St. John the Divine Anglican Church

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” From St. Paul’s letter to the Romans. St. Paul’s letter to the Romans is considered one of the greatest books in the Bible. Martin Luther described it as “the chief book in the New Testament and the purest gospel.” John Knox, a modern American professor, says that it is

“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” from St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. St. Paul’s letter that we heard today begins with this simple guidance for the Christian life. Be imitators of God, as beloved children. I’m sure you have heard the phrase, “Children learn what they

“Since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand;” from the letter of St. Paul to the Romans. Last week, I touched on the concept of faith and belief. The Greek word translated to belief is pisteuō, which is also translated to the word faith. This is more than a

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life,” from the Gospel according to St. John. These words from the Gospel according to St. John are among the most well known in the Bible. They are filled with hope and love, and reassurance that God loves us, and wants us to live eternally; however, these

“After Jesus was baptized, he was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.” From the Gospel according to St. Matthew. On Wednesday, we began annual Lenten fast in which we participate in the 40 days journey in the wilderness with Jesus. I did not say that we will commemorate this event. Rather, we are called to participate in it. In most modern Protestant

“Six days after Peter had acknowledged Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the Living God, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves.” Of all of the things we humans dream about, climbing a mountain is right up there on the list. When I was in Boy Scouts about 50 years ago, our troop made an annual

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven;” from the Gospel according to St. Matthew. In today’s reading from the Gospel, Jesus continues to upset the norms of society. The people had a concept of justice

The Gospel reading this week is about Jesus teaching about the Law of Moses. The Pharisees were very strict about the Law, and they wanted everyone else to follow it, too. But Jesus saw something in the Pharisees that they couldn’t see. The Law that they loved so much had become more about legalism, and less about God’s purpose for his people. The Pharisees put the Law above the Lord

Jesus said, “Think not that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfill them.” from the Gospel according to St. Matthew. The Law of Moses is an important topic in the Gospel according to St. Matthew. Jesus made reference to the Law to assure the Pharisees and other leaders of the Jews that he respected the Law, and

“God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong,” from St. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians (1:27) Jesus had a way of confounding the people of the world when he walked among us, and he still confounds them today.