Sermon 01 Mar 2020  (1st Sunday of Lent)

A recipe for disaster by Fr. Dana

Simple Summary:  Prayer is the cardiovascular (heart+blood vessels+blood) system of our life: in prayer we receive pure nourishing blood (Holy Spirit guidance & revelation) from Jesus (the heart) and return impure, depleted blood (our prayer requests) to Him.  The more we participate in this life-giving exchange, the more we are conformed to the image of Christ and the fewer impurities our prayers to Him contain.  This is why we are instructed to “pray without ceasing” and “abide in the vine”: never break the flow.

The problem: we are more addicted to the world’s junk food than we are to Jesus’ life-giving blood, but we still want to minister in Jesus’ Name.  This is a recipe for disaster.

Lectionary: Genesis 2:15-17, 3:1-7; Psalm 32; Romans 5:12-17; Matthew 4:1-11  (sermon not from lectionary)

Referenced Scriptures: Matthew 19:16-22; John 6:48-66; Luke 22:31-34; Acts 19:13-16; Isaiah 59:15; Isaiah 61:1-4

Recording – Sermon:  https://1drv.ms/u/s!AvYHlhfoSlmRo27nil_FNrHorbDl?e=xPmEV7

Text – Sermon:  https://1drv.ms/b/s!AvYHlhfoSlmRo21Ph-Y5tRMgWjrn?e=6UKa6a

Diagram of cardiovascular system: