resurrection | Sermon Topics

April 26, 2026

Red Sunday: Resurrection, Judgment, and the Armenian Genocide Martyrs

Unknown preacher

On Red Sunday, the preacher reflects on Christ's words about resurrection and condemnation from John 5, explaining that resurrection awaits all but the question is whether we are raised to life or condemnation. Using a child's question about paradise and hell, he describes paradise as the peace of belonging to God and hell as the eternal awareness of being unworthy of that peace. He connects this to the Armenian Genocide martyrs, remembered as saints rather than victims, calling the faithful to emulate their willingness to sacrifice everything for the kingdom and to live lives of continual repentance and return to Christ.

John 5:19-29

July 6, 2025

The Sign of Jonah: Seeking Signs vs. Faith

Der Hayr (unidentified parish priest, St. John's)

The preacher delivers a bilingual homily on the Gospel reading from Matthew, where Jesus is challenged by opponents demanding a sign. In Armenian, he explains that people seek signs from God during difficulties, but Jesus rebukes this demand and offers only the sign of Jonah—prefiguring his resurrection. In English, he illustrates the point with a family analogy about his son Sion and fireworks, drawing a parallel between parental love that asks for trust without full understanding and Christ's call to faith without constant signs. Christ rebukes the wicked generation that demands signs, offering only the sign of Jonah (three days in the whale) as the sole sign needed: the resurrection.

Matthew 12:38-40