St Johns Episcopal Church – St. John's Episcopal Church, Suffolk, VA

Our hope is found in the saints of our lives – sermon from All Saints Sunday 2023

Administrator — Sun, 05 Nov 2023 21:58:02 +0000

In worship we began with a prayer that reminds us that we have been chosen to live together as one body of believers, joined in ways which we can’t truly understand. We also were called to remember that God has prepared the way for us to proceed from today into eternity. Our first reading from the Revelation to John was the description of John seeing the myriad of believers in heaven, drawn from every people and nation. Those who had been faithful to God were rewarded for their faith. The Psalmist sang the reminder that we need to bless the Lord at all times and to proclaim God’s greatness over all things. The reading from John’s first Epistle reminds us that we are children of God and, as such, are protected and supposed to learn from the relationship we have with God and other believers.

Today’s sermon was based on Matthew’s account of the Beatitudes, the listing of blessings found in relationship with God. We realize that God’s standards are not the world’s standards and in the long run the faithful will be blessed. But, we are also reminded that we weren’t created to be abused for our relationship with our creator – that is a wholly human reality. The pain we suffer is real, but the promise of the future is sure. The saints who have gone before us are our assurance of that truth.

I invite your comments,
Les+

Readings: Revelation 7:9-17; Psalm 34:1-10, 22; 1 John 3:1-3; Matthew 5:1-12

Listen at: https://audiomack.com/fatherles-1/song/all-saints-sunday-sermon

Our greatest gift is sharing our relationship with God with others – sermon from 10/29/2023

Administrator — Sun, 29 Oct 2023 19:51:12 +0000

As we worshipped today we were reminded that God’s gifts to us are faith, hope, and charity. We realize these gifts when we share them with others in relationships built on the promises given by God through Jesus. Our lesson from Hebrew Scripture today was the closing of Deuteronomy when Moses is shown all of Israel by God and Moses’ responsibility as leader of Israel is transferred to Joshua. We see the orderly transition of leadership when the time came. The Psalmist sang a song reminding us that this present moment is ours to live while God’s sense of time is fluid and outside our comprehension. In Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians tells us that our motive needs to be love – a life of relationship not specifically affection. Paul’s ministry is solely to bring glory to God not to himself.

Our sermon was based on the gospel reading from Matthew. In this, we hear the Pharisees try to trip Jesus up again with the question “what is the greatest commandment?” Jesus reminded them that our job is to love God and our neighbor. The greatest gift we have received is the relationship we have with God and that we freely share with others. Jesus makes a difference in all we do and is the greatest thing we have to share with others.

How are you challenged to use our greatest gift, today and forever? I invite your comments,
Les+

Readings: Deuteronomy 34:1-12; Psalm 90:1-6, 13-17; 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8; Matthew 22:34-46

Listen at: https://audiomack.com/fatherles-1/song/22-pentecost-sermon

Our greatest gift is to live a life well lived – sermon from 10/22/2023

Administrator — Sun, 22 Oct 2023 18:55:04 +0000

In worship, we celebrate the revelation of God among all people. We ask for reminders of God’s mercy and pray that God can preserve the people who are church throughout the world, those who trust that God is God. In our Hebrew Scripture from Exodus, we hear the exchange between God and Moses on the mountain, just prior to the second giving on the 10 Commandments. God comes near Moses and shields him before making his presence know, the presence that will lead Israel. The Psalmist sang a refrain which reinforces God’s tangible presence among God’s people. God is there for those who look for God. In Paul’s 1st letter to the Thessalonians, we are reminded that Paul lives his life knowing and believing that God will be with him and that God will make Paul succeed in God’s plan.

Our sermon was based loosely on the gospel reading from Matthew where the Pharisees and Herodians try to get Jesus to violate Roman or Jewish law regarding the payment of the Temple Tax. Jesus reminds them that there are things that belong to God and things that belong to the powers of the world. Our job is to give the things to the right entity. We are reminded that the greatest gift we have is to live a life well lived. God gives directions and calls us to a life lived at the intersection of the spiritual and the earthly. Our mission is to render the gifts we have in ways which honor God and bring hope to the earth.

God will lead us and if we look, we will see God’s eternal presence come near and lead us to real life. How is God leading your forward?

I invite your comments,
Les+

Readings: Exodus 33:12-23; Psalm 99; 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10; Matthew 23:15-22

Listen at: https://audiomack.com/fatherles-1/song/21-pentecost-sermon

God is subversive, but brings real life in community – sermon from 10/15/2023

Administrator — Sun, 15 Oct 2023 19:24:58 +0000

In worship we were reminded that God’s grace not only leads us on the road, God’s grace follows us a protects us from being overcome from the past. We also remember that the good work we do is part of God’s plan to bring wholeness to our fractured society. Our reading from Hebrew Scripture was from Exodus and is the account of the Israelites forcing Aaron to build the golden calf idol. It is a reminder that we can be seduced to turn back when things become challenging. Our Psalmist reminds us that God is good and worth giving thanks for. Yet, God’s standards can be disruptive of the life the world wants us to live. But we choose to follow God along the chosen way. Our New Testament from Paul’s letter to the Philippians serves a reminder that in God we find wholeness and faithful leadership. The leadership we share is one where we cooperate to include all in God’s grace and plan – not serving ourselves but the greater plan of God.

Our sermon was based on the gospel account from Matthew of the king who invited people to the wedding banquet. In this story the king is spurned and, in a sense, overreacts to being rejected. But we are reminded that being called is not the end, being chosen and being part of the community and the work that demands is the end. Just showing up is not the goal – living a life of faith is our mission. How do we live faithfully into our call and the choice of following God?

I invite your comments,
Les+

Readings: Exodus 32:1-14; Psalm 106:1-6, 19-23; Philippians 4:1-9; Matthew 22:1-14

Listen at: https://audiomack.com/fatherles-1/song/pentecost-20-sermon

How big is God’s grace? Bigger than we imagine – sermon from 10/8/2023

Administrator — Sun, 08 Oct 2023 18:25:49 +0000

In worship we enjoyed the reminder that God is bigger and more willing to be in relationship with us than we are able to comprehend or ask for. God’s grace and mercy are more plentiful and more accessible than we think we rate in our sinfulness. God loves us more than we can imagine. Our lesson from Hebrew Scripture from Exodus was a recounting of the 10 Commandments. One really important part of the Commandments is found in the preamble to the words, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt…” God is with us and because this is true, we act in right ways. The Psalmist declares the magnitude of God’s connection to people and reminds us of the relationship we have. Our sermon was based on a collection of thoughts from the Gospel and Paul’s letter to the Philippians. In the Gospel from Matthew was the parable of the “wicked vineyard workers” and their rejection of the vineyard owner. God, being the vineyard owner, will make sure people are present to do God’s work. In Paul’s letter, we were reminded that Paul was capable of learning about his audience and arguing his position from their perspective. The message does not change, rather the way we relate the message in ways others can understand changes. Our mission is to keep learning about ourselves and our neighbors. Where is your challenge?

I invite your comments,
Les+

Readings: Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20; Psalm 19; Philippians 3:4b-13; Matthew 21:33-46

Listen at: https://audiomack.com/fatherles-1/song/pentecost-19-sermon