Speaker: The Rev. Nathan Stomberg

As we look at the Scriptures, we see the stark contrast between the kingdom of God and the kingdoms of this world. If we are reminded of one thing on the Feast of Christ the King, it is that we belong to a Kingdom that is not of this earth, serving a King who is perfectly holy, perfectly righteous, and just, perfectly powerful, and yet perfectly loving and merciful.

If we spend even a little time reading the Bible, we will encounter ominous passages about the end times. Yet God does not call us to hide in a bunker for the rest of our lives! Instead, God through the Holy Scriptures calls us to have confidence in the last days, for our faith in Christ is the only thing of ours that will hold firm against an uncertain future. Join the Rector as he discusses our confidence in the last days.

In this first part of our 2021 stewardship teachings, the Rector explains the importance of our giving all we have to God: our time, talent, and treasure. Is tithing really not enough?

We claim to join the saints in following Christ. Are we willing to pay the price for that? Is the eternal reward something we really desire? Do we really just want to live a quiet, comfortable life where we don’t take any risks, and we don’t offend anyone, and we just minimize the amount we suffer until we pass away? Or do we want to join the saints in the beatific vision? Listen as the Rector reminds us of the importance of All Saints’ Sunday.

Saint Paul reminds us, "Faith, hope, and charity abide, these three; but the greatest of these is charity" (1 Corinthians 13:13). What do each of these three words mean, and why is charity (love) the greatest? Listen as the Rector answers these questions and explains why "charity" is a much deeper translation of this passage.

The prophet Isaiah gives us the image of the Suffering Servant, a foreshadowing of Jesus Christ. In the image of the Suffering Servant, we receive not only a depiction of Christ, but also a depiction of His example which we are called to follow.

Why aren’t we more aware of this idea, the fleeting nature of life? The vast majority of our lives are spent in denial of our mortality, but Scripture constantly reminds us to do the opposite. The refrain from Psalm 90, verse 12 has incredibly wide-reaching implications: “So teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts to wisdom” (Psalm 90:12). Psalm 90 sets the tone for all of our other readings this week, and verse 12 is the lens through which to read the other three passages, as well as our entire lives. Admitting that our time on earth is short is uncomfortable, but it’s not morbid. In fact, it’s required for living a proper Christian life. Watch as the Rector discusses the principle of numbering our days.

Many point to the breakdown of marriage and the family as the most significant contributing factor to the unraveling of American public life. Why is that? Listen as the Rector explains why God designed marriage and the family as the building blocks of society, and how the greatest dignity is to be found in these two smallest parts of the community.

We are running to obtain God’s promises. And the greatest of God’s promises is that He so loved us that He gave His only begotten son, so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal Life. We for our sin deserve eternal damnation, but Jesus Christ bore that sin on the Cross, and His righteousness is imputed to us if we only trust in Him. But at the point of trusting is where we get mixed up in our understanding.