Preaching the Scriptures

  The Rt. Rev. Jeremiah Williamson Acts 1:15-17, 21-26   Faithful and Good St. Paul’s, Albany   Everything changed with the cast of a lot.   It was such a small thing that made such a big difference.   And it could have gone either way – there were two qualified candidates – but the lot fell on Matthias.   And so, when the lot settled, Matthias became the twelfth disciple, the replacement, the one who restored their number.   Filling the Judas-sized hole is a short story in the book of Acts, but it was a big deal – certainly in the history of our faith.   It was one of the very first tasks of the Easter Church; in the ten days between the Ascension and Pentecost the followers of Jesus prayed and filled out the depth chart.   That’s it; that’s the list.   Peter cared deeply about this task.   Everyone remembers Peter’s stunning speech on the day of Pentecost, in Acts chapter two, but his first sermon is what we read from Acts today.   This was the starting point; he

  The Rt. Rev. Jeremiah Williamson Acts 10:44-48           Afternoon Dreaming Church of the Holy Spirit, Schenevus   It all started with a dream.     Peter just couldn’t keep his eyes open; they were so heavy.   I don’t know about you, but I can relate.   Sometimes prayer makes us sleepy.   It’s just true.   Good intentions and dogged devotion are, at times, simply not enough.   And in the midst of a pious moment, we find ourselves drifting into a slumber.   It happens to the best of us – including St. Peter.     In his dream, Peter saw the heavens open – an exciting beginning, to be sure.   And then from that celestial rift descended…bedding – specifically a large sheet.   Jacob got angels climbing a ladder; Joseph: thin cows eating fat cows.   Peter gets a sheet.        It turns out the sheet, as you might remember from this story in the book of Acts, was covered in animals – all of the animals ritually unclean, animals devout Jews were not permitted to eat.