Sunday Sermon

Jesus told three parables of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son. The third parable is commonly known as the Parable of the Prodigal Son, but it might be more aptly called the Parable of the Loving Father. All three parables speak of the recovering of that which was lost, but the focus of the third parable is different than that of the first two. The focus of the third parable is on the actions of the father of the returning prodigal. For me, the most important aspect of this parable is what it tells us of our Heavenly Father’s reaction when any of us turns toward Him: He “runs” to embrace us.

Both Matthew and Luke tell us that sometime earlier Jesus looked down upon the city and had cried out, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem…how often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.” (Matthew 23:37; Luke 13:34) Do you hear those words? YOU WERE NOT WILLING. And that brings us to today. Just like the people of Jerusalem, we find ourselves in the presence of Jesus. I wonder what He sees when He looks at us? Does He see people worried about many things? Does He see people who are so busy doing things here and there—so busy that they never bother to consider those things that are eternally important? Or does He see people who recognize Him for who He is—the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of God, our Savior. When He turns and looks into our lives, I wonder, will He weep once again because of what He sees? Or will we have the peace that passes all understanding as we respond to His outstretched arms and hear Him say, “Well done, good and faith

“I say to you, this man went down into his house justified rather than the other.” St. Luke 18: 14. When a man is able to declare himself free from so many vices, such as theft, injustice, adultery, to thank God in fervent prayer for benefits received, to fast, to give a tenth part of his goods to the poor, are not those praiseworthy holy works and occupations which show a man to be a pious, just servant of God? On the other hand, what is more scandalous than to see a man wallowing in all sorts of wickedness, so that he is publicly called a sinner? Yet how different was the judgment pronounced by our Lord on the two men: “I say to you this man went down into his house justified rather than the other.” Who would look on such a judgment as just if he did not know it came from the infallible Truth?

LECTURES FROM THE HEART: PRAYER AND FASTING Today our Lord delivers a boy from a demon which the disciples had not been able to cast out. This demon had caused the poor boy to toss himself into fire and water alternately, seeking through one or the other to cause destruction. The Lord tells the disciples that they were not able to cast out the demon because of their own unbelief. And in addition to faith, prayer and fasting were also necessary for casting out such a destructive demon. Our Lord today reminds us of the very same thing. As the devils redouble their desire for destruction, let us redouble our faith, which then will enliven our prayer and fasting!

LECTURES FROM THE HEART: O YE OF LITTLE FAITH Today our Lord retires into a mountain alone to pray for us all, while He sends His disciples ahead of him on a boat across the sea. When night was come, the boat was tossed by the wind and waves upon the sea, and the Apostles feared for their lives. What then do they see but the Lord Himself coming to them, walking across the stormy water! Hear today's lesson as Peter wishes to walk across the water to meet the Lord. What can we learn from his example?

The idea of one’s being a servant to a master is somewhat foreign to our thinking today. We sometimes compare it to the employer-employee relationship, but that does not do justice to the master-servant relationship. A servant is one who gives up himself wholly to another’s will. He is devoted to another to the disregard of his own interest. We are all servants. The question is what, or whom do we serve? Do we serve sin, or do we serve God?

It's not always easy to see the needs of other people. Sometimes we are too focused on our own problems to see when others are hurting. At times we lack awareness because our schedule is overloaded. The truth is, you were created to serve God by helping others. In doing so, you are fulfilling the law of Christ. But you can't help someone with their burden if you don't see it. If you care, you'll be aware.

It has been asked by someone, “Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire?” Many Christians struggle more with their personal prayer life than with any other area of their lives. Jesus told His disciples, “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations” (Mark 11:17). Paul preached, “Our God does not dwell in temples made with hands.” We are the temple of the Holy Spirit (I Cor. 3:16). Christ lives within us, and our Heavenly Father’s call on each of our lives is to be a house of prayer.

I want to share a fish story with you. And, you may think that this story, like so may other fish stories is based best in the exaggeration, but I promise you, this is a true story.

We have eagle- eye vision when it comes to others but can be blind as moles when we examine ourselves.

Thomas Martin is the former manager of a Jack-in-the-Box restaurant in Oroville, California. He reported a robbery in which the crook took $307 as the store was closing. When questioned about the suspect, Martin provided police sketch artist Jack Lee with a detailed description of the assailant. After Lee completed his sketch, he observed how the drawing looked just like Martin. When investigators noted the similarity, Martin confessed to the crime.....

"Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven" (St. Matthew 5:20) You see, the Pharisees and the scribes knew the Law. They understood the Law. They followed the Law. Yet, they knew the Law so well they knew their ways around the Law as well. In other words, they knew the Law, yes, but they did not live faithful lives to God.

Has anyone ever asked you, "Why do I need the Holy Spirit?" If so, what did you tell them? Here is a sermon that may help us answer this question!

Today we hear of the wonders done by our Lord for those who followed Him into a desert place apart. Leaving the comforts of home and city, a multitude followed after our Lord to hear His words and to be healed of their infirmities. When evening was coming, through the hands of the Apostles, the multitude is fed by our Lord. Five loaves and two fishes become enough to satisfy a crowd of more than five thousand, with twelve baskets of fragments left over! Even today, our Lord continues to take what is offered to Him in true generosity, even if it seems to be insignificant or insufficient, and uses it to satisfy the hearts of those who follow Him.

In the casting out of the demons from the two demoniacals our Lord speaks but a single word: Go! We also see the unfortunate attitude of the swineherds and the populace, who likewise give an order to our Lord: Go!

Jesus said in Matthew 5:23-24, "If therefore thou offer thy gift at the altar, and there thou remember that thy brother hath any thing against thee; Leave there thy offering before the altar, and go first to be reconciled to thy brother: and then coming thou shalt offer thy gift." Reconciliation with your brother or sister comes before worship, it comes before prayer, and it comes before sacrifice.

In today's Gospel we hear of a centurion who comes before the Lord in faith, bringing news of the suffering of his servant. The Centurion acknowledges his own unworthiness that the Lord should even come beneath his roof.

In Scribes and Pharisees world view, there is a holy order that must be maintained. Wicked, sinful people must not co-mingle with the righteous. They’ve had their eyes on Jesus. They’ve been monitoring his ministry. As the religious police, they want to make sure that Jesus is following proper holiness behaviors. And then they see it. Corrupt tax collectors and all kinds of “sinful” people are approaching Jesus. And Jesus doesn’t seem to mind at all. In fact, he even sits down to EAT with them! He is in no way setting a proper example to society. It’s as if Jesus and the Pharisees are living in alternate universes. Jesus very patiently tries to explain the economy of God’s kingdom. He relates three short stories to describe the mercy of God and His search for that which is lost....

How we can use Spiritual Communion to come closer to Jesus and to cast our care upon Him in these trying times?

What should we do, when we realize that the world we live in is a cess pool? How do we purify our minds and guard our hearts from the dangers of this world?