Navigating Scripture

In 1 Peter 1:13, the apostle Peter turns a corner—from celebrating the gospel to calling believers to live in light of it. But this command doesn’t stand on its own. Like Paul, Peter grounds every imperative in the finished work of Christ. The Christian life always begins with “therefore.”In this episode, we explore the vital connection between what God has done and how we are called to live. What does it mean to “set your hope fully on the grace” to come? Why is hope—not behavior—the first command? And how do we avoid the two deadly distortions of the gospel: cheap grace that ignores holiness and self-righteousness that tries to earn it?Drawing from 1 Peter, Exodus, Leviticus, and the wider New Testament, this message unpacks the call to live as sober-minded, holy people in a confused and compromised world. We’ll see how grace doesn’t just save us—it reshapes us. And we’ll be reminded that our hope, from beginning to end, rests not in our performance, but in the grace of Jesus Christ.Set your hope rightly. Live in light of grace. And walk as those who are already set apart.

In a world marked by instability, displacement, and uncertainty, where do we find a hope that actually lasts?In this episode, we explore the opening of 1 Peter and the powerful reality that the earliest Christians were not just spiritually “sojourners,” but very likely people forcibly displaced from their homes by the Roman Empire. Writing to believers scattered across Asia Minor, the Apostle Peter calls them—and us—not to despair, but to praise: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”Why? Because according to God’s great mercy, we have been born again into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.This episode traces the deep human longing for something more—what Scripture calls eternity written on the heart—and contrasts it with the fragile hopes we often cling to in this world. Political stability, financial security, and personal comfort all fade. But the hope secured by Christ does not. It is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading—kept in heaven for us.Even more, this hope is not merely a future reality, but a present anchor. It is guarded by God’s power, sustained through faith, and grounded in the finished work of Jesus, who walked the path of perfect faithfulness on our behalf.Whether you feel disoriented by life’s circumstances or discouraged by the state of the world, this message calls you to lift your eyes beyond what is fading and fix your hope on what cannot perish.Because our ultimate inheritance is not a place—it is a person. And His name is Jesus Christ.

Mary Magdalene comes to the tomb in the darkness of early morning, carrying the weight of grief, loss, and unanswered questions. The one who delivered her from darkness now lies in a grave—or so she thinks. When she finds the stone rolled away, her despair only deepens. Death, it seems, has won.But the empty tomb is not a sign of theft—it is the beginning of new creation.In this Easter sermon, we follow Mary’s journey from confusion to clarity, from weeping to worship, as she encounters the risen Christ in the garden. Along the way, we see how John’s Gospel draws a powerful connection between Eden and the resurrection: another garden, another gardener, and another chance at life.Where sin once brought death, Christ now brings life. Where humanity once hid in shame, Jesus now calls His people by name. And where graves once marked the end, they now stand empty.This message invites us to see ourselves in Mary—to recognize our own grief, doubt, and longing—and to hear the voice of the risen Jesus calling us out of the darkness.“I have seen the Lord.”Because He lives, everything has changed.

On Holy Saturday, the Church stands in the silence between the cross and the resurrection. In this sermon from Mark 15:42–47, we are invited to slow down and face a reality we often avoid: death.With the ancient reminder memento mori—“remember death”—we step into the burial of Jesus and watch as Joseph of Arimathea courageously claims the body of Christ. As the lifeless body of Jesus is taken down, wrapped, and laid in a tomb, Mark leaves no doubt: Jesus truly died.But this is more than a historical detail—it is the heart of our hope.This message reflects on the weight of Christ’s death, the cost of our sin, and the quiet faithfulness of a disciple who honored Jesus when others fled. More importantly, it points us to the deeper truth behind the grave: that in the death of Christ, death itself is defeated.On this Holy Saturday, we remember not only that we will die—but that in Christ, death does not have the final word.Join us as we wait at the tomb… and prepare for the stone to be rolled away.

This sermon traces the rising excitement of Jesus’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem—and the surprising quiet that follows. As the crowds shout “Hosanna” and hail Him as the Son of David, expectations of political victory and national restoration reach a fever pitch. Yet Mark’s Gospel brings the moment to an abrupt and puzzling close, revealing a deeper truth: the people were right to celebrate, but wrong about the kind of king Jesus came to be.Exploring the rich Old Testament background of Jerusalem, the Mount of Olives, and the promised Messiah, this message shows how every detail points not to a throne, but to a cross. Jesus enters not to conquer Rome, but to defeat sin, death, and Satan through His sacrificial death.This Palm Sunday sermon offers both clarity and warning. It challenges listeners to move beyond enthusiasm, crowds, and religious routine, and to truly know Jesus as the crucified Savior. Because in Mark’s Gospel—and in our lives—Jesus cannot be rightly understood apart from the cross.

In this sermon on Psalm 130, we descend into the depths with the psalmist—into the place of guilt, shame, and spiritual exhaustion—only to discover the astonishing mercy of God waiting there. This “gospel psalm,” as Martin Luther called it, leads us from the cry of a sinner who knows he cannot stand before a holy God to the unshakable hope found in divine forgiveness.Why do we keep records of our sins long after God has erased them? Why do we struggle to believe that grace is truly enough—for us? Psalm 130 confronts our instinct to rehearse guilt and invites us instead to rest in the word God speaks over His people: forgiven.Tracing the movement from despair to hope, from fear to reverent awe, this sermon shows how the Old Testament already sings of the redemption fulfilled in Christ. At the cross, Jesus enters the depths we deserve, pays the cost we could never afford, and rises to declare full and final forgiveness for all who trust in Him.If you find yourself weighed down by past sins, doubting God’s mercy, or waiting in the dark for assurance, this message calls you to hope in the Lord—more than watchmen for the morning. With Him there is steadfast love. With Him there is plentiful redemption. And in Christ, there is forgiveness for all.

In Psalm 95, God invites His people to something deeper than a day off from work—He invites them into His rest. But what is that rest, and why do so few people experience it?This sermon explores the biblical meaning of rest as freedom from the endless striving that marks life east of Eden. We chase things like security, control, pleasure, and success, hoping they will give us peace, but every idol eventually collapses under the weight of our expectations. Psalm 95 calls us instead to put down our idols, draw near to God, and guard our hearts from wandering.Ultimately, the path to rest is not something we walk alone. Hebrews 3–4 points us to Jesus—the faithful Son who perfectly trusted the Father, resisted every idol, and opened the way for restless sinners to enter God’s rest through faith.Drop the idols. Draw near to God. Guard your heart. And consider Jesus, the Rock of our salvation.

Psalm 33 calls God’s people to shout — not with timid voices, but with a battle-cry of joy. In a world filled with deception, injustice, and failing human plans, the righteous sing because the Word of the Lord is upright, powerful, and unfailing.This sermon explores how praise becomes spiritual warfare, why only the upright can truly sing this victory song, and how Psalm 33 ultimately finds its fulfillment in Jesus Christ — the faithful Word made flesh.From ashes to assurance, from scheming in Adam to singing in Christ, we discover that Jesus Himself is our shield, our hope, and our battle-cry.

As we approach Lent, Psalm 103 calls us to preach to our own souls: “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.”In this sermon, we trace David’s sweeping vision of redemption — forgiveness for iniquity, healing from sin’s disease, rescue from the pit, and a crown of steadfast love. We linger over the heart of God’s character: merciful and gracious, slow to anger, yet perfectly just.How can a holy God refuse to deal with us according to our sins? The answer leads us to Christ, who bore our iniquities, entered our pit, and removed our transgressions “as far as the east is from the west.”This is a call to remember the gospel, stir your soul, and bless the Lord.

On Transfiguration Sunday, as the Church moves from Epiphany toward the season of Lent, this sermon reflects on Jesus’ radiant glory revealed on the mountain in Mark 9. In the midst of the disciples’ confusion about suffering, the cross, and the road to Jerusalem, the Transfiguration becomes a moment of divine encouragement: Jesus is truly the Son of God, the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets, and the One worthy of our complete trust and allegiance. As Christ descends the mountain toward Calvary, we are reminded that His glory and His mission meet in the cross—where He suffers to redeem the world. This message invites us to enter Lent with renewed faith, listening to Christ and following Him with courage, even through sacrifice and suffering.

What do you do when God calls—and you feel completely unqualified? In Exodus 4, Moses begs God to send someone else, convinced his weakness disqualifies him from God’s mission. But God responds with a stunning promise: “I will be with your mouth.” In this episode, we trace Moses’ fear, God’s patient grace, and how the story ultimately points to Jesus—the willing Brother who comes, speaks, and bears the mission all the way to the cross. From Moses’ staff to the power of Christ crucified, this episode reminds us that God’s work is never limited by our ability—because when God calls, He is enough.

In this sermon from Exodus 1, we explore God’s unstoppable mission to restore blessing to the world through redemption. From Eden to Abraham to Israel in Egypt, God remains faithful to His promises even in the face of famine, oppression, and death. Pharaoh’s attempts to crush Israel cannot halt God’s plan, and the fruitfulness of God’s people echoes His original purpose for humanity. Ultimately, this mission finds its fulfillment in Jesus Christ—the true Israel and the great Blessing Bringer—who defeats sin and death and sends His people into the world to make Him known. We are invited to join the God who never fails in His mission of life, light, and redemption.Curious about the Eagle Anglican Mission? Email Rev. Chandler Wiley at [email protected].

We continue our series in the Prophet Ezekiel.

We continue our series in Ezekiel with a look at Chapter 9.

We continue in our series The Gospel According to Ezekiel.

We continue in our series The Gospel According to Ezekiel with chapter 6 and 7.

Our series The Gospel According to Ezekiel continues with Ezekiel 3:22-4:17.

Our series The Gospel According to Ezekiel continues with Ezekiel 3:12-21.

Our series The Gospel According to Ezekiel continues with Ezekiel 2:1-3:11.

Our series The Gospel According to Ezekiel continues with Ezekiel 1:4-28.