Author Archives: stjohn

Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany

READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK

• First reading
  • Deuteronomy 30:15-20 or Sirach 15:15-20
• Psalm
  • Psalm 119:1-8
• Second reading
  • 1 Corinthians 3:1-9
• Gospel
  • Matthew 5:21-37

The gospel from Matthew:
Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not murder’; and ‘whoever murders shall be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, ‘You fool,’ you will be liable to the hell of fire.

So, when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift.

Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are on the way to court with him, or your accuser may hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Truly I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to go into hell.

“It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that anyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of unchastity, causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

“Again, you have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but carry out the vows you have made to the Lord.’ But I say to you, Do not swear at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.

And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let your word be ‘Yes, Yes’ or ‘No, No’; anything more than this comes from the evil one.

Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany

READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK

• First reading
  • Isaiah 58:1-9a (9b-12)
• Psalm
  • Psalm 112:1-9 (10)
• Second reading
  • 1 Corinthians 2:1-12 (13-16)
• Gospel
  • Matthew 5:13-20

The gospel from Matthew:
“You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot. “You are the light of the world.

A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished.

Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

COMMENTARY BY THE ARTIST:
Let Your Light Shine
Matthew 5:14-16
“While Jesus urged his disciples to be humble, in this text he encourages them not to hide their light. If the infinite life-giving light of God is in all creation, including us, then it may seem paradoxical to let this light shine even as we seek humility. Perhaps we might let God’s light be reflected in the ways we live and act in this world, knowing that it comes from a source within but also beyond ourselves—and no matter what our religion, we do not have an exclusive right to this spiritual essence of being… In the image, I turned the block upside down to create a “shadow” print. Once again, I was surprised at what appeared. There is an echo of the flame, in reverse, in the candle itself. It is an inner light that is exactly what Jesus tells us not to hide. Perhaps finding this light inspires our own good works in the world, as we also look for it in others.

Over the last thirty years, through my work as a Christian Educator, a seminary student and UCC minister, I have created images that interpret the powerful stories around the life of Jesus. These stories hold universal truths not limited to Christianity but relevant for all our lives and times. I find that art provides a very special means to break into these texts.”

Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany

READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK

• First reading
  • Malachi 3:1-4
• Psalm
  • Psalm 84 or Psalm 24:7-10
• Second reading
  • Hebrews 2:14-18
• Gospel
  • Luke 2:22-40

The gospel from Matthew:
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

“Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

“Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Third Sunday after the Epiphany

READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK

• First reading
  • Isaiah 9:1-4
• Psalm
  • Psalm 27:1, 4-9
• Second reading
  • 1 Corinthians 1:10-18
• Gospel
  • Matthew 4:12-23

The gospel from Matthew:
Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: “Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali, on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.” From that time Jesus began to proclaim, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”

As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea for they were fishermen. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him.

As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.

Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people.

Notes:
In this panel from the Maesta Altarpiece of Siena now separate and in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, the power of “call” is made present. The following description of this back and forth action between Christ, Peter and Andrew comes from one of the spirituality author and BBC religious affairs producer Michael Ford’s books, Song of the Nightingale: a Modern Spiritual Canticle.
“In his painting The Calling of the Apostles Peter and Andrew…the great Italian artist Duccio de Buoninsegna shows the brothers like twins, “a single apostolate with two dimensions.” This insight is helpful in understanding “the companionship” that exists between my respective dual vocations which have been lived out on the edge of the church, just as Christ calls Peter and Andrew from the shoreline. Yet for all their togetherness and compatibility, there is also aloneness and an uncomfortable sense of difference….a uniqueness that has been divinely bestowed.”

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Second Sunday after the Epiphany

READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK

• First reading
  • Isaiah 49:1-7
• Psalm
  • Psalm 40:1-11
• Second reading
  • 1 Corinthians 1:1-9
• Gospel
  • John 1:29-42

John 1:29-42
The gospel from John:
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him; but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel.”

And John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.”

The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, “Look, here is the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus.

When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi” (which translated means Teacher), “where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon.

One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated Anointed). He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter).

*Notes:
Lamb of God is one of the titles given to Jesus in the New Testament and consequently in the Christian tradition. It is believed to refer to Jesus’ role as a sacrificial lamb atoning for the sins of man in Christian theology, harkening back to ancient Jewish Temple sacrifices in which a lamb was slain during the passover, the blood was sprinkled along the door, and the lamb was eaten. Painted choir-screen sculpture depicting John the Baptist pointing to Jesus and giving witness.
Donated by James T. Womack and Anne Richardson, Nashville, TN.

Baptism of the Lord

READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK

• First reading
  • Isaiah 42:1-9
• Psalm
  • Psalm 29
• Second reading
  • Acts 10:34-43
• Gospel
  • Matthew 3:13-17

The gospel from Matthew:
Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by John. John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented.

And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”

Sermon:
“the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” HIstorically, the event has been celebrated by Christians worldwide, in spite of an obstacle, that being to explain how? Another question is whether John was worthy of the baptism. Did Jesus, being without sin, need to be baptized? There are four characters in the story: John the Baptist, Jesus, the Voice from Heaven, and the Holy Spirit symbolized by the dove. So, suddenly in the Scriptures, the Trinity appears: Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. The word Trinity was first used by an early writer. The Trinity is somewhat like an actor who changes masks to play the role of three persons. ………..

Holy Name of Jesus

READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK

• First reading
  • Numbers 6:22-27
• Psalm
  • Psalm 8
• Second reading
  • Galatians 4:4-7 or Philippians 2:5-11
• Gospel
  • Luke 2:15-21

The gospel from Luke:
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them.

But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

After eight days had passed, it was time to circumcise the child; and he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

Notes:
Trinity Church, Boston, was completed in 1877. Its architect was H. H. Richardson, and numerous artists and craftspeople contributed to the interior design. In 1971, Trinity was designated a National Historic Landmark for “possessing “exceptional value in commemorating or illustrating the history of the United States.” This scene on the base of the pulpit shows the birth of Christ and the adoration of the shepherds.

Sermon:
Today is the first day of a new calendar year. Liturgical year C has already begun and many of our gospel readings will be from Luke. In the reading this week shepherds visit the manger in which lay the baby who after eight days is circumsized and named Jesus. A lot of history is given in a few verses. The book of Acts is believed to be have been written by Luke, making 25% of the New Testament written by him. His writing is profoundly important, and Pastor Stevenson will be pointing out and interpreting this history. It was important that Luke write it all down. In Jesus, God reveals Himself………

Christmas Eve

READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK

First Reading
Isaiah 9:2-7  
•  Psalm
Psalm 96 
•  Second Reading
Titus 2:11-14  
•  Gospel Reading
Luke 2:1-14, (15-2

The gospel from Luke:
In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered.

Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child.

While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see–I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.”

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!” When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.”

So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them.

But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

*Notes: This traditional, yet strikingly realistic representation of the visitation of the shepherds puts us in the stable with the shepherds. We can sense the wonder and delight that these astonished rural folk feel in the presence of the newly born, the incarnate Messiah. The incorporation of the baby’s shining, bright light speaks to the Johannine theme of Christ as The Light.

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Fourth Sunday of Advent

READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK

• First reading
  • Isaiah 7:10-16
• Psalm
  • Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19
• Second reading
  • Romans 1:1-7
• Gospel
  • Matthew 1:18-25

The gospel from Matthew:
Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly.

But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means, “God is with us.” When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.

Sermon:
Among Pastor Stevenson’s memories is one of being instructed that church congregations must not sing Christmas carols on the first three Sundays of Advent. These Sundays tell us why we do sing carols on the Fourth Sunday. It is on this Fourth Sunday that we read how God satisfies our needs. Billy Graham’s son does not get that far with his evangelism. How would his listener know that he, the listener, needs God? The birth of Jesus is not a cosmic event. The events leading up to the birth were ordinary. Our Advent readings follow the prophecies of Isaiah. Plato wrote about people chained against a wall, from which one goes out and comes back. On the fourth Sunday of Advent, Jesus goes out, fulfilling God’s promises, and comes back to lead us ………..

Third Sunday of Advent

READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK

• First reading
  • Isaiah 35:1-10
• Psalm
  • Psalm 146:5-10 or Luke 1:46b-55
• Second reading
  • James 5:7-10
• Gospel
  • Matthew 11:2-11

The gospel from Matthew:
When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.”

As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind? What then did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes? Look, those who wear soft robes are in royal palaces. What then did you go out to see? A prophet?

Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written, ‘See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’ Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.