Humbling that Brings Glory, Mark 10.35-45

When James and John come to Jesus with a request to sit on his right and left in the kingdom, Jesus tells them that while they will follow in his footsteps and make him known, they cannot sit where they desire. To cling to glory is to miss the humility necessary to walk with Christ. To receive glory means one must be humbled to the service of others.

Image: St. John and St. James the Greater, part of The Twelve Apostles: Saints Bartholomew, Andrew, Matthew, James the Greater, Thaddeus, Philip, James the Lesser, Simon, Peter, Paul, Thomas, and John, by Bergognone. Image location: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/435657

www.gracegastonia.com/sermon-blog/2021/10/17/humbling-that-brings-glory-mark-1035-45

Stony Hearts and the Only Good Man, Mark 10:17-31

What should we make of the rich young man who asks Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life? Isn’t there something wrong with the idea of “doing something” to inherit something else? What is the condition of this man’s heart? How does Jesus show him compassion? These questions are thought about in this sermon from Father Jeremiah.

Image: Woodcut illustration of man rejecting the devil in the form of a serpent used by Heinrich Stayner of Augsburg. Public Domain. Location: https://www.flickr.com/photos/58558794@N07/6581247221/in/photostream/. Posted by POP

www.gracegastonia.com/sermon-blog/2021/10/10/stony-hearts-and-the-only-good-man-mark-1017-31

Hardhearted Realities, Mark 10:2-16

When the Pharisees asked Jesus about divorce, he led them to the beginning of the Scriptures and revealed that divorce ultimately flows, not from the command of God, but out of the hardheartedness of humanity. Our hardheartedness toward spouses is the outworking of our hardheartedness towards God himself and our very idolatry by which we forsake God.

Image: Undergrowth with Two Figures, Vincent Van Gogh, from the Cincinnati Art Museum. Public Domain (no changes made). Image Location: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Vincent_van_Gogh_-_Undergrowth_with_Two_Figures_(F773).jpg

www.gracegastonia.com/sermon-blog/2021/10/3/hardhearted-realities-mark-102-16

A Matter of Life and Death, Mark 9:38-48

Bishop Terrell Glenn helps us to understand Jesus’ admonition to cut off our parts that cause us to sin. It is a matter of life and death because life in the Kingdom is so much more important than anything else in this world.

Image: skull human anatomy vintage, uploaded by Andrea Stöckel, public domain, from https://www.publicdomainpictures.net/en/view-image.php?image=404637&picture=skull-human-anatomy-vintage

www.gracegastonia.com/sermon-blog/2021/9/26/a-matter-of-life-and-death-mark-938-48

Grace, Wisdom, and Humility, James 3:16-4:6

St. James confronts his readers with the reality that their fighting flows from selfish sin within and their lack of wisdom. For them to gain wisdom they only need ask God, but that wisdom will lead to humility and a seeing others as more important. And through that, the grace of God will flow to them. However, back of all of this is already God’s grace because that is what is necessary for them to even begin to see that they lack wisdom. So, grace leads to wisdom which leads to humility which leads to grace and the cycle goes on and on.

www.gracegastonia.com/sermon-blog/2021/9/19/grace-wisdom-and-humility-james-316-46

Words and Actions without Distinction, James 2:1-18

St. James confronts his hearers with their sin of favoritism of the rich over the poor and connects it to the reality that our faith will work itself out with good deeds that reflect the change that God the Father has accomplished in us. How do we respond to this? How does our faith show up in our actions? Does your faith work itself out with the transformation God has made in you?

Image: CC0, Public Domain

www.gracegastonia.com/sermon-blog/2021/9/12/words-and-actions-without-distinction-james-21-18

The Image of Forgetfulness, James 1:17-27

Do you easily forget what you look like when you look into a mirror and then look away? Father Jeremiah tells us about St. James’ words regarding this mirror that reflects a forgettable image and what it means regard the Word of God.

Image: Narcissus, Caravaggio, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

www.gracegastonia.com/sermon-blog/2021/9/5/the-image-of-forgetfulness-james-117-27

Get in the Fight, Ephesians 6:10-20

Father Clay Thompson is our guest preaching for this Sunday. In this sermon, he leads us through the Armor of God as presented to us in Ephesians 6. He reminds us that the purpose of this armor is to enable us to fight the good fight of faith through our prayers and confession of the Gospel. May we all take to heart the calling to fight through prayer!

Image: Eric Enstrom, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Walking Wisely in Vocation, Ephesians 5:15-6:9

Image: J'aimelart, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

www.gracegastonia.com/sermon-blog/2021/8/22/walking-wisely-in-vocation-ephesians-515-69

Light, not Darkness, Ephesians 5.3-14

St. Paul reminds the Ephesians about the fruitless works of darkness that they were once a part of. But what has changed? They became light because Jesus is the light of the world and in him is no darkness. The same is true of us today. We are called light and by being light, we are called to walk in the way of the children of light, reflecting who Jesus is and what he has done in us through his death and resurrection.

Image: Public Domain. Location: https://www.maxpixel.net/Sky-Night-Sky-Star-Milky-Way-Night-Starry-Sky-5295153

www.gracegastonia.com/sermon-blog/2021/8/15/light-not-darkness-ephesians-53-14

Walking with Your Heart, Will, and Mind, Ephesians 4:17-5:2

St Paul speaks to the Ephesians about not walking in the ways of the Gentiles who’s hearts are hardened. This reminds us of the reality that what the heart loves, the will chooses, and the mind justifies. Our hearts are the driving force of our wills which actually shape our thoughts. As believers, we must continually turn our hearts and affections toward Jesus himself so that our wills and minds are also turned toward Christ.

Image: Undergrowth with Two Figures, Vincent van Gogh, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

www.gracegastonia.com/sermon-blog/2021/8/8/walking-with-your-heart-will-and-mind-ephesians-417-52

Receiving Gifts for the Calling, Ephesians 4:1-16

In Ephesians 4:1-16, St. Paul tells the Ephesians to walk in a way that is worthy of the calling they have in Christ. In doing this, he reminds them of the work of that has been accomplished for them by the Holy Trinity and the gifts that they have been given that enables them to walk worthy and to make Jesus known. These same gifts are ours today and we have the same calling! So St. Paul is calling for us to receive these gifts that will build up our calling in the Lord.

Image: Phillip Medhurst, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons. No changes made.

www.gracegastonia.com/sermon-blog/2021/8/1/receiving-gifts-for-the-calling-ephesians-41-16

The Mystery of Christ and the Church, Ephesians 3

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St. Paul speaks of the mystery of Christ and his work in today’s passage. That mystery is Christ himself and his work is to include the Gentiles alongside the Jews as the people of God and inheritors of the promises to Abraham. With this is the reality that it is through the Church that the mystery of Christ is revealed and the wisdom of God is made known. And so, even today, the Church gathered in worship is revealing the work of Christ to bring to us the promises of God in Christ for us!

Image: Christ Glorified in the Court of Heaven by Fra Angelica. Public Domain. Image location: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Beato_angelico,_predella_della_pala_di_fiesole_01.jpg

www.gracegastonia.com/sermon-blog/2021/7/25/the-mystery-of-christ-and-the-church-ephesians-3

The Holy One Dwells with His People, Isaiah 57:14-21

Grace Anglican welcomes guest preacher, David Moody today! In his sermon from Isaiah 57, he shows us that while Yahweh is truly the holy one, he comes to dwell with us and heal us. That dwelling and healing is found in Jesus Christ himself and we are called to faith to receive this reality that God is working into us!

Image: Crowds gather as Christ heals sick people, Engraving by T. Phillibrown after B. West, Public Domain. Location: https://wellcomecollection.org/works/ee8bfscw?wellcomeImagesUrl=/indexplus/image/V0034932.html

www.gracegastonia.com/sermon-blog/2021/7/18/the-holy-one-dwells-with-his-people-isaiah-5714-21

The Story of Blessings, Inheritance, and Renewal, Ephesians 1:1-23

In the first chapter of the Epistle to the Ephesians, St. Paul lays down the foundation of all that he is going to discuss through the epistle. In this chapter we hear of the great blessings that have come to us from God the Father, through Jesus Christ, by the work of the Spirit in us. And so, this chapter reveals to us a story of salvation that involves blessings, inheritance, and renewal all because of who Jesus Christ is.

Image: Wheat Field with Cypresses, Vincent van Gogh, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Thorns and Grace, 2 Corinthians 12.2-10

St. Paul tells of a vision that he received and the results of that very vision being a thorn in his flesh given by God that he would not think too highly of himself. For some this could be disconcerting, for others, an answer to their own questions about suffering and struggle in their lives. St. Paul’s thorn in the flesh helps us to wrestle with the reality that our suffering is to lead us nearer to God the Father because it draws our eyes to our crucified Lord Jesus.

Image: St. Paul the Apostle, photo by Ted, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0, no changes made. Image location: https://www.flickr.com/photos/frted/4264223704

Grace to Give, 2 Corinthians 8.1-15

St. Paul speaks to the Corinthians about the initial commitment to give to the saints in Jerusalem and how it seems to have waned due to the various controversies that had happened in their church since they first heard about the need in Jerusalem. St. Paul carefully encourages them to embrace their opportunity to give as an expression of the grace of God not only working in them, but also working through them to affect and help many others. The whole of our Christian life is one of commitment to Christ, and likewise, we should see every opportunity as God’s grace in Christ for us and working through us to bless those the Lord brings to us.

Image: St. Roch giving alms, Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld. This image may be used without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose. Found at The Victorian Web, originally from the online journal article Unwilling Moderns: The Nazarene Paintings of the Nineteenth Century. Image found at: https://victorianweb.org/painting/german/schnorr/paintings/3.html

www.gracegastonia.com/sermon-blog/2021/6/27/grace-to-give-2-corinthians-81-15

Made New for Others, 2 Corinthians 5:14-21

St. Paul continues this week in his second letter to the Corinthians by telling them of the work of Christ and what that leads to in the life of believers. St. Paul is not to live for himself any longer because Christ has died for him and made him into a new creation. His sin is taken away and he is given the righteousness of God in Christ! This is true for us believers today! We live in the midst of a great exchange where Christ takes what is ours and gives us what is his.

Image: Irises, by Vincent van Gogh, public domain. Image location: https://picryl.com/media/vincent-van-gogh-irises-google-art-project-520910

This Old Tent, 2 Corinthians 5:1-10

St. Paul longed for the return of Jesus Christ because it meant the renewal of his body. It meant the putting off of the temporal tent and the putting on of the eternal, heavenly body. Why? Because he understood that the resurrection and ascension of Jesus meant all the promises of God the Father were going to be fulfilled for those brought into his family through Jesus Christ.

Image: Resurrection of the Dead (lower left section of the Last Judgment), Michelangelo, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons. Image location: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Resurrection_of_the_Dead_(lower_left_section_of_the_Last_Judgment)_MET_MM55713.jpg

The Weight of Being Known, 2 Corinthians 4.13-18

St. Paul speaks of the many sufferings he has endured in carrying the Gospel to various peoples. Despite all of this, he rejoices in his Savior. How can he do this? What leads him to continue pushing forward to know Jesus? Father Jeremiah reflects on this and how the weight of glory carries St. Paul throughout his days.

Image: by Greg. Man starring at starry sky outside with the milky way. Public domain. Image location: https://www.goodfreephotos.com/astrophotography/man-staring-at-a-starry-sky.jpg.php