Light of Christ Podcast is the official podcast of Light of Christ Anglican Church in Georgetown, TX.

Admin 10/7/19 Admin 10/7/19

Small Faith, Big God

Transcript: Welcome to the Light of Christ weekly podcast. Light of Christ Anglican Church is located in Georgetown, Texas at MLK and University Avenue. We are a modern expression of the ancient faith. You can learn more about us at lightofchristgeorgetown.org.

Our sermon sound bite for today comes from Luke 17, starting at verse 5, “The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith.’ And the Lord said, ‘If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, “be uprooted and planted in the sea,” and it would obey you.’"

So in response to the disciple's request to have more faith, Jesus responds that it's not the size of the faith that mattered. If they had even a small little bit of faith as small as a tiny mustard seed, they would be able to uproot trees with only their words. So what matters is not the quantity of our faith, the size and power of our faith. But what makes faith powerful is not us, but the one we have faith in, our all powerful God. Chris Wright, our director of music at Light of Christ who is attending Nashotah House seminary, preaches this truth to us.

God does big things. In our Old Testament reading in Habakkuk, in page 785 you'll see in Habakkuk 1:5. God says in response to Habakkuk who's saying, "God, how long will all of this happen? There's injustice, there's these terrible things." And God responds to him. He says, "Look among the nations and see, wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told."

God is constantly working in ways that we can't even understand, and sometimes in ways that we just don't notice because we get so distracted by our day to day lives. And we fail to recognize just the incomprehensible amazing things that God is constantly doing in our lives and in the world. The clearest example of an amazing thing that Jesus did was die on the cross for us, when God defeated death through Jesus Christ. So paradoxically, an interesting thing about this is that the glory and bigness of God is revealed through what appeared to be a small thing in Jesus. By humbling himself, being born as a human and then by dying, Jesus defeated death and sin and Satan. So by lowering himself, he rose above the powers that had taken hold of this world.

So it's through God and his bigness that we can do all things through him. Saint Cyril of Alexandria said, "The confirmation and strength necessary for faith comes from divine grace." So, God gives us the strength that we need. He gives us the strength in order to preserve our faith, and he assures us in that we can handle it because he is big enough for our problems.

Thank you for listening to the Light of Christ weekly podcast. Let us end our time together with a prayer from the Book of Common Prayer. You can find this collect for the Wednesday of Easter Week on page 610.

O God, whose blessed Son made himself known to his disciples in the breaking of bread: Open the eyes of our faith, that we may behold him in the fullness of his redeeming work; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Admin 9/29/19 Admin 9/29/19

Really Living

Welcome to the Light of Christ weekly podcast. Light of Christ Anglican Church is located in Georgetown, Texas at MLK and University Avenue. We are a modern expression of the ancient faith. You can learn more about us at lightofchristgeorgetown.org.

Did you know that today, over 50% of the world's wealth is owned by only 1% of the world's population? That's up from 42.5% in 2008. Another shocking statistic, although this number is decreasing over time, thank God, that in 2011 45% of all child deaths were due to malnutrition. And in 2016, almost a billion people suffer from chronic under nourishment. When we think of the 1%, we often think of them. But the fact is, if you make $33,000 or more you are part of the 1%. What does the Bible tell us who have on how to live in this world?

Our sermon soundbite for today comes from 1 Timothy chapter six, beginning at verse 17 through verse 19.

“As for the rich in this present age,” that's us, now notice the qualifier “rich in this present age.” ”Charge them not to be haughty,” not to be proud. That was the rich man's issue, ultimately, was his pride. “Charge them not to be proud nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches.”

So there's two problems here. There's this pride and there's this hope being placed in riches. See, this is what we say. We say, “I did it. It's mine and it will make me happy and secure.” “I did it. It's mine. It will make me happy and secure.” And Paul is saying, no, don't be proud. Don't set your hope on these riches which are uncertain, but, this is important, “but on God.” But set your hope on God. And I love this part, “who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.”

So we go from “I did it, it's mine, it will make me happy and secure,” to “He gave it, it's His and He gives these good gifts for our enjoyment.” That's the only thing that will unlock a proud heart and greedy heart is the generosity of God. It's the generosity of God. That's all that will do it. And do we have a generous God? We do. We have a God that has given us so many wonderful and good things to enjoy.

Notice that this view of material world and wealth is not a negative view. He's saying that God has given us these things, to enjoy at that! We can enjoy them. And so viewing God as a generous God is what can unlock our heart because God hasn't only given us material wealth, but He has given us something much more precious, Himself. His own Son on the cross.

When we receive that love and mercy of God… Our hearts are like a stagnant pool. You know what happens to a ... what happens at the blue hole right now where there's no water flowing? It's disgusting, right? It's festering all of these bacteria. If you go and swim in there you will get sick. That's our heart when it's closed up in pride. The people Amos was talking to, like the people that Jesus is talking to, like us. And it's that same door to our heart that opens to the generosity of God that allows us to open up our heart to those in need. It's the very same door. It's when we realize that God has been generous to us. It's only then that we can live in generosity towards others. Only then.

So “set your hope not on the uncertainty of riches, but on God who richly provides us everything to enjoy.” Then he finishes up here. “They're to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share.” What does it mean to really live? It means to be generous like God has been generous to us. That's really living. Really living is to not be rich in material possessions, but to be rich in good works. To take what God has given us and to prioritize giving it away. That is true security. That is really living.

So brothers and sisters, I'll close with what Paul says, “Thus storing up treasures for themselves as a good foundation for the future so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.” What does it mean to truly live? It means to be generous as our God is generous to us.

Thank you for listening to the Light of Christ weekly podcast. Let us end our time together with a prayer from the Book of Common Prayer. You can find this prayer For the Harvest of Lands and Waters on page 653.

O gracious Father, you open your hand and fill all living things with plenteousness: Bless the lands and waters, and multiply the harvests of the world; send forth your breath, and renew the face of the earth; show your loving-kindness, that our land may yield its increase; and save us from selfish use of what you provide, that the poor and needy may give thanks to your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Admin 9/23/19 Admin 9/23/19

A Life Built on Money

Transcript: Welcome to the Light of Christ Weekly Podcast. Light of Christ Anglican Church is located in Georgetown, Texas at MLK and University Avenue. We are a modern expression of the ancient faith. You can learn more about us at lightofchristgeorgetown.org.

Our sermon soundbite today comes from the prophet Amos, Chapter 8, beginning at verse 4. Amos speaks truth to the rich ruling class. They are filled with greed, worshiping at the altar of money, at the expense of the needy and the poor. "Hear this, you who trample on the needy and bring the poor of the land to an end, saying, 'When will the New Moon be over that we may sell grain, and the Sabbath, that we may offer wheat for sale, that we may make the ephah small and the shekel great and deal deceitfully with false balances, that we may buy the poor with silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals and sell the chaff of the wheat?' The Lord has sworn by the pride of Jacob, 'Surely I will never forget any of their deeds. Shall not the land tremble on this account and everyone more who dwells in it, and all of it rise like the Nile and be tossed about and sink again like the Nile of Egypt?'"

So he's saying the earth is going to be like the Nile that rises and falls. Has anyone been in an earthquake? Anyone lived in California? People who have been through earthquakes, I've never been in an earthquake, but people who have been in a really strong earthquake often tell me that it's completely disorienting, because we take the ground as being firm and a given. We're standing on it and we know that we build our foundations on it for goodness' sakes, right? It's the firmest thing we know. Yet in an earthquake, what happens? That thing which we thought was firm is undulating like waves up and down, and it's completely disorienting and traumatic. And God is saying, "You have built your life on money, but that is not solid ground. I am going to shake your foundations to the core, like the Nile going up and down, like the waves of the ocean. Your foundation is going to be taken away from you. It's going to drop out from under you."

And that's exactly what happens to anyone who builds their life on money. Because is it a firm foundation? No. The stock market's up, and then the stock market's down. Money is not a firm foundation. And eventually we all die. We all leave this world. Can any of us take money with us? No. We all leave with the same amount. That would be zero. And unless we build our lives on something else, we will be in for a major seismic disorientation. We need to build our life on a foundation that cannot be shaken. And that's the way of Jesus.

The bottom line is that we are generous and we live that life of generosity, which is the way of Jesus, because we worship a generous God. Why are we generous with our money, our time, our talents? We're generous because we worship a generous God, a God who's given us life, not only given us life, but every moment is sustaining our life. He gave us this beautiful world that we live in. He gave us resources like money, but most importantly, what reveals the generosity of our God, is that he gave us his very own heart, his son. John 3:16. "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life." So brothers and sisters, sons and daughters of light, let us move from greed, which leads to death, to a generosity that is the way of eternal life.

Thank you for listening to the Light of Christ Weekly Podcast. Let us end our time together with a prayer from the Book of Common Prayer. You can find this prayer of Saint Matthew on page 632.

Lord Jesus, you called Matthew from collecting taxes to become your apostle and evangelist. Grant us the grace to forsake all covetous desires, an inordinate love of riches, that we may follow you as he did and proclaim to the world around us the good news of your salvation. For with the Father and the Holy Spirit you live and reign, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Admin 9/19/19 Admin 9/19/19

Why You Want an Angry God

Today's sermon soundbite comes from Exodus chapter 32 verses seven through 10. We see here the Lord God becoming angry at the sin of his people. What does it mean for God to be angry? Verse seven, "And the Lord said to Moses, 'Go down for your people whom you brought out of the land of Egypt have corrupted themselves. They have turned aside quickly out of the way that I commanded them. They have made for themselves a golden calf and have worshiped it and sacrificed to it and said, 'These are your gods, Oh Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.' And the Lord said to Moses, 'I have seen this people, and behold it is a stiff necked people. Now, therefore let me alone that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them in order that I may make a great nation of you.'"

So we see God is angry and sin has placed this relational wedge between him and his people. Notice as he's talking about the people, he says, "You go down to ..." He says to Moses, "Go down to your people whom you brought up." There's this distance now. He's like God saying, "I'm not taking responsibility for these people."

Now it's not God who's left them. They have left God. It's not God who has broken the covenant. They have broken the covenant.

Now, I want to make a clarification here. When we talk about God's anger, we need to know that God's anger is not like human anger. Human anger is mostly due to selfishness and lack of control. I'm not getting what I want. I'm not controlling the situation. I get angry and mostly that's because I'm selfish and I can't see that other people can do things other ways. Or maybe they have a voice that needs to be heard. Mostly when I'm angry, it's selfishness.

But God's anger is like our anger by analogy. There's an analogy between God's anger and our anger. There's a way in which they are related, but they're very, very different.

How are they related? Well, anger is God's disposition towards sin. It's God's disposition towards sin. God is perfect, he's pure, he's loving, and sin is incredibly, we don't even understand how incredibly destructive it is. God's disposition towards sin is described as anger.

Now, how was it like human anger? We've talked about how it's unlike human anger. Well, it's like human anger in that it is justified, at times. Sometimes human anger is justified. Have you seen that bumper sticker? It says, "If you aren't angry you haven't been paying attention." Have you seen that one? Well, I would suspect and I don't want to judge the person with this bumper sticker, but I would suspect that some of that anger, as it would with me, comes out of a self-righteous position. Maybe they're paying more attention to what's happening outside of them than what's happening in their own heart. I'm just speaking for myself, I guess.

But there is something true about this. When we see people we love being hurt or we see just the way that people can treat each other, especially the ones we love, anger is the appropriate response. It is. At times human anger is justified. With God it's always justified because who is paying more attention than God? He knows all things.

God's anger, unlike our anger, is always holy, always loving, always self-controlled, and always purposeful. You may say, "Well, I don't want an angry God. I don't like an angry God." Are you sure about that? Would you rather have a God that is just yucking it up in heaven while we languish on earth, who's disconnected from our condition? See, an angry God is a God who cares.

Given that this world is filled with pain and suffering, a God who's connected to it, who cares about it has to be angry. Yet, unlike human anger, I want to say again, God's anger is always a 100% justified.

We might say, "Well, I can't believe in a God like that. I can't believe in a God who would be angry." Well, I really think that that's not the way to go. I mean, it would be like saying, "I can't believe in gravity like that because I don't like what it does," and then try to jump off of a cliff and fly. The question is not what kind of God do I want? As if I'm picking out some sort of ice cream flavor. The question is, “What God is?” What God is? What is he like? That's really the question. That's what the scripture and especially Jesus reveals to us.

Thank you for listening to the Light of Christ podcast. Let us end our time together with a prayer from the book of common prayer. This prayer of penitence can be found on page 549.

Show favor to your people, O Lord, who turn to you in weeping, fasting, and prayer. For you are a merciful God, full of compassion, long-suffering, and abounding in steadfast love. You spare when we deserve punishment, and in your wrath you remember mercy. Spare your people, good Lord, spare us; in the multitude of your mercies, look upon us and forgive us; through the merits and mediation of your blessed Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Admin 9/9/19 Admin 9/9/19

Will You Hate Your Family?

Transcript: Welcome to the Light of Christ weekly podcast. Light of Christ Anglican churches located in Georgetown, Texas at MLK and University Avenue. We are a modern expression of the ancient faith. You can learn more about us at lightofchristgeorgetown.org.

Our sermon soundbite today comes from Luke chapter 14 beginning at verse 25. Jesus turns to a great crowd that's following him and makes a startling statement. How should our love for family compare to our love for Jesus Christ?

Starting at verse 25. “Now great crowds accompanied him and he turned and said to them, "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me, cannot be my disciple. For which of you desiring to build a tower does not first sit down and count the cost whether he has enough to complete it. Otherwise when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish all who see it begin to mock him saying, this man began to build and was not able to finish or what King going out to encounter another King in war will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with 10,000 to meet him who comes against him with 20,000 and if not while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. So therefore any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.”

So therefore any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple. This word for renounce means to say goodbye. To say goodbye. It has a continuous sense. He's saying the life of following me is one of continuously saying goodbye to those other loves that are trying to take God from the number one place. It's a life of saying no. Goodbye. I have Jesus as my first love. I love how it's put in The Message, “Simply put, if you're not willing to take what is dearest to you, whether plans or people and kiss it goodbye. You can't be my disciple.” That's the cross.

But this way, as difficult as it is, is the path to life. When we renounce trying to find our peace, our joy, and our happiness and all of these created things and instead find it in Christ, who has given himself for us, that's actually when we begin to enjoy the created things that God has made because they're in their proper place now. That's the paradox of it, that this hatred for our family, this renouncing of them as the number one love in our life, actually allows us to truly love them because we're not making them idols anymore. We're not destroying them with our idolatry. We're not throwing them under the bus for our own lusts, but we're loving them because God has loved them.

I think about this during Lent. Isn't it amazing how good chocolate tastes in Lent, right? If you're eating chocolate all the time and you're just fulfilling your lust for chocolate, it loses its taste, doesn't it? You lose the enjoyment of the good creative thing that is chocolate because you've made an idol out of it. So all it does is make you fat. When we put God first, when we say no to chocolate, it's amazing how good chocolate tastes.

That's what it is like with life. When we renounce these other things, God gives us the gift of enjoyment again. This death, this cross paradoxically is the path to life.

So in conclusion, we all are in a great crowd and we're following Jesus and Jesus turns to us and he's asking you, where does your loyalty lie? Where is your heart? Is it with me or is it with your ex? Is it with someone or something else? Will you take up your cross to follow me? Will you say goodbye to those things that are competing with me as your first love? Or will you choose the easy way? Consider the cost I have set before you life and death. Choose life.

Why? Why choose life? Why do this? Because you are following Christ, the one who “said goodbye” and renounced all because of his love for you.

Thank you for listening to the Light of Christ weekly podcast. Let us end our time together with a prayer from the Book of Common Prayer. You can find this prayer, Proper 26, on page 622.

Grant us, Lord, not to be anxious about earthly things, but to love things heavenly; and even now, as we live among things that are passing away, to hold fast to those things that shall endure; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.