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

Today's Gospel reading is Mark's account of Jesus calming the storm while he and his disciples were sailing across the Sea of Galilee.  The question the Disciples as Jesus is why he doesn't care that they are being swamped with water from the storm.  We have all sorts of storms that swamp us, be it financial concerns, illnesses, and other that batter us each day.  Fr. John's sermon...

When we are become Christians, and are baptized, one of the fundamental teachings of the Church is that we are made into a New Creation.  In this sermon drawing from 2 Corinthians 5:6-17, Fr. Blackburn discusses what that New Creation begins to look like for us today.

In the Gospel of Mark, there is a passage in Chapter 3 were Jesus' Mother and Brothers have come looking for him because they are concerned about him.  Jesus begins to discuss who is true family is, but also issues a few warnings about our perception of his work that he is doing.  Fr. John takes the passage and breaks it down until, ultimately describing the work of the church that is ne...

One of our great doctrines and also theological mysteries is that of the One, Holy and Undivided Trinity; the essence of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  It is a heady subject that has sparked debates and clashes over the centuries.  But, how are we to know and understand something as seemly simple but also complex as the Trinity.  Fr. John gives a brief outline of the Tri...

Today is the Feast of Pentecost, when we recount the Coming of the Holy Spirit on the Disciples.  Some refer to this as the birthday of the Church.  But, what does the coming of the Holy Spirit look like today, in 2021?  As many churches begin to fully emerge from our isolation and lock-down, what can we learn about how to be the Church now, today?  Father John explores these q...

Just prior to his betrayal, arrest, and subsequent crucifixion, Jesus prays for his disciples in their coming hour as he prepares to depart from them.  But, what we sometimes forget is that Jesus is also praying for us, and for all Christians and believers in every age.  Jesus, as we celebrated on Thursday, has ascended into heaven, is now seated on the right hand of God in power and glo...

The Feast of the Ascension sermon by The Rev’d Gerald Phelps. This was from a joint service held at Saint Christopher’s Church, with St. Andrew’s Church, Corpus Christi visiting us.

Our sermon today is based on the final portion of Acts 10, and the astonishment of the Jews who were with Simon Peter that Gentiles had received the gifts of the Holy Spirit.  Fr. John's sermon today expresses our need to not be astonished, but rather to work actively where we are to proclaim the Gospel.

In the First Epistle of Saint John, we have this passage that explains that God is love, that the very nature of God is love, and it is our nature as well.  But, what does this love look like, and what does it mean to love like God loves.  Fr. John breaks down what agape love (the word used in this passage repeatedly) look like in our common life as Christians today.  If you wish to...

In the Gospel of John, Jesus calls himself the "Good Shepherd".  Today, not many of us know what all a shepherd does, and what sheep require.  As we consider what makes a shepherd good, we also much think about what makes good sheep.  Fr. John explores these thoughts in today's sermon, given on the Fourth Sunday of Easter, sometimes known as "Good Shepherd Sunday".

Each of us use two primary sources of knowledge or knowing in our everyday life.  There is the rational and reasoned knowing; the knowing that comes when we figure things out.  Then there is also knowledge that we have from gaining experience, memorizing tables for math, and reading.  How do these two interact when it comes to our faith and our knowledge of who Jesus is.  Fr. J...

What do we need to come to faith?  That is at the heart of the Gospel when we read about Thomas and others who need something, some message from Jesus to become believing.  Today, we look and exam Saint Thomas and what was so convincing to him that Jesus truly was his Lord and God.

We are an Easter People, and our joy cannot be contained on Easter Day.  Join us as Father John talks about what Easter is, and what Resurrection means for us.  The Gospel reading for this morning is John 20:1-18.  Let Easter Music Swell!!!  May all of you who listen have a joyful, holy and blessed Eastertide.

This evening’s sermon was written quite a long time ago, around the year 400 AD to be only semi-exact. Yet, by the year 400, this very act of keeping Vigil as we have been and are doing now was already an old custom, and in many ways seemed ancient to those believers as well. But yet, on this most Holy of all Nights, we watch, and we remember just as Saint John Chrysostom did all those many years...

Good Friday calls us to remember the Love of Christ in a profound way.  If you wish to read the passages of Scripture related to this sermon, please read the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Saint John, which with Chapter 18 and is read through the end of Chapter 19

We have finally ended our Lenten Journey and arrived at Palm Sunday, the beginning of Passion Week.  We have shouted Hosanna and proclaimed Jesus as our King.  And we have then turned on him, and crucified him in our Gospel reading.  What has happened?  Saint Paul in his letter to the Philippians exhorts us to "Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus".  Join u...

In John's Gospel, Jesus is sought out by some Greeks, people who more than likely were Non-Jews, who are in Jerusalem for the Festival of Passover.  While they are there, they find Philip and say to him, "We wish to see Jesus".  Today's sermon explores this phrase and what seeing Jesus means for us today.  The passage is John 12:20-33.

One of the ways that we show our love and affections for people is be gathering and remembering.  We celebrate birthdays, but we also remember events, like Independence Day.  As the Church, we gather and remember as well.  But our remembering takes on a different flavour and a different purpose.  As we explore the depths of God's love for us, Fr. John leads us in thinking more...

Today's Gospel passage is John's recording of Jesus Cleansing the Temple.  Jesus drives out the money changers and says, "Stop making my Father's house into a market place."  But, what is Jesus saying to his church today?  What can we learn from the cleansing of the Temple about our Church's own needs today.  Fr. Blackburn explores how the Temple of the past and the Church of t...

Today, we hear some rather hard words from Jesus; words about taking up our crosses, forsaking our lives, and of dying to self.  What does that mean for us.  Fr. John gives us some words of guidance and also of commission in what living a Cross-Shaped Life looks like.  The Text for this morning is St. Mark 8:31-38.

What do we do when Temptations come?

Today's Gospel Reading is one of the accounts of Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration, when Jesus appears, with Moses and Elijah, arrayed in dazzling white, while several of his disciples look on.  It is one in a series of changes that we have been seeing throughout our season of Epiphany.  Why is it necessary for this "change" to occur?  What does it mean for us?  And, perhap...

When Jesus comes to us, and restores us, one of our first responses is to serve him.  We learn from Simon's Mother-in-law that serving our Lord is done through gratitude, and is part of how we give our thanks to God.  One of our modern day example is Captain Sir Tom Moore, who died earlier this week, and what we can learn from his example as well.  This sermon is based on the passag...

Today's Gospel lesson is from Mark 1:21-28.  Jesus encounters a man with an unclean spirit in the synagogue, and Jesus heals that man.  In today's sermon, Father Blackburn helps us learn what unclean spirits look like, and where they hide in our lives.  But, we should always be aware of the need of healing from them, both as individuals and as a community.  And, our healing is...

Today's Gospel passage is from Mark 1:14-20.  In it, Jesus is calling his first disciples.  One word that stands out in this passage is the word, "Immediately".  Do we answer God's call in our own lives immediately?  Or are we slow to respond because of fear?  Father John asks those questions and a few others in this podcast.