Sermons – St. Andrew’s Anglican Church in Cheyenne, Wyoming

Father Dave Ivester

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*April 21 (John 16:16) – Mark De Spain – Third Sunday after Easter

Theme: The 16th chapter of John is part of a long discourse from chapters 14 through 17 where Christ is speaking privately with his disciples, preparing them for his departure and return to the Father. When Jesus returned to the Father he united all things in heaven and earth in him, because he was the first human person to enter into the presence of the Father, and the creation was transformed from being enslaved to the elemental principles of the world to being freed so that all could become adopted as sons and daughters of God. Alleluia!

*April 14 (1 Peter 2:19) – Second Sunday after Easter

Theme: Peter tells us that Christ left us an example, that when he was reviled, he did not revile; when he suffered, he threatened not. Fr. Dave shares the life testimony of his own grandfather, who lived out this example of Christ in his life.

*April 7 (John 20:19-23) – Jerry Leckie – First Sunday after Easter

Theme: After the resurrection, Jesus appeared to the disciples and breathed on them saying: “Receive the Holy Spirit.” With those words the apostles received the power to go and do God’s will on earth having received the fruit of the Spirit. Their legacy is still with us so that people can see God’s love in us through our Christian character.

*Mar 31 (Mark 16:1-8) – Easter

*Mar 24 (Matthew 27:1-54) – Palm Sunday

Theme: The Council of Religious Leaders condemns Jesus; Judas hangs himself; Jesus stands trial before Pilate; Pilate hands Jesus over to be crucified; Roman Soldiers mock Jesus; Jesus is Crucified.

*Mar 17 (John 8:46 – 59) – Mark De Spain – Fifth Sunday in Lent

Theme: Who is Jesus? He is the I AM, the eternal all-cause of the universe, the self-sufficient, all powerful, intelligence who always was. He created the perfect Earth in which to place his perfect beings, whose job it was and is to love and obey their creator. Glory be to God!

*Mar 10 (John 6:1-14) – Fourth Sunday in Lent

Theme: The miracle of Jesus feeding 5000 men grabs our attention, but the real story was Philip and Andrew. Philip is the practical, no-nonsense apostle who looks at the surface of a situation. When Jesus asked him where they would get bread for all these, Philip responded with the obvious that they did not have enough money to feed each even a little. Then Andrew pipes up and says there is a lad with five barley loaves and two fish. He says no more, but what little there is, he seems to suggest, is a start. Like us, we have little to offer to Christ, but it is a hopeful start that, when offered in faith, Christ can transform into an abundance.

*Mar 3 (Eph 5:1-14) – Jerry Leckie – Third Sunday in Lent

Theme: “Awake thou that sleepest…, and Christ shall give thee light.” ‘Light’ is a metaphor that is used to explain something that is unknown by equating it to something that is known, as in the 23rd Psalm that opens with “The Lord is my shepherd.” Here ‘shepherd’ not only describes our Lord as one who watches over us, but also describes us as being watched over as a shepherd watches his sheep. ‘Light’ describes the work of the Spirit, as well as the love and truth of God that enlightens and inspires us as it dispels the darkness of ignorance, fear and loathing. To God be the glory.

*Feb 25 (Matt 25:21-28) – Second Sunday in Lent

Theme: When the Canaanite mother approaches Jesus to plead for her stricken daughter, it appears that Jesus ignores her desperate pleas, and the apostles attempt to dismiss this gentile woman. Then, after Jesus finally speaks to her, it sounds as though he attempts to dismiss her with an insult. But she persists and then Jesus commends her for her great faith and heals her daughter. There are many undercurrents of testimony in this brief exchange, but Jesus was not actually dismissing the gentile mother, rather he was showing the apostles, and the other Jews present, that the gentiles are just as worthy of God’s mercy as they. Jesus commends the woman’s deep, persistent and humble faith that puts to shame the lack of faith of the children of Abraham.

*Feb 18 (Matt 4:1-11) – Mark De Spain – First Sunday in Lent

Theme: The temptations of Christ represent a cosmic battle between Satan and Christ for the ultimate ownership of the cosmos. Satan attempted to dominate Christ by his will, but Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit and the word of God. By his submission to the Spirit and his complete trust in God he completely dominated Satan. In the end, Jesus dismisses Satan for daring to suggest that any being other than God Almighty should be worshiped.

*Feb 11 (1 Cor. 13:1-13) – Quinquagesima Sunday

Theme: “…the greatest of these is charity.” That is, unconditional love. This is the love that only the Father can give and through the Spirit we can share with others, especially those that do not like us, that wish us ill will, and that persecute us without cause. How do we respond to those who hate us? If we hate in kind, what good have we done. What do we wish to leave behind when we depart this life? Our “valued” possessions of this world, or a legacy of love to all that God has created?

*Feb 5 (Luke 8:4-15) – Jerry Leckie – Sexagesima Sunday

Theme: The parable of the Sower and the Seed is an ideal metaphor for the ministry and preaching of Christ. His message went out to all without discrimination, but only those who were prepared to receive the message and be transformed through belief and the Spirit would understand and be renewed in their spirit and lives.

*Jan 28 (Matt 20:1-16) – Septuagesima Sunday

Theme: “So the last shall be first, and the first last.” The Messiah is always prepared to welcome those that turn to him in repentance and belief, no matter when in their life they come. But those who are first are often the means by which the Spirit penetrates the hearts of those who are last. Each brings their gifts and talents to the Lord equally, and all are given the same reward of eternal life and blessed relief.

*Jan 21 (John 2:1-11) – Mark De Spain – Third Sunday after Epiphany

Theme: In a few short verses John captures the breadth of Jesus’ ministry throughout history from creation to sacrifice and the revealing of the sons of God. But we also learn much about Jesus and Mary and their interaction as son and mother. The gospels have little to say about Jesus growing up to adulthood, but there are a few clues and they are most revealing.

*Jan 14 Services canceled due to weather

*Jan 7 (Matt 2:1-12) – Jerry Leckie – Epiphany Sunday

Theme: Epiphany is the revelation of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, to the world whom God promised to send from the beginning of creation after Adam and Eve sinned. For God to speak is for God to act. We can trust God because he sent his only begotten son into the world to be a propitiation for the sins of the world.