Of More Value than Sparrows, Matthew 10:16-33

Fr. Jeremiah Caughran Of More Value than Sparrows, Matthew 10.16-33, Romans 5.15-19

In light of being sent by Jesus out to proclaim the kingdom, Jesus warns his apostles of the difficulties they will face amongst the people they go to. This warning extends far beyond the immediate mission they are going on, but expands to include all of church history. There is persecution and mockery faced Christians of all ages. Why does this happen? How are we to respond to these hardships? Jesus reminds us that even in the midst of persecution, we are more valuable than the sparrows and hairs upon our heads, things which God the Father does care about, yet not as much as he cares for us.

Image: Sparrows, photo taken by hedera_baltica, license CC BY-SA 2.0. No changes made. Image location: https://www.flickr.com/photos/hedera_baltica/23727592494/in/photostream/

Tripping Upon Grace in Order to Stand Up, Matthew 9:35-10:15, Romans 5:1-11

Fr. Jeremiah Caughran Tripping upon Grace in order to Stand Up, Matthew 9.35-10.15, Romans 5.1-11

Jesus tells his disciples to pray for laborers to go out bring a harvest of salvation. He then sends them out in light of their prayers. But they go with grace, they go as sinners saved by the very grace that they put forward to their hearers. We too go out with grace that overcomes all our sinfulness before the Father because our going out is on account of Jesus laying down his life for us. And so, we trip upon grace as believers, falling down due to our sinfulness, but there is grace that we trip upon to bring us healing and strength to stand back up and go forward with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Image: Wheat Field with Crows, Vincent van Gogh, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The Remedy for Temptation, Matthew 4:1-11, Romans 5:12-21

Fr. Jeremiah Caughran The Remedy to Temptation and Death, Matthew 4.1-11, Romans 5.12-21

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Jesus’ temptation in the desert should not come as a surprise for us. For him to be our substitute and representative, he must undo where Adam failed. In the Garden, Adam gave in to temptation and sinned. In the wilderness, Jesus said ‘No,’ and resisted Satan. He then cast him away from himself. Jesus does this for us that we might have a remedy to temptation and sin and be renewed from the results of our sinfulness.

Image: Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

He Knows Even the Sparrows, Matthew 10:16-33

Fr. Jeremiah Caughran He Knows Even the Sparrows, Matthew 10.16-33

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Jesus continues teaching his disciples about the what will happen as they go out to make the kingdom known. They will face various kinds of persecution because of the name of Jesus. Yet, despite all of that, they should not fear man because the Father in heaven knows when even a sparrow falls and we are all of greater value than they are before God. And so, we are to know that because Jesus has dealt with our sin, we are wholly known by the Father and can go forward without fear into the world.

Image: 4112008, by Jimpg2_2015, licensed under: CC BY-SA 2.0 (no changes made). Image location: https://www.flickr.com/photos/9146740@N03/3100062680

One Act of Righteousness, Matthew 4:1-11, Romans 5:12-21

Fr. Jeremiah Caughran One Act of Righteousness, Matthew 4.1-11, Romans 5.12-21

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St. Paul speaks of the one act of righteousness of Jesus in his epistle to the Romans. What does this act encompass? Is it only a reference to the crucifixion or is there a an underlying reality within the one act of Jesus? What does his temptation have to do with this? So many questions flowing from the texts for this First Sunday in Lent and Father Jeremiah examines them in this sermon that considers the one act of righteousness.

Image: Temptation of Christ, 12th century mosaic in basilica di San Marco, anonimus, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Christ versus Adam, Romans 5:12-21

Fr. Jeremiah Caughran Christ Versus Adam, Romans 5.12-21

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St. Paul continues his explanation of our salvation. In this passage he reveals how Adam’s sin has had affected all humanity, but then how Jesus has more than overcome that affect of Adam. To find out more, listen to Father Jeremiah’s sermon now.

Image:  Photo taken by Alberto Fernandez Fernandez, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 (no changes made). Glory of the Newborn Christ, by Daniel Gran, ceiling painting in St. Anne’s Church, Vienna.. Image Location: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Glory_of_the_New_born_Christ_-_Annakirche_Vienna.jpg

Present Hope for the Future Lies in the Past, Romans 5.1-11

Fr. Jeremiah Caughran Present Hope for the Future Lies in the Past, Romans 5.1-11

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In chapter 5 of Romans, St. Paul begins by declaring that we have peace with God through Jesus Christ. He goes on to list a whole host of other blessings that we have received that all flow out of the same person, Jesus. How does this come about? St. Paul goes on to explain what Jesus has done and when he did it. What he says makes us all realize that our present hope for the future lies in the past.

Image: Photo by Knight Likeness, Hope for the Future… used under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 (no changes made). Location: https://www.flickr.com/photos/knight_lightness/5489649902

The Good, the Bad, the Ugly, and the Beautiful, Matthew 4.1-11, Romans 5.12-21

Fr. Jeremiah Caughran The Good, the Bad, the Ugly, and the Beautiful, Matt 4.1-11, Rom 5.12-21

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As Jesus went into the wilderness to be tempted, he was going out to do what Adam had failed at doing. Jesus was going out to resist temptation on behalf of his people, so that all who are united to him, might become resisters of temptation as well. Paul explains this in Romans 5, that Jesus has become the second and greater Adam by his act of obedience. Father Jeremiah tells us more in this week’s sermon.

Image: Temptation of Christ by Vasily Surikov, 1872. Public Domain. Location: https://www.wikiart.org/en/vasily-surikov/temptation-of-christ-1872