All Souls Bangor

This message is a reflection on the Sermon on the Mount as a whole.  During this section of Matthew, Jesus offers some teachings that seem to set the bar impossibly high.  Rather than trying to explain this difficulty away, perhaps it is best to remember that in these teachings Jesus is revealing God's character not just a human ethical ideal.  Perhaps the role of these teachings is to prepare us for grace.  Paul suggests that the law is meant to reveal sin as sin.  Perhaps Jesus' teachings in the Sermon on the Mount accomplish the same.  While Jesus does call us to strive toward obedience, his teachings here also remind us of our need for grace.  It is this need which God graciously meets through the cross of Christ.

As we reflect on the call of the first disciples we are reminded that following Christ often requires leaving something behind.  Indeed this is the case in almost any pivotal moment in our lives.  It is not enough know the direction we ought to go, we must be willing to lay down that which is holding us back.

Reflections on the Baptism of Christ

As Christians we are called to be a light unto the world.  While we can't cast out all the darkness we can make a difference.  The world is full of darkness, but with God's help we can make it a little less so and often this is enough to make a real impact in the life of another.  Sometimes shedding just a little light and making things just a little less dark is enough for someone to find their way home to God.

Today we consider a challenging text.  The "murder of the innocents," as it is called, is a horrific thing to imagine.  While this particular event may seem distant, happening so long ago in a distant land, we continue to live in a world full of suffering and injustice.  Sometimes it even comes close to home.  Though Christ is born, the world has not changed in this regard.  Though we have welcomed Christ in our lives, they too are not immune from trouble and trial.  Our text reminds us that even while such thing persist, God remain in our midst and his purposes for our world and lives stand unthwarted.

A few reflections on the nativity of Jesus as we gathered for worship on Christmas day.

This message, given for the final week of Advent, reviews the previous advent themes of hope, peace, and joy but then draws a connection between these gifts and our capacity to love.   Joy has a way of liberating us, and what greater cause for rejoicing than the good news of the God who comes to set right our lives and world.  What greater cause for Joy than the good news of the peace-making God who even now draws near.  In trusting in this good news, we claim the joy of God and are set free to love as never before, to love others as God has loved us.

As we continue our advent journey we consider the gift of peace that comes to us in Jesus Christ.  This peace includes our reconciliation to God through the cross of Christ but so much more.  It includes not only a relationship set right but a life set right as well.  Indeed one day God's peace will reach into every corner of creation as God's redeeming power is brought to bear upon it and all things are made new.  A world set right, this is peace.  As we wait and pray for that today, we are called to let God's peace reach into ever corner of our lives.  We are also called to join in God's working peace-making in the world around us as a witness of God's love and intent.

Today we start the advent journey toward Christmas.  Our first thematic stop is hope.  We consider the faithfulness of God in history, his coming to us in Jesus, and reclaim a bold hope for the future.  We proclaim our hope that God will come again and bring his redemptive work to its culmination.  That day is not yet, but even now God comes.  This too is part of our hope.  We hope not only for God's coming again at the close of history, but for God's coming into our hearts and lives here and now.  As a people of hope, we prepare him room.

The disciples marvel at the beauty of the temple only to have Jesus tell them it will be destroyed.  We often forget that even that which appears to be enduring is not.  The only thing that will truly endure is God which is why God alone is worthy of our trust.  Key texts include Luke 21:5-19