Read Or Print Sermon.pdf

The Reverend Dr. Jack M. Horner, Jr. discusses the concept of "Faith in Action" in his sermon, referencing Romans 12:9-21, Psalm 26:1-8, and Matthew 16:21-28. He shares his experience at Saint Augustine's House, a Lutheran monastery, where he spent time in prayer and study. The monastery holds seven traditional prayer offices, focusing on the reading and chanting of Psalms, with each Psalm beginning with an antiphon, a phrase or verse that summarizes the main idea. The Reverend compares antiphons to sound bites, memorable phrases that convey the essence of a message. He notes that the apostle Paul offers a no-nonsense vision of what it means to be a Christian, providing 23 imperatives or commands in his letter to the Romans. The sermon emphasizes the importance of genuine love, not hypocritical or fake, and highlights Paul's sound bites of Christian moral living, such as "Let your love be genuine" and "Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer." The Reverend encourages the congregation to live out their faith in action, caring for strangers, blessing enemies, and showing honor to one another, trusting in God's justice and overcoming evil with good.