This sermon explores life-changing encounters with the risen Christ, drawing from historical examples in the Bible and connecting them to contemporary faith experiences.
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Biblical Encounters:
- The disciples’ post-resurrection encounter on the Galilean lakeshore highlights how recognizing the risen Christ involves an act of faith, even when faced with the familiar yet transformed Jesus.
- Saul’s dramatic encounter on the road to Damascus, a personal and revelatory event, transformed him from a persecutor to a key figure in early Christianity.
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Faith in a Modern Context:
- For many, raised in scientific and materialistic times, relying solely on “hard facts” can lead to dismissiveness towards faith.
- Anglican tradition “tests” faith by balancing scripture, tradition, and reason, often using the metaphor of a “three-legged stool”.
- However, relying solely on church authority, especially in a culture that eschews it, can hinder bringing others to faith.
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The Role of Personal Experience:
- John Wesley’s “heart strangely warmed” experience at Aldersgate underscores the transformative power of personal encounters with Christ.
- While Anglicans acknowledge the subjectivity of experience, personal experience can significantly bolster faith alongside scripture, tradition, and reason, making faith more relevant and impactful in individuals’ lives and in the world.
A Call to Action: Be open to the possibility of encounters with Christ, allowing them to deepen our faith and empower us to be agents of change in the world.
Friends, as we reflect on these profound encounters with the risen Christ, let us recognize that life-changing experiences with the divine are not confined to ancient texts but continue into our present day. While scripture, tradition, and reason provide a stable foundation for our faith, let us also open ourselves to the transformative power of personal experience, allowing it to “strangely warm” our hearts and make our faith more relevant and impactful in our lives. In a world that often seeks tangible proof, our personal encounters with the living Christ can be a powerful testament, enabling us to contribute more fully to the Kingdom of God inaugurated in Jesus Christ.
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Experience the warmth and support of a community of faith at St. Barnabas. We invite you to join us in worship, fellowship and service as we journey together in the light of the Risen Christ.
Watch the full sermon to learn more about how we can encounter the Risen Christ.