Spiritual Life Is What Goes On In Your Heart (Proper 30)

 The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector teaches us the difference between religious life and spiritual life. The Pharisee is religious but not really spiritual. The Tax Collector is spiritual but not really religious. These words can be confusing as their meaning overlaps. To understand this teaching we need to think of ‘religion’ as formal teachings and outward ways of showing devotion to God. In contrast we can think of spiritual life as what goes on inside a person – in their heart. Do they really love God and other people - or is what they do just a show to gain approval by other people?

1.    In Luke 18.4-14 Jesus teaches us the importance of repentance

Jesus Christ Gives Us Spiritual Life - Proper 24

The Readings are about searching for something lost and rejoicing when it is found. The parables about lost sheep and a lost coin teach us the importance of not giving up and working hard to find the lost. In the Gospel Reading Jesus is specifically targeting the Pharisees who instead of going out to search for the lost were content, like many of us, to sit around and condemn sinners. Sinners are like the lost sheep because they have wandered away from the protection of the community to do their own thing. September 11 is a good time to honour the hundreds of policemen and firemen who chose to rush into burning buildings to find and rescue Gods precious children. By the way if you are ever driving past the Museum of the Regiments on Crowchild Trail in Calgary and notice what looks like a steel beam beside the old guns – it’s a piece of the World Trade Centre presented to Calgary firefighters who volunteered to help the day after.

1. Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners

Jesus Loves To Free Us From Our Bondags - Proper 21

The Readings teach us that all of Jesus Earthly ministry involved freeing people from bondage. His purpose or mission was to give up His own sinless life as a perfect and sufficient sacrifice for the sins of all people – and potentially break to power evil and of sin-guilt so believers could have eternal spiritual life. Jesus ministry freed people from the bondage of false religious teaching and the bondages of physical illness and spiritual oppression. His goal was to free us from our foolishness, our fear and the deceptions and control of Satan. Gods’ children were to have a new spiritual life of love, joy and peace.

1. Jeremiah was freed from his bondage to fear

Eulogy for Philip Timothy Paulson - Lucille Gishler (Sister)

By Lucille Gishler (nee Paulson)

Given July 26, 2016 at Willingdon St. Church, Burnaby, B.C.

My name is Lucille Gishler. My husband and I live in northwest Calgary.  I am the 5th child out of 7 children of which Philip was the first born.

Philip was born October 29, 1933 in Innisfail Alberta. His parents Clifford and Florence Paulson had attended Prairie Bible Institute and were starting the Christian and Missionary Alliance church. It is a thriving church today. Philip was given Biblical names. Philip was one of the apostles and Timothy was St Paul’s assistant accompanying him on his missionary journeys. On Sept 19^th 1934 they left Canada to become missionaries in China with the China Inland Mission now called the Overseas Missionary Fellowship. They left from Vancouver on a Norwegian freighter. Philip was 11 months old. A few years ago I visited a friend of my mothers in Coventry, England who said she had been one of my mother’s Sunday school pupils and had who waved them goodbye in Vancouver.

What Must I Do To Have Eternal Spiritual Life? (Proper 15)

Jesus is asked the big question - and He gives the big answer. Notice that he does not give the usual Gospel of John answer about believing in Jesus. Instead, since he is asked as a test of Hebrew orthodoxy; he gives what we might call the “Hebrew” answer. In everyday use we tend to shorten this to “love God and your neighbour” We tend to:

·         Leave out the “With all your heart” part.

·         Define neighbour too narrowly

·         Skim over the “as yourself part”

Jesus deepened, widened and strengthened the definition of love.

Our Father in Heaven (Father's Day / Proper 12)

The Prayer Jesus taught gives us the essentials of Christian Faith. It begins with the incredibly profound and comforting words that God is our father. I remember bursting into tears the first time I sang the song “I have a father”. “Father” is the first Theological definition of God in the Trinity. Father reminds us that God is ultimately our creator through His creation, including our human mothers and fathers. Fathers create, sustain and protect us as children of God. The Readings for today remind us that:

• God is our father,
• Relationship with God depends on our loyalty and
• Believers have a life of love, joy and peace - and authority in the metaphysical dimension.

1. Isaiah reminds us that rebellion has its consequences

The Father Will Give You Another Comforter (John 14.16) (Pentecost)

Pentecost is celebrated 50 days after the Resurrection of Jesus. It is a celebration of the beginning of the Covenant of Jesus when the Holy Spirit was to be poured out on all men as promised by the Prophet Joel. The Gospel Reading is part of a long talk Jesus gives at the Last Supper. He is giving the disciples an overview of what is going to happen following His arrest, trial and Crucifixion. He is trying to give them – and us comfort and hope by promising believers will not be left alone. The Good News is that God will send the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, teacher and healer to be His presence with them – and us.

1. We, like The first Disciples need comfort

John 14 begins with the words “Do not let your hearts be troubled”. Jesus has just given them the bad news that one of them is about to betray Him and that He is about to be arrested, taken from them and killed. The Disciples were wondering what would happen to them.