Hear the messages that Father Jeremiah delivers each week
to the congregation of Grace Anglican.
Father Jeremiah steps back in time and reads a sermon from St. Leo the Great. Throughout the sermon Fr. Jeremiah offers additional thoughts to hopefully build your faith and draw you nearer to the God who would send his Son to become a true man.
Image: Gloria in Excelsis Deo, photo taken by Lawrence OP. License: CC BY-NC-ND 2.0. No changes made. Image location: https://www.flickr.com/photos/paullew/31864224215
www.gracegastonia.com/sermon-blog/2021/12/26/leo-the-greats-homily-on-the-incarnation
Why would God become man? Father Jeremiah explores this reality in this sermon from Christmas Eve. God is fulfilling his promises through the birth of his Son, Jesus, into this world and the greatest promise is that he will be our God and he will make us his people.
Image: The Birth of Christ… lithograph by M Fanoli after J Führich. License under CC BY 4.0. Located at the Wellcome Collection. Image location: https://www.lookandlearn.com/history-images/YW034608V/The-birth-of-Christ
www.gracegastonia.com/sermon-blog/2021/12/24/to-be-your-god-luke-21-20-titus-211-14
When the Virgin Mary visited her aged relative Elizabeth, both women were filled with the Holy Spirit and uttered astonishing words of praise for the one that the Virgin was carrying. St. Mary is truly the God-bearer because she is carrying God himself in the flesh in her womb and thus bears the Son of God into the world for the world’s sake.
Image: The Visitation, photo by Lawrence OP, Detail from a tapestry dating to c. 1450-75, believed to have been made by a Dominican nun in Switzerland. The tapestry is part of the Burrell Collection in Glasgow. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0. Image location: https://www.flickr.com/photos/paullew/7306904510
www.gracegastonia.com/sermon-blog/2021/12/19/advent-confrontation-bearing-the-son-of-god-to-the-world-luke-139-56
The prophet Zephaniah has foretold of the coming judgment of God throughout his book, but at the end of it, he speaks of a picture of rejoicing that flows out of the work of Yahweh to bring the Gentiles and Israelites together into a single company that praises him. John the Baptist tells the people how they are to live in light of their repentance in the Gospel of Luke. How do these come together in light of the work of Jesus in us? Father Jeremiah helps us to understand that God’s joy in bringing out salvation becomes a foundation for our repentance and rejoicing through today’s text.
Image: Ghent AltarPiece-Music making Angels (right), Jan van Eych, public domain. Image location: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ghent_Altarpiece_-_Music-making_Angels_(right).jpg
www.gracegastonia.com/sermon-blog/2021/12/12/advent-confrontation-joy-received-zephaniah-314-20-luke-37-20
In this second week of Advent, we consider the relationship of peace to repentance. Through the work of Jesus, there is peace to be received. But how do we come to receive it and experience the peace of God in us? It is through faith and repentance, turning from our sinfulness and toward the One who brings us healing.
Image: Preaching of John the Baptist, Hans Liefrinck, CC0 1.0. Image location: https://www.lookandlearn.com/history-images/YR0037838/Preaching-of-John-the-Baptist
www.gracegastonia.com/sermon-blog/2021/12/5/advent-confrontation-peace-and-repentance-malachi-3-luke-31-6
With the beginning of Advent, we return to visit the reality of Jesus’ coming again. Advent is not only about preparing for Jesus’ birth, but also preparing fo this second coming. Today we hear from both Zechariah and Luke and consider the consequences of these passages for us today.
Image: From an 18th c. illustrated copy of Josephus’ Works, no copyright found. Location: http://www.joeledmundanderson.com/jesus-and-the-olivet-discourse-the-abomination-of-desolation-and-other-cosmic-stuff-part-4-the-jewish-war-series/
www.gracegastonia.com/sermon-blog/2021/11/28/advent-confrontation-needing-an-advent-hope-zechariah-14-luke-2125-33
As Jesus stood before Pilate, he defined the nature of his kingdom and thus his kingship. Jesus was no ruler of an ordinary physical kingdom from this world, but is the king of a kingdom that will outlast all others because its nature is not of this world.
Image: Christ before Pilate, no known restrictions. Image location: https://picryl.com/media/christ-before-pilate-jesus-condenado-por-pilatos-jesus-condamne-par-pilate-2
www.gracegastonia.com/sermon-blog/2021/11/21/the-new-beginning-john-1833-37
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
Grace Anglican Church, Sundays @ 10 AM, 800 Robinson Rd, Gastonia, NC
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 551081, Gastonia, NC 28054
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