Hear the messages that Father Jeremiah delivers each week
to the congregation of Grace Anglican.
When Jesus appears to the disciples on the evening of his resurrection they are shocked and surprised, but Jesus quickly brings them peace and calling. However, Thomas was not there and he refuses to believe until he can see and touch Jesus himself. These events are shocking to us when we consider the unexpectedness of Jesus’ resurrection, but they teach us a great deal about where we can now meet Jesus.
Image: Duccio di Buoninsegna, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
What is so important about Jesus’ resurrection? Why do we talk about it constantly and set aside one day a year in which to have a grand celebration? Father Jeremiah looks into these questions and helps all to see that Jesus’ resurrection from the dead is now the hinge upon which all the world turns.
Image: Internet Archive Book Images, No restrictions, via Wikimedia Commons Image Location: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Bible_panorama,_or_The_Holy_Scriptures_in_picture_and_story_(1891)_(14785046505).jpg
Jesus’ death is the final sacrifice. No others are needed because his is a truly perfect one. He embraces death that we might know life for eternity.
Image: Drawn by Gustave Doré, engraved by J. Gauchard Brunier. Scanned by Michael Gäbler with Epson Perfection 4490 Photo., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
At the Last Supper our Lord, Jesus established the Eucharist and washed his disciples’ feet. In the process of this, we are reminded that Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. How does this connect to the establishing of the Passover so long ago? Father Jeremiah explores this and explains it in his Maundy Thursday sermon.
Image: Jaume Huguet, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
What is so unique about Jesus’ death upon the cross? What makes this man’s death so important to all of history? St. Paul gives us a glimpse of this reality when he speaks of Jesus being in the form of God and yet taking on the likeness of man. We come to realize that Jesus is no ordinary man dying upon the cross, but God in the flesh dealing with our sin. And thus, Christmas and Good Friday come together for us on this Palm Sunday.
Image: Benjamin Haydon, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. Location: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Benjamin_Robert_Haydon_-_Christ%27s_Entry_into_Jerusalem_-_WGA11207.jpg
When Jesus tells the Parable of the Wicked Tenants, he is confronting the wicked leaders of the Jewish people with the reality that they had neglected how they came to be in the vineyard in the first place. The tenants were chosen and brought into the vineyard by the owner that they might care for it while he was away, but they rejected him and wanted to keep everything for themselves. Father Jeremiah explains how this relates to our very salvaiton.
Image: Phillip Medhurst, Photo by Harry Kossuth, FAL, via Wikimedia Commons
When the younger son returns from his shameful life and the older son refuses to come to the party for his brother, the father chooses not to reject his sons, but instead bears their shameful actions upon himself so that they can be reconciled to him. The father in this parable is a picture of what Jesus does for us through the cross in his bearing of our sin to restore us to God the Father.
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When Jesus is questioned about terrible events that happened to others, he turned the question back on the questioners. He saw the heart of their question came out of presumption that they were not as bad as the others that these terrible things had happened to. How do his words lead us to know a path away from presumption and guide us into true salvation through Jesus?
Image: James Tissot, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. Image Location: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Brooklyn_Museum_-_The_Tower_of_Siloam_(Le_tour_de_Silo%C3%AB)_-_James_Tissot_(cropped).jpg
Jesus tells us that salvation is a narrow gate that we must strive through at the right time. To ignore the gate can be disastrous. Father Jeremiah leads us through this parable and Jesus’ words about Jerusalem and his desire to gather the people to himself in Luke 13.
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St. Paul speaks of the word being near to our hearts that we might not have to bring it down from Heaven or raise it up from the abyss. This word is Jesus himself and he is revealed as the one who resists temptation and sin for us that we might follow in his steps and receive him.
Image: The Temptation of Christ, by Augustin Hirschvogel, public domain. Image location: https://www.nga.gov/collection/art-object-page.39380.html
An important part of Jesus’ Transfiguration is that his divine glory is revealed to his disciples. Another aspect of that event is that in our union with Christ, we become partakers of that glory in the resurrection. We too will shine with the light of the glory of God through the grace of Christ to us.
Image: The Transfiguration, Giovanni Bellini, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. Image Location: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The-Transfiguration-1480-xx-Giovanni-Bellini.JPG
Bishop Terrell Glenn joined us to preach on John 20, walking through the first evening after the resurrection. He directs us to recognize that Christ’s peace gives to us a new standing, his commands give us New purpose, and his breathing upon us gives us new creation.
Image: The Risen Christ Appears to His Apostles, photo taken by Lawrence OP. Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0, no changes made. Image location: https://www.flickr.com/photos/paullew/49780661251/in/pool-our_lord_and_savior_jesus_christ
In the lectionary for this Sunday, we heard from Jeremiah 17, Psalm 1, Luke 6, and 1 Corinthians 15. All of these passages over lap as they direct our eyes and hearts toward Jesus of Nazareth and the work he accomplishes for us upon the cross and through his resurrection. What do we treasure in our lives above all else? Is it Jesus and his word or what our own hearts tell us? Father Jeremiah brings all of this together in his sermon today.
Image: The Sermon on the Mount and the Healing of the Leper, by Cosimo Rosselli, picture taken by Frans Vanderwalle, license CC BY-NC 2.0, no changes made. Image location: https://www.flickr.com/photos/snarfel/4287572119/
When Jesus was presented at the Temple, Simeon saw him for who he truly is, the Messiah that enlightens the nations and who is the glory of Israel. What does this mean? How is Jesus fulfilling prophecy with this action of being brought by his parents to the Temple? How does it affect us today?
Image: The Presentation of Jesus at the Temple, CC BY 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
When Jesus returned to Nazareth and went to the synagogue, the others there were angered by his words. What did he say? Why did he say it? How are we to be received by God the Father? Jesus’ confrontation is an important moment in his ministry for them and for us today.
Image: Jesus Unrolls the Book in the Synagogue, James Tissot, no known restrictions. Image Location: https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollection/objects/4471
When the wine ran out at the wedding in Cana, Jesus’ mother told him about it. She then left it up to him to act, and act he did! Sometimes our prayers can only be telling Jesus what the situation is and letting him act when he will, and trusting that he will transform what we are to be ready for where we are.
Image: Jesus makes wine out of water at the marriage at Cana, etching by B. Bertoccini, after J.F. Overbeck, public domain. image location: https://wellcomecollection.org/works/pbbenjm2/images?id=qbv9kwwp
Jesus went to John to be baptized in the wilderness. In that baptism, the Father spoke and the Holy Spirit descended. This signals a change, not only in Jesus’ life, but in the life of the world.
Image: Baptism of Jesus, Andrea del Verrocchio, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
What were the Magi following? Was it just an ordinary star? What were the Magi? How did the star lead them to the exact house where the Holy Family were? Father Jeremiah explores these questions in his sermon on Matthew 2:1-12
Image: Adoration of the Magi (detail), Gentile de Fabriano, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
On the First Sunday of Christmas, Father Jeremiah read a sermon by St. Gregory of Nazianzus to explain the importance of the Incarnation of Jesus.
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Why are St. John’s words, “He became flesh and dwelt among us,” so important to us Christians? Father Jeremiah looks at this verse and how St. John leads us to this beautiful moment in John 1.
Image: Nativity, Sandro Botticelli, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Grace Anglican Church, Sundays @ 10:30 AM, 800 Robinson Rd, Gastonia, NC
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 551081, Gastonia, NC 28054
