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God made Manifest

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“God's word was incarnate in that manger in Bethlehem. That is what we celebrate every year at Christmas. At Epiphany we celebrate the way that truth, that reality, of the incarnation of God into this world was manifest to various people. Or, as that beautiful hymn we sang this morning put it, "God in man made manifest." This hymn so beautifully tells the very stories of Epiphany that we hear every year, of the people who had their manifestations, their epiphanies of God found in Jesus Christ.”

Click “Read More” to read or listen to Bingham’s entire sermon.

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Tempered by Love

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What do you have to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? To follow him on the way of love. This love that Saint Paul says is the only way to get through the challenges and the conflicts the community in Corinth is facing. This way of love that Jesus calls us to at this time also. This way of love that we need to get through these challenges that we face as a community, the political divisions, this pandemic, racial injustice. All of it can only be gotten through if we follow the way of love, love for our neighbor, love for the other, the way of love that Jesus came to show us.

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The call of Jonah. The call of Love.

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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.

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On the Centrality of Love

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“All of these readings are weaving together this image of love. All this scripture weaves together this complex image of love. Love is not sentimental. Love is not easy. But love is God’s vision for this world because it was in love that God made this world. We face many challenges as a community, as a nation, as a world, and as followers of Jesus, as followers of God in this way of love, we know that that way of love is the path we must keep on taking, even when it is hard. That is the path that God has called us to follow. Follow Jesus on this way of love.”

Click “Read More” to read or listen to Bingham’s entire sermon for the 2nd Sunday after the Epiphany.

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The Waters of Baptism

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“When we are baptized, we are spiritually, but also physically joined to the Children of Israel escaping slavery, to the Children of Israel entering the Promised Land, and to Jesus himself at his baptism.”

Click “Read More” to read or listen to Bishop Neff Powell’s entire sermon for the first Sunday after the Epiphany.

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Join the Magi

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“The Magi are on the move. Today is the 10th day of Christmas, and the Magi continue their journey to Bethlehem. In my creche collection that I told you about and shared with you on Christmas Eve, about 15 of them include Magi. The Magi spend most of the Advent and Christmas seasons journeying around the house, searching for their respective creche scenes in the living room. A few of the toy ones peel off from the caravan from time to time, but most of them stay together as a group. There are a dozen groups right here on my bookshelf. They have made quite the detour to join us for today’s sermon. The Magi will return to their appropriate creches on Wednesday, January 6th, the Feast of the Epiphany, the day we commemorate and celebrate their arrival. Our American tradition is that the stockings and the presents come on Christmas Day from Santa. But that is not a worldwide phenomenon, even among Christians.”

Click “Read More” to read or listen to Bingham’s entire sermon for the Second Sunday after Christmas.

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Gifts Accepted and Given

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Today’s reading from Isaiah speaks of rejoicing. The reading is taken from two consecutive chapters. If you don’t have the text in front of you, it’s hard for you to realize that, just from hearing the reading. In Chapter 61, verses 10 and 11, Isaiah rejoices in the Lord, for the Lord has clothed him with garments of salvation and the robe of righteousness, like a bridegroom decked with garlands or a bride adorned with jewels. A garden springs up, and praise springs up from the nations. The Word of God, Jesus, is like those gifts, as fine as jewels, as fine as a beautiful garden, and worthy of our praise and rejoicing. We can acknowledge with gratitude that we have been given a wonderful gift from God. End of Chapter 61.

Click “Read More” to read or listen to Deacon Nancy Crawford’s entire sermon.

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