At the hearts of all these readings, there is a longing for a real, tangible need and a reminder to refocus our attention on what is really important: proper and appropriate worship. If we move our attention from what we think we really need to worshiping God, our appetites will be reordered. Worship is meant to order reality and restore our proper desires.

Sunday’s Readings

Genesis 12:1-9 Psalm 33:12-21 Romans 4:1-17 John 3:1-16

Below is a transcript of the sermon Fr. Steve Sterry delivered at ACE on 8 March 2020.

Our Old Testament Lesson describes God’s call to Abraham.  God orders Abram, to whom He later gives the name Abraham, to gather his family and servants from the city of Haran in the north of Mesopotamia, the home of his father’s family, and travel to Canaan, a destination that would later become the area of ancient Israel.  The journey from Haran to Canaan is one of 400 miles, but Abraham and his family along with their animals and belongings would travel for many more miles through the countryside before finally settling at Hebron. All this travel would result in God’s blessing a great nation that would be formed by the settlement of Abraham and his descendants.  

God first promises to bless Abraham, and then promises to bless others through him, including all the families of the Earth.  How could all the families on earth be blessed through him? Both Abraham and his wife were advanced in age. He was 75 years old, and Sarai who God would later rename Sarah, was only ten years younger, well beyond childbearing age.  Under those circumstances, perhaps, Abraham and his family might look forward to becoming wealthy, but their prospects of being blessed with a large family, no less all the families on earth, seemed impossible.

God also promises to make Abraham’s name great.  Great to who? Himself? Others? How could this be with such a small group that included Abraham, his wife, his nephew Lot, along with a few other people who joined them from the City of Haran?  And yet, Abraham obeys God without question or complaint. He embraces the call that God has given to him.

An often forgotten part of the story of Abraham’s trip to Canaan is that, in Genesis, Chapter 11, when Abraham received his call from God, his father and family had already begun the trip from Ur to the land of Canaan, but when they arrived at Haran, Abraham’s father, Terah, made the decision to settle there.  Is it possible that Terah had been first called by God to complete the journey but had given up after traveling some 600 miles? If so, then, was Abraham also faithful to God’s call to his father by his obedience to leave his father’s house and land and to continue that journey with his family?

As Abraham’s journey continues, we are told that the Canaanites were in the land.  The land belonged to them, and so the land would probably not be available to Abraham, until later on, after Abraham’s death, then to his offspring.  Only after the Exodus could Abraham’s descendants truly possess the land. And yet, Abraham does not question God, even though he believes that his wife is too old for childbirth.

And so, as the journey continues Abraham builds altars to God at important places where he sojourns.   Presumably, he would have also offered sacrifice to God at those places. In other words, he performs acts of worship in acknowledgement of his encounter with God and in homage and gratitude for God’s promised blessings.  The end of the reading, then, finds Abraham and his group journeying south, onward to the Negev, the large desert region in today’s Southern Israel.

So, at this point, let’s look at Abraham’s situation as it appears from his early encounter with God:

• He was promised God’s blessings for both himself and his family, yet he had no descendants and was 75 years old.

• He was asked to pack up his household and head for a place called Canaan where he had never been and was occupied by other peoples

• His travels would be indirect, he would eventually journey for more than 1,000 miles before arriving at his final destination, and the land would never become his, but could only be owned by his ancestors after his death.

• He and his wife were elderly and childless, and at this point, he had no descendants; the closest family member traveling with him was his nephew.

How would we react to that situation?  Our Epistle reminds us that Abraham was not justified by works but was declared by God as righteous through his faith.  Even though God’s promises seemed to be preposterous, Abraham was willing to trust God and Obey Him. It was Abraham’s belief in God that made him different from other men.  And it was God who, through Grace, declared Abraham righteous. In other words, he was counted as righteousness despite his propensity to sin. And Abraham was blessed because of his faith in God.  Therefore, God chose him to become the father of all nations.

Chapter 19 of Matthew’s Gospel provides an example of how many of us might react if God came to us in a similar scenario.  It says, “Someone came to Jesus and said, “Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?” And He said to him, “Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” Then he said to Him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not commit murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; Honor your father and mother; and You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept; what am I still lacking?” Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property. And Jesus said to [His disciples], everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms for My name’s sake, will receive many times as much, and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last; and the last, first.”

Obviously, Abraham did exactly the opposite of the man in this story.  He left his parents and his land to obey God’s instructions. He performed what Father Greg describes in his writing for Biola’s Lenten Project as a process of “detachment.” 

As he talks about his love for books, Father Greg writes “Bearing in mind that all created things are good (cf. Gen. 1:31), I am still responsible as a Christian to steward them (that is, the books) in an appropriate and godly manner. And appropriate and godly stewardship certainly also means getting rid of them if that is what God wants. Otherwise, I’ll find out that I am no disciple at all. And I should care about this not only because my boys will be saddled one day when I’m gone with a grotesque amount of books on Christian monasticism so that they’ll have to get rid of because they’re growing old and starting to stink (like the spoiled blackberries in Heaney’s “Blackberry-Picking”, a poem that was included in the Biola devotion) but also because my willingness to detach myself from things is evidence of my submission, as a disciple, to Jesus. This is not rocket science: detachment from things is discipleship. Francis of Assisi was so willing to give it all up that he got naked in the town square! Would I do that? Will you?”

And so, what will each of us do when God asks us to follow Him on some strange new mission?  Will we choose to be like Abraham and say, I’m in, or will we find some excuse to retain the baggage that keeps us away from our obedience to God’s wishes.  We need to think on that question so that we will be ready to give our answer when God asks us to follow him on some new or unexpected quest.

Dcn Adewale Giwa-Alaka asks us to begin our Lent with the story of creation on, noticing in particular the differences God made in making man verses the rest of creation. The extra care God took and the materials he used to make man should give us perspective on our natural relationship with God. As we enter this season of repentance, realizing that natural relationship should be the start of our spiritual growth.

Readings for Transfiguration Sunday

Exodus 24:12-18 Psalm 99 Philippians 3:7-14 Matthew 17:1-9

Dr. Adam Johnson uses the readings from the seventh Sunday of Epiphany and Transfiguration Sunday to explore the story of the Transfiguration. The readings all show us how God has given the Church an unusual and somewhat backward concept of submission. In light of this unusual definition of submission we are able to see that the Transfiguration is not about looking at Jesus as something completely different from us as humans; but rather we are able to see him as a foreshadowing of our own fate.

Sunday’s Readings

Ecclesiasticus 15:11-20 Psalm 119:9-16 1 Corinthians 3:1-9 Matthew 5:21-37

Fr. Greg Peters explores a passage of St. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians and how it applies to us, as part of the same Church, today.

Sunday’s Readings

2 Kings 22:8-20 Psalm 27 1 Corinthians 2:1-16 Matthew 5:13-20

Today’s readings are a reminder that our faithfulness to God, begun through our baptism, will be rewarded with blessings and eternal life.

Sunday’s Readings

Malachi 3:1–4 Psalm 84 Hebrews 2:14–18 Luke 2:22–40

While Jesus was presented at the temple as Mary and Joseph’s participation in the law, performing their purification after his birth, Jesus’s presence in the temple is more than simply a fulfillment of the law. Simeon and Anna’s witnessing of this event reminds us that everything Jesus does creates a bridge between the old testament and the new. Liturgically, we are situated between the nativity and the crucifixion; a reminder that Jesus is the light that came into the world and also the destroyer of nations.

Sunday’s Readings

Amos 3:1-11 Psalm 139:1-16 1 Corinthians 1:10-17 Matthew 4:12-22

Continuing the narrative from last week’s gospel reading, this week we observe Jesus’s movements through the nations and see his teachings summarized by this week’s collect: that the kingdom of Heaven is at hand. The collect takes Jesus’s teaching and simplifies them into a two part instruction: first to see and hear the Gospel and second, to respond immediately to that call. Like Andrew and Simon, we need to be open to hearing the Gospel and respond by immediately living our lives in the context of Jesus’s teachings. This means that we must daily chose to make Christ the first priority in our lives.

Sermon for Epiphany II

Bishop Keith Andrews

January 19, 2020

Appointed readings: Exodus 12:21-28 Psalm 40:1-10 1 Corinthians 1:1-9 John 1:29-42

The following is a copy of Bishop Keith Andrews’ notes of the sermon he gave at Anglican Church of the Epiphany on January 19, 2020.

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“He has put a new song in my mouth;* a song of thanksgiving unto our God.” Psalm 40:3

Good evening. Today has been a beautiful day of fellowship and ministry conversations among your clergy and lay leaders. I thank you all for your time and the hospitality you have shown me. And, it is wonderful to worship with the Epiphany people who are named so in order that they, too, might reveal God through their life of following Jesus.

The gospel today is like a snippet from a digital newspaper that depicts a specific story of John the Baptist’s ministry. John is in Bethany where he is baptizing the people from surrounding towns, as well as, those who have made the trek from Jerusalem, some further distance away. He saw Jesus coming in his direction and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29) As we learn from the narrative in Exodus 12 today, the Lord was about to do a great work, so he spoke to the elders of Israel about what He was going to do and how they were able to participate in it. Nine plagues had not been enough to address the pride of Pharaoh, for he persisted in making the people of God his slaves. So, he would send the angel of Death across the land of Egypt. His instruction, then, was to select a lamb for dinner that was free from defect and spread the lamb’s blood on the lintel and the doorposts of the house. The Destroyer would not enter the homes with this sign, which was given them by the Lord. The lamb gave his life for the freedom of the people in that home who had been subject to slavery. So, let’s do a little free response, ‘What does the Lamb of God give those who receive the offering of His life for them?’

…

This is something that you should not only know intellectually, but then daily count the blessing that flows from this gift as it sets your life; your heart, on God who reveals Himself as you walk out by faith the joy of your salvation with an attitude of gratitude and generosity.

Now, let’s pick back up with John’s testimony: While it is not clear to whom John is speaking, he explained himself, “I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” (John 1:31) “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him”’ (John 2:32) “I have seen and borne witness that this is the Son of God.” (John 1:34) John, in the Spirit, understands that the One who Saves God’s people is the promised Messiah and that Messiah was revealed to Him as the one on whom the Spirit rests. Not only that, the one on whom the Spirit rests, will baptize with the same Spirit. And, the Messiah, given as God’s Son, is also the Lamb of God that not only protects God’s people from the Destroyer, but is God’s gracious gift to set people free from their sin. 2 John, then, ‘bore witness’. John said, “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world!” (John 1:29) The next day, he did the same thing as he was standing with two disciples, one of whom was Andrew, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” (John 1:36) John pointed those who sought him and re-directed them to Jesus. And when they began to follow Jesus, he asked them, “What are you seeking?” (John 1:38) They asked where he was staying so they could spend the day with him, and they did. They became his disciples because he invited them to visit with him in the home where he was staying. Then, Andrew went and told his brother, Simon, “We have found the Messiah,” (John 1:41) and Simon followed him to where Jesus was. On that day, in John’s gospel, Simon becomes Peter, ‘the Rock’.

The power of John’s witness is given us as an example to follow ourselves wherever we go. His witness points people to Jesus. Jesus forms them in their faith with lots of love, discussion, teaching, food and support. Home hospitality is a great place for people to learn from Jesus and about Jesus! While these narratives are instructive for the whole church today, it’s just us with Him in this place today.

• We are receivers of this Word and in receiving, how might we do as John did when he pointed his friends to Jesus and said—“Behold the Lamb of God!”

• Or, how might we bear witness by speaking of who Jesus is when we are in conversation with others—“I have seen and borne witness that this is the Son of God.”

• Or, how might we be more grounded in God’s Word and prayer, that we hear God speak to us as John did, “who on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain. This is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.”

• Or, Andrew, who asks where he might spend more time with Jesus, “where are you staying?”, who also spends the day with Jesus after Jesus invites him to, “Come and see.”, who then goes to his brother and, “brought him to Jesus.”

Might the people of the Epiphany be inspired today by the witness of John and Jesus and Andrew and Peter who, each in their own way, offer their bodies as living sacrifices for others that may, too, may find and feed on the Passover Lamb who is the Son of God. Because of their witness and the Spirit’s work in us, may we increase our desire and daily action to bear witness to the One who Saves.

Sunday’s Readings

Isaiah 42:1-9 Psalm 89:1-29 Acts 10:34-38 Matthew 3:13-17

As we celebrate the Baptism of our Lord, Fr. Greg reminds us that we are more similar to Jesus than we may think; that we have been equipped with the same tools as Jesus to spread the Gospel. In Baptism we are all empowered with the Holy Spirit that Jesus received in his baptism.