Grace Chicago Church

Homily preview: This Sunday we hop over to the gospel of John for one week to consider John’s account of Jesus’ baptism and the calling of the first disciples. There is much for us to ponder together as we continue in this season of Epiphany, contemplating the revealing of Jesus as the Son of God, and what it means that God is human in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. As we ponder this text together, we will consider Christ’s call to the first disciples, and to us: to Abide with him. This is the first call of a disciple - not to have all the answers, but to abide and lodge with God who became human.

Homily Preview: Matthew 25. In the portion we’ll be reading and prayerfully considering during the homily, Jesus tells a story to illustrate how God thinks about the vulnerable and the weak, and what our responsibilities are towards these sisters and brothers. We’re looking forward to the Spirit’s leading as we ponder Jesus’ words and seek to align our lives to the patterns of living that make for our flourishing and for the flourishing of our communities. 

Communion Reflection 12/11/2022

Homily Preview:

Homily Preview:

Advent always begins with a bang. We get apocalyptic language and the like. It is sometimes asked, why does the church calendar begin a season as cozy as Christmas with the jolt of apocalyptic imagery? The answer is that the church has always recognized that the time in which we live is in between two advents, Jesus’ incarnation and the future advent of Christ the King when he will join the world to come to this world, bringing all things and all people under his rule of peace, justice, and love.

But to live between the two advents is to need to be reminded of how to read the present in light of the future, and to ask each other: how would we then live. Cornelius Plantinga puts it this way:

Our task “between the two advents” is simple faithfulness in our work and in our attitudes — the kind of faithfulness that shows we are being drawn forward by the magnet force of the kingdom of God.

We trust God’s Spirit to use this Advent Season to make us more faithful, enabling our flourishing and the flourishing of our communities.

Homily Preview:

Momentous day ends the Liturgical Calendar and our time in Luke. Join us as we reflect on our journeys through Luke culminating in Luke 23 and Christ's crucifixion. There is much for us to consider as we reflect on how the humiliation and rejection of Christ on the cross offers us a picture of the reign of Christ and points us to the upside down kingdom of God.

Gospel of Luke.

The passage before us includes Jesus' prophecy that the Jerusalem Temple would be destroyed. This did come to pass in the year 70. But you are probably wondering how Jesus' words about that historical event can speak to us today? Well, our concerns are different in their particularity than were the disciples when they heard this prophecy. However, if you ever feel afraid or uncertain about the future; if you ever worry that God will not show up in the future; if you worry about "wars and rumors of wars" - and who doesn't!?- then you may find Jesus' words very helpful.

Homily Preview:
We are looking forward to reflecting on another remarkable story from the Gospel of Luke this Sunday. The reading recounts an incident in which some of the more powerful religious leaders of Israel ask Jesus a question that is designed to trick Jesus into giving an answer that in one way or another could be shown to be flawed, thus embarrassing Jesus in front of his followers. Jesus gives an answer that no one expected and it is those asking the questions that are silenced. There is a great deal of material suitable for application in this text.

Homily Preview:
This Sunday we look forward to being back in the Gospel of Luke where we will read a remarkable story about a man named Zacchaeus. He hears that Jesus is going to be passing by so he climbs up into a sycamore tree to make sure he has a good view. Jesus spots him up there and tell him to hurry down. Then, in front of everyone, Jesus says: hey, Zacchaeus, get your guest room ready - I am spending the night in your home. What an unusual encounter! There are many layers to this story. Before we are finished with our reflection we will have thought again about the space that hospitality occupies in Luke's gospel; what it looks like to be generous; plus a few other things.

Bob preaching about we will take a look at yet another of Jesus' parables: Luke 18:9-14. In this parable we learn that God is not impressed with those who are impressed with themselves, even in the slightest. But God does show mercy, without hesitation, to those who know they need it. We will also think together about another dimension of the parable: one cannot be right with God while taking pleasure in excluding others. The meaning of this parable is fairly straightforward, but applying it to ourselves will take a great deal of humility and sanctified imagination. May God grant us ears to hear and eyes to see.