23rd Sunday after Pentecost: When Reality Hits (and Why That's Actually Good News) Sermon by Father David Bumsted Saint John's Episcopal Church | Tulsa, Oklahoma Nobody really loves a cold dose of reality—especially when you're feeling pretty good about yourself. Father David learned this the hard way back in his music days, when his band lost a battle of the bands competition despite being the better musicians. Turns out the other band just worked the crowd better. (He admits he's still a little salty about it.) But that disappointing moment ended up leading him exactly where he needed to be: right here at Saint John's. The disciples got their own reality check in this week's Gospel. They're standing around the temple in Jerusalem, taking in this magnificent building, probably imagining themselves as key players in the coming messianic kingdom. And then Jesus just lays it out: this whole thing is coming down. There will be wars, earthquakes, persecution—the works. But here's what Jesus is really getting at: the stone temple isn't going to last, and it was never meant to. Because now Christ's presence dwells in his people. We're the temple. The church is where God's presence is known in the world. Which means we can't just stand around admiring the building or looking busy—we're being built up as dwelling places for God himself. Sometimes the harsh truth is exactly what redirects us toward the greater life Christ has for us. This Week's Readings First Reading: Isaiah 65:17-25 Psalm: Canticle 9 Second Reading: 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13 Gospel: Luke 21:5-19 Join Us for Worship Saint John's Episcopal Church Tulsa, Oklahoma Sunday Services: 8:00 AM – Holy Eucharist 10:00 AM – Holy Eucharist 5:30 PM – Choral Evensong Wednesday Service: 5:30 PM – Holy Eucharist Whether you're visiting Tulsa or looking for a church home, we'd love to have you join us!