Changed By God To Make A Difference For God

Today our guest preacher is Bishop Stephen Kewasis Nyorsok from the Diocese of Kitale, Kenya. Bishop Stephen is Fr. Philip’s bishop and we are honored and delighted to have the bishop preach today. Welcome Bishop Stephen! Lectionary texts for today Genesis 37.1-4, 12-28; Psalm 105.1-6, 16-22; Romans 10.5-15; Matthew 14.22-33.

In each of our lessons this morning, we see someone wrestling with God. Jacob is wrestling with God over God’s promises to his ancestors and him. The psalmist is wrestling with God over some apparent injustice that afflicts him. Paul is wrestling with God over the fate of his people, the Jews. Jesus is wrestling with the loss of his cousin and co-worker, John the Baptist. And of course, many of us are wrestling with serious problems and issues in our lives. What are we to make of all this wrestling? What can we learn from today's lessons? Check out what Fr. Maney has to say and see what you think. Lectionary texts for today are Genesis 32.22-31; Psalm 17.1-6, 16; Romans 9.1-5; Matthew 14.13-21.

Today Fr. Bowser preaches the final part of his three-part sermon series on marriage, sex, and money. In today's sermon, Fr. Bowser focuses on money, especially as it impacts our relationships within family systems. Check out what Fr. Bowser has to say and see what you think. There is no text for today's sermon. Please note that due to a technical glitch, the sermon recording ends before Fr. Bowser does. We apologize for the inconvenience. Lectionary texts for today are Genesis 29.15-28; Psalm 105.1-11; Romans 8.26-39; Matthew 13.31-33, 44-52.

Whether we are aware of it, we all have been infected to one degree or another by the Enlightenment bug with its deist teachings. Deism is the modern variation of an ancient teaching that God (if there is a God) is in his heaven and we are on earth and never the two shall meet. In this particular lie, God is portrayed at best as a distant (and by implication, an uncaring) cosmic landlord who only occasionally checks in on his tenants and then usually just to collect his payment and/or harass us by zapping us with some new catastrophe or affliction. And of course this notion of an absent and uncaring God gets reinforced almost every time we read about some new disaster or experience something bad in our lives or world. If God really were all powerful and loving, he’d intervene to stop all this stuff, we cry out indignantly. Let’s face it. When evil strikes and nothing seemingly is done about it, we are tempted to think the deists have probably gotten it about right concerning the nature of God. But are we aski

In our culture a battle is raging to define what marriage is and unfortunately the voice of the Church is rarely heard because frankly the mind of the Church is rather fuzzy on this matter, at least in some quarters. Fr. Bowser ends a two-part sermon series on marriage, money, and sex today, focusing on sex (everybody's favorite). In today's sermon, Fr. Bowser lays out God's original and good intention for sex and how we have distorted and perverted God's good gift to us. The results have not been pretty. Check out this lively and provocative sermon and see what you think. Lectionary texts for this week are Genesis 25.19-34; Psalm 119.105-112; Romans 8.1-11; Matthew 13.1-9, 18-23.

In our culture a battle is raging to define what marriage is and unfortunately the voice of the Church is rarely heard because frankly the mind of the Church is rather fuzzy on this matter, at least in some quarters. Today, therefore, Fr. Bowser begins a two-part sermon series on marriage, money, and sex. In today's sermon, Fr. Bowser lays out the history of Judeo-Christian marriage and reminds us of God's original intent—to bring a man and woman together in marriage for their mutual joy (BCP). Fr. Bowser then outlines the fundamentals of what it takes for a marriage to be a marriage. Check it out and see what you think. Lectionary texts for this week are Genesis 24:34–38, 42–49, 58–67; Psalm 45.10-17; Romans 7.15-25a; Matthew 11.16-19, 25-30.

Have you ever wondered what all those sacrifices are about in the Bible? Is there any continuity between the sacrifices offered to God in the OT and the sacrifice Jesus offered to God on the cross in the NT? If you have, check out what Fr. Feister has to say and see what you think. You may just learn something new. Lectionary texts for today are Genesis 22.1-14; Psalm 13.1-6; Romans 6.12-23; Matthew 10.40-42.

Do you know what the most common command is in the Bible? To clean up our act? To get rid of our idols? To pray and trust God more? None of the above. It's to not be afraid. But there's a LOT that makes us afraid. So why did Jesus command his followers to not be afraid? Check out what Fr. Maney has to say about this and see what you think. Don't be afraid. It's really not a long sermon. Lectionary texts for today are Genesis 21.8-21; Psalm 86.1-10,16-17; Romans 6.1b-11; Matthew 10.24-39.

Today is Trinity Sunday where we reflect on the holy mystery of God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Have you ever wondered how we as Christians can claim that we only worship one God, but yet claim that this one God really exists in three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit? What does that mean? How can God be one in three and three in one? The Trinity is an effable mystery and so perhaps it is helpful to look at how God has chosen to reveal himself in the narrative of scripture and in the context of human history. Check out what Fr. Maney has to say about our triune God (God in three persons) and see what you think. Lectionary texts for today are Genesis 1.1-2.4a; Psalm 8.1-10; 2 Corinthians 13.11-13; Matthew 28.16-20.

Today as we celebrate Pentecost Sunday when the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out on all of God's people in Jesus the Messiah so that he could be personally present with them, Fr. Feister talks about what it means to be part of the charismatic stream within the Anglican Communion and shares his own experiences as a charismatic. Check it out and see what you think. Lectionary texts for today are Acts 2.1-21; Canticle based on Ezekiel 36.24-26, 28b; 1 Corinthians 12.3b-13; John 20.19-23.