Full of Compassion and Mercy
What Jesus reminds us, is that with God it’s not about rules, but about compassion and love. As our presiding Bishop Michael Curry is fond of saying, “If it’s not about love, it’s not about God.” To Jesus, there are no barriers, no qualifications, no “ins” or “outs” for receiving the mercy and healing of God. Nope. That’s not how God works. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy, slow to anger and of great kindness.
Listen to or read the Rev. Ryan Baker-Fones’ full sermon by clicking “read more.”
God's Promise
Today’s gospel story of two women coming together in their expectancy, of John the Baptist’s mighty in-utero kick at the sound of Mary’s voice, of the Holy Spirit filling Elizabeth inspiring her prophesy, is an amazing tale of two women realizing how God is at work in their lives. In this meeting, the older, much older Elizabeth finds herself in the same pregnant state as the younger, much younger, Mary. They are both, through miraculous means, pregnant. What could, what does this mean?
Listen to or read the Rev. Ryan Baker Fones’ entire sermon for the 4th Sunday of Advent by clicking “Read More.”
Connected in God's Love
We find joy knowing that none of us will be separated from the love of God, not even death can do that! And we still grieve, we mourn the loss of those who will no longer be physically present with us here on earth. In today’s gospel, Jesus is grieving the loss of his friend Lazarus. Twice John points out that Jesus was “greatly disturbed” and “deeply moved.” Jesus wept at the reality of his friend’s death. Even though he knew that Lazarus would live again, very soon in fact, he still felt the very real, biting pain of his leaving this world, and the waves of grief that it set in motion for Mary and Martha, family and friends.
Listen to or read Ryan’s entire sermon for All Saints’ Day by clicking “Read More.”
Love Your Neighbor
Blessing in the Desert Wilderness
This year we heard Mark’s version of the story. Mark’s version is much shorter and much sparser than Matthew or Luke’s versions. Sparse, like the desert that Jesus entered. It only takes Mark two verses to tell the story. Matthew and Luke take six times as long to tell the story. In Mark’s sparseness, some of the wonderful details that we know and love, like the content of those temptations, and the clever dialogue between Jesus and the devil are missing. And yet there are gifts in the sparseness, as well. Sometimes in all the detail we can miss the forest for the trees, as the old saying goes. One of the things that Mark’s telling obviously brings out is where this story takes place in the larger narrative. It allows us to see the forest more easily.
Click “Read More” to read or listen to Bingham’s entire sermon for the First Sunday of Lent.
The call of Jonah. The call of Love.
We also see that call to love in God's response to Jonah, because the story is also of God's profound love for Jonah, a love that is going to call him in the first place, a love that is willing to follow him out to sea and bring him back and save him when Jonah ignores God. This call of love calls Jonah a second time, and then the love that God has for Jonah is shown by his continuing to work with Jonah after he becomes obstinate and grumpy while waiting for God to destroy the city. There is a profound love that God has for Jonah that keeps pursuing him when Jonah isn't doing what God wants.
Click “Read More” to read or listen to Bingham’s entire sermon for the 3rd Sunday after the Epiphany.
