“You know, the Bible doesn’t teach us to be defensive in relationships. It doesn’t tell us to protect your heart and be extra cautious ‘cause you don’t know who’s going to betray you, who’s going to leave you, no it doesn’t say anything like that, it just says love. And it says love always trusts. And it always tells us to forgive; forgive means they’re going to wrong you first and then you’re gonna forgive. And then go back up and trust again. That’s what the Bible says about our relationships. It never says, ‘No, close your heart ‘cause you’re going to get hurt. Be protective. Protect your own heart.’ No, it never says that. It says, ’Get hurt, I will heal you, I’ll restore things, reconciliation is for you, and then get back up and love again. Trust again. Go belong to that group again.’ That’s how the word of God teaches us.”
——Myunghwa Choi, ”Loneliness Unmasked” sermon.
holla it's Jesus time.
Didn’t get a chance to go to church today? Check out this sermon by Jed Mullenix over at Harbor of Hope in Boston. It’s a good one (and only 34 minutes long!). It’s my church away from church. :] Happy Easter!
http://www.harborofhope.org/media/sermon/the-aftermath:—easter-2012
Listen
Have you ever heard a sermon that felt like it took 20 pounds off your chest, and gave you that breakthrough insight, and made you smile for three days in a row? This is one of those sermons, from popular speaker and blogger, JS Park (or JoonBug as he is affectionately known in inner-city Chicago).
This, people, is getting it done.
Download it here, if you prefer.
“Very early in my ministry career, I was preaching in a jail service at a maximum security facility. I had this sermon example that I thought was going to blow them away. I was about 2 minutes into the example when a young guy stood up in the middle of the room (understand, standing up in this room could lead to guards dragging you off). He said, "I mean you no disrespect, but we only have so much time before they lock us back up. We are here because we want to hear about Jesus. So please just skip whatever this is and get to the Jesus part". They were desperate to hear about Jesus. In Suburban churches, no one says anything if the sermon is bad, they are just polite.”
—-Glen Fitzjerrell (Unka Glen) on episode 20 of the Say That podcast
“God is holy, He is glorious, He's powerful, He's awesome, He holds the universe in the palm of His hand. But even though God is way above us and sits on a throne in control of everything -- He punched a hole in the pages of the sky and He wrote Himself into the story of humanity. The feet of the Son of God touched the dirt of the earth and He became one of us. And he didn't just get crucified, he didn't just go to a cross: his whole life was a crucifixion. He was tempted, persecuted, hungry, tired, he was weak, just like one of us. Then when he went to the cross, he made this exchange called grace, where he said, 'Your sin for my life. One of us has to pay the cost.' And Jesus, our friend, said, 'I will.'”
—J.S. from this message“When the first chapter of the Bible says, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:27), what is the point? The point of an image is to image. Images are erected to display the original. Point to the original. Glorify the original. God made humans in his image so that the world would be filled with reflectors of God. Images of God. Six billion statues of God. So that nobody would miss the point of creation. Nobody (unless they were stone blind) could miss the point of humanity, namely, God. Knowing, loving, showing God.”
—John PiperToday's Holy Sermon for Easter Sunday: Open Ye holy bible to chapter 6(album: GOOD), paragraph 3(song: Theraflu), section 1(verse 1): The great lord Kanye states "Can I have a bad bitch with no flaws" This is a hidden message from our Lord Ye that only the highest of Yeezyanity believers such as myself the Pope could uncover. Yesus is trying to say that everyone has flaws since Kanye made humans filled with flaws. If you are perfect therefore you would equal to Kanye which is impossible. No one is perfect but our Lord Kanye that is why he can't find a "bad bitch with no flaws" The best we can do is pray to our Lord and follow the path of Yeezyness! Ye-men! DAT SHIT CRAY! May kanye bless those souls who believe in thee.
“If we feel that we can't find true love in God, then we turn to lust. If we feel like we can't find comfort and assurance in God, then we turn to false security in money. If we feel like we can't find eternal joy in God, then we turn to this petty, fleeting happiness. There's a desire in our heart that has to be filled. And if God's not filling it, no matter how hard we try, nothing will.”
—Blake BaggotAll those who work for the Church are Myrrhbearers
… And myrrhbearing is not only participating in the sacraments, preaching the Gospel and confessing the Faith, it is also doing that myriad of things which are so difficult because they require our sacrifice. For:
Those who sing in church are myrrhbearers.
Those who clean the church are myrrhbearers.
Those who prepare the flowers for the services are myrrhbearers.
Those who look after the garden are myrrhbearers.
Those who sew vestments and altar-coverings are myrrhbearers.
Those who bake prosphora are myrrhbearers.
Those who prepare tea or donate food or wash up are myrrhbearers.
Those who donate icons or make offerings of money are myrrhbearers.
Even those who simply come and pray for the salvation of all are myrrhbearers.
All those who work for the Body of Christ, the Church, in this world, but are not of this world, are myrrhbearers, because they show that they too selflessly love Christ.
And what is the reward of myrrhbearers?
It is to be the first to see and know the Crucified Body of Christ Risen, the first to hear the words of the Angel resplendent and whiter than snow: Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is Risen!
This is our joy, not only to feel, but also to know that the Body of Christ, the Church, is Risen, for She is the place of the Resurrection, and we are witnesses of Christ’s Crucifixion and Resurrection. Moreover, when we care for the Church, the Church cares for us, for we are risen with Her.
May we all always have and cherish this inner knowledge of the Truth of Christ, being myrrhbearing witnesses to His Crucifixion and His Resurrection.
- Excerpt from Archimandrite Panteleimon’s sermon on the Sunday of the Myrrhbearers
