Second Sunday before Lent (Sexagesima) and St. Matthias (24 February) - 2025

 

The Sunday called Sexagesima, or the Second Sunday before Lent.

Psalm 87. Fundamenta ejus.

HER foundations are upon the holy hills: * the Lord loveth the gates of Sion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.

2 Very excellent things are spoken of thee, * thou city of God.

3 I will make mention of Egypt and Babylon, * among them that know me.

4 Behold, Philistia also; and Tyre, with Ethiopia; * lo, in Sion were they born.

5 Yea, of Sion it shall be reported, this one and that one were born in her; * and the Most High shall stablish her.

6 The Lord shall record it, when he writeth up the peoples; * lo, in Sion were they born.

7 The singers also and trumpeters shall make answer: * All my fresh springs are in thee.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son * and to the Holy Ghost.

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen. 

The Collect.

O LORD God, who seest that we put not our trust in any thing that we do; Mercifully grant that by thy power we may be defended against all adversity; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 50.4-9

Psalter: Psalm 33, 93 | 139

Epistle Reading: 2 Corinthians 11.19-12.10

Gospel Reading: St. Luke 8.4-15 

Homily 

Saint Matthias’s Day (24 February) 

The Collect

Almighty God, who into the place of the traitor Judas didst choose thy faithful servant Matthias to be of the number of the twelve Apostles; Grant that thy Church, being alway preserved from false Apostles, may be ordered and guided by faithful and true pastors; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

Old Testament Reading: 1 Samuel 2.27-35

Psalter: Psalm 15

Epistle Reading: Acts 1.15-26

Gospel Reading: St. Matthew 11.25-30 

Homily

Septuagesima (Third Sunday before Lent) and Pastoral Letter - 2025

 

The Sunday called Septuagesima, or the third Sunday before Lent.

Psalm 19. Cæli enarrant.

THE heavens declare the glory of God; * and the firmament showeth his handy-work.

2 One day telleth another; * and one night certifieth another.

3 There is neither speech nor language; * but their voices are heard among them.

4 Their sound is gone out into all lands; * and their words into the ends of the world.

5 In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun; * which cometh forth as a bridegroom out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a giant to run his course.

6 It goeth forth from the uttermost part of the heaven, and runneth about unto the end of it again; * and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.

7 The law of the Lord is an undefiled law, converting the soul; * the testimony of the Lord is sure, and giveth wisdom unto the simple.

8 The statutes of the Lord are right, and rejoice the heart; * the commandment of the Lord is pure, and giveth light unto the eyes.

9 The fear of the Lord is clean, and endureth for ever; *

the judgments of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether.

10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; * sweeter also than honey, and the honey- comb.

11 Moreover, by them is thy servant taught; * and in keeping of them there is great reward.

12 Who can tell how oft he offendeth? * O cleanse thou me from my secret faults.

13 Keep thy servant also from presumptuous sins, lest they get the dominion over me; * so shall I be undefiled, and innocent from the great offence.

14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be alway acceptable in thy sight, * O Lord, my strength and my redeemer.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son * and to the Holy Ghost;

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be * world without end. Amen. 

The Collect.

O LORD, we beseech thee favourably to hear the prayers of thy people; that we, who are justly punished for our offences, may be mercifully delivered by thy goodness, for the glory of thy Name; through Jesus Christ our Saviour, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen. 

Old Testament Reading: Joshua 1.1-9

Psalter: Psalm 8, 148 | 104

Epistle Reading:1 Corinthians 9.24-27

Gospel Reading: St. Matthew 20.1-16 

Homily 

This was what I wrote to my congregation this past week – “Criterion”: 

This morning, during my morning devotions, I was reading 1 John 4. Something in 4:1-6 caught my attention. It has to do with the divine criterion given to us to distinguish between the spirit of error and the Spirit of truth, and there’s a delightful promised attached to it, as well. Here’s the passage:

[1] Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. [2] By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, [3] and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. [4] Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. [5] They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. [6] We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error. (1 John 4:1-6)

 First, in John’s day (as in ours) there is a particular spirit that is running loose: the spirit of error, the spirit of antichrist. These are “from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them.” They do not confess the Lord Jesus, that as eternal Son of God he has also become fully human, and “so was, and continueth to be, God and man in two distinct natures, and one person, forever” (Westminster Shorter Catechism 21). They might say lots of things about Jesus that are partly true, even mostly true, but in the end that can’t go all the way with Jesus. 

Secondly, John gives us the divine criterion of confession and communion by which we can guage who is giving heed to the spirit of error, etc. (1) “By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God.” Those born of, guided by, the Spirit of God will confess the truth about Jesus, the eternal Son of God who has also become fully human, and “so was, and continueth to be, God and man in two distinct natures, and one person, forever” (Westminster Shorter Catechism 21). The Spirit of truth will bring people to acknowledge that Jesus is more than just a good man, a prophet, one who obtained some kind of divine consciousness, or whatever else you may hear bandied about through podcasts, social media, news broadcasts, talk shows, etc. The Spirit of truth leads us to submit to, and rely on, Jesus, the eternal Son of God who has become fully human, for us and for our salvation. 

Then, (2) is the importance of hearing and heeding the apostles, Jesus’ handpicked ambassadors. It’s in v.6 were he writes, “We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us.” The “We” in this passage was presented at the beginning of chapter one, where he describes the legitimacy of the apostolic eyewitness testimony, and says, “that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ” (1:3). The “we” are the apostles, and to have fellowship/partnership/communion with the apostles is to have fellowship/communion with the Father and the Son. Therefore, as John writes 4:6, he is pointing out that the apostolic eyewitnesses are from God, and those born of God hear them, heed them, are guided and directed by them. Whereas, those guided by the spirits of error and antichrist, though they may quote the apostles at times, yet they do not embrace their testimony and direction. And this two-fold criterion of confession and communion brings John to say, “By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.” 

Inside this criterion is a delightful promise, that gives us hopeful confidence: “Little children, you are from God and have overcome them [the spirit of error, spirit of antichrist, and the world who listens to them], for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (4:4). Who is it that is in us? Who is it that graciously makes us able to overcome the tumultuous, antichrist-influenced-spirit-of-error-inclined world? Who is it that is greater than the antichrist and spirit of error in the world? John tells us a bit later: “By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God” (4:13-15). The Father and the Spirit! 

Dear friends, good news! God has not left us to guess who are his and who are not. He has not left us to our own clouded perceptions to try and figure out who is speaking from, and submitting to, the spirit or error, the spirit of antichrist, and who is speaking from, and submitting to, the Spirit of truth who is the Spirit of God. He has given us the two-fold criterion of confession and communion, and he has given us himself and the Spirit, that will always bring us to Jesus, and stimulate us to hear and heed the Apostles. And by God’s grace alone, proclaimed in the Scriptures alone, that comes through Christ alone, and is received by faith alone, we are promised that we are overcoming the spirit of error, the spirit of antichrist, and the world that listens to them. Employ this two-fold criterion, but also rejoice in the promised presence and aid of God. 

To the glory of God, alone! 

Pastor Mike

Fifth Sunday after Epiphany and Pastoral Letter - 2025

 

The Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany.

Psalm 135. Laudate Nomen.

O  PRAISE the Lord, laud ye the Name of the Lord; * praise it, O ye servants of the Lord;

2 Ye that stand in the house of the Lord, * in the courts of the house of our God.

3 O praise the Lord, for the Lord is gracious; * O sing praises unto his Name, for it is lovely.

4 For why? the Lord hath chosen Jacob unto himself, * and Israel for his own possession.

5 For I know that the Lord is great, * and that our Lord is above all gods.

6 Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth; * and in the sea, and in all deep places.

7 He bringeth forth the clouds from the ends of the world, * and sendeth forth lightnings with the rain, bringing the winds out of his treasuries.

8 He smote the firstborn of Egypt, * both of man and beast.

9 He hath sent tokens and wonders into the midst of thee, O thou land of Egypt; * upon Pharaoh, and all his servants.

10 He smote divers nations, * and slew mighty kings:

11 Sihon, king of the Amorites; and Og, the king of Bashan; * and all the kingdoms of Canaan;

12 And gave their land to be an heritage, * even an heritage unto Israel his people.

13 Thy Name, O Lord, endureth for ever; * so doth thy memorial, O Lord, from one generation to another.

14 For the Lord will avenge his people, * and be gracious unto his servants.

15 As for the images of the heathen, they are but silver and gold; * the work of men’s hands.

16 They have mouths, and speak not; * eyes have they, but they see not.

17 They have ears, and yet they hear not; * neither is there any breath in their mouths.

18 They that make them are like unto them; * and so are all they that put their trust in them.

19 Praise the Lord, ye house of Israel; * praise the Lord, ye house of Aaron.

20 Praise the Lord, ye house of Levi; * ye that fear the Lord, praise the Lord.

21 Praised be the Lord out of Sion, * who dwelleth at Jerusalem.

Glory be to the Father, &c.

As it was in the beginning, &c. 

The Collect.

O LORD, we beseech thee to keep thy Church and household continually in thy true religion; that they who do lean only upon the hope of thy heavenly grace may evermore be defended by thy mighty power; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

Old Testament Reading: Habakkuk 1.12-2.14

Psalter: Psalm 112

Epistle Reading: Colossians 3.12-17

Gospel Reading: St. Matthew 13.24-30 

Homily

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This was my pastoral letter to my congregation this week:

As I mentioned in a previous letter, I have been asked to preach at this coming Presbytery. I will be speaking on 2 Corinthians 10:13-18. Here is the second point of my sermon that will be focused on 2 Corinthians 10:17-18: ““Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends. Here is a bit of what I will say.

 

The Apostle likes Jeremiah! 2 Corinthians 10:17 is a summary quotation of Jeremiah 9:23-24, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” The super-apostles (2 Corinthians 11:5, 12:11) are bringing the Corinthian believers to brag and boast and be all blustery about their own pomp and pride as they pry them away from Paul’s leadership. Image and importance are immense for them. But Paul is clear that we have little to brag about, really, except in who Jesus is, and what he has done, is doing and will do for us, his people! And that’s where he lands with his composed commendation: “For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends” (10:18). Christ’s commendation composes us! Christ’s commendation steadies us so that we’re not swept up in strong self-pride or self-pity. Christ’s commendation composed Paul’s ministry, and it composes all genuine Christian ministry.  The super-apostles, on the other hand, are strutting around commending themselves, approving themselves, declaring their own potency and applause, tearing down Paul for his suffering and service to build themselves up (2 Corinthians 10:12). And this approach is infecting the Corinthian church. But the Apostle’s corrective is to point them to the only commendation that can and will compose them! And if they will become satisfied again in this composed commendation, they will find themselves satisfied with God’s metered ministry, along with Paul.

 

Kent and Barbara Hughes, many, many years ago, wrote a touching book titled “Liberating Ministry from the Success Syndrome”. It’s a delightful book, especially in helping to re-orient ministers’ perspectives on what success is. In one place in their book, as they were working through 2 Corinthians, they made this observation: “our weakness is the opportunity for his power – our ordinariness for his extraordinariness” (134). You can only come to have this stance when you become most satisfied with Christ’s composing commendation! ““Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.

 

But beyond public ministry, how salutary and savory is Paul’s point for all of God’s people! In an era that is obsessed with its public face, with image management and extraordinariness posted, tweeted, snapped and whatever else, how liberating to set that down and revel in being commended and approved by Jesus! No longer do you have to worry about body-image and photo-shopping! No longer do you have to be ravaged by what others think of you or ransacked by the inner-critic in your head! No longer do you need to give credence to the neglected affections or mistreatments of some parent or adult in your childhood that kick you in the heart today. No longer do you need to submit to that important adult who growled or shouted at you as a kid, “you’ll never measure up, you so-and-so!” which replays in your memory and sabotages your life and relationships now! No! Now it’s Christ’s composed commendation: ““Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.

 

Oh, dear friends, ““Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends” (10:17-18)! And if you are Christ’s, if you have submitted to him and come to rely on him, he commends you – he commends you to the Father. He makes you look good to God! ““Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.”

 

Pastor Mike

Fourth Sunday after Epiphany, Pastoral Letter, and Presentation of Christ (2 February) - 2025

 

The Fourth Sunday after Epiphany

Psalm 117. Laudate Dominum.

O  PRAISE the Lord, all ye nations; * praise him, all ye peoples.

2 For his merciful kindness is ever more and more toward us; * and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever.  Praise the Lord.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son * and to the Holy Ghost;

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be * world without end. Amen. 

The Collect.

O GOD, who knowest us to be set in the midst of so many and great dangers, that by reason of the frailty of our nature we cannot always stand upright; Grant to us such strength and protection, as may support us in all dangers, and carry us through all temptations; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

Old Testament Reading: Amos 3

Psalter: Psalm 75, 76 | 107

Epistle Reading: Romans 13.1-7

Gospel Reading: Matthew 8:23-34 

Homily 

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The following is what I wrote to my congregation this past week, about solidarity:

Though we have delved into this before, it bears worth repeating. There is this development in Scripture that has made the subject of ‘solidarity’ stand out to me. The subject has two sides. First, throughout Scripture, division and disunion are often part of God’s judgment on a people. For example, God bringing the Midianites to “set every man’s sword against his comrade and against all the army” was so that God could bring victory to Gideon (Judges 7:22). Or the LORD stirring up “Egyptians against Egyptians, and they will fight, each against another and each against his neighbor, city against city, kingdom against kingdom” (Isaiah 19:2) will be part of God’s humbling and condemning Egypt. Or when the LORD disciplined his people by setting “every man against his neighbor” (Zechariah 8:10). Many times, division and disunity among a people are signs of God’s judgment, whether on nations, families, congregations or on his church. 

The opposite is normally true as well. Solidarity and concord are often an indication of God’s blessing. As an example, returning to Zechariah 8, where the LORD says, “for I set every man against his neighbor. But now I will not deal with the remnant of this people as in the former days, declares the LORD of hosts. For there shall be a sowing of peace...” (8:10-12). It is clearly the case in 1 Chronicles 12, as Israel gathers to make David king of all Israel, “All these, men of war, arrayed in battle order, came to Hebron with a whole heart to make David king over all Israel. Likewise, all the rest of Israel were of a single mind to make David king” (12:38). Even in the New Testament God’s kindness and blessing are displayed in his church’s solidarity, “Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul...” (Acts 4:32)^[1]. That’s why in both Ephesians 4:1-6 and 1 Peter 3:8-12 Christians are tasked with pursuing and working at fostering that God-bestowed accord. And the way to do this is with humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another in love, being eager to aim at this God-given unity. It takes some effort on our part, because it’s thoroughly counter-cultural. 

And yet this solidarity is not for its own sake. First, it must be grounded on God’s truth, which reflects God’s person. “These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another; render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace; do not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and love no false oath, for all these things I hate, declares the LORD…Therefore love truth and peace” (Zechariah 8:16-17, 19c). 

Furhter, the central reason for us to be of a single mind, banded together in God-given, God-blessed solidarity, is so that a divided society and world can see a gospel-empowered alternative. It’s part of evangelism. That’s what lies behind our Lord’s prayer in John 17: “I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me” (17:23). Therefore, to resist the divisiveness and discord around us, and putting our shoulders into the project of maintaining our congregational solidarity is not cowardice nor spinelessness. And it is not a distraction. It is, rather, joyful fidelity to the Lord who has saved us. And it is evangelistic, “so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.” 

In a day when there is a lot of red-hot rhetoric, suspicion, and accusations in our nation and neighborhoods, let us recall that we have a bigger purpose, and a grander mission. We are to continue to be a people of a single mind, together, around our King and Sovereign, Jesus Christ. And it is for displaying the saving goodness of Jesus to our world. 

Pastor Mike

 

The presentation of Christ in the temple, commonly called the Purification of Saint Mary the Virgin

(2 February)

Psalm 20. Exaudiat te Dominus.

THE Lord hear thee in the day of trouble; * the Name of the God of Jacob defend thee:

2 Send thee help from the sanctuary, * and strengthen thee out of Sion:

3 Remember all thy offerings, * and accept thy burnt sacrifice:

4 Grant thee thy heart’s desire, * and fulfil all thy mind.

5 We will rejoice in thy salvation, and triumph in the Name of the Lord our God: * the Lord perform all thy petitions.

6 Now know I that the Lord helpeth his anointed, and will hear him from his holy heaven, * even with the wholesome strength of his right hand.

7 Some put their trust in chariots, and some in horses; * but we will remember the Name of the Lord our God.

8 They are brought down and fallen; * but we are risen and stand upright.

9 Save, Lord; and hear us, O King of heaven, * when we call upon thee.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son * and to the Holy Ghost;

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be * world without end. Amen. 

Nunc dimittis. St. Luke ii. 29.

(Simeon’s Song at seeing the Christ-child)

LORD, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, * according to thy word.

For mine eyes have seen * thy salvation,

Which thou hast prepared * before the face of all people;

To be a light to lighten the Gentiles, * and to be the glory of thy people Israel. 

The Collect

Almighty and everliving God, we humbly beseech thy Majesty, that, as thy only-begotten Son was this day presented in the temple in substance of our flesh, so we may be presented unto thee with pure and clean hearts, by the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

Old Testament Reading: Malachi 3.1-5

Psalter: Psalm 84

Epistle Reading: Galatians 1.1-24

Gospel Reading: St. Luke 2.22-40

 

Homily

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[1] Take the time to rummage through other passages to see this like Romans 12:16; 2 Corinthians 13:11; Philippians 1:27 and 2:2; Ephesians 4:13.

Third Sunday after Epiphany, Conversion of St. Paul (25 Jan), and Pastoral Letter - 2025

 

The Third Sunday after the Epiphany.

Psalm 72. Deus, judicium.

GIVE the King thy judgments, O God, * and thy righteousness unto the King’s son.

2 Then shall he judge thy people according unto right, * and defend the poor.

3 The mountains also shall bring peace, * and the little hills righteousness unto the people.

4 He shall keep the simple folk by their right, * defend the children of the poor, and punish the wrong doer.

5 They shall fear thee, as long as the sun and moon endureth, * from one generation to another.

6 He shall come down like the rain upon the mown grass, * even as the drops that water the earth.

7 In his time shall the righteous flourish; * yea, and abundance of peace, so long as the moon endureth.

8 His dominion shall be also from the one sea to the other, * and from the River unto the world’s end.

9 They that dwell in the wilderness shall kneel before him; * his enemies shall lick the dust.

10 The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall give presents; * the kings of Arabia and Saba shall bring gifts.

11 All kings shall fall down before him; * all nations shall do him service.

12 For he shall deliver the poor when he crieth; * the needy also, and him that hath no helper.

13 He shall be favourable to the simple and needy, * and shall preserve the souls of the poor.

14 He shall deliver their souls from falsehood and wrong; * and dear shall their blood be in his sight.

15 He shall live, and unto him shall be given of the gold of Arabia; * prayer shall be made ever unto him, and daily shall he be praised.

16 There shall be an heap of corn in the earth, high upon the hills; the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon: * and they of the city shall flourish like grass upon the earth.

17 His Name shall endure for ever; his Name shall re- main under the sun among the posterities, which shall be blessed in him; * and all the nations shall praise him.

18 Blessed be the Lord God, even the God of Israel, * which only doeth wondrous things;

19 And blessed be the Name of his majesty for ever: *  and all the earth shall be filled with his majesty. Amen,  Amen.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son * and to the Holy Ghost;

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be * world without end. Amen. 

The Collect.

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, mercifully look upon our infirmities, and in all our dangers and necessities stretch forth thy right hand to help and defend us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 41.8-10, 17-20

Psalter: Psalm 20, 21 | 27, 29

Epistle Reading: Romans 12.16-21

Gospel Reading: St. Matthew 8.1-13 

Homily 

This was my letter to my congregation that I sent out this last Wednesday: 

The Sage makes this wise observation in Proverbs, “Whoever diligently seeks good seeks favor, but evil comes to him who searches for it” (Proverbs 11:27). What you look for you often find, because what you expect to see is what you look for. There’s an incident in the Old Testament that seems to go along with this Proverb. It’s about the perspective of God’s people who flipped redemption into ruin. It’s quite startling. First, let me set up the scene. 

In Deuteronomy 1, Moses is recounting Israel’s history in the wilderness. Starting at Deuteronomy 1:18 he retells the moment when God’s people were just on the cusp of entering the land of promise decades before. The people wanted spies to reconnoiter the land, so twelve were chosen, and set out to explore and evaluate. When they returned they told all the wonders and wealth of the land (1:22-25). But they also only saw what was negative. And the negative assessments of the patrol took over the congregation’s evaluation, “Where are we going up? Our brothers have made our hearts melt, saying, “The people are greater and taller than we. The cities are great and fortified up to heaven. And besides, we have seen the sons of the Anakim there”” (1:28). It became a general revolt and the people almost tossed Moses and Aaron out on their ears. This is the scene. Now comes a peculiar moment where the people actually turned what was good news into bad news. 

As God’s people were murmering in their tents, rejecting God’s provision, and rebelling against God’s prescription (1:26), they flipped God’s redemption into ruin. They saw what they wanted to see. They expected evil, searched for evil, and it came to them in their misperception: “Because the LORD hated us he has brought us out of the land of Egypt, to give us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us” (1:27). Did you catch it? Or better, did it catch you? They describe God’s redemption (good news) as ruin (bad news) “Because Yahweh hated us he brought us out...” It’s quite the shocker! They didn’t see God’s rescue as liberation but rather as a liability. They had come to believe that God’s goodness was hate, that God’s relief was destructive, that God’s kindness was a trap. Sounds like the serpent’s ploy in Genesis 3. What a perilous place to be! The people have trust issues, as we would say. But their trust issues are of their own making, their own crafting, their own rationalizing and expectancy. 

Sometimes Christians can do the exact same thing. When we assume bad we find it, even in God’s goodness. When we search for evil, we can become so focused on what is wrong, bad, unjust, etc. that all we can see is evil, even when looking at God’s grace. When we imagine that we can only expect tragedy, we often turn God’s loving dealings into doom (in our minds and hearts). “Because Yahweh hated us he brought us out of the land of Egypt…” I’ve seen this work out in similar ways with Christians over the years. You often find what you’re looking for, and it can flip your perspective upside down and inside out. 

But what would have happened if Israel had trusted God’s goodness more than their self-perceptions? What would have happened if God’s people allowed God’s goodness and grace to rework their awareness and anticipations? What would happen if we were more confident in the goodness of God, his enduring steadfast love, than in our own expectations of defeat and disaster? Wouldn’t there be different results and outcomes? Wouldn’t our relationships look healthier? Wouldn’t our marriages potentially become stronger? Wouldn’t our reactions about societal and cultural events become more soberminded? It won’t necessarily take away the challenges and difficulties, but with our perceptions flipped back, right side up and right side out, at least we will be able to grasp God’s grace and steadfast love for what it is: real goodness. 

Brothers and sisters, “Whoever diligently seeks good seeks favor, but evil comes to him who searches for it” (Proverbs 11:27). 

Pastor Mike 

The Conversion of Saint Paul (25 January) 

The Collect

O God, who, through the preaching of the blessed Apostle Saint Paul, hast caused the light of the Gospel to shine throughout the world: Grant, we beseech thee, that we, having his wonderful conversion in remembrance, may shew forth our thankfulness unto thee for the same, by following the holy doctrine which he taught; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

Old Testament Reading: Jeremiah 1.4-10

Psalter: Psalm 67

Epistle Reading: Acts 9.1-22

Gospel Reading: *St. Matthew 19.27-30 

Homily

Second Sunday after Epiphany and Pastoral Letter "The Lord Hears" - 2025

 

The Second Sunday after the Epiphany.

Psalm 48. Magnus Dominus.

GREAT is the Lord, and highly to be praised * in the city of our God, even upon his holy hill.

2 The hill of Sion is a fair place, and the joy of the whole earth; * upon the north side lieth the city of the great King: God is well known in her palaces as a sure refuge.

3 For lo, the kings of the earth * were gathered, and gone by together.

4 They marvelled to see such things; * they were astonished, and suddenly cast down.

5 Fear came there upon them; and sorrow, * as upon a woman in her travail.

6 Thou dost break the ships of the sea * through the east-wind.

7 Like as we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God; * God upholdeth the same for ever.

8 We wait for thy loving-kindness, O God, * in the midst of thy temple.

9 O God, according to thy Name, so is thy praise unto the world’s end; * thy right hand is full of righteousness.

10 Let the mount Sion rejoice, and the daughters of Judah be glad, * because of thy judgments.

11 Walk about Sion, and go round about her; * and tell the towers thereof.

12 Mark well her bulwarks, consider her palaces, * that ye may tell them that come after.

13 For this God is our God for ever and ever: * he shall be our guide unto death.  

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son * and to the Holy Ghost;

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be * world without end. Amen. 

The Collect.

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who dost govern all things in heaven and earth; Mercifully hear the supplications of thy people, and grant us thy peace all the days of our life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 45.1-15

Psalter: Psalm 96, 97 | 45, 46

Epistle Reading: Romans 12.6-16

Gospel Reading: St. Mark 1.1-11 

Homily 

This is from my letter to my congregation this past week: 

During my morning devotions this morning, all three of my Scripture readings dovetailed together, and affirmed that the Lord hears. To begin, I was reading Psalm 107. It has four scenes of God’s people in impossible situations (wandering in desert wastes, some in prison, the foolish suffering affliction, and those at sea in a storm). And in each scenario those who are in their hot mess cry out and this line comes out: “Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress” (Psalm 107:6, 13, 19, 28). The Lord hears! 

My next reading was Exodus 2-4. In Exodus two, after the government mandate to destroy all of Israel’s newborn males, and describing the hardships of God’s people, we’re told: “During those many days…the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God. And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. God saw the people of Israel—and God knew” (Exodus 2:23-25). Wow! God heard, God remembered, God saw, and God knew! Then, when the LORD was commissioning Moses, he states clearly, “And now, behold, the cry of the people of Israel has come to me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them” (Exodus 3:9). Dear friends, the obvious encouragement is that the Lord hears! 

Finally, I was reading through Matthew 15, and I was struck by two episodes there that fit right into this theme, but I’ll only mention one of them today. There was the Canaanite woman, who has no right to expect Jesus to do anything for her. She knows that she is not entitled to any goodness from him. Nevertheless, she comes to him and pleads with him for her daughter, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon” (15:22). And she won’t stop, which evokes a peculiar response from the disciples, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us” (15:23). Then, after Jesus challenges her and she gives her response that is built only on a cry for mercy – not right or entitlement – our Lord responds, ““O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly” (15:28). Ah, the Lord hears! 

Maybe it seems rudimentary: “Pastor, of course the Lord hears. And he even answers. Why did you get so excited about this?” I got excited because all three of my Scripture readings in the dark hours this morning bring this up, as if the Lord is hammering, hammering, hammering this truth out in my heart, “The Lord hears!” Clearly, I need to receive this with two hands, both arms and a whole heart. And, possibly, someone reading this does as well. The Lord hears! 

Pastor Mike