Epiclesis

In this world, you’re not going to be liked for one reason or another. In fact, you might even be hated. We talk sometimes about what we’d like to be remembered for—or about what we’d like to be known or admired for. But what would you like to be hated for? Someday, maybe even today, someone is going to see you or hear you and get angry and "gnash their teeth," as the Psalmist says.

Join Pastor Chris as he looks at three Scripture passages to discover ways we can faithfully live in a contentious world divided by tribal factions.

 

Pastor Chris was back in the Chapter House with Robert Brown to talk about several passages of Scripture-- and they all had (at least in Pastor Chris' mind) some things in common. There's a verse in Psalm 112 that talks about how the wicked see how the righteous live and they are "vexed" and "gnash their teeth." What does that say about them? And what does that say about how we should live in light of Kingdom values?

Join us! It was an interesting conversation.

The image associated with this podcast is of the ceiling of the Chapter House of York Minster Cathedral in England. Photo credit: Tom Bartel, 2013.

This Sunday morning teaching happened in an atypical, even experimental form— a sermon in dramatic dialogue. In a kind of homage to the quirky, 1981 film, My Dinner with André, the “sermon” mirrored the wide-ranging, personal, and deep conversation between Wallace and André (the actual names of the actors/characters in the movie). But the content of Sunday’s dialogue between André (Pastor Chris) and Wallace (Robert Brown) centered on two friends catching up after a long absence who had, unbeknownst to each other, had married, had families, become Christians, and pursued careers/callings neither expected of each other or themselves. André had become an Eastern Orthodox layman and a Marriage and Family Therapist, while Wallace had become a Presbyterian pastor.

The Lectionary texts consist of a Wisdom Psalm (Psalm 15), and a Prophetic text (Micah 6).

After André and Wallace retell their conversion stories and the life events that led them up to the present, they end up talking about the Epiphany texts for Wallace’s upcoming sermon. That discussion forms the key transition to the real meat of the conversation—how we as Christians might wrestle with such texts.

Note: The photograph associated with this podcast is a production still from the movie "My Dinner with André."

A life- and soul-altering event accounts for Psalm 27.  A profound and intimate experience of God has driven David to this conclusion: "With a Friend like this, I need fear no one" (v. 1). Reflecting on David's response to God's astonishing deliverance, Jay Dudley discloses three stunning experiences of answered prayer that have had a similarly soul-altering impact on him. The sermon is a 3-point "experiential Amen" to Psalm 27:1

The artwork associated with this podcast is titled "Psalm 27" by Chris Duffett.

 

 

The word "epiphany" has at least two words, also appearing in Scripture, with related meanings: "advent" and "apocalypse." In this sermon, Pastor Chris led the congregation in a look at those terms and how they might found in three Bible passages-- two in John's Gospel and one in Acts. So many times with Jesus, who is the ultimate epiphany of all, we can see all three things at work at the same time. How might that be? Join us and find out!

 

The painting associated with this sermon/podcast is "The Baptism of the Christ II" by Daniel Bonnell, a favorite artist of our church family.

Rev. Robert Brown was in the Chapter House to discuss epiphanies, an especially appropriate topic in this present Season of Epiphany. He and Pastor Chris took a look at three passages of Scripture, two in John's Gospel and one in Acts, to examine some important Epiphany themes. Along the way they also teased out aspects of Apocalypsis and Advent also present in the passages. What do you think those three terms might have in common (Epiphany, Apocalypsis, and Advent)?

Jump in and join us! It was a delightful conversation.

The image associated with this podcast (viewable on the Epiclesis website but not on the iTunes platform) is of the ceiling of the Chapter House of York Minster Cathedral in England. Photo credit: Tom Bartel, 2013.

We can’t possibly realize how wide the gulf was between Jews and Gentiles until Jesus came along. But that wasn’t the way it was supposed to be. God had intended Israel to be a light to the nations.

In their pride and in their exclusive claims to God, Israel was not a light and had even become a stumbling block. What was left was an unfathomable chasm between Jews and Gentiles. Israel being set aside for holiness had transformed into superior separation.

Enter the Apostle Peter who has an epiphany: "I now realize," he says. And just what was it that Peter finally understood, and what made it happen? Join us!

 

The artwork associated with this podcast (viewable on the Epiclesis platform but not in Apple podcast) is titled "St. Peter Penitent" by Guido Reni.

The Word made flesh. On this second Sunday of Christmastide, Rev. Robert Brown shared from the prologue to John's Gospel, one of the most magisterial and theologically rich passages in all the New Testament. These carefully crafted words are often the first that new Christians read in the Bible. John uses "simple," familiar words-- words that new Christians can be nourished by. Yet they are words that even many lifetimes of study and meditation could not possibly plumb the depths of.

Woven into its tapestry are some of the most intricate designs and vibrant colors one could possibly imagine: teaching about the very being of the triune God; creation and new creation; the Light of the world shining in the darkness;  the Gospel's purpose; the Incarnation of the divine Word; the Word made flesh, God dwelling with his people, the sacred tabernacle--the nexus between heaven and earth--embodied in Jesus, the God-man.

This sermon is a quick guided tour beneath the surface of some of those familiar words, phrases, and concepts in an attempt to whet our appetites for a rich feast of meditative contemplation and--by the power of the Spirit--consideration of the written incarnate Word in our own lives.

 

Note: The artwork associated  with this podcast (viewable on the Epiclesis website but not through Apple iTunes) is titled "The Word Made Flesh" by Donald Jackson.

How does a godly man respond to dreadful circumstances? We should look at Joseph. You'd be hard pressed to come up with a godly man who had more dreadful circumstances to deal with. It seems like just as soon as the Son of God is born and worshipped by the visiting magi, evil threatens. That cozy scene of the Christmas manger draws to a close, and an angel appears to Joseph with a disturbing message about his family's safety.

Pastor Chris shows us some things we can (once again) learn from a godly man.

The artwork associated with this post (viewable on the Epiclesis platform but not in iTunes Podcast) is "The Flight into Egypt" by Eugene Girardet.

We just don’t know much about Joseph. Although that’s not really a good reason for him getting less time in the Christmas carol collection than the shepherds or wise men. Or the animals! But what we do know about him, though, is helpful in getting a picture of the man. Even in our passage for this week— where Joseph doesn’t even say a word— we can pick up on several things to help us understand what kind of person Joseph was.

Truth is, we need more Josephs. Join us and find out way!

The painting associated with this podcast/sermon is 'The Holy Family with a Little Bird" (detail) by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo. It is viewable on the Epiclesis platform but not in iTunes Podcast.