Speaker: The Rev. Nathan Stomberg

We only recite the Long Exhortation as a congregation a couple of times over the course of the year, typically only during the season of Lent. Long though it may be (as the name implies), this beautiful prayer is packed with theology and teaches us much about how we should approach worship.

Much has been said about the parable of the prodigal son, but the end of so many who teach this passage is to read themselves into the text and ask “which son are you?” While there is nothing inherently bad about this type of reading, the point of the passage goes much deeper than that. The Rector explains how this parable challenges us to be better ambassadors for Christ.

The Annunciation of our Lord to the Virgin Mary is an iconic moment in the Gospel narrative. And yet, it is an account that is frequently overlooked in Evangelical circles. Listen as the Rector explains all there is to be learned, Biblically and traditionally, from the Annunciation account.

Anyone can believe IN God, certainly a god of our own creation – we really enjoy doing that. What we fail at is BELIEVING God, that is, putting our faith in Jesus Christ to save us from our sins, and not trusting our own works. When we trust in Christ, His righteousness is imputed to us by faith. Listen as the Rector discusses God’s covenant with Abraham, and how God’s faithfulness requires that we not only believe in Him, but believe and trust Him fully.

When we give our attention to worthless things, we are robbing God of that same attention. Not that God needs our attention, but that we abandon His ways, and we allow our relationship with Him to wither. We give our attention to that which we value most at that moment in time. Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

In Luke 9:28-36, we read an account of Christ’s Transfiguration, a revealing of His perfect holiness on earth. But what really is God’s holiness, and what does it mean for how we should worship Him?

As with the Israelites, the place where we once worshipped no longer exists. The way forward is only through the wilderness, through the desert. And God will make a highway and a river to lead us, but it is our responsibility to follow him and not go astray. Thus, it is not about your way or my way, but about God’s way. May Holy Communion Anglican Church in 2022 and beyond be faithful to follow God’s way, wherever it may lead.

In Luke 2:22-40, we receive the account of the infant Jesus presented at the temple by Joseph and Mary. While we may quickly read past this short account, there is actually a tremendous amount to be learned here.

Beloved, we cannot afford to excuse ourselves from the work of ministry. We cannot rely on others to speak the truth while we coast through life. God has anointed each and every one of us with the responsibility to serve Him and share the Gospel. When we excuse ourselves of that responsibility, we are being disobedient, and we harm not only ourselves but the next generation as well – because we are robbing them of an opportunity to hear God’s Word.