Grace Anglican Sermons

The Rev. Nick Lannon preaches a sermon on 1 Timothy 6, in which Paul charges Timothy (and us) to pursue righteousness, and to keep God's commandments "without spot or blame." How are we to live in light of this radical call to holiness? We are to remember our sin, our need for a savior, and the Good News that that savior, Jesus, has come and completed his work.

The Rev. Nick Lannon preaches a sermon on Luke 16, in which Jesus tells an odd parable about a dishonest manager. When we are generous, we are generous with what is God's. In the same way, Jesus is generous with his master's possession, giving us God's own goodness, which alone can save us.

The Rev. Nick Lannon preaches a sermon on Luke 15, in which Jesus tells a story about a lost sheep and a lost coin. There is much joy in heaven, he says, over a sinner who repents. But...does that make the Good News dependent on your repentance? Does it make the Good News less good? No...in fact, even repentance is a good work that God accomplishes in you, not something you have to create in yours...

The Rev. Nick Lannon preaches a sermon on Deuteronomy 30, in which Moses asks the people to make a choice: follow God and prosper, turn away and die. Is there Good News for those of us who continually make bad choices? Or who can't follow through on our good intentions? Yes, it's the finished work of Jesus Christ.

The Rev. Nick Lannon preaches a sermon on Luke 14, in which Jesus observes guests at a dinner party scrambling for honorable seats. Those who seek to exalt themselves will be humbled, he cautions. Here, he's talking about us. Those who seek to humble themselves, however, will be exalted. Here, he's talking about himself.

The Rev. Nick Lannon preaches a sermon on Jeremiah 1, in which the prophet, who protests about his weakness, is called into God's service. We servants of God are not like fantasy heroes, who have a great mission to accomplish. No, we are given Christ's great accomplishment to proclaim.

The Rev. Nick Lannon preaches a sermon on Jeremiah 23, in which the prophet compares prophets who tell their own dreams to preachers who proclaim the word of God. The news is bad and good: bad, in that God has spoken, and we are found wanting. Good, in that Christ has come to save sinners.

The Rev. Nick Lannon preaches a sermon on Hebrews 11, in which God's faithful promise-keeping is illustrated through a description of the city promised to Abraham and his descendants and the fact that Sarah's barren womb is able to give Abraham descendants at all. Faith is of utmost importance, but it is God's faith that matters, not yours.

The Rev. Nick Lannon preaches a sermon on Hosea 1, in which the prophet is told to marry Gomer, a "woman of whoredom." God is illustrating what it's like for him to be in relationship with us, his sinful people. But there is Good News: God will rescue us, at great cost, and remain faithful even when we are not.

The Rev. Nick Lannon preaches a sermon on Luke 11, in which Jesus teaches the disciples about prayer. What kind of listener is God? What kind of gift-giver? The Good News is that God is not like us: we give reluctantly; God gives overflowingly. We give after being hounded; God gives immediately. We give to people we think deserve it; God gives to the undeserving. We give when there's something in...

The Rev. Nick Lannon preaches a sermon on Luke 10, in which Jesus is a guest in Mary and Martha's home. Martha works, Mary sits, and Jesus says that Mary has chosen the better part. The Good News is that we already have Jesus for us and there is no more work to be done.

Micah Childs, Senior Warden of Grace Church, preaches a sermon on Colossians 1, in which Paul greets this church in a letter from his prison cell. What good news does he share with them? That Christ has done everything for them: rescued them from their enemy, transferred them into his kingdom, redeemed them from their sin, and forgiven their every transgression. This is Good News indeed.

The Rev. Nick Lannon preaches a sermon on 2 Kings 5 in which the leper Naaman is angry that instead of being commanded to do a difficult thing to procure his healing, he is asked to do an easy thing instead. We who are saved by the grace of God are the recipients of an easy thing--a free gift--but it was not easy nor free for our savior, Jesus Christ.

The Rev. Nick Lannon preaches a sermon on Galatians 5, in which Paul contrasts the fruit of the Spirit with the works of the flesh. Contrary to popular belief, Christianity isn't about doing. It's about being...dead. Dead, that is, and then raised to new life.

The Rev. Nick Lannon preaches a sermon on Galatians 3, in which Paul explains to Christians that they don't have to work anymore to get close to God. It is God's job, in Christ, to get close to them.

The Rev. Nick Lannon preaches on Trinity Sunday about the "demonic trinity": sin, death, and the devil. Christ's accomplishments on the cross (in the past) defeat all three, and make a life of peace possible in the present and in the future.

The Rev. Nick Lannon preaches a sermon on Pentecost Sunday about the Holy Spirit's deeds of power: first, he convicts us of our sin, then he participates in our redemption, and then he guarantees that it is really accomplished.

The Rev. Nick Lannon preaches a sermon on John 17, in which Jesus prays that his disciples be one. That's bad news and Good News: the bad news is that the law makes us one in our sin, while the Good News is that the Gospel makes us one in our salvation.

The Rev. Nick Lannon preaches a sermon on John 14, in which Jesus tell us that if we love him, we will keep his commandments. What kind of love is this? Is the truest love one that is connected to deeds or one that is separated from all deserving?

The Rev. Nick Lannon preaches a sermon on Acts 11, in which Peter has a vision about the Good News being available to the Gentiles. This doesn't mean that you're okay no matter who you are, it means that, no matter who you are, Jesus is for you.

The Rev. Nick Lannon preaches a sermon on Revelation 7:9-17, in which John has a vision of the throne room of God. These worshiping saints have come out of a great ordeal, he's told, and have been washed white in the blood of the lamb. We are such saints.

The Rev. Nick Lannon preaches a sermon on John 21:1-19, in which Peter, after Jesus' resurrection, proclaims his love for his savior three times. Jesus is about the business of fixing the broken things of the world. He is a redeemer.

The Rev. Nick Lannon preaches a sermon on John 20, in which Jesus appears to Thomas, who doubted his resurrection. We are all like Thomas, and the Good News is that Jesus shows up to the faithless, offering us his wounds and thereby giving us the faith we lack.

The Rev. Nick Lannon preaches an Easter sermon on Mark 16, in which the resurrected Jesus leaves a message for his disciples, and Peter. It's a message filled with hope: despite our broken promises, Jesus is a promise-keeper.

The Rev. Nick Lannon preaches a sermon for Good Friday, when Jesus gave his life for the sins of the world. When he proclaimed his thirst, it was proof that he was really a human, really suffering and dying, and really accomplishing the salvation of sinners.