Sin and Shame Taken Away, Luke 15:11-32

When the younger son returns from his shameful life and the older son refuses to come to the party for his brother, the father chooses not to reject his sons, but instead bears their shameful actions upon himself so that they can be reconciled to him. The father in this parable is a picture of what Jesus does for us through the cross in his bearing of our sin to restore us to God the Father.

Image: Pompeo Batoni, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. Image location: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pompeo_Batoni_003.jpg

Protection from Presumption, Luke 13:1-9, 1 Corinthians 10:1-13

When Jesus is questioned about terrible events that happened to others, he turned the question back on the questioners. He saw the heart of their question came out of presumption that they were not as bad as the others that these terrible things had happened to. How do his words lead us to know a path away from presumption and guide us into true salvation through Jesus?

Image: James Tissot, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. Image Location: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Brooklyn_Museum_-_The_Tower_of_Siloam_(Le_tour_de_Silo%C3%AB)_-_James_Tissot_(cropped).jpg

The Narrow Gate and Faith, Luke 13:22-35

Jesus tells us that salvation is a narrow gate that we must strive through at the right time. To ignore the gate can be disastrous. Father Jeremiah leads us through this parable and Jesus’ words about Jerusalem and his desire to gather the people to himself in Luke 13.

Image: Public Domain. Image location: https://pxhere.com/en/photo/916822

Unable to Overcome but in Jesus, Romans 10:4-13, Luke 4:1-13

St. Paul speaks of the word being near to our hearts that we might not have to bring it down from Heaven or raise it up from the abyss. This word is Jesus himself and he is revealed as the one who resists temptation and sin for us that we might follow in his steps and receive him.

Image: The Temptation of Christ, by Augustin Hirschvogel, public domain. Image location: https://www.nga.gov/collection/art-object-page.39380.html

Transfigured Toward Our Glory, Luke 9:26-38

An important part of Jesus’ Transfiguration is that his divine glory is revealed to his disciples. Another aspect of that event is that in our union with Christ, we become partakers of that glory in the resurrection. We too will shine with the light of the glory of God through the grace of Christ to us.

Image: The Transfiguration, Giovanni Bellini, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. Image Location: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The-Transfiguration-1480-xx-Giovanni-Bellini.JPG

The Deceitful Heart and God's Blessing, Jeremiah 17:5-10, Luke 6:17-26

In the lectionary for this Sunday, we heard from Jeremiah 17, Psalm 1, Luke 6, and 1 Corinthians 15. All of these passages over lap as they direct our eyes and hearts toward Jesus of Nazareth and the work he accomplishes for us upon the cross and through his resurrection. What do we treasure in our lives above all else? Is it Jesus and his word or what our own hearts tell us? Father Jeremiah brings all of this together in his sermon today.

Image: The Sermon on the Mount and the Healing of the Leper, by Cosimo Rosselli, picture taken by Frans Vanderwalle, license CC BY-NC 2.0, no changes made. Image location: https://www.flickr.com/photos/snarfel/4287572119/

The Blessing of the Light, Luke 2:22-40

When Jesus was presented at the Temple, Simeon saw him for who he truly is, the Messiah that enlightens the nations and who is the glory of Israel. What does this mean? How is Jesus fulfilling prophecy with this action of being brought by his parents to the Temple? How does it affect us today?

Image: The Presentation of Jesus at the Temple, CC BY 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Nazareth Confrontation, Luke 4:14-32

When Jesus returned to Nazareth and went to the synagogue, the others there were angered by his words. What did he say? Why did he say it? How are we to be received by God the Father? Jesus’ confrontation is an important moment in his ministry for them and for us today.

Image: Jesus Unrolls the Book in the Synagogue, James Tissot, no known restrictions. Image Location: https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollection/objects/4471

Jesus' Baptism Changes Everything, Luke 3.15-22, Acts 10:34-48

Jesus went to John to be baptized in the wilderness. In that baptism, the Father spoke and the Holy Spirit descended. This signals a change, not only in Jesus’ life, but in the life of the world.

Image: Baptism of Jesus, Andrea del Verrocchio, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Christ is Born to Forgive

At our Christmas Eve Lessons and Carols, we heard of the promises of God to his people throughout the Old Testament. Father Jeremiah explains that Jesus is the fulfillment of God the Father’s desire to make a people for himself and that he does so through forgiveness of sins.

Image: Nativity, Giotto, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Greetings, Magnifying, and Mercy, Luke 1:39-56

After the angel appeared to Mary, she went immediately to visit her relative Elizabeth. Elizabeth’s greeting and Mary’s response tell us a great deal about the reality of the babies in their wombs. We also learn a great deal about the God of promise that is bringing about his promises through them.

Image: La Visitation, miniature des Heures Huth, Master of the Houghton Miniatures, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons. Image location: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Visitation._Mary_and_Elizabeth_in_the_garden_of_a_country_house_-_Huth_Hours_(1485-1490),_f.66v_-_BL_Add_MS_38126.jpg

Joy through Repentance, Luke 3:7-20, Zephaniah 3:14-20

In our Gospel lesson from Luke 3, we hear of John the Baptist’s preaching to the crowds and his calling them to repentance in preparation for the coming of the Messiah. How does this preaching of repentance bring to the joy of the Lord? Is joy something we create in ourselves or is it something that God brings to us?

Image: Christ with the Winnowing Fan, photo taken by Lawrence OP, license: CC BY-NC-ND 2.0, no changes made. Image location: https://www.flickr.com/photos/paullew/52541480597

Messenger of Peace that Brings Refining, Malachi 3:1-5, Luke 3:1-6

Advent is a season of repentant waiting for our Lord to come. The process of repentance is one that leads to us knowing the peace and refining work of God through Jesus for us.

Image: Molten Metal, picture by Pixabay, CC0. Image location: https://www.stockvault.net/photo/202116/utils/lib/utils/strings#

Hope toward the Future from the Past in the Present, Zechariah 14:1-9, Luke 21:24-33

As we consider ‘hope’ in Advent, Father Jeremiah points out how it looks to the future while being rooted in the past that we might be sustained in the present. Advent helps us continue forward in this world knowing that God the Father will fulfill his promises.

Image: Second Coming icon, public domain, location: https://garystockbridge617.getarchive.net/media/icon-second-coming-d49e6f

Transformative Salvation through the Resurrection, Luke 24:36-49

Jesus’ body was transformed through His resurrection and he appeared to his disciples in that glorified physical body. We too will be transformed in the final resurrection because Jesus has gone ahead of us. In the here and now, though, we have new life in us that also comes through Jesus’ resurrection to us that we might be made ready for the final resurrection ahead of us.

Image: The Risen Christ appears to his Apostles, photo taken by Lawrence OP. License: CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 Deed (no changes made). Image location: https://www.flickr.com/photos/paullew/49780661251.

Where Jesus is Found, Luke 24.13-35

Image: The Road to Emmaus, photo by Jim Forest, original painting located in National Gallery in Washington, license: CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 (no changes made). Image location: https://www.flickr.com/photos/jimforest/3162933274

Made Christ's Own, Luke 19:1-10

The people grumbled when Jesus went into the house of Zacchaeus. They grumbled because he was spending time with a sinner and having table fellowship. Yet, without Jesus doing this for all of us, none of us could be saved. In fact, Jesus even comes to us in our baptisms that he might have this fellowship with us.

Image: Jesus Speaks to Zacchaeus, who is in a tree uploaded by Martin LaBar License: CC BY-NC 2.0. Image location: https://www.flickr.com/photos/martinlabar/6876656

The Bad, the Bad, and the Atonement for Both, Luke 18.9-14

What was the real difference between the Pharisee and the tax collector of Luke 18? Was one a good guy and the other bad? Or are both bad and one simply recognizes his proper need for an atoning sacrifice before God? Father Jeremiah looks at the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector and considers what this parable teaches us to understand about ourselves.

Image: The Pharisee and the Publican, After Sir John Everett Millais, Engraved and printed by Dalziel Brothers. Public Domain. Image location: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/382281

Justice and the Widow, Luke 18.1-8, Genesis 32:22-30

The widow of Jesus’ parable in Luke 18 is unwilling to give up her cause before an unjust judge. The judge eventually gives in and does what is right. What does this tell us about prayer? What does it tell us about God? How are we to come to God then if we know that he is truly honorable toward his people? Father Jeremiah considers all of this and encourages us to prayer unceasingly to our God who has redeemed us in Jesus Christ.

Image: The Unjust Judge and the Importunate Widow, Brothers Dalziel, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons. Image location: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Unjust_Judge_and_the_Importunate_Widow_(The_Parables_of_Our_Lord_and_Saviour_Jesus_Christ)_MET_DP835791.jpg

Gratitude Always Brings You Back, Luke 17:11-19

Bishop Terrell joins with us for confirmations and so he preached the sermon for this Sunday. He walks us through the healing of the 10 Lepers from Luke 17 and directs us toward the need for gratitude toward God as we walk through our lives as Christians.

Image: See page for author, CC BY 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons, no changes made. Location: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Christ_cures_ten_lepers._Woodcut._Wellcome_V0034943.jpg