The Solid Rock Church

09/07/2026

09/06/2026

The 15th Sunday After Pentecost — A Call to Reconciliation and Peace

Today is the 15th Sunday after Pentecost, September 6, 2026, here at The Solid Rock Anglican Church in Winter Haven, Florida. We were blessed once again to have our priest in charge, the Reverend Father Gabriel Ipasu, read for us from the Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew 18:15–20.

This passage is Jesus’ teaching to His disciples about how to handle conflict and restore relationships within the Christian community. It is not meant to be a strict, rigid set of rules for every situation, but rather a model for how believers should approach conflict—with forgiveness, humility, love, and a desire for unity.

Jesus tells us that if someone has wronged us, we should first go directly to that person and speak privately about the offense. If they refuse to listen, Jesus tells us to bring one or two others into the conversation so that the matter can be addressed honestly and fairly. If they still refuse to listen, the matter may need to be brought before the wider Christian community, the church. If they refuse even then, they may be treated as being outside the community.

Jesus also reminds us of the authority given to His followers when they act faithfully in His name. He tells us that what is bound on earth will be bound in heaven, and what is loosed on earth will be loosed in heaven. He also gives us the beautiful assurance that “where two or three are gathered in My name, I am there among them.”

Jesus is teaching us that when someone sins against us, the goal should be reconciliation, not punishment. We begin by speaking privately with the person. If necessary, we involve trusted people, and only when needed do we bring the matter before the church. The purpose of this process is to restore the relationship while also protecting the unity of the Christian community.

This passage applies especially to personal offenses between believers. It is not a license for us to judge others or become involved in every sin or disagreement we see. There will also be times when reconciliation is not immediately possible. Someone may not be ready to listen, and we must recognize that we cannot force another person to change.

The important thing is that our hearts remain focused on love, humility, forgiveness, peace, and restoration, rather than exclusion or harsh judgment. Jesus gives us a model for how Christians should deal with conflict—not simply a checklist that must be followed in every circumstance.

Father Gabriel spoke to us about letting go of the old and embracing the new. He reminded us that when conflicts arise, we should deal with one another peacefully and in a godly way. God does not create conflict, but He can use the conflicts we experience to transform our lives, strengthen our faith, and teach us how to love one another more deeply.

Sometimes letting go means putting aside our pride. Sometimes it means forgiving someone who has hurt us. Sometimes it means taking the first step toward reconciliation, even when it is difficult. And sometimes it means trusting God with a situation that we cannot fix ourselves.

As Christians, we are called to be peacemakers—not people who create division, but people who help bring healing and understanding wherever we can.

May God help each of us become peacemakers within our church, our families, and our community. May the love of Jesus Christ bring us back together when we are divided, strengthen our relationships when they are hurting, and keep us united as one Christian family.

As Jesus reminds us in Matthew 5:9:

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.”

May we carry those words with us throughout the coming week and remember that sometimes the most Christ-like thing we can do is take the first step toward peace.

Amen. 🙏🏻

09/05/2026

Mark 10:13-16.

People were bringing little children to Jesus for Him to place His hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them.

When Jesus saw this, He was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.”

08/30/2026

The 14th Sunday After Pentecost — August 30, 2026
The Solid Rock Anglican Church — Winter Haven, Florida

Today, August 30, 2026, we celebrated the 14th Sunday after Pentecost here at The Solid Rock Anglican Church in Winter Haven, Florida. We were blessed once again to have our priest in charge, the Reverend Father Gabriel Ipasu, lead our service and read to us from the Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew 16:21–28.

Today’s Gospel gives us a powerful lesson about following Jesus, trusting God’s plan, and understanding the true cost of discipleship.

There are several times in the Bible when Jesus expressed anger. Although Jesus is portrayed throughout the Gospels as deeply compassionate and loving, Scripture also records moments when He expressed righteous anger. His anger was directed toward injustice, hypocrisy, or obstacles to true worship. His anger was never selfish, uncontrolled, or motivated by personal gain.

Today’s passage gives us one of those powerful moments—when Jesus became angry with Peter.

Jesus began telling His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, suffer, be killed, and rise again on the third day. This was not a random event. It was part of God’s plan and was necessary to fulfill prophecy and accomplish salvation for humanity.

Peter, however, was still thinking of the Messiah as a triumphant earthly king. He could not understand why Jesus would have to suffer and die. Peter rebuked Jesus, saying that such a thing should never happen.

Jesus responded sharply:

“Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me.”

These powerful words show us how Peter’s human perspective was opposing God’s divine plan. Peter may have meant well, but even a well-meaning follower can become an obstacle when he resists God’s will.

Jesus’ words also remind us of His own temptation by Satan in the wilderness after His fast. There is a spiritual battle constantly taking place between God’s purposes and the forces that seek to lead us away from Him.

Jesus then tells His disciples:

“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”

To be a true disciple requires self-sacrifice. It means choosing God’s purpose over our own personal desires and worldly gain. Jesus shows us the difference between temporary success in this world and the eternal gift of life with God.

He tells us:

“Whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

What a powerful reminder that eternal life far outweighs the temporary rewards of material wealth, worldly success, or personal accomplishment.

Jesus also promises that the Son of Man will come in glory with His angels and will repay each person according to his or her deeds. This reminds us that our lives carry accountability. We are called to be faithful disciples, to live according to God’s will, and to keep our eyes focused on eternal life.

Jesus concludes by saying that some standing there would not taste death until they saw the Son of Man coming in His kingdom. The biblical phrase “taste death” refers to experiencing physical death.

A Journey of Faith

Father Gabriel reminded us that our faith is a journey—a journey that is powerful, rich, and exciting. Along that journey, we can see how God works through different people and circumstances in our lives.

Sometimes we struggle to understand who we are and where our lives are going. But the answer is to come to God—the Great I AM.

When we come to know God, we begin to understand who we truly are because we are a part of the Great I AM.

When we do not understand who we are, we can sometimes become angry, frustrated, and even fight with others. This can be part of our human nature when we lack the knowledge and understanding of our true identity in God.

Father Gabriel reminded us that we should not try to compete with or eliminate one another. Instead, we should run the race together and help one another reach the finish line.

We are called to help our fellow brothers and sisters along the way.

Sometimes we wrestle with ourselves because we do not understand who we are. But when we recognize that we belong to the Great I AM, there is no room for evil to take control of our lives. We must overcome evil with good.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus was very angry with Peter and told him, “Get behind me, Satan.” Jesus would never lead anyone away from God. Instead, He was telling Peter that he was allowing himself to act as an obstacle to God’s purpose. Satan seeks to lead us away from God, but Jesus calls us back to the path of faith.

We are children of God.

When we say, “I am a child of God,” we recognize that we are no longer slaves to the things of this world. We belong to God, and we are called to live our lives in a way that reflects Him.

Every day gives us another opportunity to move further away from simply asking, “Who am I?” and toward becoming who God created us to be—a child of the Great I AM.

A Prayer for Today

Dear Lord,
I trust in You, the Great I AM,
who is my God, my strength, and my refuge.

You are faithful to Your promises,
and I place my hope in Your Word,
which never fails.

Help me to deny myself,
take up my cross,
and faithfully follow You.

Help me to overcome evil with good,
to help my fellow brothers and sisters,
and to keep my eyes focused on Your eternal kingdom.

May my life always reflect that I am a child of God.

Amen. 🙏🏻

“Whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” — Matthew 16:25