Sermon for March 22, 2020
Worship was recorded and posted to our Facebook Page for this day. You can see the videos for the readings and sermon here. Others can be found on our Facebook Page. https://www.facebook.com/1795276680726815/videos/1033479830366844/ https://www.facebook.com/1795276680726815/videos/618019199041356/ https://www.facebook.com/1795276680726815/videos/139820717446978/
Sermon for March 15, 2020
The readings and sermon were recorded using Facebook Live for this day. You can listen to all of those things here. https://www.facebook.com/1795276680726815/videos/455470055177383/
Sermon from March 8, 2020
First Reading: Genesis 12:1-4a; Gospel: John 3:1-21 Have you been born again? Our reading had “born from above”, but some translate this as “born again,” and another alternate from the translation is “born anew.” What does that even mean? Within Christianity, we might say being born again means something about giving your life to Jesus, taking Jesus as your savior…I’m sure you’ve heard the verbage before. I am uncomfortable with that language, as I imagine some of you are. And yes, I know there are some of you that like that language - it’s what you grew up with or what you are comfortable with. “Being born again” - that phrase, isn’t common to our Lutheran articulation of faith. I know lots of Lutherans who struggle with how to answer that question (Are you born again?) because we don’t use that language. We tend to…
Sermon from March 1, 2020
First Reading: Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7 Psalm 32 Second Reading: Romans 5:12-19 Gospel: Matthew 4:1-11 Well, even the devil quotes and uses scripture. I guess it’s no surprise then that we people do that to each other too. Some people use scripture as a weapon to repress and control others. Some use it to make their point to feel affirmed in their own beliefs. As we see with the devil here in Matthew, scripture says a lot of things. And sometimes it contradicts itself. The Bible wasn’t all written at one time or even by people who knew each other. That’s why it’s good for us to explore it and learn the history and context behind what is written, and read before and after the text we are exploring. Before this reading of Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness is the story of…
Sermon January 19, 2020
Gospel: John 1: 29-42 Come and See! Is the exclamation of my young nephew as we explored the tide pools in search of living creatures. I don’t know who took more delight in it all – he or I? Come and See! Is what my daughter says to me as she shows me her latest amazingly decorated cake. I’m likely more proud of her works of art than she is – I’ve got photos! Come and See! Is what I say to my neighbor who is curious about what all the trucks and contractors have been doing in our home. I can’t wait to show it off to everyone! Come and See! It is all that Jesus said. It is his answer to the questioning disciples of John. Come and…
Sermon for December 22, 2019
Gospel: Matthew 1:18-25 I’m not sure if you noticed, but that was Matthew’s version of the Christmas story. You might want to double check the bulletin - there were no shepherds, no manger, no animals, and no Bethlehem. There was an angel, but the fact that Jesus was born is almost a side note. Matthew says, “Joseph took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.” In Matthew’s Gospel we don’t find the Christmas story we are used to hearing. We do get the narrative about the magi from Matthew, though - that doesn’t show up in any of the other gospels. We’ll hear that in two weeks, on the 12th Day of Christmas when we will also celebrate the Epiphany. Luke is the Gospel that has the Christmas story we will hear on Christmas…
Sermon for December 15 2019
Gospel: Matthew 11:2-13 Are you the one to come, or are we to wait for another? We know the question. We form it often in a multiple of ways: Is this the solution to my problem, or do I wait and keep looking?Are you the right person/partner/applicant/spouse, or do I wait and choose someone else?Am I making the right decision, or do I wait for more answers?Is this the cure for my illness, or do I wait for the next option? Do we wait for something bigger/better/newer/more promising to come along? Do I exercise patience Lord OR is this one in front of me THE one? Just last week we heard how confident John the Baptist had been in his bold proclamation. Out in the wilderness, he was so convinced…
Sermon for December 8, 2019
Second Sunday of Advent Gospel: Matthew 3:1-12; First Reading: Isaiah 11:1-10; Second Reading: Romans 15:4-13 John the Baptist would have been the worst caroler. “We wish you a merry Christmas!” “You brood of vipers!” John the Baptist is no sweet-sounding nativity character. He doesn’t even show up in the lineup in pictures or on your tables back home. Though it could be interesting to turn one of the shepherds into a John the Baptist-type. His language of preparation certainly fits in here - into this season of Advent where we wait and prepare for Christ to come. But his tone and his context do not. He wasn’t out preparing the way of the Lord until his adult years, long after Jesus’ birth (did you remember that they are only 6 months apart? and cousins at that). Though in paintings of him, especially from the Renaissance period, he is…
Sermon for December 1, 2019
First Sunday of Advent, Thanksgiving weekend Gospel: Matthew 24:36-44; First Reading: Isaiah 2:1-5; Second Reading: Romans 13:11-14 The lectionary seems to have bad timing. We’ve just had what might be the most universal celebration of a holiday in our country. Many of us have stuffed ourselves, had some time off for relaxing, did some shopping, we’re starting to get geared up for Christmas. And you come to church over Thanksgiving weekend, and you get to hear this gospel reading from Matthew that neither sounds hopeful nor is what we wanted or were expecting to hear. It’s bad timing. Though we might say that any time these apocalyptic texts come up. We just had another one, out of Luke’s Gospel, two weeks ago. There is a temptation today to jump right to Isaiah where there is hope and peace. We’ll be making that jump, but let’s sit…