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Homily from the Mass offered Sunday, June 21st - 1st Reading: Jeremiah 20:10-13 - 2nd Reading: Romans 5:12-15 - Gospel Reading: Matthew 10:26-33 - To support the podcast financially, click here: https://stpiuscda.org/online-giving
Homily from the Mass offered Friday, June 19th - 1st Reading: 2 Kings 11:1-4, 9-18, 20 - 2nd Reading: Romans 5:6-11 - Gospel Reading: Matthew 6:19-23 - To support the podcast financially, click here: https://stpiuscda.org/online-giving
Homily from the Mass offered Sunday, June 14th - 1st Reading: Exodus 19:2-6a - 2nd Reading: Romans 5:6-11 - Gospel Reading: Matthew 9:36—10:8 - To support the podcast financially, click here: https://stpiuscda.org/online-giving
Three historical markers stand within a few steps of each other on a trail in North Arlington. One remembers a peacemaker who freed captives and brought them home. One remembers a raid that attacked a village. One remembers a treaty that opened a people's land to be taken. A mercy, a killing, and a displacement, all on the same small patch of ground. That is where this sermon begins.It turns out Paul stands his people on honest ground too. Romans 5 does not arrive until he has spent chapters proving that no one is righteous, not one. He tells the worst of the story first. And only then comes the line that changes everything: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.This is not a sermon about cleaning up your past in order to be loved. It is the announcement that the love came first, and that is the only thing that ever makes honesty survivable. We can tell the whole truth about ourselves, and about our history, because we are not justified by the story being clean. We are justified by faith. In a year when the country is arguing over how to tell its own story, that turns out to be good news.Part of Roman Roads, a summer series walking straight through Paul's letter to the Romans, one passage at a time, each week paired with a real Texas historical marker standing on the roads around us.Reading: Romans 5:1-8 (Proper 6)Markers: Jesse Chisholm, the Site of Bird's Fort, and the Sloan-Journey Expedition, North Arlington
June 2, 2026Today's Reading: Romans 11:33-36Daily Lectionary: Ecclesiastes 10:1-20; John 10:1-21“Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!” (Romans 11:33)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.This week is the week of the Holy Trinity. This week we meditate on what is perhaps the most unsearchable things of God. How can God be one and yet also be three? When I was in college, I had some friends who said He couldn't. They said you really have what we would call the Father as God, but then the Son is maybe more than human, but not quite divine—at least not like the Father. Then the Spirit, well, He is sort of just God's activity. I really wrestled with this. A God who is one and three isn't very logical. And every time I found a verse that I thought really proved that Jesus was God, they had a response. Of course, this whole conversation is just what happened with the Arians at the Council of Nicea in 325 (where we get the Nicene Creed). They said the same thing, that Jesus isn't quite God like the Father. In the end, the Council said that Jesus IS God like the Father. He is homoousias (homo – same, ousias – substance) with the Father. He's of the same divine stuff. But He's also man, too. How does all of that work? I always tell my confirmands that I have a very technical term for that: idunno. But how, then, did I become convinced that Nicea was correct? Ultimately, it was John 8:58: “Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.'” At first, it was just because Jesus said that He existed before Abraham that I found it convincing. However, it was pointed out to me that 'I AM' is the Name that God tells Moses to call Him at the burning bush. “God said to Moses, ‘I AM who I AM… Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I AM has sent me to you.' ” This meant that Jesus was saying that He was (is) that I AM that had spoken to Moses at the bush. But here He was in human flesh. And in that human flesh, He was going to the cross to die for sins. A God-man (that is, 100% human and 100% divine, not 100% mix of human and divine), dying for sins so that we could be saved. From there, I could see the Holy Spirit was also God. This, after all, was the Name into which I was baptized: the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit; one Name, three persons. How does that work? I still dunno. God's ways are unsearchable. But they are good. I can see it in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Blessed Lord, Your ways are unsearchable. Give us faith in all circumstances to trust in you, until we live before You eternally, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.Rev. Matthew Zickler, pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Western Springs, IL.
Send us Fan MailRomans 6:15–23: Slaves to Sin or Slaves to Righteousness Ken Corkins and pastor Rocky Ellison discuss Romans 6:15–23, continuing Paul's argument about law versus grace and revisiting the rejection of antinomianism. They explain Paul's slavery metaphor: people are born slaves to sin through original sin and cannot choose freedom on their own, but hearing and accepting Jesus' teachings introduces the only real alternative—becoming slaves to righteousness/Christ. Rocky contrasts obedience of the heart and mind with the body's actions, clarifies that “members” refers to the body, and emphasizes sanctification as a step-by-step lifelong process rather than instant perfection, warning against shame and discouragement. They highlight the two outcomes Paul presents: sin earns wages leading to spiritual death, while God offers the free gift of eternal life in Christ, noting that refusing to choose is still a choice. 00:00 Welcome and Catch Up 00:54 Recap and Passage Setup 02:34 Reading Romans 6 04:09 Grace Not License 04:58 Slaves to Sin or Christ 06:14 Teachings of Jesus Choice 09:13 Sanctification Takes Time 15:26 Sin Ends in Death 16:59 Gift of Eternal Life 21:17 Final Reflections and OutroNEW!: Rate us at Podchaser Find us at www.pondergmc.org. Feedback is welcome: PonderMethodist@gmail.com Music performed by the Ponder GMC worship team.Cover Art: Joe WagnerRecorded, edited and mixed by Snikrock
The conversation explores the book of Romans, focusing on Paul's affection for the saints in Rome, his desire to be with them, and his eagerness to preach the gospel. It also emphasizes the importance of not being ashamed of the gospel and the transformative power it holds.TakeawaysFaith is established and grows through hearing the word of God.Paul's love for the saints in Rome demonstrates the importance of praying for and encouraging fellow believers.Chapters00:00 Paul's Affection for the Saints in Rome05:20 The Importance of Not Being Ashamed of the Gospel
The discussion begins with an introduction to the book of Romans, providing historical context and background information. It then delves into the significance of the gospel of God, the obedience of faith, and the importance of preserving unity in Christ. Throughout the conversation, Paul's emphasis on the universal message of salvation and the problem of sin is highlighted.TakeawaysThe gospel of God is a universal message of salvation for both Jews and Gentiles.Obedience of faith is a key aspect of the Christian life, emphasizing the importance of trust and action in response to God's word.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Romans06:11 The Obedience of Faith
The conversation covers Benjamin Lee's preparation for the USA Memory Championship, his teaching of the Book of Romans, and a detailed exploration of the purpose and audience of the book. It also delves into the importance of maintaining unity in Christ and the use of active recall for effective study.TakeawaysActive recall for effective studyThe purpose and audience of the book of RomansChapters00:00 Preparation for the USA Memory Championship09:03 Maintaining Unity in Christ
Send us Fan MailRomans 5:12–21 — Adam, Sin, Death, and the Greater Gift of Grace in Christ Ken Corkins and pastor Rocky Ellison continue Season 18's study of Romans by finishing chapter 5 (verses 12–21, RSV), focusing on Paul's “big picture” comparison of Adam and Jesus. They discuss how sin entered through one man and death spread to all, using this passage to explore original sin versus total depravity and how sin existed before Moses' law even though the law later made trespass clearer. They explain Paul's argument that death reigning from Adam to Moses implies sin was present, and they note Adam as a “type” of Christ in several ways while emphasizing Christ is not equal to Adam because Jesus' act of righteousness and grace is “much more,” bringing justification and eternal life. They also address how “where sin increased grace abounded” can be misused as an excuse to sin, and preview Romans 6:1–14 for next week. 00:00 Welcome and Setup 00:26 Reading Romans 5 02:17 Why All Sin 03:06 Original Sin Debate 05:44 Sin Before the Law 08:48 Adam as a Type 11:52 Much More Grace 14:37 Not Equal Opposites 16:29 Law and Abounding Grace 18:19 Wrap Up and Next WeekNEW!: Rate us at Podchaser Find us at www.pondergmc.org. Feedback is welcome: PonderMethodist@gmail.com Music performed by the Ponder GMC worship team.Cover Art: Joe WagnerRecorded, edited and mixed by Snikrock
Homily from the Mass offered Sunday, March 22th - 1st Reading: Ezekiel 37:12-14 - 2nd Reading: Romans 8:8-11 - Gospel Reading: John 11:1-45 - To support the podcast financially, click here: https://stpiuscda.org/online-giving
Homily from the Mass offered Thursday, March 19th -1st Reading: 2 Samuel 7:4-5a, 12-14a, 16 - 2nd Reading: Romans 4:13, 16-18, 22 - Gospel Reading: Matthew 1:16, 18-21, 24a - To support the podcast financially, click here: https://stpiuscda.org/online-giving
Homily from the Mass offered Sunday, March 8th -1st Reading: Exodus 17:3-7 - 2nd Reading: Romans 5:1-2, 5-8 - Gospel Reading: John 4:5-42 - To support the podcast financially, click here: https://stpiuscda.org/online-giving
January 16, 2026Today's Reading: Romans 7:1-20Daily Lectionary: Ezekiel 38:1-23; Romans 7:1-20“For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.” (Romans 7:18-20)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.I know that one candy bar is enough, but I'm going to eat three anyway. I know I shouldn't flame the Social Media Influencer of the Moment on TikTok, but I'm going to do it anyway. I know I shouldn't text my friend three pews behind me during church, but I'm going to do it anyway. The examples are endless.And the endless examples put the lie to the idea that one can keep God's Law as He wishes it to be kept—perfectly. It simply can't be done, no matter how hard you try, because even your understanding of “good works” is broken because of the sin that ravages you, and the constant lies of Satan in your ears.This is what St. Paul is trying to beat into our thick Lutheran skulls. That no amount of trying to do good is going to benefit you. And it certainly isn't going to save you! Even when you want to do the right thing, to do what is pleasing to God, it is so difficult because of the sin that permeates you and the evil that is close by all around you.And you can only see the truth of this when you use the eyes of faith. Eyes of faith, given to you in your Baptism when you were crucified, died, buried, and resurrected with Christ. Eyes of faith, strengthened in the read and proclaimed Gospel. Eyes of faith, strengthened and sustained in the receiving of Christ's true Body and Blood in the Sacrament, given for your forgiveness. Only by stepping back from your own flailing attempts to do “good,” and instead receiving what your Lord Christ gives freely as Gift can you see the truth. That the only good you do is done by Christ in you. He equips you to love your neighbor. He equips you to be an example to those around you. He does all things to His glory and for your salvation.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Let us ever walk with Jesus, Follow His example pure, Through a world that would deceive us And to sin our spirits lure. Onward in His footsteps treading, Pilgrims here, our home above, Full of faith and hope and love, Let us do the Father's bidding. Faithful Lord, with me abide; I shall follow where You guide. (LSB 685:1)Author: Rev. Duane Bamsch, pastor of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, Wichita Falls, TX.Audio Reflections Speaker: Rev. Richard Heinz, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lowell, IN.Better understand difficult and overlooked Old Testament passages in this new book by Authors R. Reed Lessing and Andrew E. Steinmann. Their conversational yet academic writing style makes learning about the Old Testament accessible to those at all points in their Bible reading journey. Discussion questions at the end of each chapter invite you to think more in-depth about what you just read and record your answers. To stretch your understanding, a list of resources for further reading is also included at the back of the book.
Homily from the Mass offered on Sunday, December 21st -1st Reading: Isaiah 7:10-14 - 2nd Reading: Romans 1:1-7 - Gospel Reading: Matthew 1:18-24 - To support the podcast financially, click here: https://stpiuscda.org/online-giving
4th Sunday of Advent 1st Reading: Isaiah 7:10-14 Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 24:1-2, 3-4, 5-6. 2nd Reading: Romans 1:1-7 Gospel: Matthew 1:18-24
December 7, 2025: May God's words be spoken, may God's words be heard. Amen. You'all know I love Hallmark Christmas movies. However, there is nothing quite like the ultimate story we hear at this time of year – A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens. And as much as I love Hallmark, they just do not compare in their remakes of that classic, to the ones that star Alister Sims or Sir Patrick Stewart. Now, we are in Advent, not Christmas, so why do I bring this classic tale of Christmas up? For the same reason I did many years ago when I was preaching on the texts for this Sunday – especially the one from Isaiah, because Dickens knew how to create a setting. And, the truth is, while the movie adaptations are good, nothing is better than the actual book in telling that important part of the story. I mean, isn't that nearly always the case – Lord of the Rings trilogy, Dune, the Chronicles of Narnia – I know, I am showing my fantasy/scifi side. Even the Harry Potter movies, while really good, were not as good as the books. The same is very true for A Christmas Carol. The opening paragraph of this Dicken's seasonal classic makes one thing absolutely clear. It reads, “Marley was dead: to begin with. There is no doubt whatever about that. The register of his burial was signed by the clergyman, the clerk, the undertaker, and the chief mourner. Scrooge signed it: and Scrooge's name was good upon 'Change, for anything he chose to put his hand to. Old Marley was as dead as a door-nail. Mind! I don't mean to say that I know, of my own knowledge, what there is particularly dead about a door-nail. I might have been inclined, myself, to regard a coffin-nail as the deadest piece of ironmongery in the trade. But the wisdom of our ancestors is in the simile; and my unhallowed hands shall not disturb it, or the Country's done for. You will therefore permit me to repeat, emphatically, that Marley was as dead as a door-nail.” So, I guess Marley, old Scrooge's business partner, was very much dead? Or, as we get from the coronor in The Wizard of Oz – Marley is “…not only merely dead, [he's] really most sincerely dead.” Clearly we do not need to ask, in our best Monty Python voice, “Is he dead yet?” Marley is dead. Got it. But why all the fuss – why all the repetition? Well, as we continue in the story we realize that if we weren't quite sure about Marley being dead, than it throws off the basis for the very strange set of Christmas Eve visitations that result in a miracle of new life for Scrooge. And it is this new life that is an important part of our Advent journey. The life that grows out of death. Now you might be thinking, isn't that Easter, not Advent? Well, it is both, as will see in the passage from Isaiah, and also from St. Paul in his letter to the Romans (who quotes the very scripture in Isaiah we heard today). The passage begins with this: “A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.” That branch, the passage continues, is the birth of a new leader – one who is righteous and faithful, who has compassion for the poor and the meek. Oh, how we yearn even today, for that. Now we often hear these words and think of Jesus, but Jews then and to today know these words as applying to King Hezekiah of Judah. Still, everyone all over the world yearn for this type of leader – one who has compassion for her people, and knows they are not God, but are there to serve God's people. The prophet's words remind all of us what is expected of those that lead the people of God. And it is a proper metaphor for the incarnation too. So, let's get back to that stump, that leftover remains of a very dead tree. A tree that, as Dickins would likely say, is as dead as a door nail. Why is this imagery so important to the people then, or us now? Well, remember last week? The prophet was speaking of a vision of a new world where swords would be turned into plowshares? Well, that hasn't come about yet. The Assyrians were still a threat to Jerusalem, and had destroyed many a city in Judah and Israel. In fact, in the chapter before the one we read from today, we hear about those rulers who oppress the people, turning aside the needy from justice, and robbing the poor and vulnerable. It was a time of darkness for the people, where hope was far gone and everyone seemed like the walking dead. The stump is a metaphor for the people who felt dead inside. The shoot is the birth of a new leader who is righteous, faithful, and good. That would be a miracle to those so worn down by the reality in which they lived. But the passage doesn't stop there. This new life is beyond anything anyone has ever experienced – beyond even swords being made into plowshares. It is what we have come to call the peaceable kingdom…where “The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid…” Of course, this image has been depicted in religious art, and is the stuff of poets. But given the circumstances then and today, many of us might say, “The wolf might lie down with the lamb. But the lamb won't get much sleep!” We greet these words with a big “Bah Humbug!' Not because we don't want it – oh we so dream it could be true. No, we are skeptical because we have become so used to the very unpeaceable kingdom – war, violence, human trafficking, hate crimes, cyberbullying, and leaders who attack the people they are meant to serve, not to mention difficult times in our own lives. We can feel devoid of dreams like this because it can all seem too big to imagine – this time of peace and love for all. It seems like a pipe dream. We can be so very weary from what life throws at us that we become like those people long ago – the walking dead. Our faith withered so much that we keep a watchful eye, a bit like a lamb near a lion, for what might next prey upon us, and not for miracles of new life. And so this prophetic witness of Isaiah is not only meant for those long ago, but for us too. Maybe that is why St. Paul quotes the prophet in his letter to the Romans we heard a part of today. He writes “Whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope….and again Isaiah says, “The root of Jesse shall come, the one who rises to rule the Gentiles; in him the Gentiles shall hope.”” St. Paul is reminding the people in Rome, and now us, of the promise of Isaiah – that new life grows out of what seems to be very much dead, bringing hope to all. And folks, as I said last week, hope is a most powerful force amidst the darkness of the world. It is the stuff of transformation, and the heart of Advent. Hope is the spark in the soul that can defeat the darkness, can overcome the strongest enemies, can make dreams – God's or our own – possible. And hope is the root of joy. Now, to be clear, joy is not happiness. Joy is not connected to external events. Joy is the inner peace we carry knowing that no matter what life throws at us, God loves us – loves us enough to break into the darkness of our lives with the birth of Christ Jesus. But here's the thing. This new vision of the world – this peaceable kingdom and life out of death – this hope and joy – well, we have a role to play in bringing it all about. St. Paul adds this instruction we heard today “Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you.” This welcome isn't a polite greeting like we do at the peace, or we might when being introduced at a party. That is far too tame. The Greek used here is more on the lines of “fully embrace.” And it isn't meant just for people we know well, or even like. It is to fully embrace like Christ! Or to put it in Christ's own words “love one another as I loved you.” We are to be the counter-cultural witness to the goodness of God in how we treat one another, how we treat those who are different than ourselves, how we treat all of creation. When we love as Christ loved us, we become the very sprouts of new life for a world that feels dead as a stump. That is how we, by his incarnation in our heart, give birth to God's vision of love and peace. It happens one welcome – one full embrace – one moment of unconditional love at a time. It is the hope of nations, and the promise of the child we await. Think about the story of old Scrooge for a moment. His transformation didn't come about because he got frightened out of his wits by a bunch of ghosts. It started with a warning from Marley, to be sure, but what exactly was Marley telling him? First, he told Scrooge that the chain he was wearing he forged in life, and that Scrooge's was just as long and growing ever still. And when Scrooge said, “But you were always a good man of business, Jacob,” Marley shouted back – “Business!” “Mankind was my business. The common welfare was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence, were all my business. The dealings of my trade were but a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of my business!…At this time of the rolling year, I suffer most. Why did I walk through crowds of fellow-beings with my eyes turned down, and never raise them to that blessed Star which led the Wise Men to a poor abode? Were there no poor homes to which its light would have conducted me?” Then the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future arrive one by one. What did they show Scrooge? Images of hell to scare him? No. They showed him love – love he once had for another person, love of the Cratchit family even amidst all their lot, love his nephew showed to him despite Scrooge's nasty clapbacks at him. And the reader or viewer sees how the absence of love from others can deaden many a child of God. That is what the Spirits showed to Scrooge – love. Love not based on being treated well, love not based on the circumstances of life. Just love – that full embrace St. Paul implores us to give – that commandment of Jesus to us all. It is the very thing that will bring forth the shoot of hope and joy from even the deadest of souls, including our own. So next time you are watching your favorite version of A Christmas Carol, remember this passage from Isaiah and the epistle of St. Paul to the Romans. Remember and see that even a soul as dead as Dickin's Mr. Scrooge may be given new life through the power of love. Remember too that this miracle of redemptive grace is for everyone – for you and for me. It is the hope that will heal the world and bring about the beloved kingdom for us all, so long as we do our part to bring it about. And so I leave you with this, the two benedictions St. Paul includes in this part of his epistle. Maybe they be something you can say each morning as you start the day – a reminder of Advent and what is possible by God's grace, when we share with others our hope and joy in love. “May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Amen. For the audio, click below, or subscribe to our iTunes Sermon Podcast by clicking here (also available on Audible): Sermon Podcast https://christchurchepiscopal.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Rec-001-Sermon-December_7_2025.m4a The Rev. Diana L. Wilcox Christ Church in Bloomfield & Glen Ridge December 7, 2025 Advent 4 – Year A 1st Reading – Isaiah 11:1-10 Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19 2nd Reading – Romans 15:4-13 Gospel – Matthew 3:1-12 The post “The Power Of Love” appeared first on Christ Episcopal Church.
Full-chapter, Jesus-centered Advent readings, rooted in themes of longing, preparation, incarnation, and hope. Each passage invites joyful anticipation of Christ's coming. May this daily rhythm of listening to God's Word shape your heart in this season of waiting
Full-chapter, Jesus-centered Advent readings, rooted in themes of longing, preparation, incarnation, and hope. Each passage invites joyful anticipation of Christ's coming. May this daily rhythm of listening to God's Word shape your heart in this season of waiting
Homily from the Mass offered on Sunday, December 7th -1st Reading: Isaiah 11:1-10 - 2nd Reading: Romans 15:4-9 - Gospel Reading: Matthew 3:1-12 - To support the podcast financially, click here: https://stpiuscda.org/online-giving
Homily from the Mass offered on Sunday, November 30th -1st Reading: Isaiah 2:1-5 - 2nd Reading: Romans 13:11-14 - Gospel Reading: Matthew 24:37-44 - To support the podcast financially, click here: https://stpiuscda.org/online-giving
Homily from the Mass offered on Friday, November 7th -1st Reading: Romans 15:14-21 - Gospel Reading: Luke 16:1-8 - To support the podcast financially, click here: https://stpiuscda.org/online-giving
Homily from the Mass offered on Thursday, November 3rd -1st Reading: Romans 14:7-12 - Gospel Reading: Luke 15:1-10 - To support the podcast financially, click here: https://stpiuscda.org/online-giving
Homily from the Mass offered on Tuesday, November 4th -1st Reading: Romans 12:5-16ab - Gospel Reading: Luke 14:15-24 - To support the podcast financially, click here: https://stpiuscda.org/online-giving
Homily from the Mass offered on Sunday, November 2nd -1st Reading: Wisdom 3:1-9 - 2nd Reading: Romans 5:5-11 - Gospel Reading: John 6:37-40 - To support the podcast financially, click here: https://stpiuscda.org/online-giving
Homily from the Mass offered on Thursday, November 3rd -1st Reading: Romans 11:29-36 - Gospel Reading: Luke 14:12-14 - To support the podcast financially, click here: https://stpiuscda.org/online-giving
Homily from the Mass offered on Friday, October 31st -1st Reading: Romans 9:1-5 - Gospel Reading: Luke 14:1-6 - To support the podcast financially, click here: https://stpiuscda.org/online-giving
Homily from the Mass offered on Thursday, October 28th -1st Reading: Romans 8:31b-39 - Gospel Reading: Luke 13:31-35 - To support the podcast financially, click here: https://stpiuscda.org/online-giving
Homily from the Mass offered on Monday, October 27th -1st Reading: Romans 8:12-17 - Gospel Reading: Luke 13:10-17 - To support the podcast financially, click here: https://stpiuscda.org/online-giving
Homily from the Mass offered on Friday, October 24th - 1st Reading: Romans 7:18-25a - Gospel Reading: Luke 12:54-59 - To support the podcast financially, click here: https://stpiuscda.org/online-giving
For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval. - Romans 13:3
Homily from the Mass offered on Thursday, October 23rd - 1st Reading: Romans 6:19-23 - Gospel Reading:Luke 12:49-53 - To support the podcast financially, click here: https://stpiuscda.org/online-giving
When Christians step into politics, how much compromise comes with the territory? Can we preach about loving enemies on Sunday while voting to bomb them on Tuesday? Jake Doberenz, host of Christianity Without Compromise and author of the Smashing Idols newsletter, joins us to explore what happens when believers trade the cross for a ballot, and call it discipleship. From a high school election that may have been rigged to the very adult reality of war-making, political idolatry, the allure of power, we ask: what happens to our witness when we outsource sin to Caesar? Jake shares his journey from Republican Club president to his tug of war between faith and politics, highlighting the compromises often required in politics and presenting a firsthand look at how politics pulls Christians away from the teachings of Jesus. Craig and Jake dive deep into the inconsistencies that arise when Christians prioritize political allegiances over Jesus' teachings, particularly in hot-button issues like the Israel-Palestine conflict. Together they revisit 1 Samuel 8, Psalm 146, the Sermon on the Mount, and why Romans 12 must shape any reading of Romans 13. The heartbeat: No King but Christ is a reminder that Scripture consistently warns us against putting our trust in rulers and systems that thrive on coercion. Through it all, Craig and Jake call the church back to consistency, repentance, and allegiance to a Kingdom that doesn't run on violence or votes. Jake explains the mission behind his podcast, emphasizing the importance of addressing modern idols (including politics and Christian nationalism) that often distract from true faith. If you've ever wondered whether Christians can follow Jesus without compromise in a world obsessed with power, this episode will challenge you to rethink how you live out your loyalties. Because at the end of the day, there's only one political statement that matters: No King but Christ. Highlights & Takeaways Why “small” political compromises become soul-sized contradictions for disciples of Jesus. The high-school election story that exposed politics' deep messiness. How participation can cause real harm (especially when the rulers we empower unleash violence) 1 Samuel 8: Israel demanded a king. God forecast the taxes, conscription, and sorrow that followed. Psalm 146 as a Christian political manifesto: “Do not put your trust in princes.” Read Romans 13 through Romans 12 (enemy-love before empire-law) Why consistency (“love your neighbor/enemy”) draws seekers, while hypocrisy drives them away.
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. - Romans 12:21
For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead? - Romans 11:15
Homily from the Mass offered on Tuesday, October 21th -1st Reading: Romans 5:12, 15b, 17-19, 20b-21 - Gospel Reading: Luke 12:35-38 - To support the podcast financially, click here: https://stpiuscda.org/online-giving
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. - Romans 10:17
This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring. - Romans 9:8
Homily from the Mass offered on Monday, October 20th -1st Reading: Romans 4:20-25 - Gospel Reading:Luke 12:13-21 - To support the podcast financially, click here: https://stpiuscda.org/online-giving
Homily from the Mass offered on Friday, October 17th -1st Reading: Romans 4:1-8 - Gospel Reading: Luke 12:1-7 - To support the podcast financially, click here: https://stpiuscda.org/online-giving
Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin. - Romans 7:24-25
Homily from the Mass offered on Thursday, October 16th -1st Reading: Romans 3:21-30 - Gospel Reading: Luke 11:47-54 - To support the podcast financially, click here: https://stpiuscda.org/online-giving
"Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered." - Romans 4:7
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. - Romans 3:23
Homily from the Mass offered on Tuesday, October 14th - 1st Reading: Romans 1:16-25 - Gospel Reading: Luke 11:37-41 - To support the podcast financially, click here: https://stpiuscda.org/online-giving
But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God. - Romans 2:29
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. - Romans 1:16
Homily from the Mass offered on Monday, October 13th -1st Reading: Romans 1:1-7- Gospel Reading: Luke 11:29-32 - To support the podcast financially, click here: https://stpiuscda.org/online-giving
The Book of Romans in your King James Bible is one of the most-powerful pieces of scripture in the New Testament, a book that is heavily built on the writings of the prophet Isaiah and applied to Christians in the Church Age. Reading Romans can be like a really good Fourth of July fireworks display, it can also hit you like an IED and run you right off the road. Where you wind up depends on how you start, and we highly recommend a rightly divided and dispensational approach to navigating it.“To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 1:7 (KJB)On this episode of Rightly Dividing, we begin our look at the epistle of the apostle Paul to the Romans, and settle in to learn some hardcore, strong meat Bible doctrine. A study in Romans will show us the New Testament doctrines of salvation, redemption, sanctification, justification, predestination, adoption, regeneration, and glorification. Remember the Ethiopian eunuch from our study in the Book of Acts? He got saved with salvation by grace through faith by reading in the book of Isaiah. Another salient point to keep in mind that Paul is the apostle to the Romans, and not Peter as the Roman Catholic church falsely claims he is. There is no biblical record that Peter was ever in Rome.TONIGHT'S STUDY: Here in chapter 13, we read what Paul wants us to know about the government and their level of control over the citizenry. Paul is very clear, we are not working to bring in an earthly kingdom, neither are we rising up against our appointed rulers, though this chapter is oft used to promote both those things.
The Book of Romans in your King James Bible is one of the most-powerful pieces of scripture in the New Testament, a book that is heavily built on the writings of the prophet Isaiah and applied to Christians in the Church Age. Reading Romans can be like a really good Fourth of July fireworks display, it can also hit you like an IED and run you right off the road. Where you wind up depends on how you start, and we highly recommend a rightly divided and dispensational approach to navigating it.“To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 1:7 (KJB)On this episode of Rightly Dividing, we begin our look at the epistle of the apostle Paul to the Romans, and settle in to learn some hardcore, strong meat Bible doctrine. A study in Romans will show us the New Testament doctrines of salvation, redemption, sanctification, justification, predestination, adoption, regeneration, and glorification. Remember the Ethiopian eunuch from our study in the Book of Acts? He got saved with salvation by grace through faith by reading in the book of Isaiah. Another salient point to keep in mind that Paul is the apostle to the Romans, and not Peter as the Roman Catholic church falsely claims he is. There is no biblical record that Peter was ever in Rome.TONIGHT'S STUDY: Tonight we are in chapter 11, the third of three chapters in a row that deal with the day when the Jews will be restored to a right relationship with God. We will also see how the Jews, temporarily, are the “enemies” of the church in order for us to get in. A misapplication of this chapter will produce the absurd anomaly of the ‘antisemitic Christian'. This is Part #11 in a series.