Grace Anglican Sermons

The Rev. Nick Lannon preaches a sermon on Numbers 21, in which the wandering Israelites are oppressed by poisonous snakes, and John 3, in which Jesus compares his own "lifting up" to the bronze serpent Moses lifts up in the wilderness, saving the people. Jesus is most exalted by being laid low; he saves us by being sacrificed on our behalf.

The Rev. Nick Lannon preaches a sermon on Genesis 2-3, in which the serpent tempts Eve, and Matthew 4, in which Jesus is tempted in the wilderness. These two stories show us the Good News: that where we fall prey to doubt and sin, Jesus is faithful to the end.

On Ash Wednesday, the Rev. Nick Lannon preaches a sermon on Matthew 6, in which Jesus cautions his followers not to draw attention to their acts of devotion. So what are we doing putting ash on our foreheads? Well, this ash is an admission of weakness, of humanity, of the need for a savior. Thankfully, in 40 days, we'll celebrate that savior's finished work.

The Rev. Nick Lannon preaches a sermon on Matthew 17:1-9, in which Jesus is transfigured on the mountaintop. The law and the prophets, while both glorious, might as well have no glory at all compared to the surpassing glory of the Good News of God in Christ: the salvation of sinners.

The Rev. Nick Lannon preaches a sermon on 1 Corinthians 3, in which Paul chides the people for their divisions, telling them they're not ready for "solid food." How can we talk about spiritual maturity? Whenever Paul confronts bad behavior or immaturity, he does so by stoking faith. In other words, we don't need to do better...we need to believe more.

The Rev. Nick Lannon preaches a sermon on Matthew 5, in which Jesus asks his followers to be salt and light to the world. How do we reconcile Christ's free gift of righteousness with this call to radical obedience? It is, in fact, that free gift which creates us anew, bringing forth obedience in our lives.

The Rev. Nick Lannon preaches a sermon on Luke 2:22-40, in which the boy Jesus is presented in the Temple. Simeon is able to wait, in faith, on God to keep his promise. How? Aren't our lives about striving to fill void after void? The Good News is the God is a promise-keeper, and Jesus is his promise kept.

The Rev. Nick Lannon preaches a sermon on 1 Corinthians 1, in which Paul addresses some divisions in the Corinthian church. Jesus, he insists, is the only important thing, a message which sounds like foolishness to the world, but is the power of God to those who are being saved.

The Rev. Nick Lannon preaches a sermon on Isaiah 49, in which Israel is sent out to witness to the nations. How can a sinful people do God's work? When it's actually God doing the work and when the work is to announce the Good News that God saves sinners!

The Rev. Nick Lannon preaches a sermon on Isaiah 42, in which God presents his Messiah to the world, and Matthew 3, in which Jesus is baptized by John in the Jordan River. Here, God is staking his reputation on Jesus, which is incredibly Good News for us: Jesus pleases God, and gives that pleasure to us as a free gift.

The Rev. Nick Lannon preaches a sermon on Ephesians 1, in which Paul greets that church as though it's full of perfect disciples of Christ. But there's another truth: they're pretty profound sinners, too. Paul calls them to live a life worthy of their calling by reminding them of the Good News: their new (and true) identity in Christ.

The Rev. Nick Lannon preaches a sermon on Isaiah 61-62, in which the prophet promises that God will be at work in the world today. Christmas has come and the savior Jesus has arrived...so now what? Well, God will keep his grace coming!

The Rev. Nick Lannon preaches a Christmas sermon, focusing on Isaiah 9. The great wars of life, between men and women, people and animals, the way things are and the way they ought to be, and even the war between you and God...these wars are all won at Christmas, when savior is born to us.

The Rev. Nick Lannon preaches a sermon on Isaiah 49, in which God promises never to forget his people. He takes that promise so seriously that, many years later at a place called The Skull, he'll forget--for a moment--his beloved son...all so he can remember you.

The Rev. Nick Lannon preaches a sermon on Isaiah 35, in which the prophet describes a holy road, upon which God's redeemed people are going home. But how will they get there? The Messiah, Jesus Christ, will come and bring them.

The Rev. Nick Lannon preaches a sermon on Isaiah 11, in which the Messiah is described both as a root emerging from the stump of Jesse and as the root of Jesse. This shows the Good News that Jesus is both God and man, both righteous enough to bear the sin of the world and eligible to stand in our place.

The Rev. Nick Lannon preaches a sermon on Isaiah 2, in which the people of God are described as streaming up the mountain of the Lord, excited to receive his law. How did a sinful nation reach this point? It is by the announcement of the Good News, that their sins, which are like scarlet, will be made white as snow.

The Rev. Nick Lannon preaches a sermon for Christ the King Sunday, on Colossians 1 and Luke 23, which present Jesus as two very different kinds of kings: one who wears a golden crown as Lord of Heaven and Earth, and one who wears a thorny crown as redeemer of the world.

The Rev. Nick Lannon preaches a sermon on Luke 21:5-19, in which Jesus tells his followers not to prepare their defense in advance because he himself will be their defense. In Christ, there is no need for self-defense. The Good News is that he is our defender.

The Rev. Nick Lannon preaches a sermon on Job, in which a sufferer's three friends attempt to figure out why he's suffering. The Good News of Jesus Christ, however, enables us to instead ask "who." Who is suffering with us? Who suffered for us? Our risen redeemer did just that.

The Rev. Nick Lannon preaches a sermon on Luke 19, in which Jesus calls Zacchaeus out of a tree and demands to be in a relationship with him. This is Good News for us sinners...Jesus came to seek out and to save the lost. He came to save us.

The Rev. Nick Lannon preaches a sermon on Jeremiah 14, in which the sinful Israelites call out to God for help, and Luke 18, in which a tax collector cries out to God for mercy. The very God whose holiness reveals our sin is the only one holy enough to save us. The Good News is that, in Christ, he has.

The Rev. Nick Lannon preaches a sermon on Genesis 32, in which Jacob wrestles with God. Jacob, who has been wrestling with people his whole life, trying to get a blessing, finally realizes that only God can give what he's wanted all along.

The Rev. Nick Lannon preaches a sermon on Luke 16:19-31, in which Jesus tells a parable about a rich man and a poor man named Lazarus, who end up in hell and heaven, respectively. What is the Good News for those of us who aren't sure our stewardship makes us righteous? It's that our righteousness is secured in the accomplishments of Christ. Faith in him is credited to us as righteousness.

The Rev. Nick Lannon preaches a sermon on Lamentations 3, in which God's mercies are said to be "new every morning." This is very Good News for those of us who are enmeshed in the world's expectation, that "if we're not growing, we're dying." Jesus meets us in that tomb, and he is a resurrection expert.