Light of Christ Podcast is the official podcast of Light of Christ Anglican Church in Georgetown, TX.
An Open Heart
An Open Heart
Obtaining God’s heart for others.
So, how do we develop an open heart like our Father who makes the sun rise and the rainfall on both the evil and the good?
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 is based on Matthew 5 beginning at verse 43. "And you have heard that it was said, you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you so that you may be sons of your Father, who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the just and on the unjust."
So how do we develop an open heart like our Father who makes the sun rise and the rain fall on both evil and the good. Well, just like the sunlight falls and the rain falls and brings life to the barren ground, we are invited by God to let his love, flowing from his open heart, fall on us. This is the gift of the Holy Spirit. And when God's love falls on our hearts, our hearts are opened up and flow out with love for enemy. And where do we find this love that flows to even the enemy? We find it here at the cross.
This is where God loved his enemy. Where he turns the other cheek, to be beaten by us. Where he goes the second mile to carry his cross. Where, through giving his body, he gives eternal life to the robber and all other sinners who ask him. Do you want to have an open heart like God, a heart that's in sync with the Triune Love? The only way is to be snatched up into his loving embrace at the foot of the cross, where he declares, "Father forgive them for they don't know what they do."
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. This prayer is found on page 24.
Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the Cross that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace: So clothe us in your Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; for the honor of your Name. Amen.
Set Apart For a Greater Purpose
Set Apart For a Greater Purpose
You have been called to be holy for a special purpose.
Holiness is being set apart. It’s being set apart for something.
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 is based on John 17:19, where Christ prays to the Father, "And for their sake, I consecrate myself that they also may be sanctified in truth."
So he prays for our security. He prays for our oneness, and finally, he prays that we be set apart, set apart. The Bible words for this are words like, holy. This is the same word. And, you'll see it throughout John 17. Holy, consecrated, sanctified. All these words mean the same thing, meaning to be set apart for a special purpose.
Sometimes when we think about being holy what's the first thing that you think about? For me, I think about, "Oh, holiness is not doing bad stuff." I think of the 10 Commandments, "Thou shalt not, thou shalt not, thou shalt not, thou shall honor your father and mother." And, then "Thou shalt not." It's a lot of thou shalt nots, but being set apart is much more. Obviously part of it is not doing certain things for sure. But, holiness, being set apart, is actually being set apart for something. You see, every yes we say is a no to something else. Every no we say is a yes to something else. They are two sides of the same coin. Yesterday, when I said yes to painting the front of my house, I said no to grilling a T-bone steak on my grill.
Had I said yes to grilling a T-bone steak, I would have had to say no to painting. But I needed to paint because they're saying it's going to rain for two months. Well, not two months, but for a week and a half starting sometime today. So, I had to paint, right? Every yes is a no to something else and every no is a yes. And, we've been called to a huge and beautiful, yes. We have been set apart for a higher purpose.
I remember being at a party once and this guy was there who was just ripped and shredded. He was a huge, big guy. And, I think we were going to drink some margaritas or something. And, I said, "Hey, do you want one?" He's like, "No." It was a perfect time for a margarita. “You don't want a margarita?” And he pulls out of his backpack some plastic bottle and pours some weird looking powder in there and puts water in there, shakes it up and drinks it. I was thinking, "Oh, that's a poor substitute." Why did he say no to the margarita? Well, he had a bodybuilding championship coming up. He had to be in perfect shape. He said no to the margarita because he had a higher yes. And likewise you have been set apart to a higher yes.
And, this is what Christ is praying for us. This is God's deep desire. This is the Holy Spirit's work. This is what He will most certainly accomplish. We have been set apart for the purpose of loving. We have been set apart for the sake of others, to use your unique gifts, to bless those around you. And, as we are called to that set-apart-ness, to be like Christ, who was so different and weird than the people around Him. We have been called to be set apart and weird, to be that guy, when everyone else is “drinking a margarita”, who drinks some powder in a bottle. People don't understand, but we have a higher purpose.
And so, we say no to lying. We say no to sexual immorality. We say no to greed and selfishness, because we are saying yes to a greater purpose. We have been set apart and this is Jesus' desire. This is the Holy Spirit's work. And, this is what He most certainly will accomplish.
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. This prayer by John Wesley can be found on page 673.
I am no longer my own, but thine. Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt. Put me to doing, put me to suffering. Let me be employed by thee or laid aside for thee, exalted for thee or brought low for thee. Let me be full, let me be empty. Let me have all things, let me have nothing. I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal. And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, thou art mine, and I am thine. So be it. And the covenant which I have made on earth, let it be ratified in heaven. Amen.