Sunday Homilies
We need a time to remember that from dust we come to dust we return. There are propitious times to consider our frailty and our falleness. Psalm 27 encourages us to lift them back up to the Lord and use them to express our need. Come Lord Jesus, abide among your people.
Genesis 15:1-12,17-18
Psalm 27
Philippians 3:17-4:1
Luke 13:31-35
Often we think of temptation in unhelpful ways. Sin and temptation can be misunderstood if we reject our humanity. We attribute too much power to Satan, without acknowledging that Christ is more powerful and has conquered our sin. The final way we misunderstand sin and temptation if we think God is playing mind games with us.
Canon Josh Bales
Deuteronomy 26:1-11
Psalm 91:1-2, 9-16
Romans 10:8b-13
Luke 4:1-13
As we gaze at Jesus we are transformed. We are not able to stare at God's amazing beauty. But indirectly, God veils his divinity cloaked in his humanity. On the mount of transfiguration, God reveals who we are, he reveals who we pretend to be, and finally he reveals who we can be would we only let seek God's face or presence. It is in his presence that we are transformed.
Exodus 34:29-35
Psalm 99
2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2
Luke 9:28-36
Joseph knows God has loved him all along and has been alongside him all the way through and put him in a position where he could benefit the world. God cares about you down to the very hairs on your head or the hairs that used to be on your head, down to the specific trials that come your way.
Genesis 45:3-11, 15
Psalm 37:1-12, 41-42
1 Corinthians 15:35-38,42-50
Luke 6:27-38
You may be safe in body, but still not know healing. You're not free if you're still held captive by four things: 1) your possessions; 2) you appetites; 3) your emotions; 4) your need to be liked by others. How can we be truly freed from the bondage of these things that hold us down?
Reggie Kidd
Jeremiah 17:5-10
Psalm 1
1 Corinthians 15:12-20
Luke 6:17-26
Today's constellation of readings remind us: 1) We can have an attitude of gratitude because the One who died and rose again brings new perspective to the worst of situations; 2) We inherit a tradition from Nehemiah, through the early Church, to us today, of the championing of Scripture and its story; 3) A vision for Christian life, where we must each play our part in the collective earthly embodiment of Jesus Christ.
Reggie Kidd
Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10
Psalm 19
1 Corinthians 12:12-31a
Luke 4:14-21
What does God's light look like when it shines in the darkness? The past few years have left much of society cynical, even willing to embrace the absurd. But, Jesus is God's sign of life in a world that has all but given up. Jesus invites us to worship, and absorb His light so that we too will shine in a darkened world. Jesus is, and we are, God's signs that something is still right, and God is still sovereign.
Josh Bales
Isaiah 62:1-5
Psalm 36:5-10
1 Corinthians 12:1-11
John 2:1-11
What is the most precious thing in your life? The Magi, who represent the nations of the world being drawn to the King of Kings, bring precious gifts to the Christ child. These precious gifts represent their acknowledgment of His royalty, His divinity, and the anticipation of His sacrificial death. The Magi recognized the appearance of God's glory, and responded by bringing their most precious gifts.
Reggie Kidd
Isaiah 60:1-6
Psalm 72:1-7
Ephesians 3:1-12
Matthew 2:1-12
What if the center and source of faith lies outside of us, and not in us? Jesus Christ believed for us what we cannot believe ourselves. Christ also sees more in us than we can see in ourselves, yet He believes in us. Lastly, Christ, by His Spirit, puts faith into us. God gives you your own ability to believe.
Reggie Kidd
Isaiah 61:10-62:3
Psalm 147:13–21
Galatians 3:23–25; 4:4–7
John 1:1–18
Have you said "yes" to the invitation to play your part in God's story? As we prepare for Christ's return, this week's readings invite us to reflect on whether we have our proverbial "house in order". Do we live ruled by the tenderness of Christ? Have we allowed the atoning sacrifice of Christ to quiet and bring peace to our conscience? Are we filled with joy that comes from knowing our purpose in God's story of salvation?
Patricia Orlando
Micah 5:2-5a
Hebrews 10:5-10
Luke 1:39-55
Paul encourages us to rejoice as we look to the Second Advent of Christ with three reminders: 1) We can have joy now as though it is finished. 2) We can also live in the gentleness of Christ, so that his life becomes attractive to those who have known only bitterness and anger. 3) We can have peace, knowing that our God holds us with strong and mighty arms.
Reggie Kidd
Zephaniah 3:14-20
Philippians 4:4-7
Luke 3:7-18
Advent is a time where we prepare for Jesus to be born anew into the "nitty gritty" details of our lived experience. Luke grounds the advent narrative in a particular historical context- a real time and a real place- because Jesus is coming in reality.
Josh Bales
Malachi 3:1-4
Philippians 1:3-11
Luke 3:1-6
The once and future King declares what no other king can declare: "Innocent." Heaven and earth will pass away but his verdicts will not.
Peter Tepper
Jeremiah 33:14-16
Psalm 25:1-9
1 Thessalonians 3:9-13
Luke 21:25-13
"Nobody can tell me what to do!" This sentiment may be the greatest challenge facing First World Believers today. All the benefits of our social and political liberties often lead us to forget that the freedom we have in Christ is the freedom to serve. We need the constant reminder that Christ is King, and we are not. Yet, we are also called to live as free people, children of the King.
Reggie Kidd
2 Samuel 23:1–7; Psalm 132:1–13
Revelation 1:4b–8
John 18:33–37
What if we don't have to live in fear of tomorrow? When it feels like the world is falling apart, it really matters who you are following. Jesus invites us to follow Him through the chaos of this world as He brings us to New Life.
Josh Bales
1 Samuel 1:4-20; 1 Samuel 2:1-10
Hebrews 10:11-14 (15-18) 19-25
Mark 13: 1-8
We need crash helmets for worship on All Saints Day: 1) because of mind-blowing truths (Jesus weeps, he ascends as King of glory, and he will set a table for us at the end of time when he makes all things new); and 2) because the saints who have gone before us are still a part of us, and are cheering us on!
Reggie Kidd
Isaiah 25:5–6; Psalm 24; Revelation 21:1–6a;
John 11:32–44
Humans have historically tried to connect with the divine by offering sacrificial gifts. These offerings ultimately cannot perfect the conscience of the worshipper. Jesus, however, was designed to do what human sacrificial systems cannot. Christ offers a better sacrifice, one both human and divine.
Josh Bales
Ruth 1:1-18
Hebrews 9:11-14
Mark 12:28-34
Luke & Paul are a powerful duo: one expert in health of the body, the other health of the soul
Reggie Kidd
Sirach 38:1-4,6-10,12-14; 2 Timothy 4:5-13;
Luke 4:14-21
God speaks to us, but are we listening? He speaks to us in creation, in our conscience, through other Christians, through the canon of Scripture, and pre-eminently in his Son, Jesus.
Canon Peter Tepper
Job 38:1-7, 34-41
Hebrews 5:1-10
Mark 10:35-45
Life without God is a living hell. Life with God can feel like hell, but it's leading to heaven. Jesus sees all the way into our hearts and doesn't jump back in fear. He loves us, and gives us room for repentance. He invites us to bring our hearts confidently to receive mercy and grace.
Reggie Kidd
Job 23:1-9, 16-17
Hebrews 4:12-16
Mark 10:17-31
