Sermon for the Eighth Sunday in Pentecost

July 19, 2015
St. Aidan's Episcopal Church

Ephesians 2:11-22

Remember that at one time you Gentiles by birth, called "the uncircumcision" by those who are called "the circumcision" -- a physical circumcision made in the flesh by human hands-- remember that you were at that time without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us. He has abolished the law with its commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace, and might reconcile both groups to God in one body through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it. So he came and proclaimed peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near; for through him both of us have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. In him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God.

The writer of the letter to the Ephesians caught me this week with the line about Jesus "creating in himself a new humanity" that includes us all.  

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Sermon for the Seventh Sunday after Pentecost

July 12th, 2015

St. Aidan's Episcopal Church

Amos 7:7-15

This Sunday, after finding that my great idea for a sermon had left the room I ended up saying what I really wanted to say without worrying too much about the readings.   
"Call" is for everyone, not just prophets and preachers.  

Thanks for stopping by.  John Baker

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Sermon for The Sixth Sunday after Pentecost

July 5, 2015
St. Aidan's Episcopal Church

Mark 6:1-13

.........Then Jesus said to them, "Prophets are not without honor, except in their hometown, and among their own kin, and in their own house." And he could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them. And he was amazed at their unbelief.
Then he went about among the villages teaching. He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts; but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics. He said to them, "Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place. If any place will not welcome you and they refuse to hear you, as you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them." So they went out and proclaimed that all should repent. They cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.

For a couple of years now I have not been using a manuscript for sermons so I haven't posted here very often.  I have been looking for a way to post recordings of sermons and think I've figured it out.  The link below will take you to my site at Soundcloud.  Once you are there, just click the arrow on the left to listen to this week's message.  

In addition to the gospel lesson above, we heard Ezekiel being sent to the exiles in Babylon.  God tells Ezekiel he is to go and speak the truth to the people who will "know that there has been a prophet among them." 

The "prophet" theme caught my attention this week.  JB

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