Pastor Sullivan's Blog

Grace and Peace be unto you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. In today’s gospel lesson Christ promises His apostles hardship and persecution. He says, “ The will put you out of the synagogues. ” Jesus tells them that the Jews will excommunicate them. This was already happening during the ministry of Jesus. After Jesus heals a man born blind, the Pharisees question the blind man’s parents to make sure he had really been blind from birth. They confessed that this man was in fact their son and that he had been born blind, but they stopped short of confessing that it was Jesus who had healed their son. John writes that “ his parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already that if anyone confessed that He was Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue ” (John 9:22). That the Jews would expel the apostles from their churches would be difficult to swallow. They had all been brought up in the synagogue. But their testimony of J...

In the Name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. Christ had been awake all the night before His crucifixion. His sufferings began in the garden with the anguish that came with drinking the cup of God’s wrath against sin. After His arrest He was taken to Annas, then to Caiapha. In the early hours of the morning He was sent to Pilate, who, after interrogation, sent Him to Herod. There Herod’s soldiers mistreated Him before sending Him back to Pilate for His final sentencing. He has been beaten and flogged. Then He is expected to carry His own cross to Golgotha, the place of the skull. It must have been massive if He was to then be nailed to it. As He carries the hulking instrument of His own death the soldiers escorting Him to Golgotha realize He is exhausted. “ Then they compelled a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, the father of Alexander and Rufus, as he was coming out of the country and passing by, to bear His cross. ” Here is a man, pulled out from the crow...

Order of Holy Communion  - Pg. 15 Hymn # 204 Come, Ye Faithful, Raise the Strain Hymn # 523 Why Should Cross and Trial Grieve Me Hymn # 201 Jesus Lives! The Victory’s Won Introit   MAKE A || joyful shout to God, all the | earth! | - *             Sing out the honor of His name; make His praise | glo- | ri- | ous. (Psalm 66:1–2) || Say to God, “How awesome are Your | works! | - *             Through the greatness of Your power Your enemies shall submit them- | selves | to | You. || Come and see the works of | God; | - *             He is awesome in His doing toward the | sons | of | men. || Oh, bless our God, you | peo- | ples! *             And make the voice of His praise | to | be | heard, || Who keeps our soul among the | liv- | ing, *             And does not al...