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
20 episodes
The Fifth Commandment: “You shall not murder” | Rev. Jeffrey O. Smith
Most of us probably don’t struggle too much with the commandment not to murder, but we may find it much more relatable when Jesus extends the commandment to include anger and belittling others. Join us this Sunday to dive deeper into the ins an...
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19:12
Holy Supper and Heaven | Rev. Malcolm G. Smith
Part of understanding the importance and value of holy supper is understanding its connection to heaven. Jesus said, "I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever…." (John 6:51). And in t...
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16:27
Epiphany | Rev. Stephen D. Cole
Epiphany is a feast day in the Christian calendar. It is traditionally celebrated on the 6th of January, or the first Sunday of the new year. The New Church does not adhere closely to the traditional Christian calendar, but Epiphany generally f...
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25:55
The Prophecy of Zacharias | Rev. Malcolm G. Smith
When Zacharias’ mouth was opened after being mute, he was filled with the Holy Spirit and he prophesied. We will go through the words he said, as a way of reflecting on what the Lord accomplished when He came. We will also reflect on what each ...
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26:06
Christmas Day Service: Responding Angelically | Rt. Rev. Peter Buss, Jr.
(Luke 1:26-27) In the story of Gabriel appearing to Zacharias and then to Mary, we find guidance as to how we can respond angelically to other people, and to the prompts we receive from the Lord. We are angels in the making. How will you choose...
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25:42
Magnify the Lord | Rev. Derek P. Elphick
Choices are like a magnifying glass - we magnify the thoughts and feelings that capture our attention at any given point in time which means we can “magnify” negative thoughts and feelings just as easily as positive ones. But something miraculo...
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27:28
The Visible God | Rt. Rev. David H. Lindrooth
“The Critical Importance of Seeing and Worshipping a Visible God” The New Church is called “the Crown of all the Churches” because it worships the visible God in whom is the invisible (TCR 787). The Lord’s birth and life on eart...
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27:25
The Fourth Commandment: “Honor Your Father and Your Mother” | Rev. Coleman S. Glenn
(Exodus 20:12) Our heavenly Father is perfect, but this commandment calls us not just to honor Him but also to honor our literal parents and other imperfect human beings who make up His church. How do we keep this commandment in every sense?
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22:18
Live Your Faith | Rev. Jeffrey O. Smith
Our church has beautiful teachings that people of any faith can go to heaven. Does this mean it doesn’t matter what we believe? The simple answer is “of course it matters.” This Sunday we will learn about how important it is. Readin...
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18:56
Keeping the Jar Full | Rev. Steven P. Gunther
We all go through seasons of life where we search for meaning and guidance. We can picture the kind of life we want, but we aren’t sure how to get there. When Elijah is sent to visit a widow in 1 Kings 17, he asks her for something that she isn...
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20:15
The Third Commandment: “Remember the Sabbath Day, To Keep It Holy” | Rev. Derek P. Elphick
(Exodus 20:8) The Hebrew word for “Sabbath” means rest. Physical and mental “rest” is relatively easy to obtain but a holy day of rest requires a different mindset and a different skill set. This commandment draws our attention to the fact that...
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22:40
Building on a Sound Foundation | Rt. Rev. Brad Heinrichs
How we develop our minds on a firm foundation of knowledge and truth is a subject that has been of keen interest to those interested in New Church education over the years. Two stories that deal with this are building our house upon a rock and ...
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27:37
Getting Our Hearts in the Right Place | Rev. Malcolm G. Smith
It can be hard to figure out how the Lord would like us to be in different situations. Does He want us to be more gentle or more firm? Persistent or adaptable? Should we speak up when something upsets us, or quietly let it go? This Sunday, at o...
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26:52
In Search of Sacred Ground | Rev. Derek P. Elphick
For all the technological, material advances we’ve made as a society in the last 20 years or so, people report feeling lonelier and unhappier than ever before. The ground has shifted so much, people don’t know what’s real (sacred) anymore. The ...
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24:36
“Your Servant Hears” | Rt. Rev. Peter Buss, Jr.
(1 Samuel 3:10) How are you listening for the Lord’s voice in your life? We learn that the Lord constantly calls out to all of us, summoning us to “conjunction with Himself, thus to eternal life” (Apocalypse Revealed 831). There are, h...
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24:47
The Second Commandment: “You shall not take the name of the Lord Your God in vain.” | Rev. Steven P. Gunther
What does it really mean to “take the Lord’s name in vain?” For many of us, this commandment may feel like an easy check mark, but if we look below the surface, we will find that there is much more than meets the eye. In one interaction in the ...
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23:01
“The Very Hairs of Your Head Are Numbered...” | Rev. Derek P. Elphick
The Lord knows us better than we know ourselves. As He sat at the table with the twelve disciples at the Last Supper, we can picture the Lord looking each disciple in the eye, one by one, helping them see things they couldn’t have seen on their...
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14:23
Don’t Tell Anyone | Rev. Malcolm G. Smith
In the Gospels, sometimes the Lord heals someone in an amazing way but then tells them not to tell anyone. Other times, He specifically instructs them to go and tell others what has happened. This Sunday, we will explore why the Lord might have...
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25:33
Covenant Renewal | Rev. Derek P. Elphick
The purpose of this service will be to explore ways in which we can re-dedicate ourselves as individuals and as a congregation to the covenantal relationships we’ve formed with each other and with the Lord. We’re taught that “covenants are made...
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29:27
The First Commandment: “You Shall Have No Other Gods Before My Face” | Rev. Malcolm G. Smith
(Exodus 20:3) This is the first of the Ten Commandments, and all the commandments that come after it relate back to it. What and who do we bow down to and serve instead of the Lord our God? How can we learn to identify those gods and reject the...
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26:20