Jesus Delivers Us from Evil (Epiphany 2)

 This is how our Psalm (40) ended. It summarizes the three Epiphany moments of the Readings and also of course, the Lord’s Prayer. This is the great cry of our hearts when we are in trouble. The three Epiphany moments in the Readings are:

·     Isaiah: In Babylon the Hebrews realized they could not save themselves

·     John: realized Jesus was the Lamb of God who would deliver all people from the bondages of sin and spiritual blindness

·     Paul: The Corinthians, like us, needed to experience Jesus deliverance from both the bondage of sin and spiritual evil

·     We all need epiphany moments when our spiritual eyes are opened by Jesus, the light of the world 

 

1.    We cannot save ourselves

Baptisms of Repentance & Holy Spirit Fire Give Us Hope (Baptism of Jesus)

 John the Baptist teaches us how to become serious Christians with joy and hope. Hope frees people from fear of sin-guilt and death and enables us to love God, ourselves and others. The first step is the baptism of repentance which prepares us for the second Baptism of the Holy Spirit Fire. As the Holy Spirit comes into us and exposes our hidden sins, we experience the baptism of the holy fire of God’s love. The file of God’s love burns up our sins and brings us into an eternal spiritual life of joy in His Kingdom.

1. The First Baptism is Repentance

Amazing Conversations at Jesus Birthday Party

 Our Anglican Holy Communion Service is like a birthday party. We gather and talk about someone (3 Readings), re-connect with each other (Confession and Absolution), have gifts (offering) a special meal (Eucharist) with a special prayer and song (Lord’s Prayer). Let’s start by talking about Jesus and getting to know him better:

1. Isaiah (7.10-17) Talks about an Amazing Sign from God

It is an amazing sign, prophesied 700 years before Jesus was born – a virgin will get pregnant and have a baby. There is no mention of who the father is. Who do you think the father will be?

What does this tell us about Jesus?

 

2. Luke (2.1-20) is the Amazing Story of Jesus Birth

What Are You Looking For? (Advent 3)

 The word "Advent" is from the Latin verb "veno" to come and the prefix "ad" which means before. We are focusing on how to be ready for Jesus whenever comes. In the Gospel Reading (Matthew 11.2-11) Jesus is explaining what people were looking for in John the Baptist. You can not prepare to meet Jesus or Holy Spirit if you do not know what or who you are looking for.

1. Jesus asks if they were looking for a reed blowing in the wind?

Jesus is teaching about John and Himself by explaining what John was not: 

Hope Calls Us to Wake Up and Be Ready (Advent 1A)

We live in a time like Isaiah when most people have become distracted and lost their faith in God. They have no fear of God’s judgement, no hope for eternal spiritual life in Jesus. We are a faithful remnant waiting for Jesus to return in Glory to judge humanity and restore His Kingdom on Earth. The Good News is that we are a people who have faith and a real hope that this will come soon and include us. The Readings remind us to put off deeds of darkness and cloth ourselves with Jesus and His armour of light.

1.    Isaiah Gave Israel the Hope of Restoration

How To Enter the Kingdom of God (Reign of Christ)

 On the Cross Jesus shows us how God reigns over His Kingdom with love. The Reign of Christ that we celebrate today is a spiritual time that began 2000 years ago on the Cross and will continue to the end of time. The Prophet Jeremiah reminds us of why Jesus had to come. The Apostle Paul explains who Jesus is. The thief on the cross models how to come into this spiritual kingdom that is both visible and invisible. 

1. Jeremiah explains why God had to intervene

Obstacles To a Life of Grace (Clergy Cursillo weekend talk)

 You have now been invited to commit yourselves to the Ideal of a “Life of Grace”, and been taught how to grow spiritually in that life as part of a church community through worship and sacraments. This new “life of grace is easy to live out here in a retreat environment surrounded by friends who encourage and support you. The problem is we can’t all stay here forever. We all have to go back to our lives in what we are tempted to call the “real world”. The bad news is that:

·      Most of the people around us do not know about Jesus / have a life of grace

·      World has been corrupted by human weakness and sin

·      People have been deceived by false teachers and demons

 

This is your spiritual “boot camp”. Unlike soldiers taught to defend themselves against an obvious physical attack; you need to learn how to protect yourself from both your own desiresand a hidden enemy who tries to deceive youthrough your mind. You will need to work hard at piety, study and action to overcome the obstacles to living a spiritual life of grace. 

 

1. Sin is an obstacle to living a life of grace - spiritual life