Hear the messages that Father Jeremiah delivers each week
to the congregation of Grace Anglican.
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
When a Scribe came up to ask Jesus about the greatest commandment, Jesus gave him a two for one deal. The Scribe saw the great truth in what Jesus said and Jesus said that he was close to the Kingdom. What does this mean? How are we to understand Jesus in this passage? How are we to be changed by Jesus’ words? Father Jeremiah reflects on these things and helps us all to understand a little better Jesus’ summation of the Law.
Image: Artist unknown, Christ disputing in the Temple, from manuscript Vaux Passional, National Library of Wales, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
www.gracegastonia.com/sermon-blog/2021/10/31/reforming-our-love-of-god-mark-1228-34
What does a blind beggar have to tell us about true discipleship? Quite a lot! Father Jeremiah looks at Bartimaeus, the blind beggar outside of Jericho, and what he can teach us about being a disciple of Jesus.
Image: Jesus Healing the Blind, Church of Britain, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
www.gracegastonia.com/sermon-blog/2021/10/24/the-model-disciple-mark-1046-52
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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 Anglican Church, Sundays @ 10 AM, 800 Robinson Rd, Gastonia, NC
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 551081, Gastonia, NC 28054
_Cropped.jpg){kind=link}
_edited.jpg){kind=link}