Bryn Athyn Church Adult Service
Weekly readings and sermons from the 11 a.m. adult service at the Bryn Athyn Church in Bryn Athyn, PA, a congregation of the General Church of the New Jerusalem. Readings are drawn from the Old Testament, the New Testament, and the Heavenly Doctrine for the New Church contained in the theological works of Emanuel Swedenborg.
Episodes
45 episodes
“I Was Blind, Now I See...” | Rev. Derek P. Elphick
(John 9:25) Like the man born blind in this account, we are “blind” from birth. We can certainly see the world around us, but we need knowledge from the Lord to interpret what it is we’re looking at otherwise we remain “blind” to the true signi...
Use and The Lord’s Purpose | Rev. Pearse M. Frazier
In what is commonly called the Sermon on the Plain, the Lord tells His disciples and the crowd, “A good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit” (Luke 6:43). He wasn't simply teaching them how to judge others. He was i...
In the World, Not of the World | Rev. Jeffrey O. Smith
We are told that Obadiah “feared the Lord greatly” (1 Kings 18:3), and yet he managed the house and palace of Ahab, who was the worst king up until that point. For our part, how can we continue working with the Lord when our efforts seem fruitl...
The Hidden Benefits of Freedom | Rev. Jeremy F. Simons
The Heavenly Doctrine has little to say about forms of government and many of the political issues of our time. But it has a great deal to say about the value of political freedom -- the freedom of speech and freedom of the press. You might be ...
Discovering Jesus in the Old Testament | Rev. Malcolm G. Smith
After His resurrection, on the road to Emmaus, the Lord showed two of His disciples that the entire Old Testament was about Him. “And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning ...
The Great Commission(s) | Rev. Steven P. Gunther
At the end of the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus sends His disciples out with a specific mission. At the end of True Christian Religion, the Lord once again sends His disciples out with a mission. Finally, at the end of the book of Revelatio...
“Go and the Lord Be with You” | Rt. Rev. Peter Buss, Jr.
(1 Samuel 17:37) These beautiful words were spoken by Saul to David when he stepped forward to fight against Goliath. Similar in symbolism is the battle of Michael and his angels against the dragon in Revelation 12. These stories are about reje...
Peace | Rt. Rev. Peter Buss, Sr.
We often say that we have peace, but it is a worldly kind, which passes away. Rest from war, from aggravations, going on a holiday with no domestic or business worries to affect us - sure, these things are peaceful. But the Peace the Lord offer...
“I Have Set Before You an Open Door” | Rev. Derek P. Elphick
(Revelation 3:8). At this time of year, many of us are involved in school graduation ceremonies and the celebrations that accompany them. The concept of “graduation” carries the idea of moving from one mindset or phase of life to another. The S...
“Take Up Your Bed” | Rev. Jeffrey O. Smith
The Lord told a paralyzed man to take up his bed and go to his house. With this command, the Lord is also telling us to not let our outward circumstances and habits get in the way of our relationship with Him. What aspects of your life are gett...
Divine Providence and Our Choices | Rev. Malcolm G. Smith
As we go through life, there are countless things that do not go the way we want them to—at the humdrum level of daily life and at the global level. How should we interpret and respond to these things? Should we be fatalistic and assume that ou...
“Rejoice With Me…” | Rev. Derek P. Elphick
(Luke 15:6). No matter how far we may wander from the beaten track, no matter how bad things may get, no matter how much we may struggle or get frustrated or disappointed, discovering what’s been “lost" in our lives is not simply the "way out” ...
The Ninth and Tenth Commandments: “You shall not covet” | Rev. Jeffrey O. Smith
This Sunday we will talk about the commandment to not covet because coveting gets in the way of our ability to love the Lord and our neighbor.Readings: Genesis 3...
Baptized into the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit | Rev. Malcolm G. Smith
When the Lord sent out His disciples, after His resurrection, He told them to make disciples of all the nations and baptize them “into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). Why? Why did He not just tell ...
Foot Washing: A Model for Spiritual Purification | Rt. Rev. David H. Lindrooth
“He who is bathed needs only to have his feet washed and is completely clean.” (John 13:10) The church exists to help people turn to the Lord and prepare for heavenly life. That preparation requires each of us to grow and change with the...
The Eighth Commandment: “You Shall Not Bear False Witness” | Rev. Steven P. Gunther
We all know that we shouldn’t lie about other people or spread rumors about them, but sometimes we can bear false witness against our neighbors even if we never say anything out loud about them. When Jesus was brought before the Sanhedrin for t...
Spiritual Momentum | Rev. Derek P. Elphick
By riding into Jerusalem as King, the Lord set in motion a series of events that became unstoppable. The Pharisees grew worried and tried to shut down the festivities, but it was too late. The momentum for truth and love had grown so strong, no...
The Experience of Being a Disciple | Rev. Malcolm G. Smith
When we think of being the Lord’s disciple, we might think of all the good parts — and there are countless good things about following the Lord. However, when we look at the experience of the Lord’s twelve disciples, we are reminded of how ofte...
The Seventh Commandment: “You Shall Not Steal” | Rev. Coleman S. Glenn
(Exodus 20:15). In the literal sense, this commandment forbids taking what doesn’t belong to us. In the spiritual sense, it forbids taking away truth from someone. In the highest sense, it forbids taking credit for something that belongs to the...
A Place Prepared for You | Rt. Rev. Peter Buss, Jr.
It is an amazing blessing to live with the clear reality of eternal life in mind. It is a further blessing to know that the Lord in His providence is preparing us, even now, for an eternal home in His kingdom. Yet often these perspectives can s...
Hell Has No Power! | Rt. Rev. Bradley D. Heinrichs
Often, when we hear stories from the Word about the powerful enemies that conquered the Children of Israel and then we read in the Heavenly Doctrine about the hatred of the devils in hell, we can think that our enemies and hell are formidable f...
The Extra Mile | Rev. Derek P. Elphick
The phrase “going the extra mile” has become a part of everyday language but there’s a fascinating context for the two miles spoken of in Matthew 6:41 - the first is done under compulsion, the second (or “extra”) is our choice. Let’s gather as ...
Seeking Truth, Discovering Falsity | Rev. Scott I. Frazier
"Jehovah will give it into the hand of the king.” (1 Kings 22:12) Enlightenment is a vital element to understanding the Word. The story of Micah’s prophecies shows us what happens when we try to understand the internal sense. How do we know we ...
The Sixth Commandment: “You shall not commit adultery” | Rev. Derek P. Elphick
(Exodus 20:14) This commandment challenges us to explore the promptings of our heart (ego) which can be at odds with the watchful eye of our understanding (better self). Just as we strive to live in a world free of pollution and contamination, ...
Our Spiritual Reality: The Grand Man | Rev. Malcolm G. Smith
The teachings for the New Church reveal that everything in our spiritual reality and our natural reality is in the human form — from a friend group, to a nation, to a planet, to the entirety of heaven. All of heaven in the human form is called ...