Year: 2016
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Hell Yeah! – A Holy Saturday Sermon on Matthew 27:57-66 and Job 14:1-14
Job 14:1-14 Matthew 27:57-66 “If mortals die, will they live again?” (Job 14:14) That’s Job’s question. It’s a Holy Saturday kind of question. It’s a question all of us ask on the Holy Saturdays of our lives. Jesus was crucified, killed, yesterday. His body was placed in a tomb. A great stone was placed over… Read more
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The Tearful Entry into Holy Week – A Palm Sunday Sermon on Luke 19:28-46
The Palm/Entry Narrative – Luke 18:28-40 (41-46) The Passion Narrative – Luke 22:14-23:56 As we do every year we began this day by taking our place in the triumphal entry, singing our hosannas, and carrying our palms. The triumphal entry, palms, and hosannas have in many ways come to characterize this day and the beginning… Read more
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Rethinking Temptation: It’s More Than Just Saying No – A Sermon on Luke 4:1-13
Luke 4:1-13 Jesus overcame the temptations in the wilderness. He made it possible for us to overcome our temptations. Be like Jesus and just say no. Does that sound familiar? I wonder if that’s how we often hear today’s gospel (Luke 4:1-13). I’m guessing most of us know the just say no story or some… Read more
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Yesterday’s Palms, Today’s Ashes – An Ash Wednesday Sermon on Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21
Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 Several years ago someone said to me, “One day I finally realized people were not spending nearly the amount of time thinking about me as I was spending thinking about them thinking about me, and wondering what they saw when they looked at me, what they said about me, and what they… Read more
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An Eye for Beauty – A Sermon on Luke 9:28-43
Luke 9:28-43 When have you recently experienced beauty? What are some of your most beautiful experiences? Before you answer let me explain what I am asking. I am not asking when you saw something you thought was beautiful. I am not asking about physical beauty, the outward appearance of people or things. I’m asking about… Read more
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Borders and the Politics of Jesus – A Sermon on Luke 4:21-30
Today’s gospel (Luke 4:21-30) needs to be heard and can really only be understood in the context of last week’s gospel (Luke 4:14-21). So let’s take a look at where we are. Jesus has been baptized, has overcome the temptations in the wilderness, and has returned to the synagogue of his childhood in Nazareth. He… Read more
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I Don’t Want To Do Lent This Year
As I write this reflection it’s the third week in Epiphany and I’ve been thinking about Lent for a couple of weeks now. I am thinking about Shrove Tuesday; the pancake supper, the palms we will burn, and the ashes we will prepare for the next day’s liturgy. I am thinking about the fragility of… Read more
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The Politics of Jesus – A Sermon on Luke 4:14-21
I want to talk with you today about politics. When I say politics I’m including not only elected officials and the governmental process, I’m also including you and me, the opinions we hold, the decisions we make, and the ways we relate to one another. Let me give you some context and examples of what… Read more
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Retelling the Flight to Egypt – A Sermon on Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23
“Flee to Egypt.” With those words echoing in his ears Joseph got up, took Jesus and Mary by night and went to Egypt. Regardless of whether this story really happened the way Matthew tells it, it’s not hard to know that it’s true. The names and faces might change but it’s a story that continues… Read more
Interrupting the Silence 