Preaching the Scriptures

The Rev. Jeremiah Williamson Acts 6-7 Seeing the Beautiful I must admit: sometimes I forget to see beautiful in this world, this same world that God created and calls good.   I forget that every thing, every single thing, that surrounds me is amazing, impossibly intricate, carefully crafted, a product of impossible divine love.   This entire world, our island home, is just covered in the stardust-y fingerprints of our ancient Creator.   And so in that sense: is saturated through and through with the beauty of holiness.   And somehow, most of the time, I miss it; I fail to see it.   I forget to see beautiful in this world.   Maybe it’s because I’m too focused on my calendar, too worried about my task list, too concerned with my routine.   Maybe it’s because the headlines are so packed with atrocities that it seems impossible for there to be enough room in this world for goodness.   Maybe because the history of our species is written...

The Rev. Jeremiah Williamson Acts 6:8-7:2a, 51c-60 Do it Anyway I suspect the prophet Jeremiah might take issue with today's collect. The collect for the Feast of St. Stephen, the feast we are observing today, begins: “We give you thanks, O Lord of glory, for the example of the first martyr Stephen.” First martyr, huh? First martyr of the Christian Church? Sure. But first martyr? Probably quiet a few of the prophets and sages, from Jeremiah to John the Baptist, who quite literally lost his head, would object to that unqualified first. Stephen was the first post-resurrection martyr, but he was not the first to suffer for his witness, neither was he the last. Stephen takes his place within the great throng of witnesses – of those who dared speak the word of God, who risked everything for the sake of the Truth. According to the biblical witness,, God has been speaking to and through human beings since the book of Genesis. Also the Bible shows us that those wor...

The Rev. Jeremiah Williamson Acts 6:8-7:2a, 51c-60 Living Martyrs I think it is perhaps safe to suggest that we put a bit too much emphasis on St. Stephen's death. I mean, we still make him carry around stones – which I will admit is helpful for icon identification, but also it is a little cruel, like rubbing it in. He was executed. It would be like putting an electric chair or a firing squad on someone's tombstone. But that does seem to be a human tendency: to over-emphasize that final earthly moment; we make saints and sinners out of death. And so someone who dies a martyr's death wipes the slate clean of a lifetime of indiscretions. And someone who commits suicide is unfortunately defined forever in the eyes of many by that one solitary act, as if all of their good deeds are discounted, their virtues forgotten. And so while Stephen will forever carry his stones, will forever be commemorated as the first martyr, he is so much more than hi...

The Rev. Jeremiah Williamson John 12:20-33   Seeds and Fruit Unless a grain of wheat falls to the earth and dies, it remains a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. His followers simply did not understand how these words could possibly be coming from the mouth of Jesus.   The crowd who gathered to hear his words, to see the signs, to join his revolution did not understand either.   It's twisted logic.   He's supposed to be the Messiah.   But what can a dead Messiah accomplish?   Nothing.   He was supposed to be their hope.   He has so much untapped potential.   It just cannot be.   Not him.   Not death.   Not now.    It's just not supposed to go down like this. But fair or not, sensible or not, Jesus knew: Suffering and death were built into the journey – inevitable, unavoidable.   His path would lead him to a cross.   The Messiah was the seed.   But while he would di...