St. Paul's Darien

Fr. Daniel Morgan – Ephesians – February 21st 2010

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By Fr. Daniel Morgan, February 21, 2010 10:30 am

Fr. Dan preaches on Ephesians.

Ephesus today:

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Sermons

On the Mark February 7th 2010

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By Fr. Daniel Morgan, February 7, 2010 8:00 am

Super Bowl Sunday

Don’t you just love a good contest? Football is a great example of the challenges, agony and effort it takes to win in battle. You never see a team show up on game day and say…“You know what?…. I think we’ve done enough…. We’ve made it through the playoffs, we’ve proven that we are a top ranking team and that’s good enough…Let’s just throw the game because we don’t have anything to prove.” That’s just crazy. No one in their right mind would think that it’s okay to give up even if the outcome is a loss. The Colts and the Saints will not be denied the chance to show the world what they are made of. We will cheer with the team of our choice in their advances… we will cringe at the flying tackles and ‘clothes-line’ plays… we will marvel at the half time show…. And as we watch this sport, we honor the effort and trial of the competition.

Just like any good athlete we have the pursuit of victory as the core of our being. God’s call to us is not to “kill em’ with kindness” and let the world use us as their doormat, but to love, to encourage others so that they may find the same transformation in Jesus Christ that you have. WE DON’T GIVE UP because we have nothing to lose. Paul says: ‘to live is Christ and to die is gain’ (Philipians 1:21). So in Christ, for us ‘Life is Good’ and ‘Death is Better’ because we are free.

Hebrews 12:1 says: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” This is our call to join in the life that God has called us. With him nothing can ‘hinder’ or ‘entangle’ us. Because of His sacrifice we can laugh, love, work, play, dance, sing, serve and sacrifice all to His honor and glory.

So let’s keep pressing on, pressing in and using the gifts we have been given, following the course that God has ‘marked out’ for us, and doing it with everything we’ve got! Find out what’s been marked out for you and GO FOR IT!!!

Blessings,

Dan

Fr. Dan Morgan

Associate Rector

On the Mark Febraury 7th

Bulletin - OTM

On the Mark January 10th 2009

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By Fr. Daniel Morgan, January 10, 2010 11:07 am

What’s in Your Tank?

I was just thinking about the correlation between Power and Propulsion. Power is stationary unless it has a mechanism to transmit that power into motion. Without movement, it is simply wasted energy.

We see examples of this in static government or religious organizations that are impotent to move or create or grow because they have failed to transmit power into propulsion. Without life and growth, I submit that such power eventually burns out because the emotional, financial, and creative TANK empties.

What fills your tank these days? Have you begun a study of God’s word that causes you to grow? Have you invited the Holy Spirit in to transmit that power into action: into love, service, sacrifice, giving, and many other "Fruit-Bearing" Spiritual gift characteristics? Or are you like many; coming to church on Sunday for that one meal that you hope will somehow feed you throughout the whole week? I don’t think that pattern of living makes for a healthy life. You see, we EAT so that we can PRODUCE. We PRODUCE so that we can PROVIDE. We PROVIDE so that we can EAT. As simplistic an example as this is, we must fill our tanks so we can live, and out of that life we are made full again! It is cyclical. God will fill us if we seek him and TRANSMIT that energy into ACTION! The joy of serving Him and reaping the harvest of His Spirit will top off our tanks and leave us energized for more.

I suggest a New Year’s discipline: Get into God’s Word. Every day read a Psalm; a section of a Gospel; and part of a book of the Old Testament. How about starting with Ruth? We will be studying this in our Cell Groups and hearing from Ruth in our Sermons on Sunday.

In the Book of Ruth we find the true faith and sacrifice of a Moabite woman is honored by God. Because of Ruth’s faithfulness to her mother-in-law Naomi, she appears to have given up her chance of re-marriage after being widowed. But Boaz became Ruth’s Kinsman Redeemer and took her as His wife and their child Obed was the grandfather of David, King of Israel. Through this study we will see God’s desire for the nations, His heart for the widowed, orphaned, and lost, and His Salvation plan as He aligned the genealogy that led to Jesus, our Kinsman Redeemer.

As you read; BE FILLED. As you are filled; BE TRANSFORMED. As you are transformed; ACT on the grace you’ve been given. I promise, as you do so, your tank will never be found empty and the power of the Holy Spirit will propel you forward!

Peace and Blessings

Dan

The Rev. Daniel C. Morgan

Associate Rector

On the Mark January 10th

Bulletin - OTM