Sermon 08 Dec 2019  (2^nd Sunday of Advent)

The fruit of hope is peace by Fr. Dana

Simple Summary:  Why do we read Scripture?  Among other reasons, “so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.”  Hope brings patience, and patience brings us peace.

Lectionary:  Isaiah 11:1-10; Psalm 72; Romans 15:4-7, 13; Matthew 3:1-12

Referenced Scriptures:  1 Corinthians 2:16b

Recording – Sermon:  https://1drv.ms/u/s!AvYHlhfoSlmRo1CmOTnjrrsNPgK6?e=oQyTHH

Sermon 01 Dec 2019  (1^st Sunday of Advent)

Are you ready to meet Jesus? by Fr. Dana

Simple Summary:  What is the motivation behind everything Jesus does?  It is love.  He is love.  When mankind fell, God did not remain passive – He acted out of love.  Jesus makes salvation available to all, but for us to receive it we cannot remain passive – we must act out of love.  The Gospel describes what happens to those who act, and to those who don’t: “one will be taken and the other left”.

Lectionary:  Isaiah 2:1-5; Psalm 122; Romans 13:10-14; Matthew 24:37-44

Referenced Scriptures:  Psalm 145:14-15; Psalm 18:48; John 3:16; Daniel 2:27-45; Matthew 21:42-44; Isaiah 61:1-4; 1 Corinthians 3:9-15

Recording – Sermon:  https://1drv.ms/u/s!AvYHlhfoSlmRo08wf6msX_3QrGVl?e=aD2RrD

Sermon 24 Nov 2019

Come home to the Kingdom by Fr. Dana

Simple Summary:  Today we celebrate the feast day of Christ the King.  If there is a King, then there must be a kingdom.  It includes people from everywhere on the earth, and stretches from eternity past to eternity future.  You are part of that Kingdom, if you want to be, because Jesus Christ paid the price of your admission.  You must receive from Him, and you must empty yourself to make room to receive.

Lectionary:  Jeremiah 23:1-6; Psalm 46; Colossians 1:13-20; Luke 23:35-43

Referenced Scriptures:  Revelation 5:1-14; Psalm 145:13; Isaiah 19:19-22; Colossians 1:9b-12; Matthew 20:25-28

Recording – Sermon:  https://1drv.ms/u/s!AvYHlhfoSlmRozt80i7nago1-dkz?e=DeADqN

Sermon 17 Nov 2019

Serving from the heart by Fr. Dana

Simple Summary:  God the Father has blessed us in Christ, that we might be blessings to Him.  It’s all about the heart.  Without the heart, service becomes a repetition of mere forms.  Two coins given from the heart are worth more to God than all the riches we give in order to be noticed.

Lectionary:  Malachi 3:16-4:2; Psalm 98:1-9; 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13; Luke 20:45-21:4

Referenced Scriptures:  Ephesians 1:3-6; Matthew 12:34b-35; Malachi 3:13-15; 2 Peter 3:9

Recording – Sermon:  https://1drv.ms/u/s!AvYHlhfoSlmRozri3MO2uSI4POuP?e=CRPtBh

Sermon 10 Nov 2019

Fighting discouragement and living the Christian hope by Bp. Elmer Belmonte, Diocese of Europe

Simple Summary: We (the Church Militant) need to have a vision for eternity where God and the saints (the Church Triumphant) live in victory right now.  We can overcome the lies of Satan by getting rid of our entangling sin, by fighting the good fight of faith with God’s weapons, and by setting our eyes on Jesus as we run the race set before us – a marathon that has been run and won by saints before us … and we can too!

Lectionary:  Job 19:13-27; Psalm 17; 2 Thessalonians 2:15-3:5; Luke 20:27-38

Referenced Scriptures:  2 Peter 3:8; Hebrews 12:1-3; Matt. 11:28

Recording – Sermon:  https://1drv.ms/u/s!AvYHlhfoSlmRozUt_oPYZT6zoOIe?e=wSgOJl

Sermon 03 Nov 2019

True forgiveness by Fr. Dana

Simple Summary:  Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector.  He had heard about Jesus, but that was not enough: he wanted to see Him.  He prepared, he rose above the noisy crowd, and Jesus changed his heart forever.  He received forgiveness that day, true forgiveness.

If you have a wrong understanding of forgiveness, you have a wrong understanding of the Gospel.

Lectionary:  Isaiah 1:10-17; Psalm 119:137-144; 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12; Luke 19:1-10

Referenced Scriptures:  Jeremiah 31:3; Matthew 21:31; Matthew 6:15; Matthew 18:35; Genesis 45:5; Luke 18:11; 1 Timothy 2:8; 1 Corinthians 11:27; Matthew 7:21-23; Isaiah 53:7

Recording – Exhortation after worship:  https://1drv.ms/u/s!AvYHlhfoSlmRoydwkfe1dkzETNKE?e=y41hq8

Recording – Sermon:  https://1drv.ms/u/s!AvYHlhfoSlmRoygbOkXC8esVBbXs?e=xm27OV

Sermon 27 Oct 2019

A blemished lamb by Fr. Dana

Simple Summary:  Imagine: You and your “significant other” are at a concert of your favourite artist; you begged them to come because the artist is really important to you – your life was changed through their work.  You’re totally engaged, letting the sights and sounds soak into you and carry you away.  Your significant other squirms … yawns … after a while their head nods. They change positions – often!  They pull out their phone and check all their social media, maybe even taking a selfie of the two of you and posting it.  They get so involved they start whispering to themselves … even turning to you to make comments, totally unaware of what you are feeling and interrupting your immersion in the experience.

Two questions: (1) Does your “significant other” love you?  (2) Do they respect the artist?

Lectionary:  Jeremiah 14:17-22; Psalm 84:1-12; 2 Timothy 4:6-8,16-18; Luke 18:9-14

Referenced Scriptures:  Philemon 1:4-14; Matthew 12:34b; 1 John 2:6

Recording – Exhortation before worship:  https://1drv.ms/u/s!AvYHlhfoSlmRoyX-0bbdSCObOUPi?e=yXJVut

Recording – Sermon:  https://1drv.ms/u/s!AvYHlhfoSlmRoyYf30C4k-Fs-ZCc?e=mHWESo

Sermon 20 Oct 2019

Pulling down strongholds by Fr. Dana

Simple Summary:  “All Scripture is God-breathed and useful for….”  The Word of God is a banquet set out by the Lord. He intends for us to eat everything that is laid out – it is balanced for our nutrition. If we only eat the parts we like – dessert, or carbohydrates – it will make us fat, overweight, and we will die prematurely.  We can’t just pick selections of God’s Word, turn them into promises, and randomly claim them; we have to eat the whole meal.  And that is how we avoid becoming people who “will not put up with sound doctrine”.

Lectionary:  Genesis 32:22-31; Psalm 121; 2 Timothy 3:14-4:5; Luke 18:1-8

Referenced Scriptures:  Acts 17:11; 2 Timothy 3:1-13; Matthew 25:35; 1 Corinthians 15:20-26

Recording – Sermon:  https://1drv.ms/u/s!AvYHlhfoSlmRoyMawM8gDpScFg0k?e=f6oc30

Sermon 13 Oct 2019

The keys to God’s complete healing by Fr. Dana

Simple Summary:  When reading Scripture, always ask the Lord, “What are You saying to me?  What do you want me to see and understand?”  Today He has four points for us:  Who was Naaman?  What was his desire?  What did he receive?  What are the keys to what he received?

Lectionary:  2 Kings 5:8-15; Psalm 111; 2 Timothy 2:8-15; Luke 17:11-19

Referenced Scriptures:  2 Kings 5:1-5; Matthew 6:33

Recording – Sermon:  https://1drv.ms/u/s!AvYHlhfoSlmRoyJlk8pOjAUWhmR6?e=bFqINN

Sermon 29 Sep 2019

It’s not enough to avoid doing evil by Fr. Dana

Simple Summary:  We ask for much in prayer, and God wants us to ask. We have seen Him answer prayers, but there are many prayers that remain unanswered.  Could it be that He is waiting for us to be faithful in what is least, to show that we will be faithful also in much?  The rich man in the Gospel parable didn’t do any evil, yet he spent eternity in Hades because he failed to do good.  Jesus warned, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees” (who displayed outward dedication but whose hearts were empty tombs) “and the Sadducees” (who compromised the faith to support their great wealth and preserve their status).  They thought performance of the rites was all God required, and with that finished they could do whatever they pleased.  Don’t make the same mistake.

Lectionary:  Amos 6:1-7; Psalm 146:1-10; 1 Timothy 6:17-19; Luke 16:19-31

Referenced Scriptures:  Matthew 13:8; Luke 16:10-13; Revelation 3:14-22; Matthew 6:19-21, 24; Matthew 16:26-27; Matthew 16:6, 8

Recording – Exhortation during worship:  https://1drv.ms/u/s!AvYHlhfoSlmRoyDwRJJHDVFa8P4G?e=xgL4SF

Recording – Sermon:  https://1drv.ms/u/s!AvYHlhfoSlmRoyG_kmVm8Tqf9XgI?e=MAIJtY