We grow by the commitments we make and fulfill. Committing to a marriage, a job, a friendship allows us to grow. Committing to take a class in a foreign language or to dance classes or to martial arts and fulfilling that commitment helps us to grow in our ability to do those things. Likewise we come to mature as Christians, in Christ-likeness by the commitments we make and keep. In this series we will look at the power of commitment and the steps we invite people to take as a church. These are commitments or habits that must be practiced over and over again. Commit to a life-long journey of growth. We will talk about both the commitments and the benefits of those commitments. You can’t be committed to everything but it’s important to be committed to the right things.
This week Fr John invites parishioners to make a commitment to give to the church in the year ahead. In the parable of the Talents, Jesus tells the servants who have invested the master’s money to enlarge his kingdom, “Well done, good and faithful stewards.” We are stewards of our money and possessions and we are rewarded when we use the money and possessions we have to build God’s kingdom. All members of the parish are invited to make a…
Jesus tells another parable about the wedding feast. Ten bridesmaids are given lamps to light the way for the bridegroom to a wedding feast. Five of the bridesmaids bring oil to relight their lamps and five do not. The five who forget the oil are not prepared for the return of the bridegroom and so are unable to get into the wedding feast. The lit lamps serve as a symbol for service and good works. We are to commit to…
We grow spiritually by committing to other followers of Christ. This means we must commit to a local church and to a small group of people who know us and can care for us. Drifting around from church to church and simply being part of the universal church does not help us grow. To go deeper we need some relationships where people can hold us accountable and encourage us in spiritual growth. Our main verse for this week will be…
As followers of Christ, we are to bring people unconnected to God into a relationship with their Savior. This can only happen if we are good role models for the people around us. At work, at school and in everything we do, God wants us to serve as an example for others of how to live. Paul writes to the Thessalonians that their faith has become a model for other believers. We grow when we commit to live a kind…
In the passage from Matthew, the Pharisees try to get Jesus in trouble by asking him about paying taxes to Caesar. Jesus responds deftly so that he avoids the trap and also makes a point about giving our hearts to God. We remind ourselves that we belong to God through prayer and worship. In this message we will look at the importance of carving out time to pray and worship God so that we are reminded that we belong to…
Fr John Redmond begins the new “Staying Power” Message Series with a focus on the importance of commitments and persevering in those commitments. As members of a parish there are certain commitments we make because we believe they are essential to spiritual growth. Whenever we make these commitments, we can expect obstacles but need to persevere. Growth comes when we work through the obstacles and stay on course.
