Sermon Archive (Page 11)

Service of Light – July 11, 2021 Ezekiel 37:1-14 and John 11:17-45 I’ve said this before, but for many of us, it has been an extremely challenging pandemic with loss and change. And now, as things are opening back up for us, we are entering into a liminal space – living between what was, for the last 18 months, and what will be; and we aren’t sure what “will be” looks like. It’s important to acknowledge and recognize that some…

6 Pentecost, Proper 9 – July 3, 2021 Mark 6:1-13          So, this morning Jesus travels back to his hometown; and we’re presented with the story of how his hometown people had difficulty believing in him. In fact, they took offense. What’s that all about? Jesus enters the synagogue of his boyhood, and begins to teach in the tradition of the rabbis.  At first, things seem to go very well; his townspeople receive his words with astonishment and curiosity, saying: …

3 Pentecost, Proper 6 – June 13, 2021 Mark 4:26-34           This morning we’re hearing the parable of the mustard seed. Eugene Peterson, somewhere, has called parables “narrative time bombs” and that is certainly what today’s parables are.  They are meant to undermine our assumptions of what we think are the “givens” and even the “realities” that we accept without question and offer us a vision of something different. In Greek “parable” comes from two words: para, meaning “beside,” and ballein,…

2 Pentecost, Proper 5 – June 6, 2021 Mark 3:20-35           It is still early in Jesus’ ministry; but already, he has driven out unclean spirits, healed the sick, eaten with sinners, chosen his disciples when we come to today’s story. He has mesmerized every crowd he’s come into contact with, stirring up such hope, excitement, and yearning in people’s hearts that they just can’t leave him alone.  So they follow him to Nazareth and pour into the house where he’s…

Trinity Sunday – May 30, 2021 John 3:1-17           You may know that I have a habit of listening to podcasts while I take my walks. I just listened to an interview with an astronomer, Jill Tarter, who is one of the pioneers in the field of SETI, the search for extraterrestrial intelligence and she shares how their understanding of what’s out there continues to evolve – “we see the world one way, and then we see something that changes…

 Pentecost – May 23, 2021 Acts 2:1-21 and John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15          It’s Pentecost!  This day is considered the birthday of the church, the remembrance of the day marked by wind and flames and the filling of the Holy Spirit which brought with it speaking in different languages. Some speaking a language they had never spoken before, others hearing in a language they never understood before. That Spirit of God—the Holy Spirit—has always been around. From the beginning of time,…

6 Easter – May 9, 2021 John 15:9-17           Last Sunday we heard about vines. Jesus used a vivid image of a branch abiding in a vine. If the branch were to separate itself from the vine, it would wither and die. But if it simply stays connected, the vines aliveness flows into the branch and bears fruit through it. So, if we abide or remain in vital connection to Christ, the Spirit will flow with God’s aliveness in and…

5 Easter – May 2, 2021 John 15:1-8 and Acts 8:26-40           We are given two rich pieces of scripture today, the amazing story of Ethiopian eunuch and the story of the vine and the branches. Jesus is telling us that we are the branches and he is the vine – that we cannot bear fruit by ourselves unless we abide in the vine. It’s a counter cultural message in this age of ‘pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps’ and…

4 Easter – April 25, 2021 John 10:11-18           Jesus said, “I am the Good Shepherd”. This usually conjures up, for me, the image of Jesus holding a sheep lovingly and tenderly in his arms and it’s actually an image I have hanging on my wall at home. It brings me comfort. Just prior to our gospel reading today, Jesus contrasted the shepherd with thieves and bandits, but today the contrast is between the good shepherd and the hired hand.…

2 Easter – April 11, 2021 John 20:19-31           We’re hearing about two resurrection stories this morning. Jesus appearing one week after the first, coming through locked and closed doors, saying “peace be with you” for the second time. And so, today, one week after we shout, “Alleluia!” and sing, “Christ the Lord is Risen Today!” John invites us to face our doubts, speak our fears, and yearn for more — more intimacy, more encounter, more experience of the living, breathing Christ. …

Easter – April 4, 2021 John 20:1-18           While it is still dark, Mary arrives at the tomb and finds the stone has been removed. The entryway is open wide. Mary was grieving – imagine how she must have felt when she realized Jesus’ body was not there. It’s odd, mysterious, uncomfortable, a little scary – they’re just a few descriptors that come to mind. And then she runs to share this news with two other disciples who then run…

Good Friday – April 2, 2021          And so, it is Good Friday. It’s day of paradox, of tension, of contradiction. It’s a day of darkness and light.  It is a day filled with vulnerability and truth. On Good Friday, we find ourselves standing at the foot of the cross. Beholding the cross. And through Jesus, we are ultimately faced with choosing between the tale of two kingdoms.  God’s kingdom or the world’s kingdom.  Which do we choose? Last evening,…