Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord (Jeremiah 17.7) (Epiphany 6C)

 “Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord” (Jeremiah 17.7)

(Epiphany 6 Year C, 2025, Rev. John Gishler)

 

We had a baptism at St. Luke’s last week where we asked, “Do you Put Your Whole Trust in His Grace and Love?” The Jeremiah Reading mirrors Jesus’ teaching known as the Beatitudes. They are a basic guide or way of testing our faith or love of Jesus and hope of eternal spiritual life.

 

1.    Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit

Matthew adds the words “in spirit” which helps us understand that Jesus is talking about the humility of the heart not materialism:

Baptism of Water and the Holy Spirit (Baptism of Jesus Readings)

 “No one can enter the Kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit (John 3.5) by Rev. John Gishler, 2025

 

In the Gospel Reading Luke 3.16 John the Baptist tells the crowd I baptize you with water but the one who is to come, will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. Water symbolizes the washing away or dying emotionally to the past, self-centred and sin-controlled life. Holy Spirit baptism is like an invisible holy fire that cleanses us, energizes us and gives us the gifts we need for our baptismal ministry. Holy Spirit baptism has been lost in many intellectualized and liberalized churches. I was baptized as an infant and confirmed without any serious teaching or experiences of Holy Spirit. The loss of the fire of Holy Spirit baptism has disempowered many Christians and made the Church irrelevant to secular culture.

 

1. Examination Questions for Infant Baptism

Miracles Open Our Eyes to Supernatural Truth (Epiphany 2, Year C)

The Gospel story of the Wedding at Cana is an Epiphany moment for the Disciples. They suddenly realize the meaning of Jesus miraculous powers. We are all skeptics of what people say. As the person about to be elected Pope in the movie The Conclave says – “The Church is not about tradition, the Church is about what you do next.” Jesus sacrificed His personal peace / safety by saving a bridegroom from disgrace and revealed His divinity. Miracles open our eyes to supernatural truth

 

1. A Dangerous secret is revealed at Cana

The Baptism of Jesus -A New Covenant

The Bible is the story of God reaching out to man to establish a covenant relationship. A covenant relationship was an ancient relationship between a king or ruler, and his subjects. The  ruler would provide protection and land. The man would obey the ruler, serve in his army and pay taxes. We need to understand the history and importance of these covenants: 

1.     Adam and Eve would obey God and not eat from the one tree and live forever in paradise with God

How Do You Prepare to Meet Jesus? (Advent 2c)

 Advent is a time of watching and preparing. Jesus is a real historical person. Luke connects Him to the time of the reigning Roman and Hebrew rulers. At the time people would prepare for the arrival of a king by fixing the roads to make a good impression. But how do you prepare to meet Jesus – either when you die or in the End Times! In the Readings:

·      John the Baptist called people to repent their sins and be restored to a right relationship with God.

·      Micah warned the ancient prophets and rulers God would not listen to them and hid His face because of their evil deeds.

·      Paul praises the Philippians for their right-relationship of love of God and neighbour.

 

1.   We prepare spiritually through self-examination and repentance

Recovering Truth, Freedom, and Democracy: Challenging Woke Totalitarianism (Revised)

My book Recovering Truth, Freedom, and Democracy: Challenging Woke Totalitarianism was first published in July 2024. It explained Nietzsche's warning that cultures that loose their respect for divine truth, as we have, descend into social chaos. This becomes unbearable and people turn to a strong totalitarian leader (like Trump I said) to restore order. Well it happened? About 3% of Americans were so frustrated by Democratic Party wokeism they swung to Trump, warts and all. After all, as someone said, they were not choosing a pastor. They were choosing a political leader for the strongest and most besieged democracy in the World. The revised edition has been reformatted with a brief explanation of of wokeism's parents (postmodern philosophy &  intersectionality; and the emerging revolt of the silent majority against woke totalitarianism. It is available in all formats through bookstores worldwide on the Ingram Content network, Amazon and the author.

Description

It’s time for the silent majority to stand up and challenge the misguided dictates, social chaos, and totalitarian rule of New Left Marxist and extreme environmentalist, feminist, LGBTQ, diversity, equity and inclusion activists wherever they can.  This inspiring, researched guide exposes their false truths and empowers us to challenge and replace the leaders of churches, universities, schools, professional associations and governments who have failed us. The goal is to recover the Judeo-Christian spiritual truths, values and trust that all thriving democracies depend on; male and female identity; freedom of speech; and the democratic rule of the majority.

Reviews 

“…a comprehensive and thought-provoking appraisal of what ails our times.  It is well worth reading.”   Dr. Patrick Brennan

 

“…an essential read for anyone seeking to understand or confront the prevailing worldviews of our time. Jonathan Chapman

Available

Print: 220 pages ISBN 9781775212737 $19.99 USD

Kindle ISBN 978177112744 $ 5.99 USD

PDF or eBook $ 5.99 CDN transfer to author: jgishler@gmail.com with request note.

Witnessing To the Light of Christ in a Dark World (Proper 33b)

As we approach the end of the Church’s teaching Year B we are being sent out to witness to our own experience of being healed, made holy by God and sharing in the love, joy and peace of His Kingdom in our Christian fellowship. People all around us are starving for meaning and fellowship in their lives. Young Muslims of both sexes are so bored and desperate they travel to the horrific violence and danger of the ideal of establishing a new Islamic State. The end of Christendom has left many people without hope or meaning. They have never seen or experienced the spiritual light of hope for healing, forgiveness and an eternal life of love, joy and peace that Jesus taught and modelled on Earth. They have been deceived by false teachers (Mark 13.5, 22) because nobody forcefully proclaimed the Good News of Jesus Christ to them.
 

1. Christians are being “made holy” (Hebrews 10.14)