It has been suggested to me that in many (most?) Evangelical circles one becomes a Christian “by accepting the finished work of Christ”—i.e. by believing and accepting as true that on the cross Jesus paid the full price due our sin and by saying a prayer acknowledging this.

Fr. Apostolos reminds us that unless we see our salvation in the face of Christ, there is no particular reason for joy at Christmas.

Fr. Apostolos concludes his discussion of the Lord's Prayer.

Fr. Apostolos shares on All Saints Sunday, "The memory of all the saints, those who we know and those whose names only God knows, may be we inspired by their witness and their confession from all of those from ancient times to more recent times for whom there was no turning back."

Fr. Apostolos talks about the dangers of confusing externalism with spiritual fruit.

Fr. Apostolos shares about real strength from St. Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians.

Fr. Apostolos talks about the theme of light as it relates to the Feast of the Nativity.

Fr. Apostolos helps to prepare us for Great Lent with reflections on the humility of the Publican.

Fr. Apostolos shares about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. "As we celebrate the Sunday before the Exaltation of the Cross, may we commit ourselves every single day and every single hour of every day to living the message of the Gospel and thanking God that He loved us so much that He came."

From Ephesians and other passages from the New Testament, Fr. Apostolos shares about our union in Christ, "Regardless of all the nonsense and the crazy silly divisions that exist in the world, we are united to Christ and united to one another. May we be the ambassadors and reach out to those around us and pull them into our embrace, so that they also can be united to Christ and His Body."

In view of the national media's drumbeat of fear-mongering, Fr. Apostolos reminds us of angelic salutation "Fear not, for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy!"

Fr. Apostolos shares the story of the Nativity of Christ, interspersed with Christmas carols.

Working from the Epistle reading in Colossians, Fr. Apostolos underscores the basic spiritual truth that our oneness in Christ precludes every possibility for bigotry of any kind and that we, as Light-bearers, must light the way out of the fear and ignorance that gives rise to such base and passe divisions.

Fr. Apostolos speaks of the Light of Christ as the only light capable of dispelling the darkness we witness in the world around us today.

Fr. Apostolos addresses the inner meaning of the Feast of the Incarnation, through the perspective of the latest Star Wars film.

Fr. Apostolos Hill reviews the life of St. Haralambos and the threat his faith, as a 113 year-old man, represented to an Empire.

Fr. Apostolos Hill dives into what we mean when we say, "Christ is born, Glorify Him" as well as other Orthodox Christmas meanings.

Fr. Apostolos Hill discusses the book "God and the Pandemic' by Anglican bishop N.T. Wright. This book, as Fr. Apostolos notes, is written for us to consider the Christian response to this crisis as one of lamentation.

Fr. Apostolos Hill delivers a homily detailing the bridal imagery running through the Divine Liturgy and the Bridegroom Matins services of the week.

Fr. Apostolos Hill delivers an offering on All Saints Sunday, a reflection on the gritty reality of the saints in all three dimensions of life and not the two-dimensional caricatures to which we often reduce them.

Fr. Apostolos Hill shares a Palm Sunday homily about the Triumphal Entry and the many questions provoked by Jesus' life and ministry throughout the Gospels. We can come to a deeper and greater experiential and relational understanding of Jesus in the services of the week.

Sermon on the Seventh Sunday of Pascha (John 17:1-13)

Sermon on the Twenty-fourth Sunday after Pentecost (Ephesians 2:14-22; Luke 13:10-17)

Twenty-fourth Sunday after Pentecost

The scriptures are replete with examples describing the union between God and His people as a marriage. Fr Tom teaches us that the intimate union God desires to have with us begins with our baptism. It's up to us, however, to keep our garment undefiled in order to worthily partake of the eternal Marriage Supper of the Lamb with His Bride. (Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost, Beheading of St John the Baptist)

Even though we live in a pluraistic society, Orthodox Christians must uphold the uniqueness of the Lord Jesus Christ. Fr Tom teaches us that Christ and the Cross are not simply one way to the Father, but the only way. (Sunday before the Elevation of the Precious Cross)

Membership in the Body of Christ is not like being a member of any human organization. Fr Tom teaches us the words of our Lord which clearly state that begin a joined to Him requires total commitment. (Sunday after the Elevation of the Cross)

On the feast of feasts we celebrate the glorious resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Fr Tom reminds us that our joy on this uniquely singular day also comes from the hope that God Who began this marvellous work in His Son will also complete it in us. (The Holy Pascha)

On the feast of the Nativity of Christ, we celebrate the eternal Word of God taking on Human flesh and identifying with our humanity. Fr Tom reminds us that we also celebrate being adopted by God into His family as true children of God. (The Nativity of Christ)

The feast of the Circumcision of Christ stands as a bridge between the old and new covenants. As we begin the new year, Fr Tom reminds us that we should resolve to fulfill the "Circumcision of Christ," our baptism. (Sunday before the Theophany)

The story of the appearance of Christ to his disciples on the evening of the Resurrection, as well as eight days later, richly demonstrates the importance of gathering together on the Lord's Day - Sunday. Fr. Thomas Soroka reminds us that our gathering together allows us to experience the coming eternal kingdom here and now. (Antipascha - St Thomas Sunday)

The Parable of the Publican and Pharisee is the Church's herald to prepare for Great Lent. To begin, Fr Thomas presents three important principles to bear in mind when approaching God in prayer. (Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee)

In order to further prepare our thoughts for the coming of Great Lent, the Church presents us with our Lord's description of His return in glory. Fr Thomas reminds us that the Last and Final Day is both terrifying and awesome, dread and joyful, as we prepare now in this life for the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Sunday of the Last Judgment)

We can often take membership in the church for granted, wrongfully thinking it's just another organization. Fr Thomas reminds us that our calling is not just to be a member, but a disciple, a follower of Christ. (Second Sunday after Pentecost)

One of the most enduring questions in the minds of people is, "Why do bad things happen to good people?" Christians are certainly not immune from either bad things happening or questioning why. Fr Thomas, using the story of Jesus walking on the water, reminds us that He is the Master Teacher, and can use all struggles to bring us closer to Him. (Mt 14:22-33)

Today, many view religion with a consumerist mentality in a marketplace of choices. Fr Thomas enumerates three Orthodox distinctives to encourage and challenge us and those who are seeking the true faith. (Gal 1:11-19)

In a special Christmas edition of Sermons at St Nicholas, Fr Thomas reminds us of the cosmic significance of the birth of Christ. Because God the Father sends His Son to us, the world will never be the same!

As we continue the celebration of Theophany, the baptism of Christ, the Church turns our attention to the grace which is given to us "according to the measure of Christ's gift." Fr Thomas teaches us that Christ fills the universe with Himself so that we also can be by grace what He is by nature.

Navigating the din of conflicting messages outside of the Church can be confusing for the uninitiated. Sadly, even Orthodox Christians are susceptible to being confused and influenced by false doctrines concerning Christ. Fr Thomas teaches us about how we come to experience the true Christ in Orthodox worship.

The Christian life is surely a paradox. Our Lord teaches those who love Him that if they want to be exalted, they must be humble; if they want to be great, they must be a servant. Fr Thomas leads us into Holy Week by telling us that the Lord Jesus Christ not only teaches this paradox, but He lives it, and by so doing, He wins our salvation.

Cutting through the din of religious pluralism, Fr Thomas reminds us that the Orthodox Faith uniquely gives us everything for life, faith, and spiritual understanding.

The scriptural readings for the eighth Sunday after Pentecost reveal a clear picture of who we are to be in Christ. St Paul teaches us that we are to be of the same mind, while St Matthew records the miracle of feeding the 5,000. Fr Thomas teaches us that we must consciously reject the choices the world presents to us, but rather fully immerse ourselves into the Church's life, which is transforming us into the likeness of God.

Christ appeared to his apostles, and Thomas, eight days after his Holy Resurrection. Fr Thomas teaches us that we learn of the mystery of the Resurrection, the mystery of the Church, and the mystery of Faith, all in a single life-changing encounter.

On the Sunday of the Healing of the Paralytic, Fr Thomas took the opportunity to speak honestly and encouragingly to his congregation about what it is to be a healthy church. Using the gospel and epistle readings, he gently reminded them that we're called to be a house of mercy, intentionally Christian, and a place of good works and of love for one another.

After Jesus taught the crowds about what faithfulness looks like in the Sermon on the Mount, they were amazed. Then a living example of great faith came to Jesus, and He was amazed! Fr Thomas unpacks the important story of the healing of the centurion's servant, and shows us a pattern of faithfulness to emulate.

On the Sunday of St Thomas, we hear of the encounter of the Apostle with the risen Christ. Fr Thomas teaches us that we too must make every effort to encounter the resurrected Christ both in the Holy Scriptures and in the Eucharist.

Using the example of the crowd who followed Jesus to a deserted place where he healed and fed them, Deacon Luke Loboda encourages us to trust Christ to come into the desolate places of our life to be present with us and heal us.