Sermons from 2012

By The Rev. Sherry Deets Christ the King, Proper 29 – November 25, 2012 John 18:33-37 Our scripture today from John’s gospel is called “the trial before Pilate”. It might better be called “Pilate on trial”, because Pilate knows that Jesus should not be on trial. Pilate likely considers himself the most powerful, most in-control person in Jerusalem. He is “the local representative of the greatest world power of that time.” In his encounter with Jesus he brags about the…

By The Rev. Sherry Deets 25 Pentecost; Proper 28 – November 18, 2012 Mark 13:1-8 If our passage from Mark today feels different, looks different, and sounds different, that’s because it is. Both Daniel and Mark are presenting us with what is called apocalyptic writing. In a nutshell, apocalyptic literature stems from a worldview that believes that everything happening on earth represents and correlates with a larger, heavenly struggle between good and evil. It therefore reads into earthly events cosmic…

By The Rev. Sherry Deets 24 Pentecost: Proper 27 – November 11, 2012 Mark 12:38-44 Today, in our gospel story from Mark, Jesus offers us the widow as a model of faith. He warns us against the corrupt scribes for their selfishness and crime. In doing so, he presents us with characters of two types. The corrupt scribes are concerned with gaining power over other people in order to enrich themselves. The widow, on the other hand, surrenders power over…

By The Rev. Sherry Deets All Saints’ Sunday – November 4, 2012 John 11:32-44 On this All Saints’ Sunday we hear the gospel story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. It is a challenging story. It challenges our faith. Are we able to accept the raising of Lazarus as an historical event or was it just fiction? No scientific data can support the metaphysical possibility that Jesus brought the dead man, Lazarus, back to life. Neither does the gospel…

By The Rev. Sherry Deets 21 Pentecost, Proper 24 – October 21, 2012 Mark 10:35-45 Donald Meichenbaum, one of American Psychologist’s ten most influential psychotherapists, tells of the time that his car was struck by lightning while he was driving. Once he was safe at home, Meichenbaum began to share his ordeal with his teenage son, expecting at least some small degree of sympathy. Instead, his son interrupted, “Dad, let’s go buy a lottery ticket. They say the chances of…

By The Rev. Sherry Deets 20 Pentecost, Proper 23, October 14, 2012 Mark 10:17-31 Taking a step into the future can be a difficult task: getting ready for the first day of school, going out on a first date, leaving the corporate job to set up a business, undergoing experimental treatment for a life-threatening illness, selling all we have (giving it to the poor) and following Jesus. That last example was the step into the future that Jesus recommended for…

By The Rev. Sherry Deets 19 Pentecost, Proper 22, October 7, 2012 Mark 10:2-16 This is an uncomfortable gospel passage this morning, one that brings up divorce and yet also, in the same narrative, talks about the little children coming to Jesus. I thought about skipping the gospel and focusing on one of the other readings. I thought about just focusing on the little children coming to Jesus. That’s when I realized, I needed to spend time on thwies entire…

By The Rev. Sherry Deets 18 Pentecost, Proper 21, September 30, 2012 Mark 9:38-50 A strong community enhances the lives of its members. The community is a place of identity, where people have a sense of belonging because they are known and recognized. The community provides protection and support. The community shapes values and provides cultural norms. But there are risks in a strong community. The expectations and demands of a social order may restrict the freedom and creativity of…

By The Rev. Sherry Deets 16 Pentecost, Proper 19, Year B – September 16, 2012 Mark 8:27-38 This week’s gospel reading is, in almost every way possible, the center of Mark’s Gospel. It stands, quite literally, near the dead center of Mark’s work. It also marks the major transition in the story from Jesus’ ministry of opposing all that oppresses God’s people (by healing, feeding, casting out demons and the rest) to Jesus’ journey to the cross. But perhaps most…

By The Rev. Sherry Deets 15 Pentecost, Proper 18 – September 9, 2012 Mark 7:24-37 This is one of the more difficult, if not interesting stories for me, in the New Testament – the story of the Syrophoenician woman. During our first service upon my entering seminary, this was the gospel passage. Our Liturgy professor at the time, said, always remember that you entered seminary under this passage. What makes it difficult, of course, is that Jesus comes off as…

By The Rev. Sherry Deets 14 Pentecost Year B Proper 17 – September 2, 2012 Mark 7:1-8,14-15,21-23 A young rabbi went to serve his first synagogue, and he noticed that on the first Sabbath, when he said the prayers, the congregation on the left side of the synagogue stood at the beginning of the prayers, and the congregation on the right side remained seated. The young rabbi thought this was a little odd, but continued to say the prayers. After…

By The Rev. Sherry Deets 13 Pentecost – August 26, 2012 John 6:56-69 Today marks the end of John’s long discourse on the bread of life. Jesus’ difficult teaching on eating his flesh and blood. “Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them”. Faith is a central concept for John, but the noun itself never occurs. The verb “believe”, however, occurs more than 80 times, more often than in all the letters…