Bryn Athyn Church Adult Service

The Heavenly Doctrine has little to say about forms of government and many of the political issues of our time. But it has a great deal to say about the value of political freedom -- the freedom of speech and freedom of the press. You might be surprised at what some of these benefits are. Readings: Revelation 19:11-21 , Apocalypse Revealed 820 , True Christianity 815 Minister: Rev. Jeremy F. Simon...

After His resurrection, on the road to Emmaus, the Lord showed two of His disciples that the entire Old Testament was about Him. “And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself” (Luke 24:27). This Sunday we begin a new sermon series that attempts to replicate those disciples’ experience. With the help of the teachings for the N...

At the end of the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus sends His disciples out with a specific mission. At the end of True Christian Religion , the Lord once again sends His disciples out with a mission. Finally, at the end of the book of Revelation, the Lord offers us an invitation. What do these three things have in common, and what do they teach us about our “commission” from the Lord both as individuals a...

(1 Samuel 17:37) These beautiful words were spoken by Saul to David when he stepped forward to fight against Goliath. Similar in symbolism is the battle of Michael and his angels against the dragon in Revelation 12. These stories are about rejecting faith alone and living our faith. Great blessing can come to us, and to others through us, when we strive to put our beliefs into action, courageously...

We often say that we have peace, but it is a worldly kind, which passes away. Rest from war, from aggravations, going on a holiday with no domestic or business worries to affect us - sure, these things are peaceful. But the Peace the Lord offers is so much deeper, and it is eternal. Readings: Matthew 14:22-33 ; Isaiah 55:10-13 ; Arcana Caelestia 2780 , 5662 Minister: Rt. Rev. Peter Buss, Sr. Deliv...

(Revelation 3:8). At this time of year, many of us are involved in school graduation ceremonies and the celebrations that accompany them. The concept of “graduation” carries the idea of moving from one mindset or phase of life to another. The Scriptures compare it to walking through a gateway or door. In this service, we will be exploring the spiritual significance of “doors” and “pathways” in the...

The Lord told a paralyzed man to take up his bed and go to his house. With this command, the Lord is also telling us to not let our outward circumstances and habits get in the way of our relationship with Him. What aspects of your life are getting in the way of eternal happiness? Readings: Judges 1 - 2 , Matthew 9:1-8 , Divine Love and Wisdom 396 , Secrets of Heaven 6188.2 Minister: Rev. Jeffrey O...

As we go through life, there are countless things that do not go the way we want them to—at the humdrum level of daily life and at the global level. How should we interpret and respond to these things? Should we be fatalistic and assume that our opinions and decisions are largely meaningless? Should we see hardships as challenges the Lord wants us to face? Or as signs that we are on the wrong trac...

(Luke 15:6). No matter how far we may wander from the beaten track, no matter how bad things may get, no matter how much we may struggle or get frustrated or disappointed, discovering what’s been “lost" in our lives is not simply the "way out” from boredom or inaction - it’s a cause for celebration! Our discontent with the status quo brings the Lord and His angels more joy than we can po...

This Sunday we will talk about the commandment to not covet because coveting gets in the way of our ability to love the Lord and our neighbor. Readings: Genesis 37 ; Arcana Coelestia 6204 ; Divine Love and Wisdom 47   Minister: Rev. Jeffrey O. Smith Delivered May 3rd, 2026 at the Bryn Athyn Cathedral in Bryn Athyn, PA. The Bryn Athyn Church is a congregation of the General Church of the New Jerusa...

When the Lord sent out His disciples, after His resurrection, He told them to make disciples of all the nations and baptize them “into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). Why? Why did He not just tell them to baptize people into His name — Jesus? And what is the value to each of us of knowing that we have been — or can be — baptized into the name of the F...

“ He who is bathed needs only to have his feet washed and is completely clean.” (John 13:10) The church exists to help people turn to the Lord and prepare for heavenly life. That preparation requires each of us to grow and change with the help of the Lord alone. The story of the Lord washing Peter’s feet teaches us how we can turn to the Lord and with His help amend our lives so that the Lord lead...

We all know that we shouldn’t lie about other people or spread rumors about them, but sometimes we can bear false witness against our neighbors even if we never say anything out loud about them. When Jesus was brought before the Sanhedrin for trial, many people tried to bear false witness against Him, but their testimonies wouldn’t line up. In reality though, all those scribes and pharisees had bo...

By riding into Jerusalem as King, the Lord set in motion a series of events that became unstoppable. The Pharisees grew worried and tried to shut down the festivities, but it was too late. The momentum for truth and love had grown so strong, nothing could stand in its way. We will be talking about steps we can take to let the Lord’s momentum grow in us. Readings: Luke 19:28-48 , True Christian Rel...

When we think of being the Lord’s disciple, we might think of all the good parts — and there are countless good things about following the Lord. However, when we look at the experience of the Lord’s twelve disciples, we are reminded of how often they were confused and scared, how often they were rebuked and challenged by the Lord, and how often they didn’t understand what was going on or what the...

(Exodus 20:15). In the literal sense, this commandment forbids taking what doesn’t belong to us. In the spiritual sense, it forbids taking away truth from someone. In the highest sense, it forbids taking credit for something that belongs to the Lord. How do we avoid stealing on every level? Readings: Genesis 44 , John 10:1-10 , Arcana Coelestia 5747 Minister: Rev. Coleman S. Glenn Delivered March...

It is an amazing blessing to live with the clear reality of eternal life in mind. It is a further blessing to know that the Lord in His providence is preparing us, even now, for an eternal home in His kingdom. Yet often these perspectives can stay in the background, seldom impacting our daily choices. In what ways can we live more consciously with the clear belief of eternal life, and actively do...

Often, when we hear stories from the Word about the powerful enemies that conquered the Children of Israel and then we read in the Heavenly Doctrine about the hatred of the devils in hell, we can think that our enemies and hell are formidable foes. But the reality is that hell has no power at all. Come and learn why we do not need to fear the hells. Readings: Numbers 13:30-33 ; I Samuel 17:4-49 (p...

The phrase “going the extra mile” has become a part of everyday language but there’s a fascinating context for the two miles spoken of in Matthew 6:41 - the first is done under compulsion, the second (or “extra”) is our choice. Let’s gather as a community this Sunday to worship together and to reflect on the Lord’s powerful invitation to get our heads and hearts in the right space so that we may f...

"Jehovah will give it into the hand of the king.” (1 Kings 22:12) Enlightenment is a vital element to understanding the Word. The story of Micah’s prophecies shows us what happens when we try to understand the internal sense. How do we know we aren’t just seeing what we want to see? What does it look like to earnestly draw doctrine from the Word? Readings: 1 Kings 22:3-23 , Matthew 7:21-23 ,...

(Exodus 20:14) This commandment challenges us to explore the promptings of our heart (ego) which can be at odds with the watchful eye of our understanding (better self). Just as we strive to live in a world free of pollution and contamination, so do we strive to live lives of purity that are free of the filth and profanity in and around us which threaten to contaminate our relationship with the Lo...

The teachings for the New Church reveal that everything in our spiritual reality and our natural reality is in the human form — from a friend group, to a nation, to a planet, to the entirety of heaven. All of heaven in the human form is called the “Grand Man” or the “universal human.” This is a concept with many implications and applications. On Sunday we will explore a few of the teachings on thi...

Most of us probably don’t struggle too much with the commandment not to murder, but we may find it much more relatable when Jesus extends the commandment to include anger and belittling others. Join us this Sunday to dive deeper into the ins and outs of what it means to not take someone else’s life from them. Readings: Exodus 20:13 ; Matthew 5:21-24 ; Arcana Coelestia 8902 , 9293 ; Doctrine of Lif...

Part of understanding the importance and value of holy supper is understanding its connection to heaven. Jesus said, "I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever…." (John 6:51). And in the teachings for the New Church it says this: "The Lord is present and opens heaven to those who worthily approach the Holy Supper" ( Tr...

Epiphany is a feast day in the Christian calendar. It is traditionally celebrated on the 6th of January, or the first Sunday of the new year. The New Church does not adhere closely to the traditional Christian calendar, but Epiphany generally focuses on the visit of the Magi, which is a theme that we often do touch on in the days following Christmas. In common speech an "epiphany" sugges...