Law Defines the Love of Holy People (Proper 7)

The Ten Commandments are spiritual laws that define holiness or wholeness in Christ. I am quite frankly tired of vague liberal sermons on love that seem to suggest that law is judgemental and unloving - and can sometimes be set aside for pastoral reasons. It was an Epiphany moment for me to realize that Law defines holy love. Not vague romantic or sexual love but holy love. The Readings help us understand the importance of holiness in our lives. As Men and Women "of Jesus" we have died to the unholy things of this world and been reborn into a new spiritual life of holy sacrificial love, joy and peace.

1. Holy Love Is Self-sacrificial

In the Gospel Reading (Mt. 6.38-48) Jesus is defining self-sacrificial holy love as the opposite of "getting even". This is the opposite of our human sense of justice as

Jesus Will Baptize You With the Holy Spirit (Epiphany 2)

John the Baptist had an Epiphany moment. He saw something very important about his Cousin Jesus. This revelation was perhaps even more important than Jesus being the Messiah, the Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world. John saw that repentance, water baptism and the taking away of personal sin was not the end but the means to an even greater end. Jesus sacrificial death created a new way for everyone to enter God's spiritual kingdom through belief in Jesus and baptism in the Holy Spirit.

1. Water baptism prepares us for Holy Spirit Baptism

Rejoice - Your Savior Has Come! - Christmas

The angels deliver this wonderful news to a group of frightened shepherds in the hills around Bethlehem. This is the one sentence version of the Good News of Jesus birth at Christmas. We are reminded that we are not alone. There is a God in Heaven who loves us and reaches out into this dark world in love to save us from spiritual death. God could have sent an army. God could have worked through the official church. God chose to do something very unusual. God chose to reach out to us through a baby born to an unwed 13 year old girl in a cattle ­­shed in an occupied country. It was a sign of God’s love – and a test of human faith and love. Each year we need to rejoice with the angels that our savior has come.

1. Luke gives us a very historical account of the Birth of Jesus

Luke’s tells us his mission is to “carefully investigate everything...” (1.3). In our time of questioning the authority and authenticity of the Bible, it is comforting to notice the historical details in the account:

Proclaiming Truth To A Post-truth Culture Would Be A Better Way Forward For the Anglican Church

Following the traumatic emotional experiences of all the delegates at the last Anglican Synod, Archbishop Kerr-Wilson suggested the Anglican Church of Canada needs to "find a better way forward". Let me propose that since the bishops are consecrated and charged with the unique responsibility to "...guard the faith, unity and discipline of the Church." (BAS p. 637) a better way forward would be to take back this responsibility which they unwisely shared with Synod delegates. We are living in a very confused post-truth time when our House of Bishops badly needs to change direction from meekly pandering to special interest groups to avoid conflict; to boldly proclaiming God's grace, love, forgiveness and healing to all God's children. This will mean directly and publicly challenging the false teachers who many believe have been de-constructing the Christian Faith, clearly correcting the false teachings that have destroyed our unity and enforcing serious discipline on the clergy and bishops who are causing this disunity.

1. Challenging the false teachers who have been de-constructing Christian Faith

Reign of Christ in Post-truth Kingdom of Darkness

The Reign of Christ marks the end of the Christian liturgical year. This Reign began with the Resurrection of Jesus. We celebrate our salvation in Jesus Christ from spiritual death in the kingdom of darkness and baptism into eternal spiritual life in the Kingdom of those in right-relationship with God. The Readings begin with Jeremiah's promise that God would raise up a "righteous branch" line who would save His people from spiritual death  - the consequence of their sin guilt and separation. Next Paul reminds the people of Colosse (in modern Turkey) that they have been rescued from spiritual death in the Kingdom of Darkness through their faith in the shed blood of Jesus.

1. Gospel teaches us how to enter the Kingdom of God

Notice the different responses of people to Jesus.

Four Steps To Becoming A Saint (All Saints)

Who are the “saints”? The Apostle Paul seems to be talking about both living and recently deceased members of the Christian Community. When he speaks about “the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints...” (Ephesians 1.18); it is fairly clear that the “saints” are all those who have:

·         “Heard the word of truth” and “believed (1.13).

·         Have this “hope” to which we are all called.

·         Been given the “Spirit of wisdom and revelation” (1.17) and

·         Experienced -  “the eyes of your heart may be enlightened”.. (1.18) so that people will come to personally know God

·         Jesus is explaining how the Kingdom of God is expanding into the physical world as people move through these four steps

Step # 1: Seeing our poverty

The poor are those who lack something. They know they need something more.

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