Hear the messages that Father Jeremiah delivers each week
to the congregation of Grace Anglican.
Jesus opens our eyes through the Law to our need for him and his work on our behalf that we might be saved from the coming disaster of our sins. Jesus is our watchman that leads us away from condemnation and into redemption, reconciliation, and restoration.
Image: Thomas Dekker, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Father John Riebe fills in for Father Jeremiah. Fr. John reminds us that we are to take up our crosses in light of the cross that Christ has taken up for us. We walk along the same path in his power and strength and it is konwn to us by our confession of Jesus as the Christ.
Image: from https://catalog.obitel-minsk.com/blog/2021/04/why-are-we-called-to-take-up-our-cross-and-what-does-it-mean-for-our-lives We cannot find an origin for this image, but it appears on many, many various webpages across the internet with no reference of usage rights.
When St. Peter answered Jesus’ question, little did he know that it would be a hinge-moment in his life. Everything would be different and he would be given the strength to continue forward in his confession.
Image: The Delivery of the Keys to Peter, Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication Image location: https://picryl.com/media/the-delivery-of-the-keys-to-peter-3c9abf
In the story of the Canaanite woman from Matthew 15, we see Jesus testing both his disciples and the woman regarding faith in what the Messiah has come to do. How does the woman respond to Jesus and how does Jesus respond to the woman? What does this tell us about the resilience of faith and our need to cling to Jesus? Father Jeremiah walks through this story and helps us to see how we can look more like the Canaanite woman.
Image: The Canaanite Woman, from Les Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry, Condé Museum, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
As the disciples are caught in the wind and the crashing waves of the Sea of Galilee, Jesus comes to them. What does Jesus reveal as he lets them know it is him? Why does Peter suddenly want to come out upon these crashing waves? Why does he begin to sink? Father Jeremiah explains today that in the chaos, Jesus is able to give us grace to come to him and to respond to us in our deepest needs.
image: Peter Walking on Water Icon, picture taken by Ted, license: CC BY-SA 2.0 (no changes made). Location: https://www.flickr.com/photos/frted/10545665155
Jesus’ feeding of the 5000 is more than a mere event in the his ministry. Jesus is fulfilling many events of God feeding his people and caring for them from the Old Testament. With that we discover that there is a greater fulfillment to this feeding to be found at the end of Jesus’ earthly ministry.
Image: Jesus Feeding the Multitude, Gustave Doré, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
As Jesus tells the people parables, one thing to remember is that the parables are about Jesus. He is revealing something of himself to the people who can hear. We should recognize that Jesus is the center of these parables and know that he is working to make us his own in his Kingdom.
image: Phillip Medhurst, FAL, via Wikimedia Commons
In the Parable of the Weeds, Jesus says that the Master of the field told his servants to wait until the harvest and to let the weeds grow amongst the wheat. And so the weeds remained with the wheat until the reapers came to separate them from one another. This would take great patience from the servants. Likewise, we too live patiently in the world awaiting the final coming of the Kingdom of God and the return of our master, Jesus. And in living patiently, we discover the Kingdom is working in us to make us more and more like the wheat.
Image: An etching by Jan Luyken illustrating Matthew 13:24-30 in the Bowyer Bible, Bolton, England, Phillip Medhurst, FAL, via Wikimedia Commons.
It is so easy for us to view the various soils from Jesus’ parable of the Sower as static soils regarding our hearts. We are one or the other. And yet, there is an aspect of which our hearts shift and receive the Word of God differently at different times. Father Jeremiah explores this idea and helps us to see how God will plow and prepare our hearts over and over so that the word can grow in us.
Image: The Sower, by Vincent Van Gogh, Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (Vincent van Gogh Foundation). Image location: https://www.vangoghmuseum.nl/en/collection/d0348V1962
Jesus tells us that he has an easy and kind yoke and is joyful that those who are children have heard his call. In a paradoxical way these two things go together. Only little children can receive Jesus, and only those who are weary can become children. This is because those are the kind of people who can put their trust in Jesus as they have not blinded themselves with their own selfishness.
Image: A woman in a large straw hat is tending two decorated oxen…, Steel engraving by C. Cousen after E. H. Landseer, licensed under: CC BY 4.0, no changes made. Image location: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:A_woman_in_a_large_straw_hat_is_tending_two_decorated_oxen_w_Wellcome_V0020839.jpg
Jesus speaks of bringing a sword instead of peace, which is seemingly shocking. And yet, when one considers that not all will believe in Jesus, it makes sense. When Jesus renews the hearts of some and others reject him, there will be conflict and division and a sword will split people apart. This is also true of ourselves. When Jesus renews our hearts, he creates a divide within us and puts us at war with ourselves. This is his work of redemption in us, to cut off the old that the new would rise up.
Image: Scenes from Matthew 10: 34-38, by Daniel Hopfer, Licensed under CC0 1.0. Image location: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Scenes_from_Matthew_10-_34-38_MET_DP835392.jpg
Jesus continues teaching his disciples about the what will happen as they go out to make the kingdom known. They will face various kinds of persecution because of the name of Jesus. Yet, despite all of that, they should not fear man because the Father in heaven knows when even a sparrow falls and we are all of greater value than they are before God. And so, we are to know that because Jesus has dealt with our sin, we are wholly known by the Father and can go forward without fear into the world.
Image: 4112008, by Jimpg2_2015, licensed under: CC BY-SA 2.0 (no changes made). Image location: https://www.flickr.com/photos/9146740@N03/3100062680
Out of His compassion, Jesus sends the twelve with his authority and power to heal and cast out demons in order to make known the Kingdom of God. What does this mean for us today? Father Jeremiah reflects upon this in his sermon from Sunday.
Image: Crowds gather as Christ heals sick people, engraving by T. Phillibrown after Benjamin West. Public Doman. Image location: https://wellcomecollection.org/works/ee8bfscw
God is continually demonstrating his covenant faithfulness towards us. And that faithfulness will always reveal to us our lack of faithfulness toward God, leading us to receive his mercy that comes through the covenant.
Image: See page for author, CC BY 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons. Image location: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jesus_calls_Matthew_from_among_the_tax_officials._Woodcut,_1_Wellcome_V0034940.jpg
The Trinity is a mystery and yet, something that has been revealed since the beginning. It is not an abstract doctrine created by the New Testament, but is the reality of God, revealed throughout the Old Testament. It is merely made crystal clear in the New Testament.
Image: See page for author, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
What is the purpose of giving the Holy Spirit to the disciples and to us? The Spirit calls gives gifts that are to be used for the good of the Church and to make Jesus known through those gifts! Father Jeremiah explains this in his latest sermon.
image: Tongues of fire descend on the apostles at Pentecost. Lithograph, See page for author, CC BY 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons. Image Location: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tongues_of_fire_descend_on_the_apostles_at_Pentecost._Lithog_Wellcome_V0034957.jpg Original location: https://wellcomecollection.org/works/qqwwq4dm
As Jesus prayed his high priestly prayer just a brief while before he was betrayed, he asked to be glorified with the glory that he had known before the world existed. This is a prayer for his ascension to come! In that ascension, he will be able to be with his people and come to us through his word and sacraments that we would know eternal life, that is, knowing the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ.
Image: National Library of Wales, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons. Image Location: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Christ_praying_in_the_garden_of_Gethsemane._Two_shields_of_unidentified_arms_in_borders,_with_motto_%E2%80%9CEntre_tenir_Dieu_le_viuelle%E2%80%9D_(f._40)_Cropped.jpg
Jesus tells his disciples that he is the true vine and that we are all branches off of him. What does this mean for our life? How does this reshape our entire Christian lives? Father Jeremiah guides us through this passage from John 15.
Image: From pxfuel.com, free for commercial use. image location: https://www.pxfuel.com/en/free-photo-jrndb
During Jesus’ discourse with his disciples before he was crucified, he told them to not let their hearts be troubled in light of the events around them. What did Jesus tell them to enable them to be comforted instead of troubled? Father Jeremiah reviews these truths in today’s sermon.
Image: The risen Jesus appears to the disciples in the upper room, photo by Nick Thompson, License CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 (no changes made). Image location: https://www.flickr.com/photos/pelegrino/4669927869
Jesus speaks of the shepherd as one who can call out to his sheep and they will come to him. He also says that he is the door for both the shepherd and the sheep. How does Jesus call out to us today? How does he water and feed us? Are there under-shepherds who serve under this one good Shepherd? Father Jeremiah considers the care of the Good Shepherd for us in today’s sermon.
Image: Shepherd and Sheep, Anton Mauve, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Grace Anglican Church, Sundays @ 10 AM, 800 Robinson Rd, Gastonia, NC
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 551081, Gastonia, NC 28054
