Sunshine Cathedral Sermons

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Easter 7

The Good News Written

The Wisdom of Irwin Gregg

“Our consciousness is developed and established by our attention. Whatever we give attention to becomes a part of our consciousness. If we are giving attention to the good, we’re full of the consciousness of good…Therefore, we need to take care of our predominate states of thinking and feeling and direct them toward the good. Our consciousness provides the channel for demonstrating out here what the Presence of God offers us.”

John 17.22-23, 26

Dear Abba, I have given the world the glory that you have given me, that they may be one as we are one;

I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

I made your name known to them, and I will make it known, so that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.

The Good News Proclaimed

Preached by the Reverend Doctor Durrell Watkins at the Sunshine Cathedral on Sunday, May 16, 2010.

I once asked my great-aunt Gladys to explain to me how prayer works. She said, “Oh honey, prayer is just realizing that God is as close as your breath, your thoughts, your deepest desire.” And I said, “huh?”

So Aunt Gladys said, “think of it like this: One day three men were walking and got lost. They came to a large lake and needed to get across it somehow.

The first man prayed, “God, give me the strength to cross this lake.” Poof! The man’s arms and legs became huge and, therefore, very strong…and he swam all the way across the lake in about three hours.

Impressed with the power of prayer that he had witnessed, the second man prayed, “God, give me the strength and ability to cross this lake.” Poof! The man is suddenly in a rowboat and he safely crosses the lake in about two hours.

The third man sees how this worked out for the other two, so he also prayed, “God, give me the strength, ability, and intelligence to cross this lake.” And Poof! God turned him into a woman. She then looked at the map, finds the bridge and walks across it in about 30 minutes.

It’s a silly story, but it does show that prayer is an art, and must be practiced, and as we become more efficient practitioners, we experience more from our prayers. If we imagine God as a far away dictator or judge or kindly grandparent, we will find our prayers feeling empty and not offering much empowerment for our lives. When we remember that God is right where we are…that it is in God that we live and move and have our being, then prayer isn’t begging a far away deity for favors, it is recognizing the presence of God already with us, and allowing that presence to do what it wants to do…which is to comfort, strengthen, guide, uplift, and renew us. Read more »

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Easter 6

The Good News Written

Revelation 21.10-14

And in the spirit I was carried away to a great, high mountain and shown the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God.

It has the glory of God and a radiance like a very rare jewel…

It has a great, high wall with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates are inscribed the names of the twelve tribes of the Israelites; on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates.

And the wall of the city has twelve foundations, and on them are the twelve names of the twelve apostles.

John 14.26-27

The Advocate, the holy Spirit, whom the Eternal will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.

The Good News Proclaimed

Preached by the Reverend Robert L. Griffin at the Sunshine Cathedral on Sunday, May 9, 2010.

The Advocate, the holy Spirit, whom the Eternal will send in my name, will teach you everything,
and remind you of all that I have said to you.
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.
I do not give to you as the world gives.
Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. (John 14.26-27)

If you could look into a crystal ball and could see into tomorrow, what would you do differently today?  If you could look into tomorrow, and knew you were going to receive a job promotion or a pay raise, what would you do differently today?  Conversely, if you could look into a crystal ball and see that you were going to be let go from your job after 5, 10, or 29 years, what would you do differently today?

If you looked into the infamous crystal ball and saw that you were going to win the lottery, what would you do differently, today? If you knew that you were going to become incapacitated or even incarcerated tomorrow, what would you do differently, today? Read more »

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Easter 6

The Good News Written

Revelation 21.10-14

And in the spirit I was carried away to a great, high mountain and shown the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God.

It has the glory of God and a radiance like a very rare jewel…

It has a great, high wall with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates are inscribed the names of the twelve tribes of the Israelites; on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates.

And the wall of the city has twelve foundations, and on them are the twelve names of the twelve apostles.

John 14.26-27

The Advocate, the holy Spirit, whom the Eternal will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.

The Good News Proclaimed

Preached by the Reverend Michael A. Diaz at the Sunshine Cathedral on Sunday, May 9, 2010.

Do you remember the time when people wondered what happened to good old wholesome TV shows with only heterosexual characters involved? Apparently, they never happened. In any case, Happy Mother’s Day to you all. Read more »

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Easter 5

The Good News Written

Revelation 21.3-4

…See, the home of God is among mortals. God will dwell with them… they will be God’s peoples, and God will be with them to wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away.

Acts 11.2-4, 12a (NRSV)

When Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him, saying, “Why did you go to uncircumcised men and eat with them?” Then Peter began to explain it to them, step by step, saying… “The Spirit told me to go with them and not to make a distinction between them and us…”

John 13.34-35 (NRSV)

I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.

The Good News Proclaimed

Preached by the Reverend Doctor Durrell Watkins at the Sunshine Cathedral on Sunday, May 2, 2010.

Our Acts reading is a little uncomfortable for the more reserved among us. The bible speaks very frankly about bodies. In our society, one does not often speak of circumcision in mixed company, but the bible is not a product of our time or our culture. Circumcision was an important sign of distinction in antiquity. Men from “those” communities were not circumcised, but the men in “our” community were. Peter, at least initially, thought that distinction was important and needed to be maintained, Luke tells us in Acts that he comes to see the matter in a new way. Peter says, “The Spirit told me to go with them and not to make a distinction between them and us.”

Think of all the dividing lines in our lives:
A couple of weeks ago a British guest at a well known hotel in Naples made a request that he and his family not be attended by any hotel staff who were non-Caucasian or who spoke with an accent (meanwhile, I did mention he was from the UK… in the Ouachita Mountains, we would have thought he had an accent). Unfortunately, the hotel honored his request and told a 15 year employee who was African American to not wait on the customer’s family in the hotel restaurant. The employee, insulted by such a dehumanizing request, filed a discrimination suit. Since then, I’m glad to report the hotel has issued a public apology to the employee and has admitted they should not have accommodated the customer’s racist request. As far as the unenlightened customer who made such an outrageously insensitive and pointless request, I hope at least once in his life he hears these words and takes them to heart, “The Spirit told me to go with them and not to make a distinction between them and us.” Read more »

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Easter 4

Revelation 7.9-12 (NRSV)

⁹I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne… robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. ¹⁰They cried out in a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne… ¹¹And all the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, ¹²singing, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”

John 10.22-24, 30 (NRSV)

²²At that time the festival of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter, ²³and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the portico of Solomon. ²⁴So the [people] gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” ³⁰And Jesus said, “the Eternal and I are one.”

Audio readings and sermon (http://sunshinecathedral.org/sermons/audio/20100425_1.mp3)

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Easter 3

The Good News Written

Odes of Solomon, Ode 8.3-6

Stand up with your shoulders back, you who sank low. You who were silent, speak. Your mouth has been opened. You were despised. Now feel uplifted. Your goodness is high. God is with you and will keep you.

John 21.1-11 (NRSV)

¹After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias; and he showed himself in this way. ²Gathered there together were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples. ³Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. ⁴Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. ⁵Jesus said to them, “Children, you have no fish, have you?” They answered him, “No.” ⁶He said to them, “Cast the net to the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in because there were so many fish. ⁷That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is [our Teacher]!” When Simon Peter heard that it was [Jesus], he put on some clothes, for he was naked, and jumped into the sea. ⁸But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, only about a hundred yards off. ⁹When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread. ¹⁰Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” ¹¹So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred fifty-three of them; and though there were so many, the net was not torn.

The Good News Proclaimed

Preached by the Reverend Doctor Durrell Watkins at the Sunshine Cathedral on Sunday, April 18, 2010.

Fish stories we will always have with us. Myth and metaphor, story and allegory, moralizing and editorializing keep showing up in our lives as ways of helping us explore the deeply true issues of life. And today, in John’s gospel, we have another fish story. And it was one that was no doubt profoundly important to those who first told it and to those who first heard it. Perhaps it can remain important for us today as well. Read more »

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Easter 2

The Good News Written

Psalm 150

¹Praise God! Praise God in the sanctuary; praise God in the mighty firmament!

²Praise God for mighty deeds…!

³Praise God with trumpet sound; praise God with lute and harp!

⁴Praise God with tambourine and dance; praise God with strings and pipe!

⁵Praise God with clanging cymbals; praise God with loud clashing cymbals!

⁶Let everything that breathes praise our God! Alleluia!

John 20.19-22 (NRSV)

¹⁹When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the [authorities], Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” ²⁰After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced… ²¹Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the [Eternal] has sent me, so I send you.” ²²When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the holy Spirit.”

The Good News Proclaimed

Preached by the Reverend Doctor Durrell Watkins at the Sunshine Cathedral on Sunday, April 11, 2010.

For some reason I was remembering the other day those gum commercials where couples could kiss longer because cinnamon gum had made their breath so fresh.

It reminded me of the time my great-aunt Gladys experienced a weak moment and committed an indiscretion. My great-uncle Arthur came home and caught her in the kitchen kissing the milkman! Uncle Arthur snapped, “Gladys! What are you doing?” Aunt Gladys answered, “if you knew the answer to that question, I’d be doing it with you.”

We are in the seven-week season of Eastertide where we continue to focus on the power of Resurrection, not to argue about whether or not it once happened, but to discover how in our own lives we can experience it for ourselves today. And of course, we can. Read more »

¹Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. ²So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” ³Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. ⁴The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. ⁵He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. ⁶Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, ⁷and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. ⁸Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed.

Audio reading and sermon (http://sunshinecathedral.org/sermons/audio/20100404_6.mp3)

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Easter

The Good News Written

Psalm 118.1, 17

¹O give thanks to God who is good. God’s steadfast love endures forever! ¹⁷I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the Holy One.

Odes of Solomon, Ode 17.1-4, 7-9

I was crowned by my God and my crown is Life! I was justified by my God, for my wholeness is incorruptible. I have been freed from vanities and I am not condemned. My chains were cut off and I received the face and likeness of a new person. I walked with God and was kept safe. And the one who knew and exalted me is the Most High. The Compassionate One kindly glorified me… and I opened doors which had been closed.

The wisdom of Sara Moores Campbell

In this season where light and dark balance the day, we seek balance for ourselves. Grateful for the darkness that has nourished us, we push away the stone and invite the light to awaken us to the possibilities within us and among us — possibilities for new life in ourselves and in our world.

Luke 24.1-4a, 10-12 (NRSV)

¹But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. ²They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, ³but when they went in, they did not find the body. ⁴While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. ⁵The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?” ¹⁰Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles. ¹¹But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. ¹²But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had happened.

The Good News Proclaimed

Preached by the Reverend Doctor Durrell Watkins at the Sunshine Cathedral on Easter, Sunday, April 4, 2010.

Here we are to hear the familiar Easter narrative. In the words of Groucho Marx, “If you’ve heard this story before, don’t stop me because I’d like to hear it again.”

First let me say, as I’ve said many times: Who you are is a child of God made in the image of God filled with the spirit of God and you are part of the creation that God calls very good. The grace and the dignity and the beauty that you are cannot be destroyed; the divine light that is your truth cannot be dimmed. So we take great courage and profound hope in knowing that winter will be followed by spring, that when we fail or fall the angels of God’s presence are there to lift us up, that even the darkest night will be followed by the dawn. There’s got to be a morning after! Read more »

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Palm Sunday

The Good News Written

Psalm 47.6-8 (NRSV)

⁶Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our [Sovereign], sing praises.
⁷For God is the [sovereign] of all the earth; sing praises with a psalm.
⁸God is [sovereign] over the nations; God sits on a holy throne.

Charles Fillmore, The Revealing Word

“Palm trees [symbolize] realizations in the physical of [an] unlimited resource of strength.”

John 12:12-16 (NRSV)

¹²The… great crowd that had come to the festival heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. ¹³So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord — the [Leader] of Israel!” ¹⁴Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it; as it is written: ¹⁵“Do not be afraid, daughter of Zion. Look, your [sovereign] is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt!” ¹⁶His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written of him and had been done to him.

The Good News Proclaimed

Preached by the Reverend Doctor Durrell Watkins at the Sunshine Cathedral on Palm Sunday, March 28, 2010.

Mahalia Jackson sang, “I’ll walk in Jerusalem, talk in Jerusalem, sing in Jerusalem, shout in Jerusalem when I die.” And that’s fair enough, but let’s not forget, we get to enter into Jerusalem while we live! In fact, isn’t that what spirituality is really about? To help us live with joy and peace and fulfillment.

I grew up thinking religion was fire insurance. I honestly was a full grown adult before I came realize that religion could be practical… it could and should help us live with hope and joy and empowerment right here and right now. Being religious to get into an after-life heaven or to stay out of an after-life hell isn’t very noble… that’s a very self-serving motivation. Religion should move us beyond CYA. I think that makes a mockery of grace and paints God to be little more than a cosmic dictator demanding obedience… offering rewards to those who comply and punishment to those who don’t. Read more »