of, an American Christianity. God helps those that pull themselves up by their own bootstraps, but this is not the Father's mission.
God helps those that can't help themselves. He helps those that have been enslaved into sin. You see, we don't understand how deep of an issue we have, that even our best intentions and best works are tinged with that snake of selfishness.
Thankfully God doesn't reveal that to us all at once when we first come to know God and follow Jesus. He just shows us sort of, the big things, but then as we walk with Jesus, he shows us how big of an issue we have, that we can't get ourselves out of this, that we need a savior. We need a Passover lamb, as the children of Israel needed. He was in Jerusalem for Passover. The little boy Jesus will be the Passover lamb, the Passover sacrifice. He will die and rise, remember, three days they found him. Three days later.
And he will ransom us, save us from fear of death. He will save us from the power of sin by giving us forgiveness. Giving us the Holy Spirit so that he can begin to change us, not from us just trying hard, pulling ourselves up by our boot straps, because that doesn't work. But the Holy Spirit that changes us bit, by bit, by bit from the inside out.
His Father's business that this boy Jesus is all about, is to ransom Jacob, his people from hands too strong for him. Thank you for listening to The Light of Christ weekly podcast. Let us end our time together with a prayer from the Book of Common Prayer. You can find the Collect for the Second Sunday of Christmas on page 601.
O God, who wonderfully created, and yet more wonderfully restored, the dignity of human nature: Grant that we may share the divine life of him who humbled himself to share our humanity, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
The Gift-King
A king that is for you.
The King that you've been waiting for, you're going to find him here… in a manger?
Transcript:
Welcome to the Light of Christ weekly podcast. Light of Christ Anglican Church is located in Georgetown, Texas at MLK and University Avenue. We are a modern expression of the ancient faith. You can learn more about us at lightofchristgeorgetown.org.
Our sermon soundbite today comes from Luke chapter two beginning at verse eight. "And in the same region, there were shepherds out in the field keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, "Fear not for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people, for unto you is born this day in the city of David, a savior who is Christ the Lord, and this will be a sign for you. You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.""
But what is the sign that the angels give? That the angel gives to the shepherds? What is the sign by which they will know that this is the King? Verse 12 says, "And this will be a sign for you, you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths," and that's just normal baby clothing, "And lying in a manger." What?
Imagine me telling you that the richest man in the world was coming to Georgetown. So we went down to the square to meet him there and up pulls a 1985 Toyota Camry that's rusted out, the paint is peeling, and out steps this man. Would you believe me? There's this seemingly contradiction, contra-position, this contrast between what I'm saying and what the arrival of this richest man is like, and so it is here the King that you've been waiting for, you're going to find him here in a manger?
The point that Luke is making, obviously as we read through the gospel, is that the coming of the promised King, the way he came was absolutely unexciting. Unimpressive. No pump. No circumstance. The baby is born, no complications. There isn't room, anywhere. So why? Why this contrast?
Because this is a different type of King. The key is in verse 11 when the angel speaks to the shepherds, he says, "For unto you," notice that, "For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a savior. Who is Christ the Lord." Why? Because this King is not like other Kings, people with authority and power in this world. What do they do? They tend to accumulate more power. They tend to accumulate wealth for themselves, especially Caesar Augustus, who we read about in the very first verse of chapter two what is he doing? He's taxing the people so he can conquer and get more power for himself and more money and more riches. But this King is not for himself. This King is for you.
He is a King unto you, a King for you. Who although he is rich, became poor. Although he has all, became nothing for us. A King who takes all that he has and will pour it out for you. He is a Gift-King. A Gift-King.
Isaiah chapter nine verse six the prophet says it beautifully, "For to us a child is born. To us as son is given. He is a gift. He's been given to us." This is the gift of Christmas, freely given, not owed to those who have been nice instead of naughty, but a free gift given to all of us and received by, especially those that know they're sinners. Those like the shepherds that the angels come to at night.
Thank you for listening to the Light of Christ weekly podcast. Let us end our time together with a prayer from the book of Common Prayer. This prayer can be found on page 601.
O God, who wonderfully created, and yet more wonderfully restored, the dignity of human nature: Grant that we may share the divine life of him who humbled himself to share our humanity, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
God tells us that the one who builds their life on money is in for a seismic disorientation.
Growing Lower
How do we grow and progress in the Christian life?
Welcome to the Light of Christ Weekly Podcast. Light of Christ Anglican Church is located in Georgetown, Texas at MLK and University Avenue. We are a modern expression of the ancient faith. You can learn more about us at lightofchristgeorgetown.org.
Our sermon sound bite today is based off of Christ’s teaching in Luke 14 verses, 7 through 11. “Now he told a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the places of honor, saying to them, when you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him, and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this person.’ And then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place so that when your host comes, he may say to you, .Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. For, everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
God's assessment is that we are sinners. But then, He follows that up with saying, “I love you. You are forgiven.” So He calls us to not say, “Me first!” But He calls us to say, “You first! Others first!” The Christian life, often we think of it as as growing upwards and being more and more Christlike, and that's true. But what's it mean to be more and more Christlike? I love what Saint Benedict says here. He says, “We want to come quickly to the top of that heavenly ascent to which we can only mount by lowliness.” Notice the paradox there. The way that we ascend is by doing what? Descending. Descending. The Christian growth in life is actually a growth downward. There's this paradox here, and it's only in the gospel where we can have a confident humility. Where we can accept what is true about ourselves. That that we do fail. But, at the same time know that we are loved and forgiven by God. And so we have this confidence based upon what God has done for us, yet this humility knowing that we do fail, and fail all the time.
And so, growth in the Christian walk is paradoxically a growth downward. And what of the person that truly confesses what we confess every Sunday? That we've sinned in this way? That we are not better than others? How does that person relate to others? Are they judgemental? Is there pride there? See, humility is fertile ground for love. When we see ourselves as sinners that are saved by the grace of God, by His love, then there is no place for us to say we are better than you. There's no place for us to wrangle to try to get first. There is only space then for love.
And why do we do this? Why do we do this? We do this because Jesus did it. He's our host. He didn't say “Me first.” He said, “You first. Others first.” Who had more right to sit at the best seat at the table than Jesus did? But, he ascended on high by first laying his life down. Although he had all the rights, although unlike us, he was not a sinner, what did he do? He served us all. He served us all on the cross. He took the lowest place. As he was raised up on the cross, he descended into the depth of our sin. He descended into the depth of death itself so that he could invite us into the wedding feast. Because of that, God has exalted him and placed him at the right hand of the Father.
Thank you for listening to the Light of Christ Weekly Podcast. Let us end our time together with a prayer from the Book of Common Prayer. You can find this prayer, The Collect For the Second Sunday of Christmas, on page 601.
Oh God, who wonderfully created and yet more wonderfully restored, the dignity of human nature, grant that we may share the divine life of him who humbled himself to share our humanity. Your son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit. One God, forever and ever. Amen.
Where Will You Flee for Safety?
In a tumultuous world, where do we find safety?
Transcript: Welcome to the Light of Christ weekly podcast. Light of Christ Anglican Church is located in Georgetown, Texas at MLK and University Avenue. We are a modern expression of the ancient faith. You can learn more about us at lightofchristgeorgetown.org
Our sermon soundbite today comes from Isaiah chapter 28:14-16.
Isaiah confronts the leadership of Jerusalem, who have made a covenant with Egypt, and he strongly exhorts them to instead find their safety on the foundation, the stone that God has laid for them. Starting at verse 14, "Therefore hear the word of the Lord, you scoffers, who rule this people in Jerusalem, because you have said, 'We have made a covenant with death and with Sheol, we have an agreement. When the overwhelming whip passes through, it will not come to us. For we have made lies a refuge, and in falsehood we have taken shelter.' Therefore, thus says the Lord God, 'Behold, I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion, a stone. A tested stone, a precious cornerstone of a sure foundation. Whoever believes will not be in haste.'"
How does this apply to us? I think we live in tempestuous times. We live in a time where there's a lot that's changing. There's a lot of, I sense, fear and anxiety. Would you agree with me on that? There's just a lot of fear and anxiety.
We need to ask the question, where will we go? Where will we flee for safety? What is it that people are fearing? I talk to people all the time. I know people fear illness. Death. Loss of power. The American empire is beginning to collapse. There seems to be a diminishing of the church in our culture. The family is disintegrating. The Amazon forest is burning and that's only one of many environmental disasters.
There seems more and more, just a pressure for people to forsake the way of Jesus. This can create fear and anxiety. As a church, brothers and sisters, where will flee for safety? Will we ally ourselves with spiritual Egypt? Will we covenant with death? Will we flee to those old patterns of living in order to find safety? What does that look like? What am I talking about?
It could be a sin like alcoholism or drugs or sex addiction. It could be reactionary. Reactionary politics, looking for a political figure to save us. It could look like reactionary religion, even. Tribalism. It could look like giving up Jesus Christ entirely.
These covenants are covenants with death, and they lead to destruction. Isaiah gives us a better way. He asks us, will you flee to Jesus? He is the foundation of the city that God is building. The crucified and risen Christ is the one place in this world of change, where we can find the unchangeable, immovable God. The one that builds his house on the rock will never be moved.
I'd like to end. I'd like to end first with a personal story and then, I'd like to read Psalm 46, that we chanted. In my soul, I've been deeply disturbed this last week, at just various things happening in the world. I felt that anxiety. It's amazing when I go to the scripture a lot of times, that I'm preparing to preach, how often that scripture is perfect for where I'm at in my life. God is in control!
In all of the fear and anxiety, I asked myself, where do I flee for safety in all of this? The Holy Spirit prompted me. He said, "Look, go back. Get in touch again with your first love, Jesus. He is the cornerstone. Forget about all this stuff that's happening for a moment and turn your eyes on Jesus. Read the gospels, read his words, fall in love again with God revealed through Jesus. He is the refuge where you're safe.”
Psalm 46. "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling.
"There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God. The Holy habitation of the most high. God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved. God will help her when morning dawns. The nations rage, the kingdoms totter. He utters his voice. The earth melts. The Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our fortress."
Thank you for listening to the Light of Christ weekly podcast. Let us end our time together with a prayer from the Book of Common Prayer. You can find the Collect for Peace on page 23.
"O God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom. Defend us, your humble servants in all assaults of our enemies, that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."
Morning Meditation: Actors
During his ministry, Jesus calls people hypocrites.
Transcript: Welcome to the Light of Christ weekly podcast. Light of Christ Anglican Church is located in Georgetown, Texas, at MLK and University Avenue. We are a modern expression of the ancient faith. You can learn more about us at lightofchristgeorgetown.org.
Our morning meditation comes from the first part of Matthew 7:5, where Jesus says, "You hypocrite." Jesus often refers to people as hypocrites in his teachings. What does the word hypocrite mean? Hypocrite literally means actor. When we think of an actor, what are they good at doing? A good actor is excellent at playing different personas. In other words, he's good at putting on different masks. He's able to act like a sailor navigating the sea in one movie. In the next movie, he's a baseball player, or he's a a politician. An actor is able to be a person that he isn't. He's able to wear a mask, to wear a persona, literally in Latin, “mask.” Hypocrite in Greek means “actor,” so Jesus calls people actors. He calls us actors. What does he mean when he's saying that?
When we think of actors or hypocrites, often when I think of hypocrite, I think of people who are putting on a persona, who are acting for others. They want others to think about them in a certain way. They want to put on a certain front, a certain veneer, and in doing so, they want people to think more highly of them, more highly than is warranted. They want to hide those aspects of themselves that they deem to be less than or weak.
What's more serious than being a hypocrite to our neighbor, is being a hypocrite towards God! You see, we try to wear our mask before God. We try to be an actor in front of God. Now, it's really ironic because God knows all things. He can easily see behind any mask. Yet we do this. Why do we act as we come before God? We come before God, not willing to bare our true selves, not willing to tell God or to show God how broken we really are and how sinful we really are, how scared we really are, but we try to put on this religious persona.
Why do we do that? It's because we're hiding. We're afraid to feel the shame that comes with God's light shining on the dirt and muck in our heart. Think of Adam and Eve in the garden, hiding from God. Shame is one of the most powerful and painful of emotions. When we come into the light, when we confess our sin, when we confess the reality of how we feel and all of the ugliness that it contains, when we feel that shame, it feels like a death. In the light of God, we also experienced his love. We experience the truth of 1 Timothy 1:15, where Paul says, "This is a worthy saying, deserving of full acceptance, that Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the worst." When we take off the mask, yes we experience the shame of our sins being revealed, but in that same moment, we experience the freedom from shame and guilt that God's love brings because love swallows guilt. The love that Jesus Christ shows us on the cross washes away all of our sin.
Let's not be hypocrites. Let's not be actors putting on a mask when we come to church, putting on a mask, when we come to God in prayer. Let's be our true selves and allow God to cleanse us and make us new.
Thank you for listening to the Light of Christ weekly podcast. Let us end our time together with a prayer from the book of Common Prayer. This prayer for preparation for personal prayer, can be found on page 675.
"Holy spirit, breath of God and fire of love, I cannot pray without your aid: Kindle in me the fire of your love and illumine me with your light; that with a steadfast will and holy thoughts I may approach the Father in spirit and in truth; through Jesus Christ my Lord, who reigns with you and the father in eternal union. Amen."
Morning Meditation: A Confession Lifestyle
What does the Christian life look like? What does it mean to confess my sins?
Transcript: Welcome to the Light of Christ Weekly Podcast. Light of Christ Anglican Church is located in Georgetown, Texas at MLK and University Avenue. We are a modern expression of the ancient faith. You can learn more about us at lightofchristgeorgetown.org
Our morning meditation for today comes from 1 John chapter one starting in verse six. “If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus, his son, cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
I find that there's often a misunderstanding about what it means to confess and receive forgiveness as a Christian. We have this conception that we come to the cross, we confess, we receive forgiveness, and then we leave the cross to do our life as best we can until we fall on our face again and then come back to the cross. But this is not what John is talking about and this is really not the Christian life. The Christian life is not confessing and then going and doing things in your own power again, and then confessing your sin, and going doing things in you own power again until you mess up and then coming back and confess your sin again.
Rather, the Christian life is a life that is built on top of the cross. It's a life that is built on confessing. It's a confessing life, a life that's lived confessing one's sin and receiving forgiveness and living in that forgiveness. So confession isn't so much an action. I mean, it is that. But it is a lifestyle, a way of living. For a Christian, confessing sin, receiving forgiveness, and living in the power of that forgiveness should be like breathing. And John makes that very clear.
So not to get too technical here, but in Greek, the language that John is using to write his epistle, the verb has something called aspect. Aspect is what type of action the verb describes. And so this word here, for confess, “if we confess our sin,” has a continuous aspect. And so it could be translated, “if we are confessing our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” The point here is that confession of sin is the continuous activity of the Christian. We're constantly confessing our sin, receiving Christ's forgiveness so that we're not living in shame and guilt.
The problem occurs when we go away from the cross and try to do our own thing in our own power, then we fall on our face and feel like we have to come back again. But if we understand that our life is being built upon the cross and don't move away from it, then we can truly begin to live a life free from shame and guilt, constantly being renewed by the power of the Holy Spirit as we walk in the light as Christ is in the light.
Thank you for listening to the Light of Christ Weekly Podcast. Let us end our time together with a prayer from the Book of Common Prayer. You can find this prayer “In Times of Suffering or Weakness” on page 674.
Dear Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I hold up all my weakness to your strength, my failure to your faithfulness, my sinfulness to your perfection, my loneliness to your compassion, my little pains to your great agony on the cross. I pray that you will cleanse me, strengthen me, guide me, so that in all ways my life may be lived as you would have it lived without cowardice and for you alone. Show me how to live in true humility, true contrition, and true love. Amen.
An Incredible Investor
Where do you put your treasure?
Welcome to the Light Of Christ weekly podcast. Light Of Christ Anglican Church is located in Georgetown, Texas, at MLK and University Avenue. We are a modern expression of the ancient faith. You can learn more about us at lightofchristgeorgetown.org
Our sermon soundbite today comes from Luke, chapter 12, verses 32 through 34. Jesus says to his disciples, "Fear not, little flock. For it is your father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with money bags that do not grow old with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."
Where should I put my treasure? Where should you put your treasure? Well, I'd like to ask the question, where does God locate his treasure? Because imagine if I told you that there was an investor out there who did incredible on his investments. He had the inside scoop on literally everything. His investments always win in the long term. Never fail. What would you do if you found an investor like that in the stock market? You'd follow him, right? You'd become his disciple, wouldn't you? You would do everything he did.
So how does God invest? How does God invest? Notice what Jesus says in verse 32, "Fear not, little flock. For it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." You. Where does God locate his treasure? In you. In people. Who does he serve, as we serve our treasure? Matthew 20, Jesus tells us, "But I did not come to be served, but to serve and to give my life as a ransom for many.” Who's his treasure? Well, who does he keep safe? John 10 says, "I give eternal life and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand." And whom does he mourn the loss of? I think of Luke 19, just a few chapters from now. Jesus is going to go up to Jerusalem, and he's going to weep, because they're about to reject him. He mourns every time we turn and choose sin instead of turning to him. You are his treasure.
And so because God invests in people and God locates his treasure in people, we are commanded to do the same. Verse 33, "Sell your possessions and give to the needy." Invest in people. I think of what Saint Irenaeus says, "The glory of God is man fully alive."
Spiritual investment, heavenly investment, is investing in people, to have our treasure located in seeing others become fully alive.
Thank you for listening to the Light Of Christ weekly podcast. Let us end our time together with a prayer from the book of common prayer.
This post-communion prayer can be found on page 137. Notice how the treasure that God gives us changes where we locate our treasure.
Heavenly Father, we thank you for feeding us with the spiritual food of the most precious body and blood of your son, our savior, Jesus Christ; and for assuring us in these holy mysteries that we are living members of the body of your son and heirs of your eternal kingdom. And now Father, send us out to do the work you have given us to do, to love and serve you as faithful witnesses of Christ our Lord, to him, to you, and to the Holy Spirit: The honor and glory now and forever. Amen.
Who Really is Rich?
Jesus challenges our idea of what it means to be rich.
Transcript:
Welcome to the Light Of Christ Weekly Podcast. Light Of Christ Anglican Church is located in Georgetown, Texas, at MLK and University avenue. We are a modern expression of the ancient faith. You can learn more about us at LightOfChristGeorgetown.org.
Today's sermon soundbite comes from Luke, chapter 12, verse 21, after Jesus tells the parable of the rich fool, a man who has an incredible year of business, yet all he does is store it up for himself to spend on himself, thinking that that will bring him contentment. That night, God comes to him and says, "You fool. This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?" Jesus says in verse 21, "So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God." So, the question is, who really is rich?
So, who is rich? Well, let me tell you a story. Imagine a lady who was in a home, and not only does she not have all of the knowledge of the world, but because of Alzheimer's eating holes through her brain, she can't even remember her own name. And there she is, and you know she's having really no pleasure. She can't even taste the food she's eating. As far as money, well, she has some, but can she use it? And her kids are already trying to figure out how they're going to spend it. But deep down in her heart she knows. I'm talking about relational knowing. She knows that she is beloved by God, that she is loved with the infinite love of God.
That woman, she is rich, because that will not be taken from her. She may forget her own name, but God remembers her name. She may not be able to taste her own food, but God takes pleasure in loving and knowing her. Like all of us, at the end of her life she doesn't have two pennies to rub together, but you know who knows her? The God who is the owner and King of the universe.
Who is rich? Is it the one who seeks pleasure? Is it the one who seeks money, the one that seeks information? No. It's the one who's rich towards God. That is true riches that no one can take away from you. It's the knowledge that deep down in your heart that I am loved by God.
Thank you for listening to the Light Of Christ Weekly Podcast. Let us end our time together with a prayer from the Book Of Common Prayer. You can find this prayer for those we love on page 662.
“Almighty God, we entrust all who are dear to us to your never failing care and love, for this life and the life to come, knowing that you are doing for them better things than we can desire or pray for through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.”
Fueling a Greater Desire
How do we begin to defeat sin patterns in our life? By being filled with a greater desire.
Welcome to the Light of Christ weekly podcast. Light of Christ Anglican Church is located in Georgetown, Texas at MLK and University Avenue. We are a modern expression of the ancient faith. You can learn more about us at lightofchristgeorgetown.org.
Today's morning meditation comes from Ephesians chapter five beginning at verse 15, "Look carefully then how you walk not as unwise but as wise making the best use of the time because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine for that is debauchery but be filled with the Spirit addressing one another in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart. Giving thanks always and for everything to God the father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ."
I was reminded of this verse after going to a dinner party the other week. I met an old friend there that is getting ready to compete in a bodybuilding championship. And so, we were all gathered around eating sugary food and, not being a very good friend, I was trying to tempt him to join us. But he refused. He decisively refused. And he did so because his heart is set, his desire is set, on being fit so that he can win this championship. And so, that reminded me of Paul's words here in Ephesians.
When our desires become warped and lead us into sin, often we are trying to defeat those by just saying no. And it's important to say no to evil desire, but to just say no is not enough. It's like playing a game of whack-a-mole. No sooner do you push one down than another rises again in its place. Instead of only saying no, we have to say yes to being filled with a greater desire, a desire to please our heavenly father. You see, you could say that this greater desire that my friend has to win at this championship drowned out his desire for sugary foods. You could even say that it transformed his desire to eat, to come into line with that greater desire, so that he's happy drinking a low carb, high protein shake. Likewise, when our desire for the Lord is great, our other desires come in line with that greater desire.
How are we filled with the Spirit so that we are not drunk with wine as Paul tells us? Well he says, "Address one another in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart. Giving thanks always and for everything to God." These are our spiritual tools. Sin has absolutely no control over the heart that is singing with thankfulness Christ's words to the Lord.
If you have gone to an Anglican church you may notice that we sing the same songs often over, and over, and over again in our liturgy. And one of the ways that you can begin to conquer sin in your life and to increase your desire for the Lord is to sing these songs heartily even if you can't keep a tune. Trust me on this. God doesn't care. To not care what others think while singing Christ's words with all your might is incredibly liberating and being in tune has absolutely nothing to do with it. And so, during the week you can take these songs which are hidden deep in your heart and you can sing them to the Lord and they become really spiritual fuel to increase in you your desire for the Lord. So, how do we defeat sin in our life? We open ourselves up to receive the word of God into our heart, to be filled with a greater desire, a desire to please our heavenly father.
Thank you for listening to the Light of Christ weekly podcast. Let us end our time together with a prayer from the Book of Common Prayer. A Covenant Prayer written by John Wesley is found on page 673.
“I am no longer my own but thine. Put me to what thou wilt. Rank me with whom thou wilt. Put me to doing, put me to suffering. Let me be employed by thee or laid aside for thee. Exalted for thee or brought low for thee. Let me be full, let me be empty. Let me have all things, let me have nothing. I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal. And now, oh glorious and blessed God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit thou aren't mine and I am thine. So be it. And the covenant which I have made on earth let it be ratified in heaven. Amen.”
We care so much about the hairs on our head, as "worthless" as they are, but we don't care about the unity of Christ's body, the Church.
The Law is not a job description for eternal life, but meant to show us the Truth of the incarnate God, Jesus Christ.