Saint Paul’s Sermons: Recent Episodes
Dcn Bryan Dench
September 29 is a day marked for honoring Saint Michael the archangel. Saint Michael is a warrior angel who led the defeat of Satan in the celestial battle between the forces of cosmic rebellion and the beings loyal to God. Father Andrew speaks to this and to the many ways in which Angles act for God and minister to us.
In Mere Christianity C. S. Lewis had a chapter on Pride, what he calls "The Great Sin," the sin that underlies all other sins like a poison. Jesus repeatedly shamed the proud and in the Gospel of today from Saint Luke declares that those who exalt themselves will be brought low and it is the humble will be exalted before God
Saint Paul cautions us about "being the right way" and "doing the right things" without doing them from the right motives, motives of agape love for one another.
Today's Gospel lesson speaks to the requirement that we love our neighbor as ourselves. Many passages of scripture talk about the love of God, and our duty to love one another. In modern culture it's not so much God is love, as "love is God, a distortion of the biblical picture of love.
The Gospel account of Jesus' miraculous healing of the man who was deaf and of impaired speech inspires us with the calling to reach out to others.
"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." Ps 46 The Psalms are a great source of comfort and assurance, a place of peace and quiet. Pray the Psalms and find peace.
In a few short verses in his Gospel, Luke describes Jesus' weeping over Jerusalem, cleansing the temple, and teaching in the temple daily (Luke 19:41-48). We learn much about the man Jesus from this passage, his human grief over the city of Jerusalem, his bold attack on the moneychangers and merchants defiling the temple, and his heart for the people as he teaches.
Jesus told the familiar parable about the "prodigal" or wastrel son, Lk 15:11-32, was aimed at the value of lost sinners to God and God's willingness to show them mercy, so it relates to us, too. Both the younger son, who squandered his inheritance, and the elder son, who was unloving, unforgiving, and rude to his father, failed to honor their loving and generous father. Just as we sinners fail to honor our Father in Heaven, though if we repent, like the younger son, he is quick to forgive us.
In chapter 20 of Matthew’s gospel, Jesus teaches us that unless our righteousness is more righteous than that of the Pharisees and scribes, we can’t see the kingdom of heaven. What is Jesus talking about? Does he really want us to be more ostentatious, more public, more hypocritical in our righteousness, observing every little man made commandment of the law? No, Jesus is making a point to contrast the righteousness of the scribes and the Pharisees, which is superficial and phony, with the kind of righteousness, God, desires, righteousness, faith, humility within our hearts.
Jesus taught us to be merciful. How many times a day are we instead harsh or judgmental?
The parables of the Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin Jesus taught show us the God does not give up on us, that God is eager to seek the lost, and that God is the God of second chances.
As Christians we are called to live our neighbor as ourselves. In humility we recognize we too sin and need to repent. Thanks be to God we have Jesus, which had no need to repent, as our advocate with the Father. To love our neighbor is not to affirm everything our neighbor says or does.
Pride is the cardinal sin, putting ourselves in the place of God. We see it in the “pride” of people who celebrate sin and repudiate what God declares. The Book of Common Prayer includes prayers that turn is away from our pride.
The Ascension of the Lord Jesus is important as his Resurrection because his Ascension completes the work begun with the Incarnation. Jesus returns to the Father, and in a sense, the Father brings him home restoring the unity of the trinity. We are also praying for our mothers on this day in appreciation for their loving service. "Keep watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or weep this night, and give your angels charge over those who sleep. Tend the sick, Lord Christ, give rest to the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the joyous, and all for your love's sake. Amen"
Archbishop Thomas Cranmer was a visionary walking a difficult path to bring Reformed Christianity to England. Henry VIII if anything remained Roman Catholic while making himself head of the English church, but his appointed Archbishop of Canterbury was solidly and biblically reformed. In developing the prayer book, Cranmer skillfully achieved several goals:
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Unify all worship and practice into one "common" prayer book for clergy and laity.
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Put it in English (not Latin).
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Incorporate solidly reformed doctrine in place of the theology of Rome.
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Reinforce belief regularly.
The work of this brave man, martyred for his faith, gives us a treasured legacy to this day.
This “Rogation Sunday” encourages to bring our needs and desires to the Father. The god who loves his children.
When Jesus told the disciples they would all fall away, ‘not me, Peter said. But fall away he did. That Jesus restored Peter gives hope to us, too.
During the upper room discourse Jesus tells his followers in a little while they won’t see him, then he says in a little while they will see him. He’s predicting his death followed by his rising again. Understandably they’re baffled. Jesus goes on to assure them of their future joy, the joy in him we who believe can share.
The Resurrection of Jesus is the key, pivotal fact upon which our faith and assurance rest. As Paul said, if Jesus isn't raised, our faith is false and foolish, and we have no hope. How reasonable is it to believe in Jesus's resurrection from the dead? It's the only reasonable conclusion to draw from the eyewitness evidenced other undisputed facts. an
The Easter message of God's grace challenges us to internalize our faith, to respond to it, and to work on our faith growing closer to the risen Savior. God's grace, God's undeserved favor, is most fully revealed by Jesus's on the cross. The Risen Lord calls on us to live in faith.
Jesus commands us as his followers to live one another. That is how the world knows we belong to him. In the church this means to avoid back biting or gossip.
This Fourth Sunday in Lent is known by four names under various Christian traditions and practice. Rose Sunday, Laetare Sunday, Refreshment Sunday, and Mothering Sunday. Father Andrew comments on each and the significance of them in our traditions and for our lives.
Did Jesus make a deal with the devil? That’s what some of his critics said when they witnessed a miracle in which he drove a demon out of a man who was mute. Jesus didn’t let that stand. He pointed out to them. Their claim was nonsense, since Satan, as a limited created, being, had no power to perform miracles. And why would he help? Jesus destroy his own minions anyway? But in that same passage, Jesus made a very important statement: anyone who is not with him, is against him, this is the question for us. Are we with him or against him?
God is loving and quick to forgive, but sincere repentance, turning from sinful decisions and actions, is our part. See Psalm 51 for an example of repentance from the heart
Jesus was the great teacher, and he loved to teach with simple stories people could understand: the parables. The parable of the sower, which is in all three of the synoptic gospels, challenges us. Are we the good soil, the good dirt, the ones with open hearts to the gospel who will bear fruit?
The Gospel parable of the vineyard owner demonstrates that God's ways are not our ways, that God's will and purpose do not depend on our personal sense of fairness. But this is good because we know for sure that God is good and always does good for those who love him, though we may not see it that way at the moment!
The baptism of Jesus is a crucial event in the inauguration of his earthly ministry, and a moment that reveals his deity, the participation of all three persons of the Trinity, and especially his purpose in coming to the Earth. In the account in Matthew’s gospel, Jesus tells John the Baptist to with the baptism of repentance, even though Jesus has no need to repent. He does it, so that all righteousness will be fulfilled. As the new Adam, he is careful to be fully obedient to all commands and ordinances of God. This makes him worthy in his humanity to substitute for us in atoning with the father in that sense. It is literally a matter of life and death.
"Be still and know that I am God," says Psalm 46:10. Daily we need to have a mind for the Lord, to seek Him and come closer to Him.
Christmas is a wonderful time of peace and joy and the celebration of the coming to earth of our savior, Jesus Christ. It’s also a good time to give. Thanks.
During Advent we read the first part of chapter 1 of John's Gospel at every service, reminding us that Jesus was the enteral word of God, divine, with God from the beginning, and that he came to earth in human flesh for us! It's a miracle and hard for us to grasp how it could have happened, but we rejoice that it did. But the big question is why, why did God do that? And the answer is that he did it to redeem us because there was no other way: only the life of a godly human whose obedience merited righteousness, could atone for the sinfulness of mankind.
Advent signals a new beginning to the church year, and a new opportunity to refresh and reinvigorate our own walk with Christ Jesus. Our baptism includes the following question, " DOST thou renounce the devil and all his works, the vain pomp and glory of the world, with all covetous desires of the same, and the sinful desires of the flesh, so that thou wilt not follow, nor be led by them?" (BCP page 277). We affirm that we do! And yet we also know that we are at once justified and sinners (per Luther), so Advent invites us to mark the new beginning of the year with assurance and confidence in God's mercy even as we continue to work out our salvation imperfectly.
This is a Sunday on which we are invited to be stirred up with anticipation for the coming season of Advent.
The scriptures call us to forgive as we have been forgiven. Jesus gave a new command that we love one another. These challenges can be hard, but to them we are called.
Around Halloween it’s a good time to reflect on the person and the pernicious work of the devil, and how his sway over us is limited, and not to be feared in any ultimate sense.
Reading the scriptures is essential and good. It also should be transformative, changing our hearts and lives.
Avoid the infections of the devil, to sicken our souls. Renounce him and all his works!
It is right and good for us to examine our conscience daily, and to be mindful of the moral teachings of the law of Moses, and the commands of God, especially of our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave us the new commandment to love one another. Being realistic about evaluating your own performance, however, does not being dragged down and losing the insurance and confidence of our salvation in Jesus Christ.
From the beginning the Anglican prayer book has included four passages of scripture known as “The comfortable words.” Their place in the celebration of the Eucharist, following our acknowledgment of sinfulness, emphasizes that believing Christians have assurance of forgiveness and security in their place of acceptance before God, because of the perfect work of Christ Jesus.
What is worship and how do we prepare ourselves for it? In this message Father Andrew leads us through scripture and the prayer book.
We live in times when people calling themselves Anglican can proclaim not the Kingdom of God but the Realm of God because God “has no gender.” We have all around us ideas embraced that are anti Biblical. Our survival manual in these times is the Bible.
At the Transfiguration of Jesus, God specularly reaffirms Peter’s profession that Jesus is the Christ, the unique Son of God
The Bible records the stories of two infamous sinners, both of whom repented of their sins. One was King David, the man after God's own heart, who nonetheless stumbled severely and became an adulterer and a murder. Scripture tells us the things he did greatly displeased God, and God brought him to repentance. His sins had consequences to his family and to himself, yet God never abandoned him. The second was Saul, who as a young man persecuted the church and presided over the unjust stoning of Saint Stephen, who so courageously spoke to the mob before his death. But Saul, too, was brought to repentance and restoration through direct intervention of Jesus, and he became the one appointed by God to preach the Gospel far and wide.
Years ago a well loved comedian did a routine about his studious girlfriend, a philosophy major who asked seemingly unfathomable questions like, “why is there air?” He meant it to be funny. But it is a serious question why does anything exist? Why is there something rather than nothing? Why are we here in church or anywhere? The answer from scripture of course is very clear that God created everything in the beginning. God is the creator and sustainer of all things and this is what guides us in our lives, and gives us a foundation of faith to avoid living lives of practical atheism, as if there were no God.
God makes it clear for us there are only two choices: belief in God or nothingness, blessing or cursing, hope or hopelessness. In Dt 30:15-20 God lays out the options and urges to choose life through faith in him. Genesis 1:1 proclaims God as the creator of all things. His creation includes us. He creates and sustains all things. We have only two choices, place our faith in those truths or live by our own desires and failed wisdom.
Refrain your tongue from evil, eschew evil and do good, Saint Peter tells us. Nothing can harm us ultimately as followers of Christ!
Our republic is a blessing from God, founded under the shadow of his providence. Father Eddy’s reflection reminds is of that history and of our responsibility as the people of God.
Jesus warned against hypocrisy and urged upon we who follow him attitudes of mercy and joyfulness.
Jesus used parables to teach the leaders of the Pharisees humility, notably the parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin.
Jesus regularly used parables to teach his followers and hearers lessons about the Kingdom of God. Luke chapter 14 recounts Jesus's experiences at a dinner hosted by a ruler of the Pharisees. First everyone watches him and hope to trip him up, especially when he heals a sick man on the Sabbath. Then he tries in a parable to teach them humility. They don't get it and in fact rest in self assurance as children of Abraham that they will be in the banquet at the final coming of God's kingdom (Isaiah chapter 25). So Jesus tries another story of invited guests to a banquet who say they will come but then all make lame excuses, putting other concerns ahead of their commitment to the host. Likewise, we are all prone to put other things first, ahead of God. God requires us to put him first, even ahead of other good things, and to "seek first the Kingdom of God."
We should not only read the Bible, but internalize it. It should work in our lives. Lord, give us ears to hear!
Today on Trinity Sunday it is fitting to celebrate the baptism of a new member of the church, baptized under the providence of all three persons of the Godhead, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
"Let not your hearts be troubled," Jesus says to the disciples in John chapter 14. How can he say that to them (and to us) as he is about to suffer and die, shattering their hopes and understanding of what he came to accomplish. He says it because he leaves his peace with us, a peace surpassing all understanding and that never fails. He joins with the Father in sending us the Holy Spirit, "another comforter," to guide us into all truth and to walk by our side until Jesus returns for us.
Everything we do in worship and church ceremony is trinitarian. We baptize in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We pray in the name of the trinity, confirm in the name of the trinity, marry in the name of the trinity, bury in the name of the trinity. As Saint Augustine taught, all the actions of the Godhead involve all three persons of the trinity. Yet the trinity is unfathomable to our mortal understanding. The third person of the trinity, the Holy Spirit, is active in our lives now, our Comforter, our advocate, the one who gives understanding of the scriptures. The Holy Spirit is personal. He works with the word of God to convict us of sin and our need for Jesus as savior. Jesus taught that it was "better" for us that he return to the Father so that the Holy Spirit would come to comfort us and guide us into all truth. We don't want to neglect the Holy Spirit! We also don't want to be deceived into thinking the Holy Spirit could ever teach anything contrary to the word of God. All claims that "the spirit" had revealed something, or someone has "discerned" something "in the spirit," which is often a cover for attempts to rewrite scripture, must be tested against what the scriptures actually say. "The text cannot mean what it never meant." Gordon D. Fee and Douglas Stewart, How to Read the Bible for All It's Worth: A Guide to Understanding the Bible (Grand Rapids: Academie, 1982), 27.
A Mother’s Day message about living to please God, being doers of the Word not merely hearers. Father speaks of how James teaches us this truth.
The Coronation of King Charles reminds is there is but one true faith offering salvation and a path to right standing before God. That path is through the God Man our savior, Jesus the Christ.
In John’s gospel, we hear Jesus telling the disciples that it is better for them for him to leave and ascend to the father land for him to remain. As you can imagine, they find that hard to understand and must’ve wondered. Why do you have to leave us? The answer, who is Jesus leaves us, but does not abandoned us, because he sends the Holy Spirit, of the comforter.
In chapter 16 of John's Gospel we have an eyewitness account of Jesus's words to his close disciples on the night before he died. He told them "in a little while" they would not see him, but that "in a little while" they would see him again. "Your hearts will rejoice. No one will take your joy from you," he assures them. And later he assures them that, although "the world" will rejoice and gloat when he is executed, he has overcome the world!! Jn 16:33, 1 Jn 5:5.
Pharisees are never satisfied; today's Gospel speaks to Jesus' return to the disciples in the upper room.
Maundy Thursday is Commandment Thursday. The Commandment is a “new” commandment. Jesus tells his followers to love one another as he has loved them. Love to the end. Christian love of humility and service.
Jesus forthrightly declared himself to be divine. The religious authorities didn’t like it.
Our sins grieve our heavenly father. We don’t want to hurt him of we love him. Strive to consider how it will affect your relationship to God as you choose your actions.
We know our Redeemer Christ lives and in that knowledge we find peace. Father Andrew speak of the coming Easter Tritium.
There was a popular song in the 1990s called, "One of Us," by Joan Osborne. It asks, "What if God was one of us?" It's a good question but misses the mark, because God was indeed one of us in the Incarnation (John 1:1-5, 11-15). The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We have in Jesus a savior who knows firsthand what it is like to be one of us. Moreover, God himself took action in the Incarnation by becoming man and living a perfectly just and righteous life so that, by His atoning death, God became both the just and the justifier (Romans 3:26) for the benefit of all who place their trust in Christ.
A popular song from 1978 reflects the notion that this life really has no meaning or purpose, that God has a plan but we don’t know it. The Bible shows nothing could be farther from the truth. We can know God’s plan, and it’s a faithful, good plan.
As faithful Christians we need to be spending time in God’s word, the Bible, for our spiritual growth. Take time to read the Bible regularly and take your time. Let a few verses sink in. Absorb what’s there as God speaking to you.
We hear the word “awesome” often in casual conversation. But the Gospel of Mark records a truly awesome event: the baptism of Jesus, in which all three persons of the Trinity join to show his divinity and inaugurate his mission.
Father Andrew speaks of the Gospel message in the context of a baptism celebrated today!!
The dreadful murder perpetrated by wicked King Herod Matthew describes comes hard in contrast to the joy of Christmas. But there is overriding good in the narrative of how God preserves the Christ Child and accomplishes his will.
John the Baptist was content to be “second fiddle” to Jesus. We can learn from his example as we prepare for the coming of the Savior.
In the Gospel of Matthew for today we hear John the Baptist's question to Jesus as John suffers in prison: are you really the one we were to expect? We can feel the weight of John's distress, as perhaps Jesus was not exactly the Messiah John had expected. But Jesus reminds him of what the scriptures said about him. After perhaps a gentle rebuke, Jesus teaches the people that of all men and women ever born, none was greater that John, because of John's mission in fulfilling the promises of God.
This Sunday before the beginning if Advent is known as “stir up” Sunday because the collect of the day prays God will stir up the faithful spiritually to bear fruit. Father Faust expands on this theme.
God is a God of providence, who ordains all things and provides for his people. In this miracle Jesus provides food for perhaps 15,000 people and teaches his disciples about faith in him.
Christianity is all about forgiveness. Because of Christ our sins are forgiven, taken away, remitted, so that in Christ we can be right before God. In today’s Gospel we are taught it is our duty, having been forgiven much, to forgive others.
John 4 relates the account of the second miracle of Jesus, healing a man’s son. Jesus healed multitudes. We often pray for healing or other miraculous interventions. When Jesus does not heal, when it seems to us God is not answering our prayers, what are we to think? In this message we have an answer tied to the cross of Christ.
Jesus assures us that he is preparing a place for us and will return for us one day. Jn 14:1-6.
Jesus used parables to make his point. In Matthew’s Gospel several are recounted, taking aim at the religious authorities who trusted in their own righteousness and ritual. Chapter 22 is one of the most clear and direct.
The Church recognizes two sacraments, baptism and the Lord’s Supper, as signs and seals of an inner gift of God’s grace. Study them and appreciate the blessings they providr.
Jesus taught the puffed up people of his day the lesson of humility. His teachings speak to us today.
Scripture plainly declares the sacredness of all human life in God’s sight. He is the creator and sustainer of our lives. In him we live and move and have our being. He made us uniquely in his image and before he formed us in our mother’s womb he knew us completely.
Jesus said to seek first the Kingdom of God and all else, all else, will be added to it. Father Andrew offers seven good ways to seek God’s kingdom.
Jesus encountered 10 men afflicted with leprosy. Having compassion, he healed them all. But only one returned to give thanks
Jesus encountered ten men afflicted with leprosy and having compassion healed them all. But only one returned to give thanks.
In Mark’s narrative of the miracle Jesus did healing the man who was deaf (Mk 7:31) we have another sign and wonder showing Jesus’ divinity, his compassion, and his fulfillment of prophecy. He indeed did all things well as the crowd exclaimed.
Psalm 51, David’s cry of repentance, gives us the pattern of true repentance for our sins,
Jesus wept and lamented over the fate of the city of Jerusalem (Lk 19:41-48; 13:34). The Bible clearly teaches of Jesus’ humanity (Hebrews 4:14-15; John chapter 1). “For in Christ all the fullness of the deity lives in bodily form” Col 2:9. Does it matter? Yes, it makes all the difference.
In the well known parable of the Prodigal Son Jesus teaches of the Father’s love for repentant sinners, the power of forgiveness, and the toxicity of unforgiveness.
The Bible clearly communicates to us that wicked, evil spirits are active in our world, so it’s not surprising to see the evil and depravity all around us. Bit the good news is that God is sovereign over it all. We are also surrounded by a heavenly host in our side. We follow a savior who has overcome the world.
What does it mean to worship the Lord in the beauty and splendor of his holiness? It means to celebrate our covenant relationship with God
In Luke’s account of the miraculous catch of fish, after which Saint peter in the early apostles were called to follow Jesus, shows us both the sovereignty of Jesus over nature and his holiness. Peter‘s response, falling to his knees, shows the recognition of who Jesus was and who Peter was. The good news is, as Jesus said to Peter, we do not need to be afraid but simply need to trust Jesus in the faith and he will never refuse us
Scripture teaches us to fear God, but it’s not a cringing cowering fear but reverence and the desire to please Almighty God.
The parable of the rich man (unnamed) and the poor beggar recorded in Luke 16:19-31 gives us a very clear message. Our eternal destiny is fixed based on our choices in life, whether we trust Jesus and follow him or put our trust in something else. There is, Jesus teaches, a great gulf between the place of the blessed in heaven and those whose own hard hearts keep them from God. The prospect of hell is terrible, but the good news is thanks to Christ we can be sure it’s not our destination.
We worship one God in three persons in the sacred mystery of the Trinity affirmed by all Christians. Father Faust explains how to love and serve this wonderful God and the importance of trusting Him for our salvation.
At the end of his farewell discourse in John’s Gospel, chapter 13 to 16, Jesus says to his disciples that they will have tribulations and adversity in the world but he says be of good cheer I have overcome the world. That means that because of Jesus we have nothing to fear, nothing to worry about.
Jesus is the good shepherd of the sheep. Who’s the sheep? We are if we hear the voice of the shepherd and follow him!
When Jesus appeared in his glorified body to his disciples after the Resurrection he passed through a locked door and breathed the spirit on them to constitute them as apostles.
As we celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus from the dead, it’s important to establish a personal, Saving relationship with Him.
Maundy Thursday, almost 2000 years ago, was the darkest most terrible night in all of human history, because it was on that night that Jesus was betrayed and suffered before his passion. But it was also a night when Jesus loved his disciples to the end, prayed for them, encouraged them, gave them promises, of a future hope, and instituted the Lords supper for their benefit. Among all those things, he also gave them, and us, the new commandment to love one another
Signs in the sacraments, symbols of faith, and other things we observe prepare us for worship and elevate our hearts, minds, and spirits toward God.
Only the traditional Anglican service contains the “comfortable words,” four passages of scripture that follow the rite of confession and absolution. Why are they “comfortable”? Because they ease our conscience and assure us of pardon if we have fully trusted in Jesus and in him alone.
During the season of Lent the prayers of the church and the Scriptures the Anglican church presents to us remind us of our need for God and his desire for us to be sanctified through Christ.
Lent is a season for realistic reflection on our lives, and how we compare to God’s standards in what we do and fail to do. It is an opportunity to turn away from those things in our lives that are not pleasing to God, and things that are harmful to us.
The gospel accounts of how Satan tested Jesus teach us valuable lessons about the times we are tested or tempted, about putting God first, and about finding our defenses in our survival manual, the Bible
God saves us for a purpose: to be relationship with him. We communicate with God through regularly reading of the Bible and prayer. As we approach the season of Lent, it’s a good time to begin or increase time spent in praying morning and evening prayers and/or in reading and reflecting on God’s word.
God has graciously and freely given us the gift of his grace. How do we respond? Are we angry at the things we don’t like, or grateful for the gifts of God? Learn from the parable of the workers told by Jesus, Matt 20:1-16
Chapter 13 of Matthews gospel contains several parables teaching us about the end of the age to come and how important it is to be with Christ when the final separation takes place. This parable is one of them, teaching us that the wheat and the weeds grow up together in the world, and in the church, and in the end Jesus will identify which is which. We want to be wheat
Living to please God as our grateful response to God’s love and mercy toward us requires knowing and submitting to God’s perfect will for us.
Belief in Jesus is the whole thing; John wrote his Gospel that we might believe with certainty.
We are full of excuses. Excuses for not coming to church, for example. Excuses for choosing not to please God. But our true happiness and peace come when we make the choice to live to please God.
The Epiphany brings us a message of new awareness and new understanding of familiar things. By reading the Bible regularly we can gain new insights into God’s word for us and how to apply biblical wisdom to our lives.
The seasons of the church year give rhythm and unity the the body of Christ, and as the Christmas season comes to a close we observe the Epiphany, the Messiah’s birth manifest to the world. For all, not only for the chosen Jewish people. The seers from the East come to seek him and celebrate. Gentiles know him though his own receive him not.
Saint Stephen is remembered on December 26. Though a young man he served the church well, taught, and spoke out for Christ with winsome confidence empowered by the Holy Spirit. We do well to learn from his example of knowing scripture, speaking boldly, and showing forth a living and forgiving spirit.
Christmas is the time we celebrate God’s fulfilling his promises by coming to his people, God, with us! Christ comes for a close personal relationship with us, he in us, and we in him.
The Birth of the second person of the Trinity as a human being, the Incarnation, begins the fulfillment of God’s plan of salvation and reconciliation for humanity. Resting in this gives us that peace surpassing all understanding.
On this Sunday of rejoicing we look at how our study of God’s word changes us and directs in life as we internalize what God has to say.
We do not control everything in life, but we do control our attitude toward life. We need to cultivate gratitude to God in our own attitude.
God permits his children to experience trials in this life. He knows them. He is in them with us. In chapter 5 of Mark Christ heals a suffering woman who come to him in faith.
If we seek God faithfully, God will answer effectually. If we Render to God the things of God, the things due to God, then God honors that and blesses us.
Christ calls us to transformation through his saving work on our behalf. Have you experienced that?
Examining what it means to be faithful, to resist Satan daily, to love the Lord our God and our neighbor as ourself.
In Matthew’s Gospel Jesus illustrates the Kingdom of God with a parable, a story about a wedding feast. It shows us the wonderful way in which God has chosen those who come to faith in Christ.
God is the same, yesterday, today, and tomorrow. He does not change. His will does not change. His teachings and commandments for us are not suggestions, but tell us how to love him with all our hearts, minds, and strength.
Seven times Jesus taught us the first shall be last, and those who exalt themselves will be humbled. What lessons do we learn from that?
Like the Pharisee in this parable Jesus told, many today think themselves “better people” than others and use it to exercise power over them.