CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL
  • HOME
  • WELCOME
    • Cathedral Notes/News/Events
    • Calendar
    • About >
      • A Message from the Dean
      • A MESSSAGE FROM OUR PRIEST ASSOCIATE
      • Clergy and Staff
      • Columbarium
      • Christian Formation >
        • Children's and Youth Program/Activity Registration
      • Ministries
      • Annual Parish Photo
      • The Cathedral Chapter
      • THE CATHEDRAL CELEBRATES COOKBOOK
      • MASTER PLAN
    • Diocesan News >
      • CURSILLO
      • THE BISHOP ELECTION >
        • WALKABOUT LIVE STREAMS
        • Walkabout - JANUARY 19, 2015
        • Eucharist at the Cathedral - JANUARY 21, 2015 >
          • Walkabout - JANUARY 20, 2015
        • Walkabout - JANUARY 21, 2015
        • PHOTOS: WILMER HALL TOUR
        • PHOTOS: Eucharist at the Cathedral with the Bishop Candidates
        • PHOTOS: Walk-about at St. Paul's, Daphne
  • Worship
    • MEMORIAL LIST 2017
    • Cathedral Prayers
    • Ministers for this Sunday
    • Music >
      • Cathedral Choirs
      • Cathedral Organ Fund 2017-18
      • 2018-19 Concert Series
      • 2017-18 Concert Music Booklet
      • History of the Cathedral Organ
    • PULPIT TO PEW
    • Sermons YEAR C Dec 2018 - Nov 2019
    • Sermons YEAR B Dec 2017 - Nov 2018
    • Sermons YEAR A Nov 2016-17
    • Sermons YEAR C NOV 2015-16
    • Sermons YEAR B NOV 2014-15
    • Recorded Video Streams >
      • The Seating of the Fourth Bishop
      • 01-10-2015 Ordination of Daniel Andrew Wagner to the Sacred Order of Priests
  • Communications
    • MINISTRY ARCHITECTS REPORT
    • THE MESSENGER 2017 ISSUES
    • THE MESSENGER 2016 ISSUES
    • THE MESSENGER 2015 ISSUES
    • THE MESSENGER 2014 ISSUES
    • E-NEWS
    • Photo Galleries >
      • ACOLYTE FESTIVAL 2018
      • CATHEDRAL CELEBRATION 2018
      • CATHEDRAL CELEBRATION 2017
      • THE STEEPLE >
        • Steeple Installation
        • Signing of the Steeple
        • Steeple Installation - VIDEOS
        • DRONE photos
        • SUNDAY EASTER2
        • THE STEEPLE - April 25, 2017
        • THE STEEPLE - May 3, 2017
      • Drone Photos
      • BISHOP CONSECRATION PHOTOS >
        • PRESIDING BISHOP MICHAEL B. CURRY
        • 07-24-2015 CLERGY EUCHARIST
        • 07-24-2015 CLERGY SPOUSE GATHERING
        • 07-24-2015 WILMER HALL DIOCESAN YOUTH EVENT
        • 07-24-2015 CONSECRATION REHEARSAL
        • 07-24-2015 CONSECRATION CELEBRATION - CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL
        • 07-25-2015 BISHOPS SIGNING AND SEALING
        • 07-25-2015 GROUP PHOTOS
        • 07-25-2015 THE CONSECRATION - Album 1
        • 07-25-2015 THE CONSECRATION - ALBUM II
        • 07-25-2015 THE CONSECRATION - LIVE STREAM
        • 07-25-2015 PARADE TO THE CATHEDRAL
        • 07-25-2015 CATHEDRAL RECEPTION
        • 07-26-2015 THE SEATING OF THE FOURTH BISHOP & RECEPTION
    • VIDEOS >
      • ACOLYTE FESTIVAL 2018 - LIVE STREAM ARCHIVE
      • ACOLYTE FESTIVAL 2016
    • The Cathedral IN THE NEWS >
      • Sacred Spaces: Mobile's Episcopal Cathedral is a historic landmark with a voice
    • Resources
  • GIVING
    • ONLINE PLEDGE CARD
    • DOWNLOADABLE PLEDGE CARD
    • DIRECT DEPOSIT
    • ACS ONLINE GIVING
    • ANNUAL GIVING BEGINS >
      • UNDERSTANDING FUNDS AT CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL >
        • UNDERSTANDING THE OPERATING FUND
        • Dean Gibson's Lessons on Stewardship >
          • Stewardship Scripture
          • READ MORE ABOUT STEWARDSHIP
          • TEACHING OUR CHILDREN ABOUT STEWARDSHIP
        • UNDERSTANDING ALL OTHER FUNDS >
          • JOIN THE LEGACY SOCIETY
          • FRIENDS OF CATHEDRAL MUSIC
          • CATHEDRAL ORGAN FUND
      • COMPLETE A TITHING WORKSHEET >
        • PERCENTAGE GIVING CHART
    • STEWARDSHIP 2018
    • Capital Campaign
  • Contact

WORSHIP NOTES FOR THE FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY    January 29, 2017

1/26/2017

0 Comments

 
On the fourth Sunday after the Epiphany we continue to follow Jesus through the early stages of his earthly ministry. In Matthew’s account, immediately after calling his first disciples and before undertaking his Galilean ministry, Jesus stops to give a lengthy discourse to his followers. In it, he explains the nature of his kingdom and the requirements for entering it. We know this discourse as the “Sermon on the Mount.” The defining quality of Jesus established here is the same as the primary requirement for entering his kingdom—humility.

    Humility is the connecting thread running through our lectionary readings this week. The prophet Micah recounts a vision of a divine lawsuit, in which God and the prophet and a representative of the Israelite community contend with one another. What is at issue is what God expects of his people, whom he has repeatedly protected and delivered from harm and hardship. The prophet is given the last word in this passage, speaking to Israel God’s truth: “He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”

    Psalm 15, appointed for this week, takes up a similar theme. The psalm also focuses on who will be admitted into God’s presence—“who may abide upon your holy hill?” The answer, like the Beatitudes, is a list: one who walks blamelessly, who speaks the truth (which is also in his heart), who speaks no guile, who has no contempt, who rejects the wicked, who honors the Lord, who promises to do no wrong, who keeps his word, who gives without expecting gain.

    In writing to the church at Corinth, Paul explains to them the very un-Greek message of the cross of Christ. It is not informed by the classical notion of wisdom. To that worldview it appears as “foolishness,” Paul writes. The whole message of the gospel, as Paul presents it here, is narrowed down to one, shameful and degrading sign—the cross. The social stigma of Jesus’ crucifixion and death as a common criminal is the “vulgar joke” (“folly”) that gives meaning to the kingdom Jesus came to usher in. In the new order that begins with him, the deaf will hear, the blind will see, the first shall be last and the last first. God’s kingdom in no way resembles the powers and kingdoms of this world.

    That is the message Jesus delivers in the Beatitudes, the thematic statement prefacing his whole discourse about being a part of the kingdom. Far from being a practical statement about a nice way to behave, these statements establish Jesus and his kingdom in direct opposition to the ways of this world. If you are afraid of looking foolish, then the way of following Jesus will be difficult for you. If you open yourself to find freedom in that foolishness, the kingdom is very near you.
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    The Very Reverend Beverly Gibson, Ph.D.,  Dean of the Cathedral

    LISTEN TO HER SERMONS


    Blog Archives

    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Copyright 2017 
Christ Church Cathedral
Site by Cindy McCrory/
Blue Room Photography
115 S. Conception St. 
Mobile, AL  36602
(251) 438-1822
(251) 433-3403 fax
Email Us
Sign Up for our E-Blasts
For Email Marketing you can trust.
Picture