Celebrating God’s Transformative Presence.

Collect: Last Sunday after Epiphany

O God, who before the passion of your only-begotten Son revealed his glory upon the holy mountain: Grant to us that we, beholding by faith the light of his countenance, may be strengthened to bear our cross, and be changed into his likeness from glory to glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.  Amen.

2 Kings 2:1-12 . . . Elisha receives the mantle of prophetic responsibility from Elijah.

Psalm 50:1-6 . . . God calls the world to listen

2 Corinthians 4:3-6 . . . Paul pictures the changes brought by the light of Christ.

Mark 9:2-9 . . . Peter, James and John are forever transformed by Jess’ transfiguration.

“Dazzled” – Rev. Dr. Amy K. Butler, Senior Minister at The  Riverside Church in NYC

A Committed Christian Ministry Characterized

Collect: Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany

Set us free, O God, from the bondage of our sins and give us, we beseech thee, the liberty of that abundant life, which thou hast manifested to us in thy Son our Savior Jesus Christ; who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen

Isaiah 40:21-31 . . .  In awe-filled tones, the prophet Isaiah describes God’s majesty, power and compassion.

Psalm 147:1-12, 21b . . . The song of tender care

1 Corinthians 9:16-23 . . . Paul explains how he willingly lays down his privileges as a Christian to reach people with God’s message of good news.

Mark 1:29-39 . . . Jesus’ ministry revolves around healing and preaching, solitude and prayer.

The scope and meaning of God’s authority

Collect: Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany

 Almighty and everlasting God, you govern all things both in heaven and on earth: Mercifully hear the supplications of your people and in our time grant us your peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

Deuteronomy 18:15-20 . . . Moses encourages the people to listen to God’s prophet and thus heed God’s word.

Psalm 111 . . . The Path of Virtue

1 Corinthians 8:1-13 . . . Paul explains that true obedience to the law will be balanced by love and compassion.

Mark 1:21-28  . . . Jesus demonstrates his divine authority by healing a man with an unclean spirit.

Sermon   The Rev. Rachel May, Pastor of Boulevard United Methodist Church in Richmond, Virginia, preaches a sermon called “Even the Demons” based on the Gospel text from Mark 1:21-28.  She says, “You’ve been there.  Someone–maybe it’s you–grows quiet at the supper table because they don’t feel like they know enough to join the discussion. For all the noise out there, there are still some things you and I don’t talk about because the second we try, we feel well outside our wheelhouse.”  Exorcism, for example.  What do we know about that?  And why, in this modern world, would it matter?

The  risky nature of Christian discipleship.  For “Repentance,”  “Metanoia,” is what we are called to do.

Collect: Third Sunday after the Epiphany

Give us grace, O Lord, to answer readily the call of our Savior Jesus Christ and proclaim to all people the Good News of his salvation, that we and the whole world may perceive the glory of his marvelous works; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

Jonah 3:1-5 . . . The prophet Jonah obeys God’s call to preach to the people of Nineveh, who repent and believe.

Psalm 62:6-14 . . . A Prayer for Protection: An expression of pain, condemnation of external foes, and asking for God’s help

1 Corinthians 7:29-31 . . . Paul urges believers to give priority to God’s mission instead of the passing concerns of this world.

Mark 1:14-20 . . . When Jesus calls his first disciples, they abandon their jobs and homes—in short, their security—to follow him.

Sermon 1: Father Michael Renninger, Pastor of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Richmond, Virginia, preaches a sermon called, “Oh, Jonah He Lived in a Whale.”  But he did so much more than that.  He preached repentance to the Ninevites, the enemies of Israel.  Apparently God wanted the people of Ninevah to change their ways and experience his forgiveness.  What does God want for your enemies?

Sermon 2: The Rev. Dr. Gary Charles is pastor of Central Presbyterian Church in Atlanta, Georgia.  In this sermon from Mark 1:14-20 he says, “I’m often astonished at how many people see following Jesus as optional equipment in life, like buying an extended warranty on a car.  ‘Yes, I’d like to purchase the Jesus option, just in case there’s something to this Jesus I’ll be covered.’  Yet from the first chapter of his Gospel Mark introduces us to a Jesus who is not interested in our occasional curiosity or our arm-length respect, he is interested in claiming and transforming our lives right now.

Exploring the meaning of baptism

Collect: The First Sunday after Epiphany

 Father in heaven, who at the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan proclaimed him your beloved Son and anointed him with the Holy Spirit: Grant that all who are baptized in his Name may keep the covenant they have made, and boldly confess him as Lord and Savior; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting.  Amen.

Genesis 1:1-5;  . . . God parts the waters, transforming darkness and turmoil into light and hope

Psalm 29 . . . The voice of power

Acts 19:1-7 . . .  Linking baptism with the empowering descent of the Holy Spirit in the developing Christian community

Mark 1:4-11 . . .  As John baptizes Jesus, the heavens split apart and the Spirit descends, affirming Jesus as both messianic King and Spirit-filled servant

The Revelation of God’s Glory,  to be revisitied on March 3, 2019

Collect:  The Last Sunday after the Epiphany

O God, who before the passion of your only-begotten Son revealed his glory upon the holy mountain: Grant to us that we, beholding by faith the light of his countenance, may be strengthened to bear our cross, and be changed into his likeness from glory to glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen

Exodus 24:12-18  . . .  Moses encounters God on Mount Sinai

The cloud is a physical manifestation of the Lord’s presence.  Moses spent six days in the cloud before the Lord calls him.  He then spends 40 days and 40 nights on that same mountain where he encountered  the Lord and the burning bush and got his original call.

The Psalms provide the opportunity for the worshiper to put one’s self in the picture, make the psalm our personal response to situations.

Psalm 2  . . . Situation 1:  Struggle on the World’s Stage

Note these last three verses of this contemporary interpretation:

10) So listen well you rulers of the people, be wise pay heed to what you hear.

11) Learn service to the God of earth and heaven, in humility and awe draw close, come near.

12) Instead of fury, anger, fear and wrath, know blessedness, learn to live as a refuge of God.

Or

Psalm 99 . . .  Situation 2: Sovereign of the Universe

Another three verses:

7) And from the pillar to the clouds on high you shaped the words they heard and grew competent to understand and do.

8) There was no doubt  for them it was your words which spoke, and your forgiveness flowed to heal the inflicted for their evil deeds.

9) So it is your greatness God, that we proclaim, for you exist upon the sacred mountains of the transcendent being, And gathering now before that vast and mighty range, we worship, and in awe we honor you, O Holy One.

2 Peter 1:16-21 . . .  Peter testifies to the amazing events of Jesus’ glorious transfiguration. This letter is to be taken as the actual voice of the Holy Spirit speaking directly to us.

Matthew 17:1-9 . . .  Three of Jesus’ disciples witness Jesus’ radiance and hear the voice of God. Once the disciples know who he truly is,  Jesus begins to tell them of his impending death and resurrection. He then calls them to take up their cross and follow him down that road of suffering and vindication.  All this happened before the mountain top experience, where Peter, James and John can see the transfiguration first hand.

Note the cloud, the presence of God again.

Sermon for the Last Sunday After Epiphany: The Light

This sermon brings to mind the scripture verse most present for me these days: Isaiah 49: 6b — I give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.

Today’s readings urge us to go beyond our obligations to the challenge of loving.

Collect: Seventh Sunday after Epiphany

O Lord, you have taught us that without love whatever we do is worth nothing: Send Your Holy Spirit and pour into our hearts your greatest gift, which is love, the true bond of peace and all virtue, without which whoever lives is accounted dead before you.  Grant this for the sake of your only Son, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen

Leviticus 19:1-2, 9-18 . . . God’s calls the people to be holy and to live in love.

Psalm 119:33-40 . . . A request for guidance in keeping the commandments.

1 Corinthians 3:10-11, 16-23 . . .Paul reminds the Corinthians that all things belong to those who are in Christ

Matthew 5: 38-48 . . . Jesus declares that for his disciples unselfish love shows that we are God’s children. Followers are called to a way of life that teaches far beyond worldly standards of goodness — towards the limitless excellence of their heavenly Father.

Sermon for the Seventh Sunday after Epiphany The Rev. Gayle Hansen Browne St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Washington Court House, Ohio

Collect: The Sixth Sunday After Epiphany

O God, the strength of all who put their trust in you: Mercifully accept our prayers; and because in your weakness we can do nothing good without you, give me the help of your grace, that in keeping your commandments we may please you both in will and deed; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.  Amen.

Deuteronomy 30: 15-20, . . . Moses presents the people with their choice: love and obey the Lord and find life, or turn away to other gods and know death.

(or Sirach 15: 15-20) . . . man instruction in responsibility of human beings for their own actions.

Psalm 119:1-8 . . . a delight in the Lord’s statues, seeking to keep all the Lord’s commandments.

1 Corinthians 3: 1-9 . . . an admonishment for bickering and division

Matthew 5: 21-37 . . . a concern about the heart of human behavior.

Rev. Rachel May, Pastor of Boulevard United Methodist Church in Richmond, Virginia, preaches a sermon called “Deal with It,” based on Matthew 5:21-37. May struggles with the prohibition against “swearing falsely,” and finds in it–and in murder, adultery, and divorce–an unwillingness to deal with conflict. “So, deal with it,” Jesus says. “Just deal with it.”

A written commentary on the whole “Sermon on the Mount,” including  and explanation of each the Beatitude,  by GRACE COMMUNION INTERNATIONAL

Collect:  Fifth Sunday after Epiphany

Set us free, O God, from the bondage of our sins, and give us the liberty of that abundant life which you have made known to us in your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.  Amen

Isaiah 58:1-9a (9b-12) . . . This is a denunciation of those who only act at their religion.  There is a promise of the Lord’s favor for those who genuinely repent (strive towards a more loving mind-set — “Metanoia”)  and care for the needy.

Psalm 112

1 Corinthians 2:1-12 (13-16) . . . Paul teaches the Corinthians that the wisdom of God is very different from the wisdom in which humans pride themselves. (God’s wisdom is “Metanoia” promises.)

Matthew 5:13-20 In this lesson we learn that disciples are like salt and as light to the world.  They are to live even more righteously than pious scribes and Pharisees.

“Light Up the World” A You-Tube delivery by Father Michael Renninger, Pastor of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Richmond, Virginia,

Collect: Fourth Sunday after Epiphany

Almighty and everlasting God, you govern all things both in heaven and on earth: Mercifully hear the supplications of your people, and in our time grant us your peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.  Amen.

Micah 6:1-8 . . . God contends with the people of God, reminding them of the saving acts done for them and instructing them in the good that God expects.

Psalm 15 . . . the virtues of those worthy to worship

1 Corinthians 1:18-31 . . . God’s way of using what is weak and lowly–even what the world regards  as foolish–to accomplish the divine purposes.

Matthew 5:1-12

 . . . The Beatitudes, explained by Grace Communion International.

. . . A Fool? by William S. Bennett