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allsaintsjonesboro Sermons

From Fig Tree to Martyrdom

From fig tree to martyrdom, Bartholomew’s life is a testimony that the power of faith rests not in us, but in Christ who calls and keeps us.

Saint Bartholomew—also called Nathanael in John’s Gospel—shows us what it means to be seen and known by Christ. At first he was skeptical when his brother Philip told him about Jesus. But when Jesus revealed that He already knew him, Bartholomew confessed with bold faith: “You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”

That same pattern holds true for us. Left to ourselves, we remain under the shadow of sin and death. But when Christ calls us by His Word, when He joins us to Himself in Baptism and feeds us at His table, we are brought from shadow to light, from doubt to confession, from death to life. Like Bartholomew, we find that our faith does not rest on our own strength but on Christ who first knows us.

Tradition tells us Bartholomew carried the Gospel as far as India and Armenia, where he sealed his witness with his blood. He was not remembered for seeking his own greatness but for pointing always to the greatness of Jesus. His life and death remind us that the treasure we carry is Christ Himself, and that even in our weakness the Gospel is the power of God for salvation.

May God grant us, as we pray in the Collect for this day, to love what Bartholomew believed and to proclaim what he taught: that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, who still comes among us as the One who serves.

Listen to the entire sermon:

allsaintsjonesboro Sermons

Christ, the Faithful Steward

Yesterday, we heard Christ’s teaching from Luke 16 about stewardship and how Jesus shows us what true stewardship looks like. The Father entrusted Him with everything—including fragile human flesh and blood—and He spent it all for you. Every step of His life, every word He spoke, every drop of His blood was given so that you might be forgiven and made a child of God.

That changes how we see our own lives. What we have—our time, our abilities, our possessions—isn’t really ours. They’re gifts from God, placed into our hands for the sake of others. Earthly things won’t last, but when they’re spent to share Christ’s love and His Gospel, God uses them for something eternal.

So take heart. Your salvation doesn’t rest on how well you manage what you’ve been given—it rests on Jesus, who has already secured it all for you. And now, with joy and freedom, you can use His gifts to point others to the one treasure that never fades: Christ Himself, who is your peace and your home forever.

Listen to the sermon:

allsaintsjonesboro Sermons

Homily of the Feast of Saint Lawrence

Saint Lawrence Distributing Alms; 1447-1449, by Fra Angelico.

This past Sunday was the Feast of Saint Lawrence, third century deacon and martyr. The Gospel lesson was from John 12:24-26.

Wherever our Lord and Master is, that is where we want to be. Jesus graciously invites His servants to be where He is—not just in moments of comfort, but even on the road to the cross. The world promises ease and success, but through his gracious presence in Word and Sacrament, Christ delivers something better and eternal: forgiveness, life, and salvation. St. Lawrence of Rome knew this well, trading worldly treasures for the treasure of Christ, even unto death. Even though we may not live under the threat of death, we are still encouraged by Lawrence in his martyrdom, for through him we see God’s faithfulness in the midst of trial. Because Christ has conquered sin, death, and the devil for us, we are glad to be where our Master is, even if it means hardship or unpopularity. So we gather where He locates Himself for us: in Word and Sacrament. For wherever our Lord is, there is truly life, both now and forever. Listen to the entire sermon from Father Suelzle below.