St. Mary Magdalene Orthodox Church Bible Study

Fr Stephen Osburn
  • 4.5 (2)
  • Education

Through our Bible studies, sermons, classes, and retreats, we seek to enter more deeply into the life and teaching of the Orthodox Church. Our classes are led by Mr. Anthony Ally, while our sermons and retreats include teaching from Fr. Stephen Osburn, Dn. Vassily Kocher, and Fr. Michael Matsko. Drawing from Holy Scripture, the wisdom of the Church Fathers, the rhythms of liturgical life, and the sacred Tradition handed down through the ages, these teachings help us see the whole Christian life in the light of Christ. Whether we are reflecting on the daily readings, commemorating a feast or saint, studying the Scriptures, listening to a sermon, or learning how to live the Orthodox faith in daily life, our purpose remains the same: to encounter the living Christ more deeply and more truly. These teachings are open to everyone, whether you are an inquirer, a catechumen, newly received into the Church, or a lifelong Orthodox Christian seeking a deeper understanding of the faith. Come and journey with us.

  1. 1d ago

    November 8th, 2026: Eucharist at Heart of Orthodox Christian Life

    Why is the Eucharist at the center of Orthodox Christian life? The Orthodox Church teaches that Holy Communion truly unites the faithful to Christ and to one another as His Body. In this sermon, guest homilist Fr. Michael Matsko explains how that communion shapes our worship and our relationships. Preaching on the Synaxis of the Archangel Michael and the Other Bodiless Powers, he reminds us that the angels join us in glorifying God. Our gathering for the Divine Liturgy brings us into the shared life of the Church. Drawing on the teaching of Fr. Alexander Schmemann, Fr. Michael presents the Eucharist as the sacrament of the Church’s assembly. The prayers, readings, offerings, and reception of Holy Communion belong to one continuous act of worship. Through this worship, we offer our lives to God and receive His gifts. Fr. Michael also reflects on the responsibilities of pastoral ministry and the importance of praying for our clergy. Every member of the parish has a part in its life of prayer, service, and witness. The communion we receive calls us to practice forgiveness, humility, and love throughout the week. Fr. Michael warns that harsh judgments and careless religious arguments can push people away from Orthodoxy. He encourages the faithful to seek sound teaching and remain willing to receive correction. As more people approach the Orthodox Church, parishes must be prepared to welcome and teach them patiently. Growth brings a responsibility to care for each person seeking a life in Christ. How does our participation in the Divine Liturgy shape the way we speak and act? Do newcomers encounter patience and kindness when they meet us? This homily invites us to examine those questions through the Church’s calling to unity and communion. Pray for your clergy, welcome someone you do not yet know, and look for a practical way to serve. Through these ordinary acts, we learn to live the love we proclaim in worship.

    November 8th, 2026: Eucharist at Heart of Orthodox Christian Life

  2. 3d ago

    The Little Entrance: Christ Comes To His People

    Why do Orthodox Christians carry the Gospel Book through the church before reading from it? This procession is called the Little Entrance. It calls us to worship Christ and prepares us to hear His Gospel. In Class 4 of our Divine Liturgy series, Fr. Stephen Osburn looks back to the ancient cathedral tradition, when the bishop, clergy, and faithful gathered inside the church to begin the Liturgy. We follow the Gospel Book from the Holy Table to the doors of the sanctuary. Along the way, the priest quietly asks the holy angels to enter and worship with us. The Gospel Book is raised, and we hear, “Wisdom! Let us attend!” The clergy also sing, “Come, let us worship,” sharing in the prayer they lead. We hear how the hymns can change with the weekday or feast, then follow the service through the Trisagion and the movement toward the High Place before the readings. Many of us arrive at church with our minds still on the morning rush. The Little Entrance gives us a moment to come back to prayer. We can watch as the Gospel Book is raised and listen for the invitation to worship. In the Trisagion, we ask God for mercy together. When the Gospel is read, we can ask what Christ is calling us to put into practice that week. At your next Divine Liturgy, listen for one phrase in the Entrance Hymn. On an ordinary Sunday, you’ll hear the Church acclaim Christ as risen from the dead. At a feast, listen for the words that tell you what the Church is celebrating. Then notice how that moment shapes the way you hear the Gospel. If you’re new to Orthodox Christianity, come and experience the procession and prayers with us.

    The Little Entrance: Christ Comes To His People

  3. Nov 1

    November 1st, 2026: Let Your Home Be a Little Church

    In this sermon on Luke 8:26–39, Fr. Stephen Osburn reflects on Christ’s healing of the man possessed by demons. The Gospel reveals the Lord’s power to restore a person whose life has been torn apart. It also challenges us to consider how we respond when God’s healing disrupts familiar habits. The Orthodox Church teaches that the faith we practice in worship should shape our daily lives. Prayer, repentance, and love carry the life of the Church into our homes and workplaces. The demons called Legion bring destruction, but Christ restores the suffering man to peace. Fr. Stephen explains that evil corrupts what God has made good. Good things, including our spiritual lives, need patient care and attention. The services and sacraments of the Orthodox Church nourish us and help form our hearts. We are called to let that formation continue throughout the week. Making your home a little church begins with ordinary acts of faithfulness. Morning and evening prayers, thanksgiving before meals, and praying together make room for God in daily routines. Forgiveness, generosity, and patient service bring that prayer into our relationships. The Jesus Prayer helps us turn toward the Lord during work, travel, and quiet moments. These practices help us respond to temptation with repentance and renewed trust in God. Where in your day could you begin making more room for prayer? Consider one small practice you can take up faithfully. If you struggle or forget, return to God and begin again. Whether you live alone or with family, your home can become a place of prayer and mercy. This homily invites you to experience Orthodox Christianity as a life that shapes all seven days of the week.

    November 1st, 2026: Let Your Home Be a Little Church

  4. Oct 31

    Beyond the Courtroom: The Orthodox Understanding of Salvation

    What does salvation mean in Orthodox Christianity? The Orthodox Church teaches that Christ forgives our sins, heals our brokenness, and frees us from the power of death. Salvation brings us into living union with Him. In this Bible study, Anthony Ally considers how that understanding changes our picture of God. The focus is on receiving the life God gives and allowing His love to renew us. Drawing on St. Athanasius, Anthony explores the image of a damaged portrait being restored. He discusses sin as a spiritual sickness and Christ as the physician who comes to heal. The class considers baptism as restoration and liberation, connecting it with the new life described in Romans 6. The baptismal prayers and renunciation of Satan express a real turning toward God. Anthony also examines the eight passions as connected patterns that wound our hearts and relationships. This teaching speaks to the moments when shame makes us want to hide from God. Repentance begins when we bring our sins honestly into His mercy. Prayer and participation in the Church help us grow in the life received through baptism. Recognizing our own need for healing can also make us more patient with others. We learn to acknowledge wrongdoing while remembering the dignity of the person before us. The class also considers the repentant thief in Luke 23 and the hope his story offers. His encounter with the Savior reminds us of the greatness of divine mercy. Throughout the study, Scripture emerges as God’s call to love, repentance, and communion. Consider how approaching Christ as the physician might change the way you pray this week. Continue exploring the life of the Orthodox Church and the healing found in growing closer to Him.

    Beyond the Courtroom: The Orthodox Understanding of Salvation

  5. Oct 25

    October 25th, 2026: The Rich Man And Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit

    In the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31), Christ warns us about the eternal consequences of our choices and the danger of ignoring God’s call to repentance. But why doesn’t God simply make everyone accept His love and salvation? In this sermon, Fr. Stephen Osburn explains how the parable connects to free will, God’s mercy, and the meaning of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. The Orthodox Church teaches that God provides everything necessary for our salvation, but He does not force us to accept His grace. Genuine love requires freedom, and our relationship with God must be something we willingly embrace. The rich man had opportunities to live differently, but he failed to respond to what God had placed before him. Even after his death, he struggled to understand why his brothers might not repent, despite having the Scriptures and the teachings of the prophets. Fr. Stephen connects this warning to Christ’s teaching about the unforgivable sin, explaining that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit involves a persistent rejection of God’s grace and forgiveness. God does not refuse to forgive someone who sincerely repents, but forgiveness cannot be received by someone who continually refuses it. This is why the choices we make throughout our lives matter so much. Orthodox Christianity does not teach that salvation is something we earn through religious accomplishments, but neither is it something we experience without participating in the Christian life. God calls us to cooperate with His grace through prayer, repentance, worship, forgiveness, and service to others. Fr. Stephen emphasizes that we do not have to be perfect Christians, but we should make a sincere effort to become better ones. Even something as simple as developing a consistent prayer routine can gradually transform our spiritual lives. The goal is not to earn a heavenly reward, but to grow into the people God created us to be. The parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus reminds us that God has already given us the tools necessary for our salvation through the Scriptures, the Church, and the Holy Mysteries. The question is whether we are actually making use of those gifts. Are we choosing to grow closer to God, or are we allowing spiritual indifference to shape our lives? This sermon invites us to examine our priorities, take repentance seriously, and recognize that every day presents another opportunity to respond to God’s love. Whether you are exploring the Orthodox Church or have been Orthodox your entire life, the message is the same: God has extended His invitation, and we must freely choose to respond.

    October 25th, 2026: The Rich Man And Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit

  6. Oct 24

    The Antiphons - Preparing to Meet Christ

    Why does the Orthodox Church sing three Antiphons at the beginning of the Divine Liturgy? What do these ancient Psalms and hymns mean, and why are they sung before the Gospel readings? The Antiphons are an important part of Orthodox worship that prepare the faithful through thanksgiving, praise, and the teachings of Christ. Their origins take us back to the ancient Christian processions of Constantinople, when clergy and faithful gathered to sing Psalms as they approached the church. Over time, these processional hymns became part of the Divine Liturgy celebrated in Orthodox churches today. In this third class of our Divine Liturgy series, Fr. Stephen Osburn explains the history, structure, and theological meaning of the Antiphons. We examine the First Antiphon and its emphasis on God’s mercy, forgiveness, and compassion, followed by the Second Antiphon and its reminder to place our trust in God rather than earthly powers. Special attention is given to the hymn “Only-begotten Son,” which summarizes the Orthodox Church’s teaching on the Incarnation, the Holy Trinity, the Crucifixion, and Christ’s victory over death. We also explore the Third Antiphon, the Beatitudes from Matthew 5:3–12, and how these teachings describe the Christian life. Finally, we discuss why the Antiphons change during major feasts and how they prepare the congregation for the Little Entrance. Understanding the Antiphons helps us recognize that Orthodox worship is not simply a collection of prayers and hymns arranged without purpose. Every part of the Divine Liturgy invites us to participate more fully in the life of the Church. The Antiphons teach us to approach God with thanksgiving, confess the truth of our faith, and examine whether our lives reflect the teachings of the Gospel. They also remind us that preparing for worship should begin before we arrive at church, through prayer, repentance, and a willingness to turn our attention toward God. Whether you are exploring Orthodox Christianity for the first time or have attended the Divine Liturgy for years, this class offers an opportunity to better understand the prayers you hear every Sunday. The history of the Antiphons reveals how the worship of the ancient Church continues to shape Orthodox Christian life today. More importantly, their words challenge us to move beyond simply attending services and toward actively participating in the Church’s prayer. Join us as we continue examining the Divine Liturgy and learning how its prayers, hymns, and traditions lead us into a deeper relationship with Christ.

    The Antiphons - Preparing to Meet Christ

  7. Oct 17

    Saint John Cassian’s Eight Passions and the Spiritual Life

    Why do we keep struggling with the same sins, even when we know they’re harmful? Why does anger sometimes lead to pride, or greed lead to anxiety and frustration? In this Bible study, Anthony Ally examines St. John Cassian’s Conference 5 with Abba Serapion and the eight passions that affect our spiritual lives. These passions include gluttony, lust, greed, anger, sadness, acedia, vainglory, and pride. The Orthodox Church teaches that recognizing these weaknesses is an important step toward spiritual healing. One of the central lessons from St. John Cassian is that the passions are connected. Struggling with one passion can make us more vulnerable to others, which is why simply correcting outward behavior is not enough. Anthony explains how gluttony can weaken self-control, how greed is rooted in attachment rather than wealth, and why pride can undermine even our good intentions. He also discusses the irascible power, the part of the soul associated with anger and resistance, and how Christians can redirect that energy toward fighting temptation rather than attacking others. The goal is apatheia, or freedom from being controlled by the passions, so that our hearts become more open to the grace of the Holy Spirit. These teachings are not just for monks living in the desert centuries ago. They speak directly to the frustrations, temptations, and struggles we experience in everyday life. Anthony offers practical ways to respond to anger through prayer, overcome spiritual discouragement by dedicating our work to God, and surrender our worries by trusting in His providence. Rather than allowing our weaknesses to lead us into despair, Orthodox Christianity encourages us to recognize them as opportunities for repentance and spiritual growth. Through prayer, confession, humility, and participation in the life of the Church, we learn to cooperate with God’s grace. St. John Cassian reminds us that the Christian life is not about becoming perfect through our own strength. It is about allowing God to transform our hearts so that we can love Him and others more freely. As you listen, consider which passions most often influence your thoughts, decisions, and relationships. What would change if you began directing that energy toward prayer and repentance instead? Join Anthony Ally for this study of the ancient wisdom of the Orthodox Church and its continuing importance for Christians seeking to grow in Christ.

    Saint John Cassian’s Eight Passions and the Spiritual Life

  8. Oct 11

    October 11th, 2026: What Are You Living For?

    Why did Christ touch the coffin of the widow’s son at Nain? In Luke 7:11-16, Christ encounters a funeral procession, touches the bier carrying a dead young man, and raises him back to life. Under the Old Testament Law, contact with the dead could make someone ritually unclean, yet Christ demonstrates that death has no power over Him. In this sermon, Fr. Stephen Osburn explains how this miracle reveals Christ’s authority over death and points toward His own Resurrection. It also challenges us to consider whether we are truly living as people who believe death has been defeated. One of the most interesting connections in this Gospel is how it relates to Orthodox Christian funerals and baptism. At an Orthodox funeral, we offer a final kiss to our departed loved ones, not because death is insignificant, but because we believe it does not have the final word. During baptism, we renounce Satan and symbolically spit upon him, rejecting his authority over our lives. Both actions express the same truth revealed when Christ touches the bier at Nain: the devil’s power has been broken, and death cannot ultimately separate us from the life Christ has promised. The young man at Nain would eventually die again, but Christ’s Resurrection opens the way to eternal life. This understanding of death should change how we approach our everyday lives. We live in a world that often treats death as something to be avoided at all costs, yet rarely asks what it means to truly live. Orthodox Christianity teaches that our lives should be shaped by repentance, prayer, worship, stewardship, and service to others. Preparing for death does not mean becoming obsessed with dying, but learning to live faithfully so that we are ready to stand before Christ. The question is whether we are allowing our faith in the Resurrection to transform how we live today. Christ did not conquer death for a select few, but opened the way to life for all humanity. His victory is something we are called to embrace and share with others through the life of the Church. As you listen to this sermon, consider how much of your life is spent trying to avoid death rather than seeking the life Christ offers. Are you simply living toward death, or are you living toward the Resurrection? The Orthodox Church invites us to experience that life through faith, repentance, worship, and communion with God.

    October 11th, 2026: What Are You Living For?
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Through our Bible studies, sermons, classes, and retreats, we seek to enter more deeply into the life and teaching of the Orthodox Church. Our classes are led by Mr. Anthony Ally, while our sermons and retreats include teaching from Fr. Stephen Osburn, Dn. Vassily Kocher, and Fr. Michael Matsko. Drawing from Holy Scripture, the wisdom of the Church Fathers, the rhythms of liturgical life, and the sacred Tradition handed down through the ages, these teachings help us see the whole Christian life in the light of Christ. Whether we are reflecting on the daily readings, commemorating a feast or saint, studying the Scriptures, listening to a sermon, or learning how to live the Orthodox faith in daily life, our purpose remains the same: to encounter the living Christ more deeply and more truly. These teachings are open to everyone, whether you are an inquirer, a catechumen, newly received into the Church, or a lifelong Orthodox Christian seeking a deeper understanding of the faith. Come and journey with us.

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