2023
Short Sermons
December 31, 2023 LONG AWAITED GIFT
We proclaim God’s word in our life in many ways; sometimes with words, sometimes with our actions, not because we have seen Jesus in a manger visibly, but we have seen Him through God’s word. We have heard it and we know it is true. We believe it in our hearts by God's grace and this is our true joy today and every day.
In the gospel reading St. John 1:1-18, we read, In the beginning God said “Let there be light, and there was light”
• And God saw that all that He had created was good and He walked with Adam in the cool of the day in the Garden. Then with one act of disobedience sin entered in the world and there was DARKNESS
• First came Abraham who was told to leave his country and family and travel to a land that God would give to him as an inheritance – and light shined dimly
• Jacob wrestled with God and had his name changed and the light got brighter as He was told that his family would inherit the land He stood on.
• Joseph was used to keep the people alive in Egypt – and the light remained
• Moses came and brought the people home and gave them the law – and the light was brighter
• The Kings and the Judges shined the lights – most of the time
• The prophets continued to point the people to the Light – sometimes they listened
Then there were 400 years of DARKNESS. Then the people saw a star in the east – that moved to the place where the true light entered the world – and the light was in the world.
John writes to us that Jesus came into the world to show everyone what God is like and what the message looks like in flesh and blood. This baby changed everything because Jesus, the Baby, is God in the flesh who has come to His creation to give his all. Jesus came from the Father, Full of Grace, and Truth. How long have you been a Christian? If it has been a while, then you may have one of the problems I have noticed in myself. It gets easy to read the Christmas story and say, Yeah, yeah, I know that already…and miss the wonder of that day over 2000 years ago. Jesus coming is amazing in itself! View the entire short sermon.
We proclaim God’s word in our life in many ways; sometimes with words, sometimes with our actions, not because we have seen Jesus in a manger visibly, but we have seen Him through God’s word. We have heard it and we know it is true. We believe it in our hearts by God's grace and this is our true joy today and every day.
In the gospel reading St. John 1:1-18, we read, In the beginning God said “Let there be light, and there was light”
• And God saw that all that He had created was good and He walked with Adam in the cool of the day in the Garden. Then with one act of disobedience sin entered in the world and there was DARKNESS
• First came Abraham who was told to leave his country and family and travel to a land that God would give to him as an inheritance – and light shined dimly
• Jacob wrestled with God and had his name changed and the light got brighter as He was told that his family would inherit the land He stood on.
• Joseph was used to keep the people alive in Egypt – and the light remained
• Moses came and brought the people home and gave them the law – and the light was brighter
• The Kings and the Judges shined the lights – most of the time
• The prophets continued to point the people to the Light – sometimes they listened
Then there were 400 years of DARKNESS. Then the people saw a star in the east – that moved to the place where the true light entered the world – and the light was in the world.
John writes to us that Jesus came into the world to show everyone what God is like and what the message looks like in flesh and blood. This baby changed everything because Jesus, the Baby, is God in the flesh who has come to His creation to give his all. Jesus came from the Father, Full of Grace, and Truth. How long have you been a Christian? If it has been a while, then you may have one of the problems I have noticed in myself. It gets easy to read the Christmas story and say, Yeah, yeah, I know that already…and miss the wonder of that day over 2000 years ago. Jesus coming is amazing in itself! View the entire short sermon.
December 24, 2023 BIRTHING A PROMISE
The gospel reading from St. Luke 2:1-20, tells us in the first few verses that throughout the Roman Empire people were commanded to return to their ancestral homes to register for the census. Joseph, who was a descendant of King David, took his fiancée Mary, who was pregnant and nearing delivery, and made the long journey back to Bethlehem. It was evident that as thousands of people were traveling for the same reason there was no room for them when they arrived at their hometown. After a week of walking and riding, Joseph and Mary experienced the same thing of not finding a place to stay. Having been turned into a stable, Mary gave birth to Jesus, wrapped him in strips of cloth and laid Him in a manger.
While this was going on, the angels appeared to the shepherds and told them the good news. It was then that the angels broke out in song giving glory to God. The angels told the shepherds that the Savior had been born. They told the shepherds where He was and what to look for when they got to the town. When the angels were gone, the shepherds went into Bethlehem to see for themselves what the angels had said. For hundreds of years this event had been foretold, and now it was taking place before their very eyes. The Shepherds told everyone what they saw, spreading the wonder concerning the news of a Savior. Many wonderful things happened on that night when Christ was born.
First: The Birth of Christ Resulted in Praise: Christ birth made the angels sing great praises, in the plain, to the shepherds. Luke 2 tells us that after the shepherds raced to town and saw for themselves the things the angels said, they too left the stable praising God. Imagine the scene with me as these men left that place with great joy in their hearts, knowing they had just seen the salvation of Israel, the Promised Messiah, and the King of kings before their very eyes! They told everyone what they saw. View the entire short sermon.
The gospel reading from St. Luke 2:1-20, tells us in the first few verses that throughout the Roman Empire people were commanded to return to their ancestral homes to register for the census. Joseph, who was a descendant of King David, took his fiancée Mary, who was pregnant and nearing delivery, and made the long journey back to Bethlehem. It was evident that as thousands of people were traveling for the same reason there was no room for them when they arrived at their hometown. After a week of walking and riding, Joseph and Mary experienced the same thing of not finding a place to stay. Having been turned into a stable, Mary gave birth to Jesus, wrapped him in strips of cloth and laid Him in a manger.
While this was going on, the angels appeared to the shepherds and told them the good news. It was then that the angels broke out in song giving glory to God. The angels told the shepherds that the Savior had been born. They told the shepherds where He was and what to look for when they got to the town. When the angels were gone, the shepherds went into Bethlehem to see for themselves what the angels had said. For hundreds of years this event had been foretold, and now it was taking place before their very eyes. The Shepherds told everyone what they saw, spreading the wonder concerning the news of a Savior. Many wonderful things happened on that night when Christ was born.
First: The Birth of Christ Resulted in Praise: Christ birth made the angels sing great praises, in the plain, to the shepherds. Luke 2 tells us that after the shepherds raced to town and saw for themselves the things the angels said, they too left the stable praising God. Imagine the scene with me as these men left that place with great joy in their hearts, knowing they had just seen the salvation of Israel, the Promised Messiah, and the King of kings before their very eyes! They told everyone what they saw. View the entire short sermon.
December 17, 2023 SHOUTS OF JOY!
"In our Advent Wreath, three candles are purple, and one is pink. Why is there one pink candle?" An Advent wreath is one of the traditional accessories for the season. The wreath is decorated with greenery and laid upon a stand. A large white candle, called the Christ Candle, stands in the middle of the wreath and four candles are placed into the wreath surrounding the central white candle. The four candles may be all blue, all purple, or three purple and one pink. These candles are lit on successive Sundays in Advent, one for each week. The pink one is lit on the third week and the Christ Candle is lit on either Christmas Eve or Christmas day.
Now, why the pink candle? During the early church, the only church season was the Lent season, the seven weeks prior to Easter. Lent was a season of fasting and prayer as the church commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus. The traditional color of banners in the church during this time was a deep purple, signifying royalty, repentance, and suffering. During Lent the church lit seven candles, one for each week of the solemn season. However solemn the season, the story of Lent also has a twinge of hope and joy since the death of Christ prefigured the resurrection. So, on the third Sunday of Lent, the church was encouraged not to fast, but to feast. In ancient times on this third Sunday of the lent, the Pope would honor a citizen with a pink rose, and as time passed the priests wore pink vestments on this day as a reminder of the coming joy.
When the season of Advent was instituted, the church theologians viewed it as a mini-Lent, a time for reflection and repentance (thus the purple). In so doing, the church adopted the first four candles of Lent and changed the third candle of Advent to pink in honor of the Lenten tradition. Therefore, we have a pink candle in our Advent Wreaths.
To further heighten the sense of anticipation of Christ's coming during Advent, the church named each candle in the wreath -- the first being hope, the second peace, the third joy, and the fourth love (there are several other traditional names as well, though these are some of the most ancient). It has always seemed fitting to me that the pink candle is the candle of joy, the one that speaks to us with its twinge of color. View the entire short sermon.
"In our Advent Wreath, three candles are purple, and one is pink. Why is there one pink candle?" An Advent wreath is one of the traditional accessories for the season. The wreath is decorated with greenery and laid upon a stand. A large white candle, called the Christ Candle, stands in the middle of the wreath and four candles are placed into the wreath surrounding the central white candle. The four candles may be all blue, all purple, or three purple and one pink. These candles are lit on successive Sundays in Advent, one for each week. The pink one is lit on the third week and the Christ Candle is lit on either Christmas Eve or Christmas day.
Now, why the pink candle? During the early church, the only church season was the Lent season, the seven weeks prior to Easter. Lent was a season of fasting and prayer as the church commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus. The traditional color of banners in the church during this time was a deep purple, signifying royalty, repentance, and suffering. During Lent the church lit seven candles, one for each week of the solemn season. However solemn the season, the story of Lent also has a twinge of hope and joy since the death of Christ prefigured the resurrection. So, on the third Sunday of Lent, the church was encouraged not to fast, but to feast. In ancient times on this third Sunday of the lent, the Pope would honor a citizen with a pink rose, and as time passed the priests wore pink vestments on this day as a reminder of the coming joy.
When the season of Advent was instituted, the church theologians viewed it as a mini-Lent, a time for reflection and repentance (thus the purple). In so doing, the church adopted the first four candles of Lent and changed the third candle of Advent to pink in honor of the Lenten tradition. Therefore, we have a pink candle in our Advent Wreaths.
To further heighten the sense of anticipation of Christ's coming during Advent, the church named each candle in the wreath -- the first being hope, the second peace, the third joy, and the fourth love (there are several other traditional names as well, though these are some of the most ancient). It has always seemed fitting to me that the pink candle is the candle of joy, the one that speaks to us with its twinge of color. View the entire short sermon.
December 10, 2023 MESSINGERS OF HOPE
Our gospel reading for this second Sunday in advent is St. Mark 1: 1- 8 in which Mark begins his writing that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He begins it with good news of a great achievement of God. This achievement is nothing like our earthly achievements that in time will crumble away or are soon to be forgotten. It is an achievement that is equal to God creating the heavens and earth as told in the creation story in the Bible. The birth of Jesus is big, it is mighty, and it is great forever.
Mark brings us to remember the God given vision of the prophet Malachi 3:1 (RSV) "Behold, I send my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts" and in Isaiah 40:3 (RSV) “A voice cries: "In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God". This is part of the vision. Isaiah has been allowed to see the great council of God, to see the whole company of heaven, angels, and many other things, during a meeting with God in the heavenly council.
The timing is right, and God wants everyone to know about it because everyone will be affected through it. The King is coming, the Son of God is coming, “Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight-,”is the message of the voice of one calling in the wilderness. Our lives at times can appear to ourselves and others like a wilderness. A wilderness can be a harsh environment where very little grows. The hot sun burns the ground and all that lives on it. While the strong winds blow away the loosened soil leaving potholes and exposed stones. These are places to be avoided. Few people live there, and traveling through desert places can be hard and slow. And yet at times it is necessary to travel through such a place of bareness to reach the promised land. The sin in our lives, the evil we do to God and each other continues to enlarge the wilderness in our heart. View the entire short sermon.
Our gospel reading for this second Sunday in advent is St. Mark 1: 1- 8 in which Mark begins his writing that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He begins it with good news of a great achievement of God. This achievement is nothing like our earthly achievements that in time will crumble away or are soon to be forgotten. It is an achievement that is equal to God creating the heavens and earth as told in the creation story in the Bible. The birth of Jesus is big, it is mighty, and it is great forever.
Mark brings us to remember the God given vision of the prophet Malachi 3:1 (RSV) "Behold, I send my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts" and in Isaiah 40:3 (RSV) “A voice cries: "In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God". This is part of the vision. Isaiah has been allowed to see the great council of God, to see the whole company of heaven, angels, and many other things, during a meeting with God in the heavenly council.
The timing is right, and God wants everyone to know about it because everyone will be affected through it. The King is coming, the Son of God is coming, “Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight-,”is the message of the voice of one calling in the wilderness. Our lives at times can appear to ourselves and others like a wilderness. A wilderness can be a harsh environment where very little grows. The hot sun burns the ground and all that lives on it. While the strong winds blow away the loosened soil leaving potholes and exposed stones. These are places to be avoided. Few people live there, and traveling through desert places can be hard and slow. And yet at times it is necessary to travel through such a place of bareness to reach the promised land. The sin in our lives, the evil we do to God and each other continues to enlarge the wilderness in our heart. View the entire short sermon.
December 3, 2023 WHERE ARE YOU, GOD?
The first Sunday of Advent calls us to a time of waiting that is filled with anticipation (Hope). The Old Testament lesson for this first Sunday of Advent looks forward to the time when God will intervene and reassert the divine reign on behalf of Judah. This announcement is greeted with anticipation and eagerness by some, with fear and anxiety by others.
The prophet Isaiah makes this contrast quite plain. During the nation's struggle, being exiled from their homeland and thus, the Hebrews believed, from God, the prophet communicated deep, abiding faith in God during a time of uncertainty and travail. He looks to the One who can deliver the people from their oppression. He calls upon God to be their Advocate and intervene against their enemies to bring an end to their misery. The prophet’s prayer also underscores the profound realization of how far the people and nation have strayed.
Isaiah felt deeply the spiritual crisis of his people. He intercedes before God on their behalf. He knew that God was their only hope. Despite the people's sin and separation, Isaiah boldly called on God. He acknowledged the plight of the nation and the people's need for divine intervention. Isaiah's intercession offers a moving contrast between God's power and the bondage of the people. He reveals in his prayer that the way to access divine power is through honest self-examination and confession. In this manner, the coming of the Lord can be greeted with anticipation and eagerness rather than with fear and anxiety. View the entire short sermon.
The first Sunday of Advent calls us to a time of waiting that is filled with anticipation (Hope). The Old Testament lesson for this first Sunday of Advent looks forward to the time when God will intervene and reassert the divine reign on behalf of Judah. This announcement is greeted with anticipation and eagerness by some, with fear and anxiety by others.
The prophet Isaiah makes this contrast quite plain. During the nation's struggle, being exiled from their homeland and thus, the Hebrews believed, from God, the prophet communicated deep, abiding faith in God during a time of uncertainty and travail. He looks to the One who can deliver the people from their oppression. He calls upon God to be their Advocate and intervene against their enemies to bring an end to their misery. The prophet’s prayer also underscores the profound realization of how far the people and nation have strayed.
Isaiah felt deeply the spiritual crisis of his people. He intercedes before God on their behalf. He knew that God was their only hope. Despite the people's sin and separation, Isaiah boldly called on God. He acknowledged the plight of the nation and the people's need for divine intervention. Isaiah's intercession offers a moving contrast between God's power and the bondage of the people. He reveals in his prayer that the way to access divine power is through honest self-examination and confession. In this manner, the coming of the Lord can be greeted with anticipation and eagerness rather than with fear and anxiety. View the entire short sermon.
November 26, 2023 REIGNING COMPASSION
November 26, 2023 is the last Sunday in the season of Pentecost, the day we celebrate “Christ as the King”. This means to say that Jesus of Nazareth is the King. The Old Testament reading from Ezekiel chapter 34, tells us about the love of God and how God, like a shepherd, will gather the people of his own and take care of them. God promises that he will bring them back wherever they are, even if they are in a foreign country, he will gather them back to the mountains and streams and will feed them in pleasant pastures.
God says he will let them graze in safety in the mountain meadows and the valleys of the green pastures, I will be the shepherd of my sheep and I will find them a place for rest. God also promises that he will look for the people who are lost, if the people are hurt, I will put them a bandage, if they are sick, I will heal them. I will rescue my sheep and not let them be mistreated anymore. I will judge each of my sheep and separate the good from the bad. I will be their God and the king.
The same theme of God being their King shadows in the gospel passage for this Sunday St. Matthew 25: 31- 46, one of the most vivid parables Jesus ever spoke and the lesson is crystal clear that God will judge us in accordance with our reaction to human needs. His judgment does not depend on the knowledge we have amassed, or the fame that we have acquired, or the fortune that we have gained, but the help we have given to others. There are certain things that this parable teaches us about the help, which we must give.
It must be helped with simple things: Jesus talks about giving a hungry person a meal, or a thirsty person a drink, welcoming a stranger, cheering the sick, visiting the prisoner-are things that anyone can do. It is not a question of giving away thousands of dollars or writing our names in the annals of history. It is just giving simple help to the people we meet every day.
It must be helped, which is uncalculating. Those who helped did not think that they were helping Christ and thus adding up the eternal merit; they helped because they could not stop themselves. It was the natural, instinctive, quite uncalculating reaction of the loving heart. Whereas on the other hand the attitude of those who failed to help was: “If we had known it was you, we would gladly have helped; but we thought it was only some common people who were not worth helping.”
It is still true that there are those who will help if they are given praise and thanks and publicity; but to help like that is not to help, it shows us their self-esteem. Such help is not generosity; it is disguised selfishness. The help, which wins the approval of God, is that which is given for nothing but the sake of helping.
Jesus confronts us with the wonderful truth that all such help given is given himself and all such help withheld is withheld for himself. How can that be? If we really wish to delight a patient’s heart, if we really wish to move the patient to gratitude, the best way to do it is to help the family of the patient. God is the Father and the only way to delight the Father is to help his children, our fellow human beings.
We, in our daily lives, face many things like, we feed people because they are hungry, not because it will win us points in heaven. We serve water because people are thirsty, not because it will win us points with the judge. We welcome strangers because they need to be included, not because it will win us points with Jesus. We clothe the poor, we care for the sick and we visit those in prisons because they need it, not because it wins us points with God.
In I John 4:19 we read “We love, because God loves us first”. No matter how hard we work, we cannot win God’s love because God already loves us and was working on our behalf long before we were conscious of it. When we discover the divine love flowing into us, then the most natural thing in the world is to act lovingly toward others-to feed the hungry, clothe the poor, care for the sick, and visit the prisoners. If you would like to learn more about compassion, please join us in our worship on Sunday at 11:00 AM.
Peace!
Rev. Dr. Christopher Ponnuraj
Minister
November 26, 2023 is the last Sunday in the season of Pentecost, the day we celebrate “Christ as the King”. This means to say that Jesus of Nazareth is the King. The Old Testament reading from Ezekiel chapter 34, tells us about the love of God and how God, like a shepherd, will gather the people of his own and take care of them. God promises that he will bring them back wherever they are, even if they are in a foreign country, he will gather them back to the mountains and streams and will feed them in pleasant pastures.
God says he will let them graze in safety in the mountain meadows and the valleys of the green pastures, I will be the shepherd of my sheep and I will find them a place for rest. God also promises that he will look for the people who are lost, if the people are hurt, I will put them a bandage, if they are sick, I will heal them. I will rescue my sheep and not let them be mistreated anymore. I will judge each of my sheep and separate the good from the bad. I will be their God and the king.
The same theme of God being their King shadows in the gospel passage for this Sunday St. Matthew 25: 31- 46, one of the most vivid parables Jesus ever spoke and the lesson is crystal clear that God will judge us in accordance with our reaction to human needs. His judgment does not depend on the knowledge we have amassed, or the fame that we have acquired, or the fortune that we have gained, but the help we have given to others. There are certain things that this parable teaches us about the help, which we must give.
It must be helped with simple things: Jesus talks about giving a hungry person a meal, or a thirsty person a drink, welcoming a stranger, cheering the sick, visiting the prisoner-are things that anyone can do. It is not a question of giving away thousands of dollars or writing our names in the annals of history. It is just giving simple help to the people we meet every day.
It must be helped, which is uncalculating. Those who helped did not think that they were helping Christ and thus adding up the eternal merit; they helped because they could not stop themselves. It was the natural, instinctive, quite uncalculating reaction of the loving heart. Whereas on the other hand the attitude of those who failed to help was: “If we had known it was you, we would gladly have helped; but we thought it was only some common people who were not worth helping.”
It is still true that there are those who will help if they are given praise and thanks and publicity; but to help like that is not to help, it shows us their self-esteem. Such help is not generosity; it is disguised selfishness. The help, which wins the approval of God, is that which is given for nothing but the sake of helping.
Jesus confronts us with the wonderful truth that all such help given is given himself and all such help withheld is withheld for himself. How can that be? If we really wish to delight a patient’s heart, if we really wish to move the patient to gratitude, the best way to do it is to help the family of the patient. God is the Father and the only way to delight the Father is to help his children, our fellow human beings.
We, in our daily lives, face many things like, we feed people because they are hungry, not because it will win us points in heaven. We serve water because people are thirsty, not because it will win us points with the judge. We welcome strangers because they need to be included, not because it will win us points with Jesus. We clothe the poor, we care for the sick and we visit those in prisons because they need it, not because it wins us points with God.
In I John 4:19 we read “We love, because God loves us first”. No matter how hard we work, we cannot win God’s love because God already loves us and was working on our behalf long before we were conscious of it. When we discover the divine love flowing into us, then the most natural thing in the world is to act lovingly toward others-to feed the hungry, clothe the poor, care for the sick, and visit the prisoners. If you would like to learn more about compassion, please join us in our worship on Sunday at 11:00 AM.
Peace!
Rev. Dr. Christopher Ponnuraj
Minister
November 19, 2023 EXTRAVAGANT OPPORTUNITY
Happy Thanksgiving!
The gospel passage for this Sunday is St. Matthew 23:14-30. We read about another parable where Jesus is explaining about the Kingdom of God. All three servants in this parable claim to be the servants of the master. If you asked them, they would have all claimed to be faithful to their master. The first two servants have a healthy fear of their master. They respect him and are in awe of him. But the third servant is clearly afraid of God. And that fear paralyzes him from serving his master. As we study this parable, we will understand why he was afraid of the master.
To me I think the third servant was afraid of the master because he had a distorted view of the master. It is impossible for us to know exactly the value of the assets entrusted to each servant because talent was a measure of weight, not monetary value. A talent weighed around 70 pounds. But the value of that talent would depend on the material. Obviously, a talent of gold would be more valuable than a talent of silver, which would be more valuable than a talent of bronze. But even one talent of bronze would have been a substantial sum, then think about the value of two talents or five talents.
The first two servants faithfully served their master because they understood him to be a generous man who had entrusted great riches to them. Because they had an accurate understanding of the master, they served him faithfully and proved themselves to be genuine servants of the master. But in verse 24, we see that the third servant also based his actions on what he knew about the master. The problem is that his perception of the master was wrong. He viewed the master as a hard man, insinuating that the master had gotten rich by exploiting others. And because of that distorted view of the master, he failed to serve him faithfully.
To me, this is the most important thing we can learn from this parable. I am convinced, based on what I read in the Bible, as well as my own personal experience, that the biggest barrier that keeps people from entering the kingdom of God is that they have a distorted view of God.
What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us. How do we view God will either lead to fear or to faith? A wrong view of God always leads to fear. But a right view of God always leads to faith. So exactly how do we make sure that we have a proper view of God that leads to faith? Our parable answers that question as well: He had a distorted view of the master because his focus was on self and on other people. It’s very instructive to look at the first words that come out of the mouth of each of the servants when they address the master after he returns from his journey.
Look at verse 20. What are the first two words out of the mouth of the first servant? – “Master, you…” Now look in verse 22. What are the first two words that are spoken by the second servant? They are the same two words spoken by the first servant – “Master, you…” Now look in verse 24. What are the first two words of the third servant? – “Master, I…” Notice the contrast with the first two servants. They were both focused on what the master had given to them, and their primary concern was being faithful with his substantial assets that the master had entrusted to them.
Peace and Blessings
Rev. Dr. Christopher Ponnuraj
Minister
Rev. Dr. Christopher Ponnuraj
Minister
October 29, 2023 THE COMPASSIONATE LIFE
The gospel passage for this Sunday St. Matthew 22:34-46, we read about Matthew's description of an encounter, one of the Pharisees asked Jesus this question, "Which is the greatest commandment in the law," probably has an ulterior motive for asking it. He is part of the group who asked Jesus that tricky question we talked about last week, the one about whether they should pay taxes to the Roman government. This new question about the greatest commandment is most likely another test, a trap, a trick question designed to get Jesus in trouble. You would think Jesus would be able to see through these folks by now, wouldn’t you?
We may think that Jesus would just ignore the question and the questioner and go on about his business. But he doesn’t. In fact, the response Jesus gives to this question forms the basis of the early Christian community’s understanding of the gospel. All four gospels and the writings of Paul bear unanimous witness to the fact that Jesus’ response to this question defines what is expected of those who would be followers of Jesus.
The question Jesus was asked deals with the Law, the commandments of God by which the children of Israel had been instructed to govern their lives in their promised land. Now, when we hear commandments, we immediately think of the Ten Commandments, which many of us may have asked to memorize at an early age. But the Pharisee who asked Jesus this question, "Which is the greatest commandment in the law?" probably had in mind something a little more challenging than merely choosing one of the original Ten Commandments Moses received from God on Mount Sinai.
By the time Jesus came along, the multitude of commandments listed in the five books of the Torah, the Law, dealing with everything from how to cut your food, to the proper clothing to wear to a funeral, had been counted, numbered, and systemized into 613 commandments. 365 of which were negative imperatives ("thou shalt not...") and 268 positive commands ("thou shalt...").
The gospel passage for this Sunday St. Matthew 22:34-46, we read about Matthew's description of an encounter, one of the Pharisees asked Jesus this question, "Which is the greatest commandment in the law," probably has an ulterior motive for asking it. He is part of the group who asked Jesus that tricky question we talked about last week, the one about whether they should pay taxes to the Roman government. This new question about the greatest commandment is most likely another test, a trap, a trick question designed to get Jesus in trouble. You would think Jesus would be able to see through these folks by now, wouldn’t you?
We may think that Jesus would just ignore the question and the questioner and go on about his business. But he doesn’t. In fact, the response Jesus gives to this question forms the basis of the early Christian community’s understanding of the gospel. All four gospels and the writings of Paul bear unanimous witness to the fact that Jesus’ response to this question defines what is expected of those who would be followers of Jesus.
The question Jesus was asked deals with the Law, the commandments of God by which the children of Israel had been instructed to govern their lives in their promised land. Now, when we hear commandments, we immediately think of the Ten Commandments, which many of us may have asked to memorize at an early age. But the Pharisee who asked Jesus this question, "Which is the greatest commandment in the law?" probably had in mind something a little more challenging than merely choosing one of the original Ten Commandments Moses received from God on Mount Sinai.
By the time Jesus came along, the multitude of commandments listed in the five books of the Torah, the Law, dealing with everything from how to cut your food, to the proper clothing to wear to a funeral, had been counted, numbered, and systemized into 613 commandments. 365 of which were negative imperatives ("thou shalt not...") and 268 positive commands ("thou shalt...").
October 22, 2023 LIVING MESSAGES
The gospel passage for this Sunday St. Matthew 22:15-23, the odd thing about Jesus’ words in today’s gospel is the answer Jesus gave. Many Theologians and Bible commentators have taken Jesus' words and have drawn conclusions from them, the theology of two kingdoms: the kingdom of man and the kingdom of God and how these two kingdoms are supposed to relate to one another. God and Caesar are what JESUS’ enemies are asking about but Jesus turns their attention to something else.
This Sunday we will focus on what Jesus wanted his hearers to understand. Let's see yet another encounter between Jesus and his enemies among Israel’s religious leadership. It is the far-right-wing Pharisees and the far-left-wing Herodians who end up conspiring to trip up Jesus. They put the question to Jesus this way: “What do you think: Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?”
The Romans levied several taxes on the Jews. It was this poll tax that was the subject of the question put to Jesus by the Pharisees and the Herodians. It was a special tax because it had to be paid in Roman silver coinage. Other business and tax matters could be paid in copper coinage, or in gold bullion, or similar mediums of exchange. But the poll tax had to be paid with the silver denarius. And, these coins bore the image of Caesar, and they were inscribed with an inscription saying “Tiberius Caesar, Son of the divine Augustus.”
Now, this tax was a point of great controversy among the Jews. The Herodians, of course, were all in favor of the tax. They were in favor of all the Roman taxes. The Pharisees, on the other hand, were very much opposed to paying Caesar any taxes at all, for they still supposed that they were citizens of a theocracy (Priest rule in the name of God), and that to pay Caesar taxes was to acknowledge his sovereignty in Israel. But the poll tax really made the Pharisees angry, because they had to use a coin which bore a graven image of someone who claimed filial descent from a god. For them, to pay this tax involved them in violation of the commandment against graven images, and it also involved them in the commandment to have no other gods but the God of Israel. View the entire sermon.
The gospel passage for this Sunday St. Matthew 22:15-23, the odd thing about Jesus’ words in today’s gospel is the answer Jesus gave. Many Theologians and Bible commentators have taken Jesus' words and have drawn conclusions from them, the theology of two kingdoms: the kingdom of man and the kingdom of God and how these two kingdoms are supposed to relate to one another. God and Caesar are what JESUS’ enemies are asking about but Jesus turns their attention to something else.
This Sunday we will focus on what Jesus wanted his hearers to understand. Let's see yet another encounter between Jesus and his enemies among Israel’s religious leadership. It is the far-right-wing Pharisees and the far-left-wing Herodians who end up conspiring to trip up Jesus. They put the question to Jesus this way: “What do you think: Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?”
The Romans levied several taxes on the Jews. It was this poll tax that was the subject of the question put to Jesus by the Pharisees and the Herodians. It was a special tax because it had to be paid in Roman silver coinage. Other business and tax matters could be paid in copper coinage, or in gold bullion, or similar mediums of exchange. But the poll tax had to be paid with the silver denarius. And, these coins bore the image of Caesar, and they were inscribed with an inscription saying “Tiberius Caesar, Son of the divine Augustus.”
Now, this tax was a point of great controversy among the Jews. The Herodians, of course, were all in favor of the tax. They were in favor of all the Roman taxes. The Pharisees, on the other hand, were very much opposed to paying Caesar any taxes at all, for they still supposed that they were citizens of a theocracy (Priest rule in the name of God), and that to pay Caesar taxes was to acknowledge his sovereignty in Israel. But the poll tax really made the Pharisees angry, because they had to use a coin which bore a graven image of someone who claimed filial descent from a god. For them, to pay this tax involved them in violation of the commandment against graven images, and it also involved them in the commandment to have no other gods but the God of Israel. View the entire sermon.
October 15, 2023 PRAISEWORTHY LIVING
The passage for this Sunday speaks of yet another parable of Jesus Christ. This story provides a good window through which to view the events of Jesus’s time and our time. There is more to this story. The parables are not just cute little stories that illustrate a spiritual lesson. Sometimes that is the case. But other times, Jesus’ parables are more like riddles. They raise more questions than answers. It sheds some important light for anyone still trying to figure out how to understand Jesus. The punch line in this parable is what Jesus says, “For many are invited but few are chosen.”
Since we are going to meditate on the wedding invitation it reminds me of our Asian Indian weddings, the invitation usually comes from the head of the family, but in our wedding invitation, Vatsala and I invited like this: “We solicit the presence of your company with family and friends to grace the occasion of our wedding on...” This means that, 44 years ago, the invited person could bring any number of people along with him/her to the wedding without RSVP. But today it is different, it is just the invitees.
The story that Jesus speaks as a wedding banquet invitation, is divided into three acts. In the first, the invitation is offered. In the second, the invitation is rejected. The third is that the invitation is neglected!” View the entire short sermon.
The passage for this Sunday speaks of yet another parable of Jesus Christ. This story provides a good window through which to view the events of Jesus’s time and our time. There is more to this story. The parables are not just cute little stories that illustrate a spiritual lesson. Sometimes that is the case. But other times, Jesus’ parables are more like riddles. They raise more questions than answers. It sheds some important light for anyone still trying to figure out how to understand Jesus. The punch line in this parable is what Jesus says, “For many are invited but few are chosen.”
Since we are going to meditate on the wedding invitation it reminds me of our Asian Indian weddings, the invitation usually comes from the head of the family, but in our wedding invitation, Vatsala and I invited like this: “We solicit the presence of your company with family and friends to grace the occasion of our wedding on...” This means that, 44 years ago, the invited person could bring any number of people along with him/her to the wedding without RSVP. But today it is different, it is just the invitees.
The story that Jesus speaks as a wedding banquet invitation, is divided into three acts. In the first, the invitation is offered. In the second, the invitation is rejected. The third is that the invitation is neglected!” View the entire short sermon.
October 8, 2023 WISDOM FOR THE WAY
The parable in the gospel passage for this Sunday, Matthew 21:33-46 is of the wicked tenants which represents our broken relationship with God. God’s attempts to repair it, and mankind’s rejects His attempts. Despite our continual rejection of Him, God never gives up on us. His love for us never diminishes. This parable of the wicked tenants is a statement of God’s concern for his people and a declaration that God’s plan cannot be defeated by man. If we love God, we realize that he knows the best way for us to live in this difficult world.
When I was growing up, I remember we had goats, ducks, chicken and other domestic animals in our home and we brothers and sisters were assigned certain animals to take care of them. I remember my parents or grandmother have taken a few animals away from me or from my siblings, because we have not looked after them well enough. Similarly, God will do to His people if they fail to take care of the things. It is a parable of God’s kingdom on earth. You can understand what Jesus is talking about in the parable of the wicked tenants. Specifically, God is the landowner, the Jewish leaders and people who reject Jesus or do not care about him are the tenants, the Old Testament prophets are the workers, or the slaves sent by the landowner, and Jesus is the landowner’s son.
God gave the kingdom to the Israelites to tend and do his work, but they rejected their duties and turned away from God. In return, God sent the Old Testament prophets to warn them, but the Israelites rejected the prophets, even to the point of hurting or killing them. Finally, God sent his son Jesus to warn them, but he was also rejected and crucified. View the entire short sermon.
The parable in the gospel passage for this Sunday, Matthew 21:33-46 is of the wicked tenants which represents our broken relationship with God. God’s attempts to repair it, and mankind’s rejects His attempts. Despite our continual rejection of Him, God never gives up on us. His love for us never diminishes. This parable of the wicked tenants is a statement of God’s concern for his people and a declaration that God’s plan cannot be defeated by man. If we love God, we realize that he knows the best way for us to live in this difficult world.
When I was growing up, I remember we had goats, ducks, chicken and other domestic animals in our home and we brothers and sisters were assigned certain animals to take care of them. I remember my parents or grandmother have taken a few animals away from me or from my siblings, because we have not looked after them well enough. Similarly, God will do to His people if they fail to take care of the things. It is a parable of God’s kingdom on earth. You can understand what Jesus is talking about in the parable of the wicked tenants. Specifically, God is the landowner, the Jewish leaders and people who reject Jesus or do not care about him are the tenants, the Old Testament prophets are the workers, or the slaves sent by the landowner, and Jesus is the landowner’s son.
God gave the kingdom to the Israelites to tend and do his work, but they rejected their duties and turned away from God. In return, God sent the Old Testament prophets to warn them, but the Israelites rejected the prophets, even to the point of hurting or killing them. Finally, God sent his son Jesus to warn them, but he was also rejected and crucified. View the entire short sermon.
October 1, 2023 GOD’S SUSTAINING PRESENCE
The gospel text for this Sunday Matthew 20: 23-32 speaks about how our words match our actions when it comes to obedience to the will of God. It is both our actions and our words that communicate on which side of the fence we are standing whether it be obedience or rebellion. Everything that we do or says something, speaks about who we are and what we believe.
In this gospel passage right after the chief priests and the elders refused to answer Jesus’ question, Jesus told them a parable about two sons. A father of two sons bids them to go to work in his vineyard. The first one said no and then later changed his mind and went. The second one said, yes but refused to go and work. So, when Jesus asked them, which son did the will of their father, they naturally answered the first. It was then that Jesus told them, the chief priests, and the elders that there were sinners who were going ahead of them into the kingdom of God.
Jesus was pointing out to them that they were like the second son in the parable who said that he would go and did not live up to his word. There are two ways that we can take our stand. We can be like the chief priests and elders who talk the talk but did not walk the walk. The Chief priests and elders were not fruitful. They were in the positions that they were able to make little impact upon the world that they lived in. They were instead ineffective. They liked overseeing religious matters. Jesus and His views were a great threat to their way of doing things. Their views were shaped by their own agendas. They seemed to exhibit a behavior that acknowledged God and their obedience to God. Yet, their actions, and their seeming promise was lacking in performance. For me they were all works without faith.
View the entire short sermon.
The gospel text for this Sunday Matthew 20: 23-32 speaks about how our words match our actions when it comes to obedience to the will of God. It is both our actions and our words that communicate on which side of the fence we are standing whether it be obedience or rebellion. Everything that we do or says something, speaks about who we are and what we believe.
In this gospel passage right after the chief priests and the elders refused to answer Jesus’ question, Jesus told them a parable about two sons. A father of two sons bids them to go to work in his vineyard. The first one said no and then later changed his mind and went. The second one said, yes but refused to go and work. So, when Jesus asked them, which son did the will of their father, they naturally answered the first. It was then that Jesus told them, the chief priests, and the elders that there were sinners who were going ahead of them into the kingdom of God.
Jesus was pointing out to them that they were like the second son in the parable who said that he would go and did not live up to his word. There are two ways that we can take our stand. We can be like the chief priests and elders who talk the talk but did not walk the walk. The Chief priests and elders were not fruitful. They were in the positions that they were able to make little impact upon the world that they lived in. They were instead ineffective. They liked overseeing religious matters. Jesus and His views were a great threat to their way of doing things. Their views were shaped by their own agendas. They seemed to exhibit a behavior that acknowledged God and their obedience to God. Yet, their actions, and their seeming promise was lacking in performance. For me they were all works without faith.
View the entire short sermon.
September 24, 2023 TENSIONS IN THE WILDERNESS
The gospel passage for this Sunday, Matthew 20:1-16, Jesus is revealing more of what the Kingdom of Heaven is all about. Jesus does this not only to give us some more information but to challenge us to make our own human society resemble more and more of God's Kingdom in Heaven. Jesus wants us to know that when it comes to playing out the game of life here on earth, we are to go more by God's Rules than follow our own made-up rules. God's grace is to always override our human rules.
As we go through the gospel passage the Lord has work for all of us. One of the things that emerges from this passage is the fact that time after time this vineyard owner goes back to get more and more workers. In fact, he goes to the marketplace five different times. He starts out early in the morning, and then returns at the third hour, the 6th hour, the 9th hour and for a final time at the 11th hour.
This parable might be unfamiliar to many of us, however, during that time and even in some places today, day laborers were and are a common sight in the marketplace. People gather from all walks of life seeking for someone to hire them for the day. Some of those seeking such occupation back in Jesus' day would have been slaves that their masters would have tried to rent out for the day. These would be slaves who didn't have enough work on master's place and so their masters would try to pick up a little bit of extra money by renting them out. View the entire short sermon.
The gospel passage for this Sunday, Matthew 20:1-16, Jesus is revealing more of what the Kingdom of Heaven is all about. Jesus does this not only to give us some more information but to challenge us to make our own human society resemble more and more of God's Kingdom in Heaven. Jesus wants us to know that when it comes to playing out the game of life here on earth, we are to go more by God's Rules than follow our own made-up rules. God's grace is to always override our human rules.
As we go through the gospel passage the Lord has work for all of us. One of the things that emerges from this passage is the fact that time after time this vineyard owner goes back to get more and more workers. In fact, he goes to the marketplace five different times. He starts out early in the morning, and then returns at the third hour, the 6th hour, the 9th hour and for a final time at the 11th hour.
This parable might be unfamiliar to many of us, however, during that time and even in some places today, day laborers were and are a common sight in the marketplace. People gather from all walks of life seeking for someone to hire them for the day. Some of those seeking such occupation back in Jesus' day would have been slaves that their masters would have tried to rent out for the day. These would be slaves who didn't have enough work on master's place and so their masters would try to pick up a little bit of extra money by renting them out. View the entire short sermon.
September 10, 2023. REMEMBER, RESTORE, RENEW
Once in a lifetime something happens on the world stage, which shapes the course of human events. One such event occurred on the morning of September 11, 2001. Though this event happened 22years ago it is still so vivid in our minds like it happened yesterday. Consider for a moment what was set in motion by the terrorist attacks of that day: Our nation’s capital was attacked. Over 3000 people lost their lives. The Manhattan skyline was irrevocably changed. The financial trade center for 150 nations was completely destroyed. The world’s economy was greatly tested.
We waged a war against the Taliban in Afghanistan. A long-standing war will be fought for years to come around the world. That’s the big picture and it says nothing of the tens of thousands of people here and abroad whose lives were changed. If we try to calculate the human toll emotionally and spiritually and we cannot. Only God can weigh such matters. But we try in feeble ways to understand.
The Gospel passage for this Sunday St. Matthew 18:15-20, is one of the most important promises that Jesus gives us, and it is also one of our favorite statements. Jesus says in verse 20, "Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them." We love to remember that promise as we come together for our worship. But notice the context - Jesus says he will be with us in our worship, our church fights, our misunderstandings, and our pride. View the entire short sermon.
Once in a lifetime something happens on the world stage, which shapes the course of human events. One such event occurred on the morning of September 11, 2001. Though this event happened 22years ago it is still so vivid in our minds like it happened yesterday. Consider for a moment what was set in motion by the terrorist attacks of that day: Our nation’s capital was attacked. Over 3000 people lost their lives. The Manhattan skyline was irrevocably changed. The financial trade center for 150 nations was completely destroyed. The world’s economy was greatly tested.
We waged a war against the Taliban in Afghanistan. A long-standing war will be fought for years to come around the world. That’s the big picture and it says nothing of the tens of thousands of people here and abroad whose lives were changed. If we try to calculate the human toll emotionally and spiritually and we cannot. Only God can weigh such matters. But we try in feeble ways to understand.
The Gospel passage for this Sunday St. Matthew 18:15-20, is one of the most important promises that Jesus gives us, and it is also one of our favorite statements. Jesus says in verse 20, "Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them." We love to remember that promise as we come together for our worship. But notice the context - Jesus says he will be with us in our worship, our church fights, our misunderstandings, and our pride. View the entire short sermon.
August 27, 2023 BE TRANSFORMED
Let us imagine, Jesus is standing before all of us today and He is asking us the same question He had asked His disciples on their way to Caesarea: “Who do you say that I am?” My guess is that even though most of us have placed our faith in Jesus, we would probably get several different answers to that question. And how we answer that question will reveal a great deal about what we expect Jesus to do in our lives.
The gospel passage that we have for this Sunday, Matthew 16:13-20, says as Jesus enters Caesarea with His disciples, he first asks the disciples who others believe Him to be based on what the people had seen Him say and do; His miracles, His healings, His preaching – they concluded that He was either a resurrected prophet of old or a new prophet of the same kind. So, they basically believed Him to be a religious figure of some importance.
Peter is the first to answer the question. He first claims that Jesus is the Christ. I think sometimes we tend to think of Christ as merely being Jesus’s last name, but it was not His legal name at all, but rather a title that described who he was. The Greek word from which we get the word “Christ” is the equivalent of the Hebrew word “Messiah”. Both the words literally mean “anointed” which emphasizes the fact that Jesus had been anointed by God and given a specific God-ordained purpose.Let us imagine, Jesus is standing before all of us today and He is asking us the same question He had asked His disciples on their way to Caesarea: “Who do you say that I am?” My guess is that even though most of us have placed our faith in Jesus, we would probably get several different answers to that question. And how we answer that question will reveal a great deal about what we expect Jesus to do in our lives. View the entire short sermon.
Let us imagine, Jesus is standing before all of us today and He is asking us the same question He had asked His disciples on their way to Caesarea: “Who do you say that I am?” My guess is that even though most of us have placed our faith in Jesus, we would probably get several different answers to that question. And how we answer that question will reveal a great deal about what we expect Jesus to do in our lives.
The gospel passage that we have for this Sunday, Matthew 16:13-20, says as Jesus enters Caesarea with His disciples, he first asks the disciples who others believe Him to be based on what the people had seen Him say and do; His miracles, His healings, His preaching – they concluded that He was either a resurrected prophet of old or a new prophet of the same kind. So, they basically believed Him to be a religious figure of some importance.
Peter is the first to answer the question. He first claims that Jesus is the Christ. I think sometimes we tend to think of Christ as merely being Jesus’s last name, but it was not His legal name at all, but rather a title that described who he was. The Greek word from which we get the word “Christ” is the equivalent of the Hebrew word “Messiah”. Both the words literally mean “anointed” which emphasizes the fact that Jesus had been anointed by God and given a specific God-ordained purpose.Let us imagine, Jesus is standing before all of us today and He is asking us the same question He had asked His disciples on their way to Caesarea: “Who do you say that I am?” My guess is that even though most of us have placed our faith in Jesus, we would probably get several different answers to that question. And how we answer that question will reveal a great deal about what we expect Jesus to do in our lives. View the entire short sermon.
August 20, 2023 BOLD MOVES
The second part of our gospel passage for this Sunday St. Matthew 15: 21-28, speaks to us about a character, who Jesus described with four immortal words: “Great is your faith”. She was none other than a Canaanite woman who came from the country to the north of Palestine, a country hostile to the Jews. She was presumably married, she had at least one child; but that’s all we know about her. We don't know whether she was good or bad. We don’t know her name. All we know of her is that in this single encounter with Jesus, he spoke to her this four-word epitaph: “Great is your faith”. Only four words but they are enough to make her immortal.
We can trust these words as being true because the expert on faith Jesus Christ spoke of them as we read in Hebrews 12:2 Jesus, the "founder and perfecter of our faith". Jesus searched for faith, as a gem collector would go after jewels. He did not always find this faith in his disciples. On no occasion that we know did Jesus ever say of Peter, James, and John: Great is your faith. More often the words he spoke to them: You of little faith. On only one other occasion did Jesus praise a person for their faith. Interestingly Matthew records in his gospel we read in chapter 4: verses 12 through 16, we read about a Roman soldier stationed in Capernaum.
We regard this Canaanite woman with more than just an academic interest. She awakens in us a feeling of admiration, perhaps even envy, because she stands where most of us would like to stand. What a faithful Christian would like it said of him or her: Great is your faith. Think of what it would mean if an aspiring young artist had Picasso place his hand on his shoulder and say: You have a great talent. How wonderful it would be then to a believer in God, if Jesus would place his hand on our shoulder and say: You have a remarkable talent for faith. But how does one qualify for this praise? What does one have to do? To answer these questions let us take a closer look at the story of this Canaanite woman. View the entire short sermon.
The second part of our gospel passage for this Sunday St. Matthew 15: 21-28, speaks to us about a character, who Jesus described with four immortal words: “Great is your faith”. She was none other than a Canaanite woman who came from the country to the north of Palestine, a country hostile to the Jews. She was presumably married, she had at least one child; but that’s all we know about her. We don't know whether she was good or bad. We don’t know her name. All we know of her is that in this single encounter with Jesus, he spoke to her this four-word epitaph: “Great is your faith”. Only four words but they are enough to make her immortal.
We can trust these words as being true because the expert on faith Jesus Christ spoke of them as we read in Hebrews 12:2 Jesus, the "founder and perfecter of our faith". Jesus searched for faith, as a gem collector would go after jewels. He did not always find this faith in his disciples. On no occasion that we know did Jesus ever say of Peter, James, and John: Great is your faith. More often the words he spoke to them: You of little faith. On only one other occasion did Jesus praise a person for their faith. Interestingly Matthew records in his gospel we read in chapter 4: verses 12 through 16, we read about a Roman soldier stationed in Capernaum.
We regard this Canaanite woman with more than just an academic interest. She awakens in us a feeling of admiration, perhaps even envy, because she stands where most of us would like to stand. What a faithful Christian would like it said of him or her: Great is your faith. Think of what it would mean if an aspiring young artist had Picasso place his hand on his shoulder and say: You have a great talent. How wonderful it would be then to a believer in God, if Jesus would place his hand on our shoulder and say: You have a remarkable talent for faith. But how does one qualify for this praise? What does one have to do? To answer these questions let us take a closer look at the story of this Canaanite woman. View the entire short sermon.
August 13, 2023 WHEN ALL SEEMS LOST
The story for this Sunday’s meditation comes from the gospel of St. Matthew 14:22-33. It’s the story of the disciples being out on the water and Jesus coming to them in the midst of the storm. Few years back my wife and I had the opportunity to sail in a boat on the sea of Galilee, there were more than 25 people with us. I read this passage from the Bible and had a short meditation bringing back the memories to our group of what happened 2000 years ago. Jesus was in the midst of the disciples while they were hit by a storm during the night.
Sailing on the Sea of Galilee is still fresh in my mind and the first thing I want to point out is that all of us have storms in our life. Each one of us has had our sandcastles blown away. Occasionally, we back up and ask, "Why am I being hit with this storm of life?" Sometimes these storms are caused by the devil, sometimes by other people, and sometimes by ourselves. Sometimes they’re allowed by the Lord. They come from different sources, but they do have a purpose in our life.
In fact, for many of you right now, the clouds have already gathered. Many of you, perhaps, are in the worst storm of your life, but what I want you to realize is everyone has storms in their life. In fact, Jesus said in Matthew 5, "He makes the sun rise on both good and bad people. And He sends rain for the ones who do right and for the ones who do wrong." You can see storms, problems, difficulties, trials come to all of us. There’s no exclusion. Just because you’re a believer, doesn’t mean you’re going to be excluded from the storms of life. View the entire short sermon.
The story for this Sunday’s meditation comes from the gospel of St. Matthew 14:22-33. It’s the story of the disciples being out on the water and Jesus coming to them in the midst of the storm. Few years back my wife and I had the opportunity to sail in a boat on the sea of Galilee, there were more than 25 people with us. I read this passage from the Bible and had a short meditation bringing back the memories to our group of what happened 2000 years ago. Jesus was in the midst of the disciples while they were hit by a storm during the night.
Sailing on the Sea of Galilee is still fresh in my mind and the first thing I want to point out is that all of us have storms in our life. Each one of us has had our sandcastles blown away. Occasionally, we back up and ask, "Why am I being hit with this storm of life?" Sometimes these storms are caused by the devil, sometimes by other people, and sometimes by ourselves. Sometimes they’re allowed by the Lord. They come from different sources, but they do have a purpose in our life.
In fact, for many of you right now, the clouds have already gathered. Many of you, perhaps, are in the worst storm of your life, but what I want you to realize is everyone has storms in their life. In fact, Jesus said in Matthew 5, "He makes the sun rise on both good and bad people. And He sends rain for the ones who do right and for the ones who do wrong." You can see storms, problems, difficulties, trials come to all of us. There’s no exclusion. Just because you’re a believer, doesn’t mean you’re going to be excluded from the storms of life. View the entire short sermon.
August 6, 2023 FACE TO FACE
In our text for this Sunday St. Matthews 14:13-21, we read of a familiar event of Jesus feeding the 5000. Most of us have heard this story many times. I learned this story when I was in Sunday School. I’m sure all of us at one point of time either in Sunday school, or at Bible study, or perhaps even from the pulpit have heard this miracle. And, no doubt, on all these occasions different aspects of this story would have been highlighted and different contours of the story would have been explored to come to a fresh understanding of it. I remember once I was teaching this story to children in a vacation Bible school in India and emphasized on not to waste the food, verse 20 “And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over”.
This story “the feeding of the 5000” is the only miracle that appears in all four gospels, although there are some slight differences. For example, in St. John 6:9 mentions the involvement of the small boy. The boy is only mentioned in John’s Gospel. If his gesture was the key to the understanding of this story, surely it would have been included in all four Gospels. Matthew’s version clearly emphasizes the great size of the crowd, the need for great quantities of food, and the great miracle that fills the need.
This story happens just after the death of John the Baptist. When Jesus heard that his cousin was beheaded, he did what most of us do when a friend or relative dies-he went off to a quiet place to think, pray and grieve. People had heard of Jesus and his teaching and healing, and they wanted what he had to offer. They searched for him and found him just when he wanted to be alone. Was he angry with them? No. On the contrary, he had compassion for them and taught them and healed the sick. Christ’s compassion made him unable to ignore the needs of the people. View the entire short sermon.
In our text for this Sunday St. Matthews 14:13-21, we read of a familiar event of Jesus feeding the 5000. Most of us have heard this story many times. I learned this story when I was in Sunday School. I’m sure all of us at one point of time either in Sunday school, or at Bible study, or perhaps even from the pulpit have heard this miracle. And, no doubt, on all these occasions different aspects of this story would have been highlighted and different contours of the story would have been explored to come to a fresh understanding of it. I remember once I was teaching this story to children in a vacation Bible school in India and emphasized on not to waste the food, verse 20 “And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over”.
This story “the feeding of the 5000” is the only miracle that appears in all four gospels, although there are some slight differences. For example, in St. John 6:9 mentions the involvement of the small boy. The boy is only mentioned in John’s Gospel. If his gesture was the key to the understanding of this story, surely it would have been included in all four Gospels. Matthew’s version clearly emphasizes the great size of the crowd, the need for great quantities of food, and the great miracle that fills the need.
This story happens just after the death of John the Baptist. When Jesus heard that his cousin was beheaded, he did what most of us do when a friend or relative dies-he went off to a quiet place to think, pray and grieve. People had heard of Jesus and his teaching and healing, and they wanted what he had to offer. They searched for him and found him just when he wanted to be alone. Was he angry with them? No. On the contrary, he had compassion for them and taught them and healed the sick. Christ’s compassion made him unable to ignore the needs of the people. View the entire short sermon.
July 30, 2023 WEAVING THE FUTURE
The gospel reading for this Sunday is St. Matthew 13:31 - 33, 44 - 52, we see five parables nestled together in quick succession in this reading: mustard seeds, leaven, a field full of treasure, a merchant going after fine Pearl of great value and casting a net to catch fish. All these parables speak of the nature of the kingdom of heaven. But in each parable, we see a critical reversal that shifts the perspective from an old view to new thoughts.
When the kingdom of God is compared to a mustard seed, certainly there is a reversal of what size the kingdom should be, but further Jesus speaks of birds that can nest when the bush grows large. The kingdom of heaven is like the mustard seed, and it grows into a tree. The kingdom of heaven starts from the smallest beginnings, but no man knows where it will end. This parable of the mustard seed tells us that the kingdom of heaven begins very small but in the end many nations will be gathered within it.
Jesus speaks of another parable coming into the homes of ordinary people, he comes into the kitchen. In the time of Jesus bread was baked at home. Three measures of meal for a large family. Leaven was a little piece of dough kept over from a previous baking, which had fermented. The point in this parable is the transforming power of leaven. Leaven changed the character of a whole baking. The introduction of leaven causes a transformation in the dough and the coming of the kingdom causes a transformation in life
In the four Gospels, we find that while Jesus mentions the church three times, He mentions the kingdom over 80 times. The church and the kingdom are connected, but there’s a difference between the two. And it’s important for us to understand how the church and the kingdom are related. The relationship, simply stated, is this: The Kingdom refers to God’s rule and reign; and the church exists to demonstrate what life is like lived under that rule and reign.
View the entire short sermon.
The gospel reading for this Sunday is St. Matthew 13:31 - 33, 44 - 52, we see five parables nestled together in quick succession in this reading: mustard seeds, leaven, a field full of treasure, a merchant going after fine Pearl of great value and casting a net to catch fish. All these parables speak of the nature of the kingdom of heaven. But in each parable, we see a critical reversal that shifts the perspective from an old view to new thoughts.
When the kingdom of God is compared to a mustard seed, certainly there is a reversal of what size the kingdom should be, but further Jesus speaks of birds that can nest when the bush grows large. The kingdom of heaven is like the mustard seed, and it grows into a tree. The kingdom of heaven starts from the smallest beginnings, but no man knows where it will end. This parable of the mustard seed tells us that the kingdom of heaven begins very small but in the end many nations will be gathered within it.
Jesus speaks of another parable coming into the homes of ordinary people, he comes into the kitchen. In the time of Jesus bread was baked at home. Three measures of meal for a large family. Leaven was a little piece of dough kept over from a previous baking, which had fermented. The point in this parable is the transforming power of leaven. Leaven changed the character of a whole baking. The introduction of leaven causes a transformation in the dough and the coming of the kingdom causes a transformation in life
In the four Gospels, we find that while Jesus mentions the church three times, He mentions the kingdom over 80 times. The church and the kingdom are connected, but there’s a difference between the two. And it’s important for us to understand how the church and the kingdom are related. The relationship, simply stated, is this: The Kingdom refers to God’s rule and reign; and the church exists to demonstrate what life is like lived under that rule and reign.
View the entire short sermon.
July 23, 2023 WHEAT AND WEEDS TOGETHER
Last week we meditated on the parable of seeds and the soil, which helped us to understand how the people hear the good news of God’s word. In this week's gospel reading St. Matthew 13: 24-30, 36-43 Jesus told another simple parable to illustrate the truth about the Judgment Day. This story is designed to be familiar to people who depended on agriculture and commercial fishing for a living. A farmer planted good wheat seeds in a field. But under cover of night, an enemy came in and planted weeds. At first no one noticed. There was a common weed in Palestine called bearded darnel, which was a common curse of farmers.
The weed in its early stages looked just like wheat. But when both had "headed out" or produced seeds up top, the two could be distinguished by color. Then the darnel had to be separated from the good grain because its seeds were slightly poisonous. The farm workers came to the owner and asked, "Do you want us to pull the weeds?" "No," said the owner. "If you try, you might damage the grain in the process. Let the weeds be there, at the harvest time we will separate the two."
First, the enemy is real. In verse 25, Jesus says, "An enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat." In verse 39 Jesus tells us plainly that the enemy is the devil. Some modern Christians consider themselves too sophisticated to believe in a devil. And surely, we all know that there is no creature with horns and a pitchfork. But the Bible declares that there is an intelligent, active unspiritual presence in this world opposing God. This Satan and his followers were angels who rebelled against the rule of God and were cast out of heaven. Satan tries to connect with the original sin in all of us, attempting to separate us from God and make this world resemble hell.
View the entire short sermon.
Last week we meditated on the parable of seeds and the soil, which helped us to understand how the people hear the good news of God’s word. In this week's gospel reading St. Matthew 13: 24-30, 36-43 Jesus told another simple parable to illustrate the truth about the Judgment Day. This story is designed to be familiar to people who depended on agriculture and commercial fishing for a living. A farmer planted good wheat seeds in a field. But under cover of night, an enemy came in and planted weeds. At first no one noticed. There was a common weed in Palestine called bearded darnel, which was a common curse of farmers.
The weed in its early stages looked just like wheat. But when both had "headed out" or produced seeds up top, the two could be distinguished by color. Then the darnel had to be separated from the good grain because its seeds were slightly poisonous. The farm workers came to the owner and asked, "Do you want us to pull the weeds?" "No," said the owner. "If you try, you might damage the grain in the process. Let the weeds be there, at the harvest time we will separate the two."
First, the enemy is real. In verse 25, Jesus says, "An enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat." In verse 39 Jesus tells us plainly that the enemy is the devil. Some modern Christians consider themselves too sophisticated to believe in a devil. And surely, we all know that there is no creature with horns and a pitchfork. But the Bible declares that there is an intelligent, active unspiritual presence in this world opposing God. This Satan and his followers were angels who rebelled against the rule of God and were cast out of heaven. Satan tries to connect with the original sin in all of us, attempting to separate us from God and make this world resemble hell.
View the entire short sermon.
July 16, 2023 A HOUSE DIVIDED
Earlier to the event of our gospel passage for this Sunday from St. Matthew 13: 1-9, 18-23 the family members of Jesus Christ, his mother and brothers had come to look for him. Their intent was probably to try and persuade him to stop his preaching and teaching, which is going to cost him his life. In verse one we read “That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea.” A large crowd was standing by him, though the religious leaders of Jesus' days were often trying to trap him and kill him, the common people were fascinated by his teachings.
The crowd was so great on this occasion that he got into a boat to teach. As the crowd stood on the beach, Jesus began to tell them a parable, a normal style of teaching of Jesus. Jesus tells of a farmer who went out to sow the seeds. Farming was the way of life for many people during Jesus’s time. The farmer would sling the seed bag over his shoulder, walk up and down the furrows of his field and scatter the seeds. Using this method of sowing, we can understand that it was impossible to control where the seed fell. Jesus tells of four kinds of soil upon which the seed fell.
The first type of soil was the ground beside the road. This road was a path that separated fields. It was walked on by the farmers as they made their way between the fields and by travelers as they traveled from one part of the country to another. We can compare it to the part of our gardens located between the rows of crops. As we walk on that part of the garden, over time it will get hard. The roads Jesus speaks of were not plowed. Because of the traffic, the dirt was packed down hard. When the seed fell on this soil, it could not penetrate. Therefore, it would not take root and grow. Being exposed as it was, it was common for the birds to plunge down and devour them. View the entire short sermon.
Earlier to the event of our gospel passage for this Sunday from St. Matthew 13: 1-9, 18-23 the family members of Jesus Christ, his mother and brothers had come to look for him. Their intent was probably to try and persuade him to stop his preaching and teaching, which is going to cost him his life. In verse one we read “That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea.” A large crowd was standing by him, though the religious leaders of Jesus' days were often trying to trap him and kill him, the common people were fascinated by his teachings.
The crowd was so great on this occasion that he got into a boat to teach. As the crowd stood on the beach, Jesus began to tell them a parable, a normal style of teaching of Jesus. Jesus tells of a farmer who went out to sow the seeds. Farming was the way of life for many people during Jesus’s time. The farmer would sling the seed bag over his shoulder, walk up and down the furrows of his field and scatter the seeds. Using this method of sowing, we can understand that it was impossible to control where the seed fell. Jesus tells of four kinds of soil upon which the seed fell.
The first type of soil was the ground beside the road. This road was a path that separated fields. It was walked on by the farmers as they made their way between the fields and by travelers as they traveled from one part of the country to another. We can compare it to the part of our gardens located between the rows of crops. As we walk on that part of the garden, over time it will get hard. The roads Jesus speaks of were not plowed. Because of the traffic, the dirt was packed down hard. When the seed fell on this soil, it could not penetrate. Therefore, it would not take root and grow. Being exposed as it was, it was common for the birds to plunge down and devour them. View the entire short sermon.
July 9, 2023 CHOSEN JOURNEYS
Our gospel reading for this Sunday contains one of the most familiar passages in the Bible. Most of us probably know this verse in one of the old translations. Matthew11:28 "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" For centuries this passage has been used for comforting the grieving, encouraging the struggling, and giving hope when all else seems to have failed. We read this verse; we underline it; we sometimes memorize these verses. We trust these words when nothing else around us seems trustworthy.
"Come unto me." It is a wonderful invitation from our Lord himself. It is not only an invitation; it is also a promise: "You will find rest for your souls; my yoke is easy." The words themselves can ease our situation and enliven our hope. The danger in this is that if we do not know their setting, we may misappropriate them and take them to mean things that Jesus could not have meant or - worse -- we may not see where they really do apply most profoundly. Clearly, Jesus couldn't have meant that in this life, all our weariness and burdens of work, poor health, poverty, and all other problems will disappear.
One day all our burdens will be lifted, but here Jesus is not speaking primarily of eternal life in heaven. He is speaking to his followers during their participation in his mission. "Come to me now and I will give you rest now. Take my yoke upon you." What is this rest? What is this "yoke" of Christ's that we are to take upon us, a yoke is that easy? Our responsibility is where we need to see the setting in which these familiar words were spoken. View the entire short sermon.
Our gospel reading for this Sunday contains one of the most familiar passages in the Bible. Most of us probably know this verse in one of the old translations. Matthew11:28 "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" For centuries this passage has been used for comforting the grieving, encouraging the struggling, and giving hope when all else seems to have failed. We read this verse; we underline it; we sometimes memorize these verses. We trust these words when nothing else around us seems trustworthy.
"Come unto me." It is a wonderful invitation from our Lord himself. It is not only an invitation; it is also a promise: "You will find rest for your souls; my yoke is easy." The words themselves can ease our situation and enliven our hope. The danger in this is that if we do not know their setting, we may misappropriate them and take them to mean things that Jesus could not have meant or - worse -- we may not see where they really do apply most profoundly. Clearly, Jesus couldn't have meant that in this life, all our weariness and burdens of work, poor health, poverty, and all other problems will disappear.
One day all our burdens will be lifted, but here Jesus is not speaking primarily of eternal life in heaven. He is speaking to his followers during their participation in his mission. "Come to me now and I will give you rest now. Take my yoke upon you." What is this rest? What is this "yoke" of Christ's that we are to take upon us, a yoke is that easy? Our responsibility is where we need to see the setting in which these familiar words were spoken. View the entire short sermon.
June 25, 2023 DARING DISCIPLES
As Christians we can live beyond our unhappy circumstance, by seeking Christ in all things - by seeking his grace, his touch, and his mercy, also by immersing ourselves in his word and his work. We can also develop a disciplined devotional life and by being obedient to his will for our life. There is nothing like working for and through Christ. Whatever our sorrow or challenge today, we don't have to live unhappily ever after because God has a way of making things better for those who truly seek God and work faithfully for God.
In the beginning of Matthew gospel chapter 10. Jesus sent his disciples out to preach the Good News that the Kingdom of God is at hand. Jesus recognized that this would result in conflict. There would be those who would accept their word and there would be those who would not accept their word. And Jesus realized that when the disciples ran into inevitable opposition, they would be afraid. He realized that they would worry. And so Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not fear….”
In our Gospel reading for this Sunday, St. Matthew 10:24-39, is a reminder of just how much God cares for us. God’s promise of care and concern for his people extends from the pages of the Old Testament into the New Testament and even right into our own lives today. In Isaiah 43:1 we read “But now, this is what the LORD says--he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: ’Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine." We take our theme for this Sunday from the words of Jesus in our text: “Do Not Be Afraid”. View the entire short sermon.
As Christians we can live beyond our unhappy circumstance, by seeking Christ in all things - by seeking his grace, his touch, and his mercy, also by immersing ourselves in his word and his work. We can also develop a disciplined devotional life and by being obedient to his will for our life. There is nothing like working for and through Christ. Whatever our sorrow or challenge today, we don't have to live unhappily ever after because God has a way of making things better for those who truly seek God and work faithfully for God.
In the beginning of Matthew gospel chapter 10. Jesus sent his disciples out to preach the Good News that the Kingdom of God is at hand. Jesus recognized that this would result in conflict. There would be those who would accept their word and there would be those who would not accept their word. And Jesus realized that when the disciples ran into inevitable opposition, they would be afraid. He realized that they would worry. And so Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not fear….”
In our Gospel reading for this Sunday, St. Matthew 10:24-39, is a reminder of just how much God cares for us. God’s promise of care and concern for his people extends from the pages of the Old Testament into the New Testament and even right into our own lives today. In Isaiah 43:1 we read “But now, this is what the LORD says--he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: ’Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine." We take our theme for this Sunday from the words of Jesus in our text: “Do Not Be Afraid”. View the entire short sermon.
June 18, 2023 SARAH LAUGHED
Happy Father's Day!
I read somewhere that humor and laughter are part of human life and there are all sorts of reasons to laugh. Some will laugh out of frustration; unable to do what they want to do, theirs will be a cynical laughter. Others will laugh in denial; unwilling to face what is happening, unable to see positives, theirs will be a sarcastic, hopeless laughter. One of the signs of health in senior adults is the ability to laugh. There are many laughing groups all over the world.
All of us at some time in our life have laughed when some impossible things are told to us. I remember when I laughed to myself when I was 19, in the year 1967, one day when I was walking from my home to college a car came close to me and stopped. The person inside the car asked me for directions. I gave him directions; he asked me where I was walking. I told him I am on my way to my college which is near to the place where he was going. The man said I will drop you near your college, get into the car, as I sat in the car he asked my name, what is that I am majoring in my college, during our conversation he said I see one day you will go to America, I laughed, he said don’t laugh one day it will happen. Long story short I took so many turns in my life but when I was 47 years old in the year 1994, I was on my way to America. What is impossible in humans, is possible with God.
This Sunday’s theme in the UCC lectionary is “Sarah Laughed”. In our first reading Genesis 18:1-15 we read about Sarah and Abram laughed, when God told Abraham, who was already in his 90’s, that his equally elderly wife Sarah would give birth to a child, Abraham laughed. He laughed in frustration because he had wanted for so long to fulfill his destiny. But it seemed obvious that he was not going to do so. And so, cynicism welled up in Abraham’s heart, and he laughed. You have heard it said, “He who laughs last, laughs best.” Let me expand on that: I may laugh, you may laugh, but God will have the last and best laugh, for God’s purposes will be served. View the entire short sermon.
Happy Father's Day!
I read somewhere that humor and laughter are part of human life and there are all sorts of reasons to laugh. Some will laugh out of frustration; unable to do what they want to do, theirs will be a cynical laughter. Others will laugh in denial; unwilling to face what is happening, unable to see positives, theirs will be a sarcastic, hopeless laughter. One of the signs of health in senior adults is the ability to laugh. There are many laughing groups all over the world.
All of us at some time in our life have laughed when some impossible things are told to us. I remember when I laughed to myself when I was 19, in the year 1967, one day when I was walking from my home to college a car came close to me and stopped. The person inside the car asked me for directions. I gave him directions; he asked me where I was walking. I told him I am on my way to my college which is near to the place where he was going. The man said I will drop you near your college, get into the car, as I sat in the car he asked my name, what is that I am majoring in my college, during our conversation he said I see one day you will go to America, I laughed, he said don’t laugh one day it will happen. Long story short I took so many turns in my life but when I was 47 years old in the year 1994, I was on my way to America. What is impossible in humans, is possible with God.
This Sunday’s theme in the UCC lectionary is “Sarah Laughed”. In our first reading Genesis 18:1-15 we read about Sarah and Abram laughed, when God told Abraham, who was already in his 90’s, that his equally elderly wife Sarah would give birth to a child, Abraham laughed. He laughed in frustration because he had wanted for so long to fulfill his destiny. But it seemed obvious that he was not going to do so. And so, cynicism welled up in Abraham’s heart, and he laughed. You have heard it said, “He who laughs last, laughs best.” Let me expand on that: I may laugh, you may laugh, but God will have the last and best laugh, for God’s purposes will be served. View the entire short sermon.
June 11, 2023 THE CALL OF ABRAM
Genesis chapters 12-50 presents a brighter future characterized by God’s promises and blessings. Although the people in these chapters remain quite human and capable of sin – sin that has consequences.
In our first reading for this Sunday from Genesis 12:1-9, we learn about God's Call to Abram and Listen to what God said: "The Lord told Abram, LEAVE your country, your relatives, and your father’s house, and GO to the land that I will show you. I will cause you to become the father of a great nation. I will bless you and... All the families of the earth will be blessed through you." Abram chose to leave his kindred and the place of birth and make God as his source of his life. “When God Calls - Choose to Obey”.
When I left my family after my college graduation in 1970, and moved to another city, heading to be out on my own, it was a little scary. To be 100 miles away from home, to say goodbye to my parents and siblings was not easy. It took almost 10 years for me to settle down in life.
I can imagine for Abram, it must have been a hard step, but this led him to walk into the Blessed Life. Every good and perfect gift comes from God. Abraham was told that he would have to make this new step that his life would take him out of familiarity into the unknown. God was going to be the source of blessing. God is the root cause for all Abraham’s greatness. View the entire short sermon.
Genesis chapters 12-50 presents a brighter future characterized by God’s promises and blessings. Although the people in these chapters remain quite human and capable of sin – sin that has consequences.
In our first reading for this Sunday from Genesis 12:1-9, we learn about God's Call to Abram and Listen to what God said: "The Lord told Abram, LEAVE your country, your relatives, and your father’s house, and GO to the land that I will show you. I will cause you to become the father of a great nation. I will bless you and... All the families of the earth will be blessed through you." Abram chose to leave his kindred and the place of birth and make God as his source of his life. “When God Calls - Choose to Obey”.
When I left my family after my college graduation in 1970, and moved to another city, heading to be out on my own, it was a little scary. To be 100 miles away from home, to say goodbye to my parents and siblings was not easy. It took almost 10 years for me to settle down in life.
I can imagine for Abram, it must have been a hard step, but this led him to walk into the Blessed Life. Every good and perfect gift comes from God. Abraham was told that he would have to make this new step that his life would take him out of familiarity into the unknown. God was going to be the source of blessing. God is the root cause for all Abraham’s greatness. View the entire short sermon.
June 4, 2023 This is Good
This Sunday is called the Trinity Sunday and we are confronted with the mystery of the Holy Trinity. The Trinity is a foundation doctrine of the scripture and our Christian faith. At times some of us find it difficult to understand and believe completely the concept of Trinity. Today we will be meditating on the mystery of the Trinity: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Perhaps it would help us to overcome our confusion if we can say that our God is a triune-God: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
There is only one God and Three persons as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The three are God. We can enter the nature of God through the Father, or the Son, or the Holy Spirit. This is the threefold nature of God into which we are baptized. Jesus’ final direction to his church was to baptize the world in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. If we were so baptized, then we need to know what this Trinitarian formula means and implies.
In the creation story God said as we read in Genesis 1: 26, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness." Who is this God who creates continuously? The popular notion is that God the Father is the creator. We get this idea from the traditional division of the Apostles’ Creed or the Nice Creed, which is divided into three parts. The articles/creed deal with God the Father as creator, God the Son as redeemer, and God the Holy Spirit as sanctifier. These three constitute the Trinity, which we are celebrating today. God is one but manifests himself in three persons.
In God there is plurality. Thus, our text quotes God as "us" and "our." "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness." If God is one, why does he use the plural in referring to himself? Many biblical scholars are of the opinion that "us" refers to the three persons of the Trinity. In today’s first Lesson we read about God the Father - "God created." In the next verse, we learn that the Spirit participates in the creation - "The Spirit of God was moving over the face of the waters." It is not the whole story, then, to confine the creation only to God, but to the triune God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. View the entire short message.
This Sunday is called the Trinity Sunday and we are confronted with the mystery of the Holy Trinity. The Trinity is a foundation doctrine of the scripture and our Christian faith. At times some of us find it difficult to understand and believe completely the concept of Trinity. Today we will be meditating on the mystery of the Trinity: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Perhaps it would help us to overcome our confusion if we can say that our God is a triune-God: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
There is only one God and Three persons as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The three are God. We can enter the nature of God through the Father, or the Son, or the Holy Spirit. This is the threefold nature of God into which we are baptized. Jesus’ final direction to his church was to baptize the world in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. If we were so baptized, then we need to know what this Trinitarian formula means and implies.
In the creation story God said as we read in Genesis 1: 26, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness." Who is this God who creates continuously? The popular notion is that God the Father is the creator. We get this idea from the traditional division of the Apostles’ Creed or the Nice Creed, which is divided into three parts. The articles/creed deal with God the Father as creator, God the Son as redeemer, and God the Holy Spirit as sanctifier. These three constitute the Trinity, which we are celebrating today. God is one but manifests himself in three persons.
In God there is plurality. Thus, our text quotes God as "us" and "our." "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness." If God is one, why does he use the plural in referring to himself? Many biblical scholars are of the opinion that "us" refers to the three persons of the Trinity. In today’s first Lesson we read about God the Father - "God created." In the next verse, we learn that the Spirit participates in the creation - "The Spirit of God was moving over the face of the waters." It is not the whole story, then, to confine the creation only to God, but to the triune God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. View the entire short message.
May 28, 2023 MY THOUGHTS ON PENTECOST
Pentecost is the story of the Holy Spirit breathing movement into the life of the disciples. During this time of the year, we also celebrate the birth of church. The history and development of the church is guided by the Holy Spirit. It was now 50 days since Passover, and it was the custom of the Jewish community to celebrate two important things during this time: “The first fruits of the Harvest (The Harvest of the Weeks) and the giving of the Law”.
The disciples had gathered in Jerusalem. Jesus had instructed them not to leave Jerusalem; to wait for the gift that the Father had promised. As the disciples waited, the disciples found themselves surrounded by travelers from all over the world. The Jews had come back home to participate in this agricultural and religious Festival. Some had come from Europe, some from Asia, and some from Africa. Many different nationalities and languages could be seen in the marketplaces.
The Gift that the Father had promised came like a mighty rushing wind and flames of fire on the disciples who were filled with and engulfed by the Holy Spirit. They began to speak to everyone about what Jesus had done.
Peter said we all are witnesses of this fact that Jesus exalted to the right hand of God has poured out the Holy Spirit upon us. Therefore, let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus who you crucified, both Lord and Christ.
It is the story of the coming of the Holy Spirit. Today, we cannot duplicate the exact events of Acts. That was a one-time event in the life of the church. We may not be able to duplicate the exact event, but we can duplicate three things that occurred on that day, and I would like to point out the three things that the church needs to duplicate if we are to reach people for Christ. View the entire short message.
Pentecost is the story of the Holy Spirit breathing movement into the life of the disciples. During this time of the year, we also celebrate the birth of church. The history and development of the church is guided by the Holy Spirit. It was now 50 days since Passover, and it was the custom of the Jewish community to celebrate two important things during this time: “The first fruits of the Harvest (The Harvest of the Weeks) and the giving of the Law”.
The disciples had gathered in Jerusalem. Jesus had instructed them not to leave Jerusalem; to wait for the gift that the Father had promised. As the disciples waited, the disciples found themselves surrounded by travelers from all over the world. The Jews had come back home to participate in this agricultural and religious Festival. Some had come from Europe, some from Asia, and some from Africa. Many different nationalities and languages could be seen in the marketplaces.
The Gift that the Father had promised came like a mighty rushing wind and flames of fire on the disciples who were filled with and engulfed by the Holy Spirit. They began to speak to everyone about what Jesus had done.
Peter said we all are witnesses of this fact that Jesus exalted to the right hand of God has poured out the Holy Spirit upon us. Therefore, let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus who you crucified, both Lord and Christ.
It is the story of the coming of the Holy Spirit. Today, we cannot duplicate the exact events of Acts. That was a one-time event in the life of the church. We may not be able to duplicate the exact event, but we can duplicate three things that occurred on that day, and I would like to point out the three things that the church needs to duplicate if we are to reach people for Christ. View the entire short message.
May 21, 2023 SPIRIT OF WITNESS
This Sunday we will be meditating on the story of the ascension, there are a few things, which I think are important to know in this Story. The first reading for this Sunday is from Acts 1: 6-14, in verse 8 we read “You will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” This verse is one of my favorite verses in the Bible. Jesus advises his disciples what they got to do at the time of the arrival and receiving of the Holy Spirit. Jesus wants his disciples to be witness at their home, in their community, in their country and to the entire world. Jesus advises not only disciples but also all of us to be witness at our home, community, nation and all over the world when we receive the Holy Spirit.
We need to stop staring at the sky for Jesus to return! We need to stop making the things of this world the center of our lives and attention. We need to stop thinking about the decorations of heaven and start thinking about heaven. As children of God, we have joy in this world that the people of the world cannot fathom. By Jesus dying on Cross, we are released from the bondage to sin. We are released from the guilt of sin. We are released from the wages of sin and the wage of sin is spiritual, eternal death.
When Jesus ascended and disappeared, the disciples Knew they were still linked to Him. At the very moment the disciples felt they needed Jesus he disappeared into the clouds. But they knew they were still connected to God. They knew that Jesus may have gone away physically, but he was still with them. This sense of God's presence with them gave them a great feeling of confidence and boldness. The disciples didn't really know what the future held, but they were convinced that they still had a relationship with the one who held the future.
Well, Jesus may have disappeared into the clouds, but we can still feel him connecting on the strings to our lives. We may not be able to see him, but we are still linked to him. God is present with us. God is in our lives. God is still connected to us through his love for us in Jesus Christ.
View the entire short sermon.
This Sunday we will be meditating on the story of the ascension, there are a few things, which I think are important to know in this Story. The first reading for this Sunday is from Acts 1: 6-14, in verse 8 we read “You will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” This verse is one of my favorite verses in the Bible. Jesus advises his disciples what they got to do at the time of the arrival and receiving of the Holy Spirit. Jesus wants his disciples to be witness at their home, in their community, in their country and to the entire world. Jesus advises not only disciples but also all of us to be witness at our home, community, nation and all over the world when we receive the Holy Spirit.
We need to stop staring at the sky for Jesus to return! We need to stop making the things of this world the center of our lives and attention. We need to stop thinking about the decorations of heaven and start thinking about heaven. As children of God, we have joy in this world that the people of the world cannot fathom. By Jesus dying on Cross, we are released from the bondage to sin. We are released from the guilt of sin. We are released from the wages of sin and the wage of sin is spiritual, eternal death.
When Jesus ascended and disappeared, the disciples Knew they were still linked to Him. At the very moment the disciples felt they needed Jesus he disappeared into the clouds. But they knew they were still connected to God. They knew that Jesus may have gone away physically, but he was still with them. This sense of God's presence with them gave them a great feeling of confidence and boldness. The disciples didn't really know what the future held, but they were convinced that they still had a relationship with the one who held the future.
Well, Jesus may have disappeared into the clouds, but we can still feel him connecting on the strings to our lives. We may not be able to see him, but we are still linked to him. God is present with us. God is in our lives. God is still connected to us through his love for us in Jesus Christ.
View the entire short sermon.
May 14, 2023 WITNESS OF LOVE
I wish all the women Happy Mother’s Day; God bless you all. Whether you are a biological mother, God mother or any woman who has rendered the services of a mother in one way or another, I thank God for all of you. I also thank God for my grandmother, mother, aunt, older sisters, and my wife for their care and love for our family and especially for me.
It seems to me that there are two issues that many Christians face today and Jesus addresses these issues in our gospel passage St. John 14:15-21. The first is the question as to how we are rating ourselves as a Christian. In other words, are we good enough for God to be happy with us? Are we good enough that God would listen to our prayers? The second question has to do with how we know what is the right thing to do. Or How we decide what to do or say at any moment.
Jesus was still in the middle of his farewell discourse to his disciples. He was trying to comfort the despair that the disciples were feeling when they first heard the news (during the last supper) that Jesus would be leaving them. Last week we saw how John chapter 14 begins with the disciples being faced with the problem of Jesus addressing his death. Jesus has just told them that he’s about to leave them, then he says these words to reassure them: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me.” These words are clearly meant as words of comfort, but you can imagine some of the disciples thinking differently and worried about what’s going to happen in the next few months when Jesus isn’t here to help us and guide us. View the entire short sermon.
I wish all the women Happy Mother’s Day; God bless you all. Whether you are a biological mother, God mother or any woman who has rendered the services of a mother in one way or another, I thank God for all of you. I also thank God for my grandmother, mother, aunt, older sisters, and my wife for their care and love for our family and especially for me.
It seems to me that there are two issues that many Christians face today and Jesus addresses these issues in our gospel passage St. John 14:15-21. The first is the question as to how we are rating ourselves as a Christian. In other words, are we good enough for God to be happy with us? Are we good enough that God would listen to our prayers? The second question has to do with how we know what is the right thing to do. Or How we decide what to do or say at any moment.
Jesus was still in the middle of his farewell discourse to his disciples. He was trying to comfort the despair that the disciples were feeling when they first heard the news (during the last supper) that Jesus would be leaving them. Last week we saw how John chapter 14 begins with the disciples being faced with the problem of Jesus addressing his death. Jesus has just told them that he’s about to leave them, then he says these words to reassure them: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me.” These words are clearly meant as words of comfort, but you can imagine some of the disciples thinking differently and worried about what’s going to happen in the next few months when Jesus isn’t here to help us and guide us. View the entire short sermon.
May 7, 2023 ENDURING WITNESS
In our Gospel text for this Sunday, the fourteenth chapter of John, the disciples of Jesus ask a series of questions in response to their anxiety about his announcement that the end of his life is near. As the 14th chapter of John opens, we see Jesus and His apostles in the upper room where they have had the Passover meal together. Jesus knew exactly what the next few hours would bring. Jesus knew Judas would betray Him. Jesus knew He would be arrested. Jesus knew about the trials and the beatings. Jesus knew He would die on the cross. Considering all this Jesus tried to prepare the disciples for what they were about to endure, so Jesus began to comfort them.
In this life we face many trials. People lose jobs. Some have physical problems or sudden diagnosis of cancer or terminal illness. Others are lonely and depressed. We experience all kinds of troubles. Jesus says that part of the solution to a troubled heart is trust. He tells His disciples to trust in 3 things.
The first thing that Jesus is telling us this morning is to trust in His PRESENCE. Jesus is the life. The gospel passage for this Sunday St. John 14:1 "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. To communicate His love, God did not just send an angel or speak through a prophet. Jesus came and lived with us. That is what we are celebrating at the communion table today, the fact that Jesus came. He gave us His presence. When Jesus left, he gave us two extensions of His presence, the Holy Spirit which lives inside us and the church which is around us. We need to trust in His presence.
Jesus is saying, "I know you trust in God. You can trust me as well. Remember, even when you can no longer see me, don’t stop trusting in me." All of us seem to have a much easier time trusting in things that we can see and touch. It is the things we cannot see often that we have the hardest time trusting.
View the entire short sermon.
In our Gospel text for this Sunday, the fourteenth chapter of John, the disciples of Jesus ask a series of questions in response to their anxiety about his announcement that the end of his life is near. As the 14th chapter of John opens, we see Jesus and His apostles in the upper room where they have had the Passover meal together. Jesus knew exactly what the next few hours would bring. Jesus knew Judas would betray Him. Jesus knew He would be arrested. Jesus knew about the trials and the beatings. Jesus knew He would die on the cross. Considering all this Jesus tried to prepare the disciples for what they were about to endure, so Jesus began to comfort them.
In this life we face many trials. People lose jobs. Some have physical problems or sudden diagnosis of cancer or terminal illness. Others are lonely and depressed. We experience all kinds of troubles. Jesus says that part of the solution to a troubled heart is trust. He tells His disciples to trust in 3 things.
The first thing that Jesus is telling us this morning is to trust in His PRESENCE. Jesus is the life. The gospel passage for this Sunday St. John 14:1 "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. To communicate His love, God did not just send an angel or speak through a prophet. Jesus came and lived with us. That is what we are celebrating at the communion table today, the fact that Jesus came. He gave us His presence. When Jesus left, he gave us two extensions of His presence, the Holy Spirit which lives inside us and the church which is around us. We need to trust in His presence.
Jesus is saying, "I know you trust in God. You can trust me as well. Remember, even when you can no longer see me, don’t stop trusting in me." All of us seem to have a much easier time trusting in things that we can see and touch. It is the things we cannot see often that we have the hardest time trusting.
View the entire short sermon.
April 30, 2023 POWERFUL WITNESS
As Christians, in Christ we are a community of faith, a special place where we can minister and be ministered too. We need each other. Therefore, as Christians the community of faith needs to be a priority in our lives. John uses many images in his Gospel, but my favorite one is that of Jesus as a shepherd. Like a shepherd, Jesus is concerned with the welfare and the care of His sheep.
The shepherd loves his sheep. Jesus calls himself the Good Shepherd. He didn’t call himself King Jesus. He called himself I am the light, I am the way, the truth and life, I am the living water, I am the shepherd. The term “I am the shepherd” really stands out in my mind. We are his people and the sheep of his pasture. We depend on God for everything and just as a shepherd watches over his sheep, so does God watch over his children.
Two caretakers are mentioned in the gospel account for this Sunday St. John 10:1-10, the Good Shepherd, and the hired hand. The hired hand had no connection with the sheep, no relationship with the sheep. He thought of himself first and the sheep last. If a sheep was attacked by a wolf, or lost, oh well the hired person was not worried about it. View the entire short sermon.
As Christians, in Christ we are a community of faith, a special place where we can minister and be ministered too. We need each other. Therefore, as Christians the community of faith needs to be a priority in our lives. John uses many images in his Gospel, but my favorite one is that of Jesus as a shepherd. Like a shepherd, Jesus is concerned with the welfare and the care of His sheep.
The shepherd loves his sheep. Jesus calls himself the Good Shepherd. He didn’t call himself King Jesus. He called himself I am the light, I am the way, the truth and life, I am the living water, I am the shepherd. The term “I am the shepherd” really stands out in my mind. We are his people and the sheep of his pasture. We depend on God for everything and just as a shepherd watches over his sheep, so does God watch over his children.
Two caretakers are mentioned in the gospel account for this Sunday St. John 10:1-10, the Good Shepherd, and the hired hand. The hired hand had no connection with the sheep, no relationship with the sheep. He thought of himself first and the sheep last. If a sheep was attacked by a wolf, or lost, oh well the hired person was not worried about it. View the entire short sermon.
April 23, 2023 BREAKING BREAD
We are on the third Sunday after Easter and we are still meditating on the events that happened on the day that Jesus was resurrected. For this Sunday in the gospel reading St. Luke 24:13-31, we have another beautiful story of Resurrection Day. We read in verse 13, “That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem.” “That very day” is of course Sunday, the first day of the week, the day Jesus rose from the dead. But at this point the two disciples, Cleopas and his companion, did not yet know what had happened to Jesus. They were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, although many New Testament scholars are of the view of not knowing the exact location of Emmaus.
On Easter Sunday, it’s almost certain in many churches the sermon is based on what happened on the Road to Emmaus. It’s a story worth repeating again and again because it is at the very heart of the Gospel. It highlights the living hope found only in the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.
While the two disciples were walking along, presumably late on Sunday afternoon, they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened (24:14) concerning the death, burial, and disappearance of Jesus from his tomb. Luke writes that while these two disciples were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing Jesus (24:15-16). Although Jesus was now in a glorified state (after his resurrection from the dead), it is clear that he had a body that was similar to his former human body. The two disciples walking to Emmaus thought he was just another traveler, and they did not recognize the stranger. However, their lack of recognition was a divine act, as Luke writes that their eyes were kept from recognizing Jesus.
View the entire short sermon.
We are on the third Sunday after Easter and we are still meditating on the events that happened on the day that Jesus was resurrected. For this Sunday in the gospel reading St. Luke 24:13-31, we have another beautiful story of Resurrection Day. We read in verse 13, “That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem.” “That very day” is of course Sunday, the first day of the week, the day Jesus rose from the dead. But at this point the two disciples, Cleopas and his companion, did not yet know what had happened to Jesus. They were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, although many New Testament scholars are of the view of not knowing the exact location of Emmaus.
On Easter Sunday, it’s almost certain in many churches the sermon is based on what happened on the Road to Emmaus. It’s a story worth repeating again and again because it is at the very heart of the Gospel. It highlights the living hope found only in the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.
While the two disciples were walking along, presumably late on Sunday afternoon, they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened (24:14) concerning the death, burial, and disappearance of Jesus from his tomb. Luke writes that while these two disciples were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing Jesus (24:15-16). Although Jesus was now in a glorified state (after his resurrection from the dead), it is clear that he had a body that was similar to his former human body. The two disciples walking to Emmaus thought he was just another traveler, and they did not recognize the stranger. However, their lack of recognition was a divine act, as Luke writes that their eyes were kept from recognizing Jesus.
View the entire short sermon.
April 16, 2023 THE RISEN LORD
The gospel reading for the Second Sunday after Easter is St. John 20:19-31, in which we read Jesus greets his disciples, “Peace be with you”. This was a common greeting and probably one Jesus had spoken to them many times. But in this situation, it was more than a greeting. It was a message! Jesus suddenly appeared in the room when all the doors were locked. The disciples had already been plenty jumpy over what the Jewish leaders might do to them. That’s why the doors were locked in the first place. Suddenly Jesus appears and they are scared out of their wits. What does Jesus do? He calms their fears. “Peace be with you.” That was certainly something they needed. “God has not given us the spirit of fear but of love and of power and of a sound mind.” Fear has tormented and these disciples were being tormented by thoughts and vain imaginations.
Have you ever been fearful of what might happen next in your life? In recent months I have had times when I would suddenly feel my gut tighten with fear. I couldn’t even associate it with an event. But I did know where it was coming from. “God has not given us the spirit of fear...” That’s what the devil wants to give us. And it is a spirit we are authorized to resist. What a strange thing is happening in that room. The Prince of Peace has come to them and they are afraid. He is the very one who can calm all their fears. He is the one who had told them before his death, (John 14:27) “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives.
View the entire short sermon.
The gospel reading for the Second Sunday after Easter is St. John 20:19-31, in which we read Jesus greets his disciples, “Peace be with you”. This was a common greeting and probably one Jesus had spoken to them many times. But in this situation, it was more than a greeting. It was a message! Jesus suddenly appeared in the room when all the doors were locked. The disciples had already been plenty jumpy over what the Jewish leaders might do to them. That’s why the doors were locked in the first place. Suddenly Jesus appears and they are scared out of their wits. What does Jesus do? He calms their fears. “Peace be with you.” That was certainly something they needed. “God has not given us the spirit of fear but of love and of power and of a sound mind.” Fear has tormented and these disciples were being tormented by thoughts and vain imaginations.
Have you ever been fearful of what might happen next in your life? In recent months I have had times when I would suddenly feel my gut tighten with fear. I couldn’t even associate it with an event. But I did know where it was coming from. “God has not given us the spirit of fear...” That’s what the devil wants to give us. And it is a spirit we are authorized to resist. What a strange thing is happening in that room. The Prince of Peace has come to them and they are afraid. He is the very one who can calm all their fears. He is the one who had told them before his death, (John 14:27) “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives.
View the entire short sermon.
April 2, 2023 ROAD TO JERUSALEM
The celebration of Palm Sunday has always been a bittersweet moment in the life of the Church: Symbolically the palm branch represented victory, triumph and peace, but the cries of the people on that Palm Sunday Jesus Parade missed the distinct kind of victory and peace which the Messiah alone would bring, namely, peace with God through the forgiveness of sins and eternal life.
On this Palm Sunday, we remember Jesus’s entry to Jerusalem. If we ask people to describe life in general, most will say it is a path or a road. The reason is simple, life is like a journey. It’s a voyage from one experience to the next, from one tribulation to triumph and back again. For Christians it’s a journey from birth to death and beyond.
This Sunday we have been granted the privilege to travel down the road of our Savior’s life. We traverse a specific street today because we’re in a special weekend in the annual celebration cycle of the Christian church. We can call it “The Pathway of Palm Sunday”. As we walk with our Savior, we can see this as: “A Familiar Road” and “A Unique Journey”.
A Familiar Road: It was a familiar road the disciples found themselves on that first Palm Sunday. It was the road to Jerusalem and they had walked it many times before. They knew, as they reached the town of Bethany, they would see the city of Jerusalem suddenly stretch out before them. They had traveled this way with Jesus before. They would again come to the city, which, at this time, would be swelling with millions ready to celebrate the Passover.
A Unique Journey: We learn more as we travel this pathway this morning. As we walk the pathway of Palm Sunday we realize that all of us walk down a road in this life. Each path may be a bit different, although we know the roads of our lives, Jesus knows the journey- we don’t. Let me repeat that: We may know the roads, but Jesus knows the journey. And it’s really HIS journey; it’s his journey into our hearts, and into the hearts and lives of others. It’s a matter of his Kingdom coming, not ours. View the entire short sermon.
The celebration of Palm Sunday has always been a bittersweet moment in the life of the Church: Symbolically the palm branch represented victory, triumph and peace, but the cries of the people on that Palm Sunday Jesus Parade missed the distinct kind of victory and peace which the Messiah alone would bring, namely, peace with God through the forgiveness of sins and eternal life.
On this Palm Sunday, we remember Jesus’s entry to Jerusalem. If we ask people to describe life in general, most will say it is a path or a road. The reason is simple, life is like a journey. It’s a voyage from one experience to the next, from one tribulation to triumph and back again. For Christians it’s a journey from birth to death and beyond.
This Sunday we have been granted the privilege to travel down the road of our Savior’s life. We traverse a specific street today because we’re in a special weekend in the annual celebration cycle of the Christian church. We can call it “The Pathway of Palm Sunday”. As we walk with our Savior, we can see this as: “A Familiar Road” and “A Unique Journey”.
A Familiar Road: It was a familiar road the disciples found themselves on that first Palm Sunday. It was the road to Jerusalem and they had walked it many times before. They knew, as they reached the town of Bethany, they would see the city of Jerusalem suddenly stretch out before them. They had traveled this way with Jesus before. They would again come to the city, which, at this time, would be swelling with millions ready to celebrate the Passover.
A Unique Journey: We learn more as we travel this pathway this morning. As we walk the pathway of Palm Sunday we realize that all of us walk down a road in this life. Each path may be a bit different, although we know the roads of our lives, Jesus knows the journey- we don’t. Let me repeat that: We may know the roads, but Jesus knows the journey. And it’s really HIS journey; it’s his journey into our hearts, and into the hearts and lives of others. It’s a matter of his Kingdom coming, not ours. View the entire short sermon.
March 26, 2023 BREATH OF HOPE
The gospel reading for this Sunday John chapter 11, explains to us Jesus raises Lazarus from the death. Chapters eleven and twelve, form a distinct unit in the overall structure of the gospel. In this section Lazarus is raised from the death, causing the Sanhedrin to condemn Jesus to death. The first half of the John gospel is called “the Book of Signs. John records seven signs in the first half of his gospel. They are “Turning Water into Wine (John 2:1-12), Healing the Nobleman's Son (John 4:46-54), Healing the Man at the Pool (John 5:1-11), Feeding of the 5,000 (John 6:1-15), Walking on Water (John 6:16-21), Healing a Man Born Blind (John 9:1-12) and Resurrecting Lazarus (John 11).”
Jesus and Lazarus were friends and the sisters of Lazarus, Mary and Martha thought he should know of his illness. Jesus’ subsequent failure to drop everything and go to him is not because of indifference. He has a greater purpose in mind. This illness…is for the glory of God: The symbolic Lazarus will die but will not stay dead. God’s power to give life will be made manifest just as his power to bestow light became clear in chapter nine, with the curing of the blind man. That the Son of God may be glorified through it: This would mean that people would praise Jesus for the miracle.
However, John means it on another level, in the sense that this miracle will lead to Jesus’ own death, which is a stage in his ultimate glorification. Hidden in the darkness of the crucifixion is the light of the resurrection. Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus: Here we are told Jesus has the kind of love for Lazarus and his sisters that marks Christian love: laying down one’s life for friends' love, sacrificial love, one-way love, unemotional, attitudinal love. This love, love in and from the eternal perspective gave Jesus cause to pause. His natural impulse would be to go to Lazarus. View the entire short sermon.
The gospel reading for this Sunday John chapter 11, explains to us Jesus raises Lazarus from the death. Chapters eleven and twelve, form a distinct unit in the overall structure of the gospel. In this section Lazarus is raised from the death, causing the Sanhedrin to condemn Jesus to death. The first half of the John gospel is called “the Book of Signs. John records seven signs in the first half of his gospel. They are “Turning Water into Wine (John 2:1-12), Healing the Nobleman's Son (John 4:46-54), Healing the Man at the Pool (John 5:1-11), Feeding of the 5,000 (John 6:1-15), Walking on Water (John 6:16-21), Healing a Man Born Blind (John 9:1-12) and Resurrecting Lazarus (John 11).”
Jesus and Lazarus were friends and the sisters of Lazarus, Mary and Martha thought he should know of his illness. Jesus’ subsequent failure to drop everything and go to him is not because of indifference. He has a greater purpose in mind. This illness…is for the glory of God: The symbolic Lazarus will die but will not stay dead. God’s power to give life will be made manifest just as his power to bestow light became clear in chapter nine, with the curing of the blind man. That the Son of God may be glorified through it: This would mean that people would praise Jesus for the miracle.
However, John means it on another level, in the sense that this miracle will lead to Jesus’ own death, which is a stage in his ultimate glorification. Hidden in the darkness of the crucifixion is the light of the resurrection. Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus: Here we are told Jesus has the kind of love for Lazarus and his sisters that marks Christian love: laying down one’s life for friends' love, sacrificial love, one-way love, unemotional, attitudinal love. This love, love in and from the eternal perspective gave Jesus cause to pause. His natural impulse would be to go to Lazarus. View the entire short sermon.
March 19, 2023 RESTORED
The Gospel reading for this Sunday is St. John chapter 9, in which we are continuing to understand our way through the person and work of Jesus Christ, which focuses on Jesus being the son of God. The purpose of John’s gospel; it not just history, it’s an evangelistic discourse with a view to leading people to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, the only Savior. And as Jesus lives His life through the lens of John’s gospel, He continues to demonstrate His deity, that we might believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing we might have life in His name.
Last two weeks we learned Jesus’s inter action with Nicodemus and Samaritan woman. Jesus is still been focusing on the people as well as individuals. Jesus has been interacting with the people, demonstrating who He is, declaring who He is, making statement about His identity that are supported by His power expressed in the miracles that He did. In the beginning of this passage in verse 2 we read “And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Now we see Jesus begins to shift as we also see in other gospels, toward His disciples, to make sure that He answers their questions and equips them for what is waiting for them.
Chapter 9, all the way to the very end, is basically built around one miraculous healing and is given to this discussion of the miracle itself. Sickness, disease, deformity, and death, have dominated life in the world since the fall of Adam, which means essentially all of human history. We are all in the process of dying. We all are infected and affected by the things that are happening around us, that came by way of the sin of humanity. We are familiar with sickness, familiar with disease, and familiar with deformity. All of this is part of life.
View the entire short sermon.
The Gospel reading for this Sunday is St. John chapter 9, in which we are continuing to understand our way through the person and work of Jesus Christ, which focuses on Jesus being the son of God. The purpose of John’s gospel; it not just history, it’s an evangelistic discourse with a view to leading people to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, the only Savior. And as Jesus lives His life through the lens of John’s gospel, He continues to demonstrate His deity, that we might believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing we might have life in His name.
Last two weeks we learned Jesus’s inter action with Nicodemus and Samaritan woman. Jesus is still been focusing on the people as well as individuals. Jesus has been interacting with the people, demonstrating who He is, declaring who He is, making statement about His identity that are supported by His power expressed in the miracles that He did. In the beginning of this passage in verse 2 we read “And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Now we see Jesus begins to shift as we also see in other gospels, toward His disciples, to make sure that He answers their questions and equips them for what is waiting for them.
Chapter 9, all the way to the very end, is basically built around one miraculous healing and is given to this discussion of the miracle itself. Sickness, disease, deformity, and death, have dominated life in the world since the fall of Adam, which means essentially all of human history. We are all in the process of dying. We all are infected and affected by the things that are happening around us, that came by way of the sin of humanity. We are familiar with sickness, familiar with disease, and familiar with deformity. All of this is part of life.
View the entire short sermon.
March 12, 2023 THIRSTY VOICES
The gospel passage for this third Sunday in Lent is John 4: 5-42, we read Jesus and his disciples were on their way to Galilee from Judea, they passed by a village in Samaria and while the apostles went into the village to get some food Jesus sat and rested by the village well. It was while Jesus was sitting there the Samaritan woman showed up to draw water from the well. It was noon, an unusual time for a woman to come to draw the water from the well. This is her routine part of her daily existence, nothing special about the day or about what she was doing.
Mostly in the Eastern countries regardless of the status it is always the women who are responsible for getting the water for the house. We read this Samaritan woman had the opportunity to intersect with Jesus. An ordinary task on an ordinary day suddenly has an eternal ramification. The conversation begins, Jesus asks her for a drink of water, and that blows her away. And we pick up the story in John 4:9 the woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans. She said to Jesus, “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?”
We see there were all kinds of reasons why Jesus shouldn’t have been having a conversation with her: 1) She was a Samaritan 2) She was a woman 3) She was a Samaritan woman. None of those would be the factor in today but 2000 years ago in that culture each of the reasons was a deal breaker.
Jesus just ignores the question and jumps into a spiritual discussion with her about the living water, and when she asks where she can receive the water the conversation gets a little different. John 4:16-18 “Go and get your husband,” Jesus told her. “I don’t have a husband,” the woman replied. Jesus said, “You’re right! You don’t have a husband- for you have had five husbands, and you aren’t even married to the man you’re living with now. You certainly spoke the truth!”
View the entire short sermon.
The gospel passage for this third Sunday in Lent is John 4: 5-42, we read Jesus and his disciples were on their way to Galilee from Judea, they passed by a village in Samaria and while the apostles went into the village to get some food Jesus sat and rested by the village well. It was while Jesus was sitting there the Samaritan woman showed up to draw water from the well. It was noon, an unusual time for a woman to come to draw the water from the well. This is her routine part of her daily existence, nothing special about the day or about what she was doing.
Mostly in the Eastern countries regardless of the status it is always the women who are responsible for getting the water for the house. We read this Samaritan woman had the opportunity to intersect with Jesus. An ordinary task on an ordinary day suddenly has an eternal ramification. The conversation begins, Jesus asks her for a drink of water, and that blows her away. And we pick up the story in John 4:9 the woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans. She said to Jesus, “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?”
We see there were all kinds of reasons why Jesus shouldn’t have been having a conversation with her: 1) She was a Samaritan 2) She was a woman 3) She was a Samaritan woman. None of those would be the factor in today but 2000 years ago in that culture each of the reasons was a deal breaker.
Jesus just ignores the question and jumps into a spiritual discussion with her about the living water, and when she asks where she can receive the water the conversation gets a little different. John 4:16-18 “Go and get your husband,” Jesus told her. “I don’t have a husband,” the woman replied. Jesus said, “You’re right! You don’t have a husband- for you have had five husbands, and you aren’t even married to the man you’re living with now. You certainly spoke the truth!”
View the entire short sermon.
March 5, 2023 Bold Blessing
The gospel passage for this Sunday John 3: 1-17, narrates the story of Nicodemus. Every time I read this passage; I always felt the story of Nicodemus is a fascinating one. It is good to learn about who Nicodemus was. Nicodemus was a Pharisee and a member of the Sanhedrin.
The gospel writer John mentioned Nicodemus in three places in the Gospel of John: first Nicodemus visited Jesus one night to discuss Jesus’ teaching which is our gospel passage for this Sunday. The second time Nicodemus is mentioned, when he reminds his colleagues in the Sanhedrin that the law requires that a person be heard before being judged (John 7:50-51). The third time John mentioned Nicodemus appears after the Crucifixion of Jesus to provide the customary embalming spices, and assists Joseph of Arimathea in preparing the body of Jesus for burial (John 19:39-42).
We read that Nicodemus came to Jesus with a compliment. He said, we read in verse 2 "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him" thinking that Jesus, like most people, would be impressed by a compliment.
Nicodemus came wanting to discuss theology, assuming that Jesus would be interested in a good conversation of the knowledge. Before he got very far, Jesus interrupted him with an astounding remark, which shook his foundations: Verse 3 "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit". Jesus told Nicodemus that he must experience rebirth in order to inherit the kingdom of God. Rebirth into the kingdom! That raised lots of questions for Nicodemus.
It raises questions for us too. "How can this be?" Nicodemus asked (John 3:9). Jesus said that spiritual rebirth into the kingdom of God comes from water and the Spirit. Baptism and faith give rebirth. Baptism begins the process of rebirth. Faith continues that process. To help us see what is involved with this rebirth, the first is that we need to be Reoriented in our understanding of rebirth.
View the entire short sermon.
The gospel passage for this Sunday John 3: 1-17, narrates the story of Nicodemus. Every time I read this passage; I always felt the story of Nicodemus is a fascinating one. It is good to learn about who Nicodemus was. Nicodemus was a Pharisee and a member of the Sanhedrin.
The gospel writer John mentioned Nicodemus in three places in the Gospel of John: first Nicodemus visited Jesus one night to discuss Jesus’ teaching which is our gospel passage for this Sunday. The second time Nicodemus is mentioned, when he reminds his colleagues in the Sanhedrin that the law requires that a person be heard before being judged (John 7:50-51). The third time John mentioned Nicodemus appears after the Crucifixion of Jesus to provide the customary embalming spices, and assists Joseph of Arimathea in preparing the body of Jesus for burial (John 19:39-42).
We read that Nicodemus came to Jesus with a compliment. He said, we read in verse 2 "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him" thinking that Jesus, like most people, would be impressed by a compliment.
Nicodemus came wanting to discuss theology, assuming that Jesus would be interested in a good conversation of the knowledge. Before he got very far, Jesus interrupted him with an astounding remark, which shook his foundations: Verse 3 "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit". Jesus told Nicodemus that he must experience rebirth in order to inherit the kingdom of God. Rebirth into the kingdom! That raised lots of questions for Nicodemus.
It raises questions for us too. "How can this be?" Nicodemus asked (John 3:9). Jesus said that spiritual rebirth into the kingdom of God comes from water and the Spirit. Baptism and faith give rebirth. Baptism begins the process of rebirth. Faith continues that process. To help us see what is involved with this rebirth, the first is that we need to be Reoriented in our understanding of rebirth.
View the entire short sermon.
February 26, 2023 Abundant Grace
In the gospel passage for this Sunday is Matthew 4: 1-11. I believe Matthew’s main purpose for including Jesus in the wilderness account was to affirm that Jesus Christ is the sinless Son of God, the promised Messiah. But I believe this passage also has a practical application. Jesus exposed Satan and his tactics, and Jesus defeated Satan. Because of Jesus' victory, we also can trust and believe that we will have victory over the tempter.
Many a time’s temptations come our way, and we are defeated by those temptations. The devil gets the victory over our lives. We go through temptation every hour of the day. When you look at the beginning of verse 3 Satan assails the Son of God with 3 powerful temptations. Our challenge on the first Sunday in the Lent is to examine each of these temptations one by one. We read of the first temptation in verses 3 & 4: And the tempter came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread." But he answered, "It is written, `Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'"
Let me give you a little background to the first temptation. Now Jesus fasted and prayed for 40 days and nights, no doubt Jesus was preparing Himself spiritually for the ministry He was about to begin. Let us look at the few principles that I gleaned from the first temptation: The devil’s main purpose was to overthrow the Messiah at the outset. He knew that Jesus had come to bring salvation, and he knew that if he could get Jesus to sin, that would ruin the whole plan of salvation. View the entire short sermon.
In the gospel passage for this Sunday is Matthew 4: 1-11. I believe Matthew’s main purpose for including Jesus in the wilderness account was to affirm that Jesus Christ is the sinless Son of God, the promised Messiah. But I believe this passage also has a practical application. Jesus exposed Satan and his tactics, and Jesus defeated Satan. Because of Jesus' victory, we also can trust and believe that we will have victory over the tempter.
Many a time’s temptations come our way, and we are defeated by those temptations. The devil gets the victory over our lives. We go through temptation every hour of the day. When you look at the beginning of verse 3 Satan assails the Son of God with 3 powerful temptations. Our challenge on the first Sunday in the Lent is to examine each of these temptations one by one. We read of the first temptation in verses 3 & 4: And the tempter came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread." But he answered, "It is written, `Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'"
Let me give you a little background to the first temptation. Now Jesus fasted and prayed for 40 days and nights, no doubt Jesus was preparing Himself spiritually for the ministry He was about to begin. Let us look at the few principles that I gleaned from the first temptation: The devil’s main purpose was to overthrow the Messiah at the outset. He knew that Jesus had come to bring salvation, and he knew that if he could get Jesus to sin, that would ruin the whole plan of salvation. View the entire short sermon.
February 22, 2023 Lenten Thoughts
What do you need to do spiritually during the Lent? As Lent begins on Wednesday (02/22/2023),
it is the time for reflection, for penitence and for self-examination. Now is the acceptable time. Search your own heart: In what areas are you far from God?
Are there people from whom you need to seek forgiveness?
Are there people you need to forgive?
What needs to be made right in your life?
Let the ashes be your symbol of mourning those shortcomings and of repentance.
Have you been putting off God’s call to discipleship in some way?
Now is the acceptable time.
Make this Lenten season a time when you determine to make each day count. Resolve to follow some new path (for you) or renewed spiritual practice during the next six weeks, so that when you celebrate the resurrection, you will see that you have indeed changed between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday.
Now is the time to renew your prayer and meditative practices. Perhaps there is a devotional book that you wanted to read for some time now. Pick it up and get started. Set aside five minutes a day for spiritual reading, meditation, and prayer. Maybe the time will grow into something longer, but it is best not to set goals that are so high they lead quickly to failure. For once, set a goal you know you can accomplish, and move ahead with joy, rather than with a sense of desperate obligation.
View the entire Lenten Thoughts
it is the time for reflection, for penitence and for self-examination. Now is the acceptable time. Search your own heart: In what areas are you far from God?
Are there people from whom you need to seek forgiveness?
Are there people you need to forgive?
What needs to be made right in your life?
Let the ashes be your symbol of mourning those shortcomings and of repentance.
Have you been putting off God’s call to discipleship in some way?
Now is the acceptable time.
Make this Lenten season a time when you determine to make each day count. Resolve to follow some new path (for you) or renewed spiritual practice during the next six weeks, so that when you celebrate the resurrection, you will see that you have indeed changed between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday.
Now is the time to renew your prayer and meditative practices. Perhaps there is a devotional book that you wanted to read for some time now. Pick it up and get started. Set aside five minutes a day for spiritual reading, meditation, and prayer. Maybe the time will grow into something longer, but it is best not to set goals that are so high they lead quickly to failure. For once, set a goal you know you can accomplish, and move ahead with joy, rather than with a sense of desperate obligation.
View the entire Lenten Thoughts
February 19, 2023 Dazzling Hope
This is the last Sunday after Epiphany and also known as Transfiguration Sunday - a day that we celebrate and see how God reveals His glory - to the disciples on the Mount of Transfiguration. The Old Testament passage Exodus 24:12-18, we read “Moses on Mt. Sinai”. Have you ever seen the glory of the Lord? As we talk about God revealing His Glory - it’s interesting to note all of the different ways in the Scriptures in which God reveals Himself. The Old Testament passage talks about how Moses was able to go up and speak to God face to face!
Now look at God’s Word in the book of Exodus for this Sunday! Moses was able to go into a more direct presence of the Lord and receive the Ten Commandments directly from God - putting them on tablets of stone. The glory of the Lord was so glorious that when Moses came down from Mt. Sinai his face was so bright that it scared the Israelites! When you think back on this example of God giving a great and glorious vision of Himself - it’s hard for us to envision.
How nice it would be if the Lord appeared to us like He did to Moses? To have the Lord pass in front of us as He did to Moses! I always used to think - “if God would appear to me like that – Oh! how I would be so encouraged to really serve Him! I wouldn’t worry so much about life!” And so we ask, “oh Lord, where is my burning bush? Where is my vision of your glory?” View the entire short sermon.
This is the last Sunday after Epiphany and also known as Transfiguration Sunday - a day that we celebrate and see how God reveals His glory - to the disciples on the Mount of Transfiguration. The Old Testament passage Exodus 24:12-18, we read “Moses on Mt. Sinai”. Have you ever seen the glory of the Lord? As we talk about God revealing His Glory - it’s interesting to note all of the different ways in the Scriptures in which God reveals Himself. The Old Testament passage talks about how Moses was able to go up and speak to God face to face!
Now look at God’s Word in the book of Exodus for this Sunday! Moses was able to go into a more direct presence of the Lord and receive the Ten Commandments directly from God - putting them on tablets of stone. The glory of the Lord was so glorious that when Moses came down from Mt. Sinai his face was so bright that it scared the Israelites! When you think back on this example of God giving a great and glorious vision of Himself - it’s hard for us to envision.
How nice it would be if the Lord appeared to us like He did to Moses? To have the Lord pass in front of us as He did to Moses! I always used to think - “if God would appear to me like that – Oh! how I would be so encouraged to really serve Him! I wouldn’t worry so much about life!” And so we ask, “oh Lord, where is my burning bush? Where is my vision of your glory?” View the entire short sermon.
February 12, 2023 From the Heart
The gospel passage for this Sunday is Matthew 5:21-37, Jesus continues to address the multitude in a special way. Now, before we consider the issue of reconciliation, think about Jesus’ audience and what He’s been saying so far. Jesus is addressing the multitudes in general, and his disciples in particular. The message is primarily a message for believers, those who desire to follow Christ and his teachings.
In Matthew chapter 5, Jesus makes one thing clear; that if you’re going to follow Him, then He’s going to hold you to a higher standard. It’s not just wrong to murder someone, it’s wrong to hate him or her. It’s not just wrong to commit adultery, it is wrong to look at someone with lust in your heart. Listen, it is very simple that when we who are called the children of God ought to have higher standards than the one who does not believe in God. The people who follow God ought to be more concerned about who we are and what we do and whom we represent.
Our righteousness ought to exceed the righteousness of the non-Christians, and it is very true that there are people even today, who are not aware of Jesus Christ and his teachings out there, who are living better lives than many of God’s children. So, God is holding all of us to a higher standard. Would this mean that we feel following Jesus is a priority in our life? If it is, then tying up the loose ends will be a priority. How do we reconcile with someone whom we have offended? How do we make a right relationship where we are in the wrong? Well we do it by following the Lord’s instructions.
View the entire short sermon.
The gospel passage for this Sunday is Matthew 5:21-37, Jesus continues to address the multitude in a special way. Now, before we consider the issue of reconciliation, think about Jesus’ audience and what He’s been saying so far. Jesus is addressing the multitudes in general, and his disciples in particular. The message is primarily a message for believers, those who desire to follow Christ and his teachings.
In Matthew chapter 5, Jesus makes one thing clear; that if you’re going to follow Him, then He’s going to hold you to a higher standard. It’s not just wrong to murder someone, it’s wrong to hate him or her. It’s not just wrong to commit adultery, it is wrong to look at someone with lust in your heart. Listen, it is very simple that when we who are called the children of God ought to have higher standards than the one who does not believe in God. The people who follow God ought to be more concerned about who we are and what we do and whom we represent.
Our righteousness ought to exceed the righteousness of the non-Christians, and it is very true that there are people even today, who are not aware of Jesus Christ and his teachings out there, who are living better lives than many of God’s children. So, God is holding all of us to a higher standard. Would this mean that we feel following Jesus is a priority in our life? If it is, then tying up the loose ends will be a priority. How do we reconcile with someone whom we have offended? How do we make a right relationship where we are in the wrong? Well we do it by following the Lord’s instructions.
View the entire short sermon.
February 5, 2023 Restoring Beauty
The Gospel passage for this Sunday St. Matthew 5:13-20, is the continuation of Sermon on the Mount. In this passage Jesus said you are the Salt and the light. We are the salt, the silent work of influence and the light, the visible manifestation of God in people’s lives.
The Salt and the Light are the two things that the value seems so insignificant but are part of our survival. We either complain because there are too much of these two things or we want more of these. When salt is added in the food it is hardly seen. Yet too little of it you can taste the difference and too much of it can ruin your food. The light is visible, it is needed during the night or when it is dark. Yet too much of it in the morning will make you say, “Turn it off” yet too little of it can make you feel unsafe. The salt and light works as salt comes into contact with the food and the light is turned on.
In the Sermon on the Mount we learned that the Beatitudes are the elements of Christian life. But the next section deals with the Christian influence. As Christians, people should be merciful or peacemakers and pure in heart, which will have a tremendous influence in the lives of those who have not given their heart to God.
Whenever a city was defeated the custom was to throw salt throughout the city. This meant that the city had been separated from its past. Elisha used salt to purify the water of Jericho. As we read in II Kings 2:20-21 “Bring me a new bowl,” he said, and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him. Then he went out to the spring and threw the salt into it, saying, “This is what the Lord says: ‘I have healed this water. Never again will it cause death or make the land unproductive.” The normal procedures when a child was born the child will be rubbed with salt, as we read in Ezekiel 16: 4 “On the day you were born your cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water to make you clean, nor were you rubbed with salt or wrapped in cloths”.
In the Bible times and till today salt is used for seasoning our food. Who likes to eat food without salt? Even though salt is so small and yet hardly noticeable it makes a difference when applied to the substance. In order for our lives to be a living sacrifice for God, our body must be preserved and seasoned with the righteousness of Christ. Salt was also used to preserve food. During the old Biblical times they did not have the refrigeration systems that we have today. Salt was also used to have a covenant relationship we read in Numbers 18:19 “It is a covenant of salt forever before the Lord with you and your descendants with you.” So salt also represented a relationship. “It represented hospitality that cemented on friendship” There is an Eastern saying “There is salt between us”
Jesus said you are the Salt of the Earth; what did Jesus mean by this statement? View the entire short sermon.
The Gospel passage for this Sunday St. Matthew 5:13-20, is the continuation of Sermon on the Mount. In this passage Jesus said you are the Salt and the light. We are the salt, the silent work of influence and the light, the visible manifestation of God in people’s lives.
The Salt and the Light are the two things that the value seems so insignificant but are part of our survival. We either complain because there are too much of these two things or we want more of these. When salt is added in the food it is hardly seen. Yet too little of it you can taste the difference and too much of it can ruin your food. The light is visible, it is needed during the night or when it is dark. Yet too much of it in the morning will make you say, “Turn it off” yet too little of it can make you feel unsafe. The salt and light works as salt comes into contact with the food and the light is turned on.
In the Sermon on the Mount we learned that the Beatitudes are the elements of Christian life. But the next section deals with the Christian influence. As Christians, people should be merciful or peacemakers and pure in heart, which will have a tremendous influence in the lives of those who have not given their heart to God.
Whenever a city was defeated the custom was to throw salt throughout the city. This meant that the city had been separated from its past. Elisha used salt to purify the water of Jericho. As we read in II Kings 2:20-21 “Bring me a new bowl,” he said, and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him. Then he went out to the spring and threw the salt into it, saying, “This is what the Lord says: ‘I have healed this water. Never again will it cause death or make the land unproductive.” The normal procedures when a child was born the child will be rubbed with salt, as we read in Ezekiel 16: 4 “On the day you were born your cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water to make you clean, nor were you rubbed with salt or wrapped in cloths”.
In the Bible times and till today salt is used for seasoning our food. Who likes to eat food without salt? Even though salt is so small and yet hardly noticeable it makes a difference when applied to the substance. In order for our lives to be a living sacrifice for God, our body must be preserved and seasoned with the righteousness of Christ. Salt was also used to preserve food. During the old Biblical times they did not have the refrigeration systems that we have today. Salt was also used to have a covenant relationship we read in Numbers 18:19 “It is a covenant of salt forever before the Lord with you and your descendants with you.” So salt also represented a relationship. “It represented hospitality that cemented on friendship” There is an Eastern saying “There is salt between us”
Jesus said you are the Salt of the Earth; what did Jesus mean by this statement? View the entire short sermon.
January 29, 2023 The Vision is Beautiful
Matthew in his Gospel places the Beatitudes at the very beginning of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, and this sermon comes at the beginning of his ministry and also is considered as a prologue to the discipleship. The gospel passage for this Sunday St. Matthews 5:1-12, is the introductory part of the Sermon on the Mount.
In the closing verses of the fourth chapter of the St. Matthew gospel, Jesus having finished the calling of his disciples, begins teaching in the region of the Galilee and in the Synagogues of that region. People brought the sick to Jesus for healing, and great crowds were gathering from as far as Jerusalem, the Decapolis, Judea and areas beyond the Jordan. Seeing the crowds, Jesus gathers the disciples and goes up on a mountain.
View the entire short sermon.
Matthew in his Gospel places the Beatitudes at the very beginning of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, and this sermon comes at the beginning of his ministry and also is considered as a prologue to the discipleship. The gospel passage for this Sunday St. Matthews 5:1-12, is the introductory part of the Sermon on the Mount.
In the closing verses of the fourth chapter of the St. Matthew gospel, Jesus having finished the calling of his disciples, begins teaching in the region of the Galilee and in the Synagogues of that region. People brought the sick to Jesus for healing, and great crowds were gathering from as far as Jerusalem, the Decapolis, Judea and areas beyond the Jordan. Seeing the crowds, Jesus gathers the disciples and goes up on a mountain.
View the entire short sermon.
January 22, 2023 Called Together
The Gospel lesson for this Sunday St. Matthew 4:12-23, is so radical! It is radical to believe that people would leave their place of business to follow a teacher who said, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." After Jesus had finished preaching a sermon in Capernaum, he took a stroll along the banks of the Sea of Galilee. In verses 18-19 we read “As Jesus walked by the seaside, he noticed two brothers - Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew, his brother - casting a net into the sea. He called out to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." Peter and Andrew did not sit in the boat and reflect on what Jesus said to them. Apparently, they did not count the cost. Nor did they call a committee meeting. Nor did they form an association to provide them with support. Instead, they immediately left their nets and followed him.
This gospel passage is a marvelous mystery, on the one hand God works despite us, and on the other hand we are central to the plan God has of bringing salvation and wholeness to our world. Jesus made it clear that there are some specific things for men and women to do, ministries which God uses to do the kingdom-building work: like feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, aiding the poor, visiting those in prison, witnessing to everyone about God's love revealed in Jesus. But for many in our society darkness prevails, as in Isaiah's day. Other gods than the Lord are being worshipped. Other ways of life than the way for which we are created are being followed. View the entire short sermon.
The Gospel lesson for this Sunday St. Matthew 4:12-23, is so radical! It is radical to believe that people would leave their place of business to follow a teacher who said, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." After Jesus had finished preaching a sermon in Capernaum, he took a stroll along the banks of the Sea of Galilee. In verses 18-19 we read “As Jesus walked by the seaside, he noticed two brothers - Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew, his brother - casting a net into the sea. He called out to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." Peter and Andrew did not sit in the boat and reflect on what Jesus said to them. Apparently, they did not count the cost. Nor did they call a committee meeting. Nor did they form an association to provide them with support. Instead, they immediately left their nets and followed him.
This gospel passage is a marvelous mystery, on the one hand God works despite us, and on the other hand we are central to the plan God has of bringing salvation and wholeness to our world. Jesus made it clear that there are some specific things for men and women to do, ministries which God uses to do the kingdom-building work: like feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, aiding the poor, visiting those in prison, witnessing to everyone about God's love revealed in Jesus. But for many in our society darkness prevails, as in Isaiah's day. Other gods than the Lord are being worshipped. Other ways of life than the way for which we are created are being followed. View the entire short sermon.
Sunday January 15, 2023 All That We Are
The gospel reading for this Sunday is from St. John 1: 29 - 42. John the Evangelist reveals to us our role; to be a witness and to tell others that Jesus came to take away sin, Jesus is the Only Son of God and Jesus will baptize us in the Holy Spirit.
We find John the Baptist playing a particular role. John the Baptist was viewed by many as the top spiritual leader at the time. John the Baptist knew his true role was that of supporting Jesus who was the true spiritual leader at the time. John the Baptist knew that he had been born to play a certain role in the life of Israel and in the life of the Messiah. John the Baptist tells us in this passage that there was one who was coming after him that far outranked him. It would be this person who would take center stage and his role was that of being a witness.
In our passage we can also see another important personality John the disciple of Jesus and writer of John Gospel. History tells us that this person would later on be called the "disciple whom Jesus loved". Our writer at no time focuses on himself. Like John the Baptist John the evangelist (disciple of Jesus) understands that Jesus must be the focus. Both of them understand that Jesus outranks them. They understand that their role is that of being a witness for Jesus.
View the entire short sermon.
The gospel reading for this Sunday is from St. John 1: 29 - 42. John the Evangelist reveals to us our role; to be a witness and to tell others that Jesus came to take away sin, Jesus is the Only Son of God and Jesus will baptize us in the Holy Spirit.
We find John the Baptist playing a particular role. John the Baptist was viewed by many as the top spiritual leader at the time. John the Baptist knew his true role was that of supporting Jesus who was the true spiritual leader at the time. John the Baptist knew that he had been born to play a certain role in the life of Israel and in the life of the Messiah. John the Baptist tells us in this passage that there was one who was coming after him that far outranked him. It would be this person who would take center stage and his role was that of being a witness.
In our passage we can also see another important personality John the disciple of Jesus and writer of John Gospel. History tells us that this person would later on be called the "disciple whom Jesus loved". Our writer at no time focuses on himself. Like John the Baptist John the evangelist (disciple of Jesus) understands that Jesus must be the focus. Both of them understand that Jesus outranks them. They understand that their role is that of being a witness for Jesus.
View the entire short sermon.
Sunday January 8, 2023
Dear Members and Friends:
Happy New Year!
I pray to God, to bless you all with joy, peace, prosperity, and good health in this New Year 2023.
Yes, Christmas is over, but the great and glorious challenge of responding to Christ's birth is just beginning. God has designed the world to work smoothly only when the needs and feelings of others are held in the same esteem as our own. God's design is for us to see every other person as sacred. In the first lesson for this Sunday, Isaiah 42 verse 3 we read “a bruised reed he will not break, and a dimly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice”. Let us hope in this new Year 2023 we all take our turns at being bruised reeds and dimly burning wicks in our life. God cares for us right at those points. And we, as God's people, and surely as disciples of Jesus Christ, are called to go and do likewise. So, let's do it.
On this Epiphany Sunday we got to recollect the two important Sacrament of our church. Holy Communion, and Baptism. Our Baptism is a beginning. It is the desire to see the world differently, to see each other differently, and even to see ourselves differently. Baptism is a fresh start, not a destination. Baptism calls into question our previous lives, it does not bless them. Baptism is not a trial-free membership, but a rite of initiation into a way of life in which Jesus promised there would be trials. View the entire short sermon.
Dear Members and Friends:
Happy New Year!
I pray to God, to bless you all with joy, peace, prosperity, and good health in this New Year 2023.
Yes, Christmas is over, but the great and glorious challenge of responding to Christ's birth is just beginning. God has designed the world to work smoothly only when the needs and feelings of others are held in the same esteem as our own. God's design is for us to see every other person as sacred. In the first lesson for this Sunday, Isaiah 42 verse 3 we read “a bruised reed he will not break, and a dimly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice”. Let us hope in this new Year 2023 we all take our turns at being bruised reeds and dimly burning wicks in our life. God cares for us right at those points. And we, as God's people, and surely as disciples of Jesus Christ, are called to go and do likewise. So, let's do it.
On this Epiphany Sunday we got to recollect the two important Sacrament of our church. Holy Communion, and Baptism. Our Baptism is a beginning. It is the desire to see the world differently, to see each other differently, and even to see ourselves differently. Baptism is a fresh start, not a destination. Baptism calls into question our previous lives, it does not bless them. Baptism is not a trial-free membership, but a rite of initiation into a way of life in which Jesus promised there would be trials. View the entire short sermon.