Pastor Chapman "Effectual Altar Working"

Jesus’ body was transformed through His resurrection and he appeared to his disciples in that glorified physical body. We too will be transformed in the final resurrection because Jesus has gone ahead of us. In the here and now, though, we have new life in us that also comes through Jesus’ resurrection to us that we might be made ready for the fina…

Jesus appeared to his disciples multiple times after his resurrection. In the first appearance, they were not sure what to think save for the peace given to them by him and revelation of the scars upon body. After this he gives to them the Holy Spirit that they might be sent out in faith to make forgiveness known through Jesus. Image: St Thomas tou…

Jesus’ death and resurrection is God’s way of swallowing up death and removing the veil of it from over the people. His resurrection is the acceptance of his sacrifice that brings forgiveness and rejoicing to all people. Find out more from Father Jeremiah now.โดย Fr. Jeremiah Caughran

The Death of Jesus was a fulfilling of God the Father’s covenant faithfulness. He had promised Abraham that all the people’s of the earth would be blessed through him and it is through Jesus’ death that that blessing comes. God completes his promise and we are given the gift of life as God’s people. Image: The Crucifixion by Pietro Lorenzetti. Publ…

Image: The Last Supper of Jesus Christ, by Roman Zacharij, licensed under CC BY 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons, no changes made. Image location: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Last_Supper.JPGโดย Fr. Jeremiah Caughran

When Jesus entered Jerusalem upon the back of a donkey, the people cried out “Hosanna!” What was the meaning of this cry and what do we realize about it today? Father Jeremiah brings forward the impact of this entrance with palms and how it reveals the reality of the work of Jesus for us. Image: Palm Sunday Icon, Picture taken by Ted. Licensed unde…

Jesus spoke of a grain of wheat that must die to bring forth a harvest. Jesus himself is that grain of wheat, and yet, we too are grains of wheat that have come from Jesus falling into the earth and dying. We too must continually die to ourselves in order to bring forth the harvest that God the Father desires. Image: The Veteran in a New Field, by …

The destruction of the Temple by Babylon and the exile of God’s people was a devastating moment. Yet, God remained faithful to bring them back and re-establish them. After this return, God continued to fulfill his promises by sending the Messiah to make his people his new Temple that we might carry God with us throughout to the ends of the earth. I…

When Jesus cleansed the Temple, he was pointing toward himself as the true and pure Temple. We, as his people through faith and baptism, are also the Temple which needs continual cleansing because of our sinfulness. Father Jeremiah explains this and how it affects out lives day in and day out. Image: Theodoor Rombouts, Public domain, via Wikimedia …

As Jesus begins teaching his disciples directly about his crucifixion, St. Peter rebukes Jesus for thinking that the Messiah must suffer. However, Jesus turns the tables on St. Peter and points out to him and all that we all must suffer and die in light of his own death and resurrection. Through this, we come to know more deeply the love of Christ …

When Jesus receive the Holy Spirit in his baptism, that very Spirit drove him into the wilderness. There Jesus resists Satan for his people and brings to us who trust in him, deliverance from temptation and, ultimately, sin itself through his death and resurrection. Image: The Temptation by the Devil by Gustave Dore, engraving, 1865. Public Domain.…

The sin and death that is within us is something that must be dealt with on Earth. It is the problem of Earth and not that of Heaven. Thus, Jesus comes to deal with it here on Earth that we might be saved from sin and death by his death and resurrection. On Ash Wednesday, we embrace that reality and enter the season of Lent recognizing that we can’…

What does Elijah meeting the Lord at Mt. Sinai and Jesus’ transfiguration have in common? Why is it important that the Lord isn’t in the wind, the earthquake, the fire? Why is it a low whisper? Father Jeremiah reflects on these questions Photo by form PxHere. Public Domain.โดย Fr. Jeremiah Caughran

On World Mission Sunday in the Anglican Church in North America, we step back to understand the grand calling upon the church to make disciples of all nations. What does this mean for us? How is it to be accomplished? How do we walk in this reality? Father Jeremiah teaches through the last few verses of Matthew 28 and shows how Jesus is the corners…

In Mark 1:21-28, Jesus enters a synagogue to teach and then rebukes and casts out a demon. What does this mean for his day and what does it mean for us today? Father Jeremiah considers that Jesus’ authority is one that enables us to rebuke ourselves and embrace the transformation that he brings to us through the Holy Spirit. Image: Die Bibel in Bil…

Jesus went forth preaching about the Kingdom of God being at hand and calling disciples to follow him. Are we all called to drop the work we are doing to follow Jesus or can he call us to follow him in the midst of the work he has given us? Father Jeremiah considers this as he teaches about the change that Jesus brings to us through his work. Image…

St. Paul writes of the many things that people have done in the church at Corinth. Yet in listing out so many wrongdoings, he reminds the people, “Such were some of you.” St. Paul points us to the reality that in Jesus, all of our sinfulness is undone and broken. Through the washing, sanctification, and justification by Jesus, we are changed. Image…

Jesus came to be baptized in the Jordan by John the Baptist so that the Holy Spirit would descend upon him. Now, through Jesus, we receive the very same Holy Spirit. Father Jeremiah helps us to see the connection between Jesus’ baptism and our own baptisms, that we might be more and more renewed by Jesus. Image: The Baptism of Christ, James Fuller …

John the Baptist is questioned in John 1:19-28 about who he is. He denies being the Christ, the Prophet, and even Elijah! But he points the priests and Levites to one who stands among them who is the great one to come. What kind of person is John to have his ministry overshadowed by another and to want it to be so? Father Jeremiah tells us about Jo…

As St. Mark opens his Gospel he reveals just what he thinks of Jesus Christ. Along with that we are directed in how to prepare the way of the Lord through the words of John the Baptist, who is the Elijah to come predicted by the prophet Malachi. Image: Saint John the Baptist Bearing Witness, by Annibale Carracci, CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Ded…

With the beginning of Advent, there is a change in season and year for the Church! Father Jeremiah helps us consider how Advent should affect us and how walking through Advent leads us closer to Jesus as our King and Savior. Image: Second Coming of Christ, by Rudolph Myer, Public Domain. Image Location: https://www.lookandlearn.com/history-images/Y…

When Jesus returns as king he will judge the living and the dead. In Matthew 25, we hear of this judgment as a separation of the sheep and the goats. We see a focus on the actions of the people in their lives, but what we can easily miss is the basis of the sheep’s actions. They are receiving an inheritance, something that can’t be earned. Their de…

For All Saints’ Sunday, Father Jeremiah explained where this feast day came from. He also showed its connection to baptism in preparation for baptizing some that day. Image: Perm Art Museum, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commonsโดย Fr. Jeremiah Caughran

In this final confrontation with the Pharisees before his trial and crucifixion, Jesus answers a final question about the greatest commandment. He then quickly turns the tables on his questioners with a question about how the Messiah can be both the son of David and his Lord. How are these two moments connected? What does this mean for us who are u…

When Jesus is asked about paying taxes, he carefully turns the tables on his questioners. “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s.” What do we make of this response? How does it apply to us today? How did Jesus fulfill even this command through his death and resurrection? Father Jeremiah examines Matthew …

In the Bible, feasting and especially wedding feasts are a sign of the Kingdom of God and salvation being given to God’s people. Jesus reminds us that all has been prepared and accomplished and thus all is a gift for us when we are called to join him. Yet, when we fall, we must not remain speechless before the King, but should respond with confessi…

As we hear the Parable of the Wicked Tenants, our hearts should be drawn to the conclusion in which the wicked are cast out for those who will provide the fruit to the master. We are called to good works by the power of the Holy Spirit, works that the Father has prepared beforehand for us. How do we respond to these called out of us works? Do we re…

Jesus’ parable of the Two Sons is a perfect rebuttal to the chief priests and elders refusal to answer Jesus’ question about John the Baptist. They know that he can challenge them on their lack of faith, yet he reminds them that they can turn any time to the Father’s will and believe in the one whom he has sent to bring salvation. That still applie…

The Master of the vineyard is free to reward and give to his workers as he pleases. In his freedom to do that, the workers are freed to do their work with no fear of not receiving good things from the master. Likewise for us, we are free to work in our vocations because God has given us the Kingdom and made us partakers of it through Jesus Christ. …

How do we respond to the great generosity of the king in forgiving our infinite debt? Do we extend that kind of forgiveness to those who owe us or do we keep track of every infraction and debt and strive to squeeze it out of others? Are we quick to call out debts of others while wanting them to ignore what we owe to them? How does this kind of life…

Jesus opens our eyes through the Law to our need for him and his work on our behalf that we might be saved from the coming disaster of our sins. Jesus is our watchman that leads us away from condemnation and into redemption, reconciliation, and restoration. Image: Thomas Dekker, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons…

Father John Riebe fills in for Father Jeremiah. Fr. John reminds us that we are to take up our crosses in light of the cross that Christ has taken up for us. We walk along the same path in his power and strength and it is konwn to us by our confession of Jesus as the Christ. Image: from https://catalog.obitel-minsk.com/blog/2021/04/why-are-we-calle…

When St. Peter answered Jesus’ question, little did he know that it would be a hinge-moment in his life. Everything would be different and he would be given the strength to continue forward in his confession. Image: The Delivery of the Keys to Peter, Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication Image location: https://picryl.com/medi…

In the story of the Canaanite woman from Matthew 15, we see Jesus testing both his disciples and the woman regarding faith in what the Messiah has come to do. How does the woman respond to Jesus and how does Jesus respond to the woman? What does this tell us about the resilience of faith and our need to cling to Jesus? Father Jeremiah walks through…

Jesus’ feeding of the 5000 is more than a mere event in the his ministry. Jesus is fulfilling many events of God feeding his people and caring for them from the Old Testament. With that we discover that there is a greater fulfillment to this feeding to be found at the end of Jesus’ earthly ministry. Image: Jesus Feeding the Multitude, Gustave Doré,…

As Jesus tells the people parables, one thing to remember is that the parables are about Jesus. He is revealing something of himself to the people who can hear. We should recognize that Jesus is the center of these parables and know that he is working to make us his own in his Kingdom. image: Phillip Medhurst, FAL, via Wikimedia Commons…

In the Parable of the Weeds, Jesus says that the Master of the field told his servants to wait until the harvest and to let the weeds grow amongst the wheat. And so the weeds remained with the wheat until the reapers came to separate them from one another. This would take great patience from the servants. Likewise, we too live patiently in the worl…

It is so easy for us to view the various soils from Jesus’ parable of the Sower as static soils regarding our hearts. We are one or the other. And yet, there is an aspect of which our hearts shift and receive the Word of God differently at different times. Father Jeremiah explores this idea and helps us to see how God will plow and prepare our hear…

Jesus tells us that he has an easy and kind yoke and is joyful that those who are children have heard his call. In a paradoxical way these two things go together. Only little children can receive Jesus, and only those who are weary can become children. This is because those are the kind of people who can put their trust in Jesus as they have not bl…

Jesus speaks of bringing a sword instead of peace, which is seemingly shocking. And yet, when one considers that not all will believe in Jesus, it makes sense. When Jesus renews the hearts of some and others reject him, there will be conflict and division and a sword will split people apart. This is also true of ourselves. When Jesus renews our hea…

Jesus continues teaching his disciples about the what will happen as they go out to make the kingdom known. They will face various kinds of persecution because of the name of Jesus. Yet, despite all of that, they should not fear man because the Father in heaven knows when even a sparrow falls and we are all of greater value than they are before God…

Out of His compassion, Jesus sends the twelve with his authority and power to heal and cast out demons in order to make known the Kingdom of God. What does this mean for us today? Father Jeremiah reflects upon this in his sermon from Sunday. Image: Crowds gather as Christ heals sick people, engraving by T. Phillibrown after Benjamin West. Public Do…

God is continually demonstrating his covenant faithfulness towards us. And that faithfulness will always reveal to us our lack of faithfulness toward God, leading us to receive his mercy that comes through the covenant. Image: See page for author, CC BY 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons. Image location: https:…

The Trinity is a mystery and yet, something that has been revealed since the beginning. It is not an abstract doctrine created by the New Testament, but is the reality of God, revealed throughout the Old Testament. It is merely made crystal clear in the New Testament. Image: See page for author, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons…

What is the purpose of giving the Holy Spirit to the disciples and to us? The Spirit calls gives gifts that are to be used for the good of the Church and to make Jesus known through those gifts! Father Jeremiah explains this in his latest sermon. image: Tongues of fire descend on the apostles at Pentecost. Lithograph, See page for author, CC BY 4.0…

As Jesus prayed his high priestly prayer just a brief while before he was betrayed, he asked to be glorified with the glory that he had known before the world existed. This is a prayer for his ascension to come! In that ascension, he will be able to be with his people and come to us through his word and sacraments that we would know eternal life, t…

Jesus tells his disciples that he is the true vine and that we are all branches off of him. What does this mean for our life? How does this reshape our entire Christian lives? Father Jeremiah guides us through this passage from John 15. Image: From pxfuel.com, free for commercial use. image location: https://www.pxfuel.com/en/free-photo-jrndb…

During Jesus’ discourse with his disciples before he was crucified, he told them to not let their hearts be troubled in light of the events around them. What did Jesus tell them to enable them to be comforted instead of troubled? Father Jeremiah reviews these truths in today’s sermon. Image: The risen Jesus appears to the disciples in the upper roo…

Jesus speaks of the shepherd as one who can call out to his sheep and they will come to him. He also says that he is the door for both the shepherd and the sheep. How does Jesus call out to us today? How does he water and feed us? Are there under-shepherds who serve under this one good Shepherd? Father Jeremiah considers the care of the Good Shephe…