Sermons on Spiritual Life (Page 28)

The Mind of Christ

Ephesians 1:3-14 Mark 6:14-29 The beheading of John the Baptist has been a powerful image in the minds of artists through the ages. And not surprisingly. Here the death of the one who was speaking truth to power is literally served up on a plate. This must have been a deep sadness to Jesus, as well as an omen of how his life was likely to end. He and John were cousins, probably brought up together and John’s imprisonment was…

The Reign of God – here and now

2 Corinthians 12:2-10 Mark 6:1-13 A few months ago, I was visiting my cousin while she was having tile laid. When I was chatting with the tile guy he told me that he was the pastor of a local church and had started the community food distribution. I had to adjust my perception and no longer see him as just a tile guy but as a rounded human being with special gifts beyond laying tile In today’s gospel reading, Jesus…

Seeds…

We were delighted to welcome Bishop Mary Gray-Reeves for her annual visitation. You can listen to her sermon here.

God’s Hope in Suicide

This week we heard of two prominent people who committed suicide. Two people who seemed to be at the peak of very successful careers. And CDC issued a report showing that between 1999 and 2006 the national suicide rate jumped by 30%, making suicide the 10th leading cause of death. So this morning I think we should spend some time thinking together about suicide. According to the CDC report the problems most frequently associated with suicide, are strained relationships; life…

Why?

Acts 3:12-19 Luke 24:36b-48 Why do you wonder at this? Why are you frightened and why do doubts arise in your hearts? Both this morning’s readings ask why. Why are we surprised at the way God works among us? Why do we doubt when miracles happen? The first reading this morning from Acts is a short passage taken out of its context in a longer story.  In the exciting, heady days of the early church, Peter and John were going…

Prayer of Assent

This morning’s gospel reading comes from the very beginning of Mark’s gospel. Jesus was beginning his ministry, and we are told that he got up early in the morning and went to a deserted place to pray.  Mark doesn’t tell us anything about how he prayed, but we can imagine that this was a regular practice of Jesus’. He rose early in the morning to pray. Prayer, contemplation or meditation are fundamental to the spiritual life. Prayer was foundational to…