Sermons from Saint Christopher's By-the-Sea, Portland Texas

One of the Spiritual Disciplines that Christians practice is Stewardship.  Stewardship is not as much about raising money for the Parish or the Church, but instead is one of the ways in which we offer thanks to God for all the blessings of this life.  Many times, what we regard stewardship as the dreaded season of the church when we talk--perhaps guilt people--about giving back to God. &...

All Souls' Day is when the Church gathers to remember those who have died in the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, but in a more personal way.  This is when we remember our parents, our spouses, our children and our friends.  It is also when we remember the people of our local churches who have impacted us.  This is the sermon from All Souls' Day on November 2nd, 2021.  Fr. Black...

Who or what are the Saints of the Church?  Are they super heroes with super power?  Are they the devoutly religious?  Are the special people or just common ordinary Christians.  In this sermon preached on All Saints' Day in 2021, Fr. Blackburn answers some of these questions that have been asked for hundreds of years about.  Who is a saint?  Can I be a saint?  An...

In our passage from the Gospel according to Saint Mark, Jesus is asked what the most important of the commandments in the Jewish Law is.  He responds with the "Sh'ma", a traditional part of the Jewish prayer life as well as one other commandment, in essence taking two points of Law and transforming them into one.  In today's Sermon, Fr. Blackburn explores what it means to love God, to lo...

Blind Bartimaeus is sitting by the roadside while Jesus is traveling from Jericho to Jerusalem.  He calls out to Jesus, who restores his sight.  How can the Church implore our Blessed Lord to help us see again, see with renewed sight.  Father Blackburn's sermon speaks about being Spiritually Blind, and what we are to do once our vision is given to us.  The Scripture Passage is...

Father Blackburn examines Mark 10:35-45 and the request of the Sons of Zebedee, who ask that they sit on the right hand and the left hand of Jesus in glory.  How often do we ask God for things that are in reality really not good for us?

One of the painful things to talk about in Church is divorce.  Divorce is always tragic and destroys relationships and families.  Jesus teaches about divorce and how wrong it is, but he does this through his view of what Marriage is meant to be.  Listen as Father Blackburn discusses what our Gospel passage means and how the view of the Jesus and his Church points ultimately to God's...

Saint Christopher's Church gathered on Saturday, 2 October 2021, for their annual Blessing of the Animals, which is always a fun and lively event.  We celebrate it in commemoration of Saint Francis of Assisi, who was known for his love of all of God's Creation.  However, we sometimes forget a few things about Francis, and how he ministered to the poor, began an order of monks, and also h...

Prayer, spending time with God, is essential for us to grow and develop as Christians.  It is how we grow in relationship with God, and how we also learn more about God and our place within God's kingdom.  Prayer should become for us a way of life, and state of being.  Father Blackburn explores many aspects of prayer in today's sermon, which is taken from James 5:13-20. N.B.:  ...

What does it take to be the Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven? Jesus answers this question in our Gospel passage of the day. Join us as Fr. John explores what servanthood looks like in this world. The Scripture references are Mark 9:30-37 and James 3:13-4:3, 7-8a

In today's sermon, Fr. John discusses something we use everyday; words. 

Something we see time after time in the Gospels is someone, or a group of people, bringing the sick to Jesus. And they ask, or intercede on their behalf, Jesus to heal or restore them. What does intercession look like? And why do we intercede for others?

When does a ritual outlive its usefulness?  One possible answer is when the reason for the ritual no longer holds any meaning.  In Mark 7, Jesus addresses this question, and the questions that surrounds Jewish purity laws our obligations to our Lord.

Today's Gospel reading come from the end of our John 6 readings that we have been working through for the last month.  Jesus has been teaching about the Bread of Life, and how he himself is the Life of the World.  At the end of this, several disciples say that this teaching is "Too difficult", and leave Jesus' company.  Yes, Christianity, and following the teaching of Jesus is diffi...

We conclude our reading of John 6 in our Liturgy.  Fr. Blackburn explores some of the particulars about why Jesus statement is so troubling to his hearers, and even to us.  But, we also learn that Jesus giving of him is the source of true life in this world.

We continue our "sermon series" through the John 6, and the discussion about the Bread of Life.  Jesus says that he is the bread of life, yet how often do we take him at his word.  Fr. Blackburn discusses that we eat this bread to bring life to us, and that by eating the Bread of Life, we learn to recognize Jesus in the world.

On the Feast of the Transfiguration, Saint Christopher’s Church joined Saint Andrew’s Church, Corpus Christi. Fr. Blackburn was the preacher.

John 6 is a chapter full of imagery of bread, feeding and Jesus speaking about himself being the Bread of Life.  Over the next few weeks, we will be diving into John 6 and exploring what the Bread of Life is, does, and how we feed on Jesus in our Eucharistic Feast.  

This address is from our Patronal Feast Day Banquet, which was held on 24 July 2021.  This address was given during the banquet, and the initial recording included many distraction, like plates and forks rattling, and glass of water and wine being tinked.  This is a re-recording of the address which was recorded about a week later and in Fr. John's office.  We hope that you enjoy it...

At Choral Evensong on Sunday, 25 July 2021, The Rev'd John Blackburn, the Priest-in-Charge of Saint Christopher's Church, preached a sermon to help the Parish learn the significance of Icons in Christian Worship.  Following this sermon, the Icon of Saint Christopher was dedicated and hung in the Sanctuary.  Choral Evensong was the closing event of our Patronal Feast Day Weekend.  We...

Many Churches are named for a Saint, and they become that Patron, the person whom the identity of Parish takes on a special meaning.  On Sunday, 25th July, The Rev'd John L. Blackburn preached a sermon at our morning Mass on Saint Christopher.  

As Christians our call, as we follow the examples of Jesus, is to do the works that he did; preach the Gospel, heal the sick, feed the hungry.  But something that Jesus did, which we are also called to do, but we sometimes neglect, is our need for Sabbath and rest, a time for restoration.  As you listen to this podcast, ponder ways in which you can honor God in your rest and restoration,...

Saint John the Baptist is known in the New Testament for two primary event:  The Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan and his execution by King Herod Antipas.  But, the question is, what led to his execution?  He had been a popular prophet, had attracted crowds, and it is said that Herod even enjoyed listening to him.  Father John looks at all of these questions and asks the question...

This week, we were honored to welcome The Rev'd Dr. Terry York into our Pulpit.  Dr. York is the Professor of Christian Worship at the George W. Truett Theological Seminary at Baylor University in Waco.  Dr. York preached to Saint Christopher's on Saint Paul's passage from 2 Corinthians 12:2-10.  Please enjoy this sermon from our dear friend.

In the Gospel according to Saint Mark, we have a story of Jesus being called by Jairus to come and heal his daughter.  On his way there, a women who has been sick for 12 years comes and touches Jesus' clothes, and she is healed.  As they are talking, so people come to Jairus and tell him that his daughter has died.  In today's sermon, Fr. John invites us to engage with the story as...