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St. Stephen's Episcopal Church

215 N. 7th, Terre Haute, Indiana

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A Word: Brave in Love

Sermons · November 3, 2019

Jesus keeps offering a vision of radical love. But for some reason, we keep shaking our heads and going “No, really. What do you want?”


we keep asking the question hoping for a different answer
All Saints C
Luke 6:20-31

by the Rev. Drew Downs

Brave in Love
Photo by Andrew Neel from Pexels

When I went away to seminary, I was excited to learn. There was so much I didn’t know! It was like I finally had access to a library after being stuck on a desert island with the same trashy novel. It was all so exciting, fresh, and new!

Underneath that sensation was a sense of lack—that I lacked a special knowledge about God, primarily. But also the church, the Episcopal tradition, our common story.

Think about that feeling—I’m sure you know it; we all know it—that sense that on the one hand, you know about Jesus. You really have a sense of knowing his deepest why; his wants and ways in the world. We sing his praises and call him Lord of Lords and Prince of Peace. He reveals God is love by loving us.

And yet, at the same time, we carry in our other hand this sense of not knowing enough, not having the whole story, that we aren’t good enough. And if we can’t quote the Bible chapter and verse or the venerable church fathers, we are nothing but lack. An empty hole of inadequacy.

So I was excited because, in light of all I did know and all I did believe, I was looking to eliminate the lack. To be like a God, who, as Peter Rollins says, “lacks the lack.” I was going to fill this head with all of the information. Or push all of the tradition I could find in this ear and stop it coming out the other side.

I foolishly thought I could learn the whole, absolute, singular truth and be done with it. Then I could be a good Christian. Then I would be enough. And what I found was something way, way better…


The full text may be found here.

For a limited time, the audio may be found here.

Filed Under: Sermons Tagged With: All Saints C, brave, discipleship, Luke 6:20-31, sermon on the plain

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CONTACT

St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church
215 N. 7th St
Terre Haute, IN 47807

812-232-5165

officeadmin@ststephensth.org

ABOUT

St. Stephen’s is a sacramental community following Jesus’s Way of Love.

We worship on Sundays at 8 & 10.

AFFILIATIONS

St. Stephen’s is a member of The Episcopal Church and congregation of the Episcopal Diocese of Indianapolis.

St. Stephen’s is a member of the Wabash Valley Homeless Coalition

PARKING

St. Stephen’s is across from Indiana State University. Nearby parking lots are run by ISU and are free after 5pm weekdays and are free all weekend long. 

Five marked spots in the lot directly behind the church are available during the week.

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