Sermon 1 Epiphany January 12, 2014 William Bradbury Isaiah 42:1-9 Acts 10:34-43 Matthew 3:13-17 Psalm 29 I had been an active Episcopalian my whole life yet there I was, a freshman at the University of Georgia sitting in my dorm, praying a conservative evangelical prayer for God to come into...
Sermon Christmas 2 January 5, 2014 William Bradbury Jeremiah 31:7-14 Psalm 84:1-8 Ephesians 1:3-6,15-19a Matthew 2:13-15,19-23 It is not surprising that a lot of different accounts of Jesus were written. It is surprising, however, that the early Church included four, each with a different take on his life. We...
Sermon Christmas Eve 2013 William Bradbury Isaiah 9:2-7 Titus 2:11-14 Luke 2:1-14(15-20) Psalm 96 He was called son of god and savior during his lifetime—and why not–he commanded the greatest empire in the world. His name was Octavius but took on the title Augustus. He was a remarkable administrator...
Sermon Advent 4 December 22, 2013 William Bradbury Isaiah 7:10-16 Romans 1:1-7 Matthew 1:18-25 Psalm 80:1-7, 16–18 “When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child….” Okay, stop right there—don’t add any shepherds or wise men or...
Sermon Advent 3 December 15, 2013 William Bradbury Isaiah 35:1-10 James 5:7-10 Matthew 11:2-11 Psalm 146:4-9 “For waters shall break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert”. Early on Sunday mornings, during my first year of seminary at Candler School of Theology at Emory University, I’d leave...
Sermon Advent 2 December 8, 2013 William Bradbury Isaiah 11:1-10 Romans 15:4-13 Matthew 3:1-12 Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19 Did you happen to watch NBC’s live stage version of The Sound of Music on Thursday night, with Carrie Underwood playing the part of Maria which Julie Andrews played decades ago? Or over...
Sermon Advent 1 December 1, 2013 William Bradbury Isaiah 2:1-5 Romans 13:11-14 Matthew 24:36-44 Psalm 122 They were known as Millerites: an international group of followers of William Miller who was born in Pittsfield, Massachusetts in 1782. He said “My principles in brief, are, that Jesus Christ will come...
Sermon Last Pentecost—Proper 29-C November 24, 2013 William Bradbury Jeremiah 23:1-6 Canticle 4 or 16 Colossians 1:11-20 Luke 23:33-43 Today is called Christ the King Sunday—you’ll notice the images of Kingship especially in the hymns. Of course “King” is an odd image for Americans who stopped believing in their authority...
