Self-pity is a trap that many people struggle to avoid. It can sap away our joy very quickly in life. When you encounter bone crushing circumstances in life, how do, you tend to respond? This sermon explores the fifth “Top Five Regrets of the Dying” (Bronnie Ware’s book has been the focus of our Lenten study), and asks how we might avoid becoming trapped in self pity. Father John explores Psalm 118, and the need for a defiant faith in the face of what the world sometimes throws our way.

How important are friendships when we reach the end of life? Looking at Jesus as a model as he surrounds himself with people, love, and prayer near the end of his life, this sermon explores the importance of prioritizing friendships in our life. Father John continues our study of the “Top Five Regrets of the Dying” on this fifth Sunday in Lent.

We continue our Lenten examination of the “Top Five Regrets of the Dying” (Based on Bronnie Ware’s book on this topic) by looking at Regret 3: “I wish I had been more open with my feelings.” In this sermon, Father John looks at why we often keep so many secrets from others, and asks whether that is God’s desire for us. What if we spoke the truth to others in a loving way more often? Perhaps we would find a freedom in life that God intends for us to experience.

How do you treat those whom you regard as an “enemy”? With our nation divided in serious ways, the temptation is to stop listening to others with whom we disagree. In today’s sermon, Martha Rainbolt shares much needed insights concerning how we treat our enemies, and invites us to follow the example of Jesus in transforming our enemies into neighbors. What would happen if we deeply listened to our enemies? Perhaps God would show us ways to minister to them and create new space for learning and communication.

We continue our Lenten sermon series on the “Top Five Regrets of the Dying” (based on Bronnie Ware’s book on this topic), examining today the second most common regret: working too much. In this sermon, Father John explores what it looks like to live into Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 6 – where he calls us to stop worrying about money and all of the “needs” of life, and to fundamentally trust that God will provide. How do we live with that kind of faith? What can we do on a practical level to live a balanced life? This sermon examines […]

As we enter Lent, a time where we reflect on our mortality, weakness, and even our sinfulness, Father John begins an exploration of the top five regrets of the dying. These sermons follow the outline of Bronnie Ware’s, “The Top Five Regrets of the Dying: A Life Transformed by the Dearly Departing” (which we are studying as a group during Lent). The first regret we examine is living a life focused on other’s expectations rather than staying true to oneself. In the author’s experience, this was the number one regret she encountered among her patients as a hospice nurse. What […]

During today’s service, long-time Saint Andrew’s parishioner Deb Smith shared about her struggle with stage 4 breast cancer. In this honest and vulnerable homily, Deb reminds us that in order to see or experience God, we must have open hearts to see the ways God can be felt and known around us. This sermon is a gift of honesty and found hope about Deb’s spiritual journey.

We end our sermon series on Revelation by exploring John’s description of the thousand year reign of Christ on the earth, known as the millennium. Father John imagines the three different approaches to this part of the vision, the pre-millennial, post-millennial, and a-millennial interpretations of Revelation 19 – 20. For the record, Father John is not a pre-millennialist.

We come to another iconic image from the Book of Revelation: The great harlot of Babylon in Chapters 17 and 18. Who is this woman? Is she part of us? Are we part of her? How have Christians understood this part of John’s vision? In this sermon, Father John compares and contrasts the values of the “system of this world” with those of Christ. In the light of these comparisons, do you belong to the Kingdom of God or the kingdom of the world?

Revelation 13 contains one of the most iconic images of John’s vision – the mark of the beast. Father John continues the sermon series on Revelation by exploring the four major interpretations of this text, and how their applications offer guidance for Christians facing times of persecution and oppression from corrupt government and religious institutions. As we explore this difficult passage, which interpretation seems most spiritually helpful to you?