Sermon by the Rev. Joe Hensley, July 23, 2017, St. George's Episcopal Church, Fredericksburg, VA

Sermon by the Rev. Joe Hensley, July 16, 2017, St. George's Episcopal Church, Fredericksburg, VA

Sermon from the Rev. Joe Hensley at St. George's Episcopal Church, Fredericksburg, VA - June 24, 2017

Sermon from the Rev. Joe Hensley, June 11, 2017, Trinity Sunday, at St. George's Episcopal Church, Fredericksburg, VA

Sermon for May 24, 2017 by the Rev. Joe Hensley at St. George's Episcopal Church, Fredericksburg.

Sermon from May 14, 2017 by the Rev. Joe Hensley, St. George's Episcopal Church, Fredericksburg VA

The people whom God has chosen so often miss the point, over and over again--when we reject the one who has come to save us, when we fail to recognize the Savior standing right in front of us. But it's not too late! The promise of God--the promise of life and love that is stronger than death is always there. It's not too late.

Welcome happy morning and happy Easter! It is a joy to be together again on this Easter morning to hear the good news of the Gospel that Christ is risen and to hear it this morning in the version from the evangelist known as “Matthew.” Mathew’s version, unlike any of the other 3 Gospels in the Bible mentions an earthquake. The earth shakes as the angel of the Lord comes and rolls away the stone. The tomb is opened. Jesus is gone. Christ is risen. And that news has been shaking and quaking us ever since.

Our Book of Common Prayer calls this day by two names: The Sunday of the Passion and Palm Sunday. We begin with a Gospel reading about Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. We begin with Gospel where the crowds shout Hosannah! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. We begin with palm branches. Then we make a sudden shift from a crowd shouting Hosannah to a crowd crying “crucify him!” We shift from blessings to curses. We shift from Jesus’ triumph to his trial and execution. From leafy palm branches to the hard wood of the cross. From Palm Sunday to Passion Sunday. God, help us.

Blessings Across the Boundaries by St. George's