Hear the messages that Father Jeremiah delivers each week
to the congregation of Grace Anglican.
When Jesus heals a deaf and mute man, he uses some ordinary things in the process. What does this mean about the ordinary and mundane? Are they important? Can Jesus work through simple things to bring forth praise? Father Jeremiah explores this in his sermon on Mark 7:31-37
Image: Young Mother Sewing, Mary Cassatt, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
When the Pharisees and Scribes confront Jesus about his disciples not ritually washing hands before eating, Jesus confronts them with their ability to sacrifice the rules of God with man-made traditions in order to justify themselves. In what ways do we do this today? How are we to overcome this desire?
Image: The Field of Derout-Lollichon, by Paul Gauguin, public domain by release from LACMA. Image location: https://collections.lacma.org/node/253530
When Jesus sends the disciples out to cross the Sea of Galilee, they find themselves struggling against a strong headwind. Why does Jesus come to them walking upon the sea? How does this reveal who Jesus is? How do we respond to Jesus in the middle of our own crises?
Image: Jesus Walks on the Sea, Gustave Doré, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. Image location: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jesus_walks_on_the_sea.jpg
Christ’s feeding of the five thousand reveals to us the mercy of God toward us in our deepest needs. God has promised throughout Scripture that he will show forth his mercy and he does so such that it is right to say that his almighty power is chiefly declared through his mercy.
Image: Christ Feeding the Five Thousand, Public Domain. Image locaiton: https://picryl.com/media/christ-feeding-the-five-thousand-from-bl-royal-16-g-iii-f-86-5b38ed
When Jesus returns to his hometown, he finds a not very friendly welcome. What does this tell us about our response to rejection. What does it tell us about our own rejections of Jesus in our daily lives?
Image: Christ Healing a Leper, by Rembrandt van Rijn. Public Domain. Image location: https://picryl.com/media/christ-healing-a-leper-fdbefe
When Jesus encounters the results of chaos from the inside of us, what does he do? Does he scoff or ignore it? Or does he act against it in order to bring to us inward and outward healing? Father Jeremiah looks at Mark 5 and a story with two healings dealing with chaos from the inside.
Image: The Raising of the Daughter of Jairus, Eduard Bendemann, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons. Image location: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Raising_of_the_Daughter_of_Jairus_MET_DP803683.jpg
Jesus calms the storm and casts out a legion of demons in our Gospel lesson today. How do these reveal the power of Jesus over creation and his power over the chaos that has invaded creation? Father Jeremiah shows us that there is more that a mere calming of the storm and casting out of demons in his sermon from Sunday.
Image: Christus bedaart de storm, by James Ensor, Public Domain (no changes made). Image location: https://www.muzee.be/nl/collectie-1/christus-bedaart-de-storm-1
Jesus told many parables to the people. In these two parables he speaks of seeds growing and birds finding homes amongst the mustard plant. What does this mean about the kingdom? How do we participate in this if God is the one who causes the growth? Father Jeremiah helps us to see the glory of God’s work and us being part of the work.
Image: Image from page 65 of "Birds through an opera-glass" (1898), Public Domain. Location: https://www.flickr.com/photos/internetarchivebookimages/14568983987/in/photostream/
How is Jesus the Lord of the Sabbath? What does this mean for our pursuit of sabbath? Fr. John takes us through the Mark 2:23-28 and connects to our other readings from the day.
Image: La Sieste, Vincent van Gogh, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Jesus’ death and resurrection is God’s way of swallowing up death and removing the veil of it from over the people. His resurrection is the acceptance of his sacrifice that brings forgiveness and rejoicing to all people. Find out more from Father Jeremiah now.
When Jesus entered Jerusalem upon the back of a donkey, the people cried out “Hosanna!” What was the meaning of this cry and what do we realize about it today? Father Jeremiah brings forward the impact of this entrance with palms and how it reveals the reality of the work of Jesus for us.
Image: Palm Sunday Icon, Picture taken by Ted. Licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0 DEED, no changes made. Image location: https://www.flickr.com/photos/frted/12801075263
As Jesus begins teaching his disciples directly about his crucifixion, St. Peter rebukes Jesus for thinking that the Messiah must suffer. However, Jesus turns the tables on St. Peter and points out to him and all that we all must suffer and die in light of his own death and resurrection. Through this, we come to know more deeply the love of Christ for us.
Image: The Crucifixion, unknown artist, public domain, from the J. Paul Getty Museum. Image location: https://www.getty.edu/art/collection/object/107TX5#full-artwork-details
When Jesus receive the Holy Spirit in his baptism, that very Spirit drove him into the wilderness. There Jesus resists Satan for his people and brings to us who trust in him, deliverance from temptation and, ultimately, sin itself through his death and resurrection.
Image: The Temptation by the Devil by Gustave Dore, engraving, 1865. Public Domain. Image location: https://www.artbible.info/art/large/18.html
What does Elijah meeting the Lord at Mt. Sinai and Jesus’ transfiguration have in common? Why is it important that the Lord isn’t in the wind, the earthquake, the fire? Why is it a low whisper? Father Jeremiah reflects on these questions
Photo by form PxHere. Public Domain.
In Mark 1:21-28, Jesus enters a synagogue to teach and then rebukes and casts out a demon. What does this mean for his day and what does it mean for us today? Father Jeremiah considers that Jesus’ authority is one that enables us to rebuke ourselves and embrace the transformation that he brings to us through the Holy Spirit.
Image: Die Bibel in Bildern [Picture Bible] von Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld. Leipzig: Georg Wigands, 1860. Hathi Digital Trust Library online version of a copy in the Getty Library. Web. 30 June 2016. Location: https://victorianweb.org/art/illustration/german/schnorr/82.html
Jesus went forth preaching about the Kingdom of God being at hand and calling disciples to follow him. Are we all called to drop the work we are doing to follow Jesus or can he call us to follow him in the midst of the work he has given us? Father Jeremiah considers this as he teaches about the change that Jesus brings to us through his work.
Image: Calling of Peter and Andrew, by Duccio Di Buoninsegna. Public Domain. Image Location: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Duccio_di_Buoninsegna_-_Calling_of_Peter_and_Andrew_-_WGA06774.jpg
Jesus came to be baptized in the Jordan by John the Baptist so that the Holy Spirit would descend upon him. Now, through Jesus, we receive the very same Holy Spirit. Father Jeremiah helps us to see the connection between Jesus’ baptism and our own baptisms, that we might be more and more renewed by Jesus.
Image: The Baptism of Christ, James Fuller Queen. No known restrictions. Image location: https://www.loc.gov/item/2003677556/
As St. Mark opens his Gospel he reveals just what he thinks of Jesus Christ. Along with that we are directed in how to prepare the way of the Lord through the words of John the Baptist, who is the Elijah to come predicted by the prophet Malachi.
Image: Saint John the Baptist Bearing Witness, by Annibale Carracci, CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication. Image location: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Saint_John_the_Baptist_Bearing_Witness_MET_DP220449.jpg
In our Gospel lesson today, Jesus is telling his disciples about the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. What does this have to do with us today? Father Jeremiah walks through what the passage is about and what it’s purpose is. Listen now to find out more.
Image: David Roberts, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
www.gracegastonia.com/sermon-blog/2021/11/14/escape-to-salvation-mark-1314-23
What makes us think of the Widow in the Temple so highly? Is it her gift? Is it her faith? Or is it the reality of the glorious promise keeping God that she was worshiping? Father Jeremiah looks at this story from St. Mark 12 and asks what was the might of the Widow’s Mite?
Image: An etching by Jan Luyken, Phillip Medhurst, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons.
www.gracegastonia.com/sermon-blog/2021/11/7/the-might-of-a-mite-mark-1238-44
Grace Anglican Church, Sundays @ 10 AM, 800 Robinson Rd, Gastonia, NC
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 551081, Gastonia, NC 28054
