Irony of Ironies (Sermon for the First Sunday of Epiphany--The Baptism of Our Lord) Mark 1:4-11

Sermon for the First Sunday of Epiphany--The Baptism of Our Lord: Irony of Ironies

Mark 1:4-11

January 11, 2015

Calvary - St. George's Church

Everyone has heard about the horrific events that occurred in Paris earlier this week.  A group of radicals attempted to silence a voice that they despised. Irony of ironies, that voice is now louder than ever...

Today is the first Sunday of the season of Epiphany. Christmas celebrated the coming of the God-man Jesus, Epiphany celebrates the manifestation or showing forth of the glory of God in Jesus. On Tuesday, many of us took part in the Feast of the Epiphany.  We witnessed the showing forth of the glory of God to the wise men from the East; to outsiders, to people who do not belong. Today is the Baptism of our Lord Sunday. This morning we’ll witness the showing forth of the glory of God in the baptism of his Son.

Or will we? Yes, you’ve heard right, the first Sunday of the Epiphany season is about the manifestation of the glory of Jesus in his baptism, but, ironically enough, the Gospel lesson for today does anything but show forth his glory. In fact, if anything it conceals it.   

Sermon for the Feast of the Epiphany Matthew 2:1-12

Sermon for the Feast of the Epiphany

Matthew 2:1-12

January 6, 2015

Calvary - St. George's Church

Collect of the Day: Feast of the Epiphany

O God, by the leading of a star you manifested your only Son to the peoples of the earth: Lead us, who know you now by faith, to your presence, where we may see your glory face to face; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

How many of you have felt like an outsider at one point or another?

How many of you feel like outsiders even now?

My best friend growing up was my next door neighbor. We’ll call him Ernie. Ernie parent’s were from Ghana. Ernie and I had different color skin.  

One day we both went to the baseball card shop in the shopping plaza near our town home community. Between the two of us we had fourteen dollars. We were determined to spend all of itl that day at that store. After parting ways to look around the place for our favorite cards, the man who had been behind the counter when we arrived left his station and hovered over Ernie the entire time that we were there. When we left I asked Ernie if he had noticed the man watching him and what he made of it. Ernie replied, “Ben, they always stare at me in stores.”