Tag: John the Baptist
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Repentance, Responsibility, and San Bernardino – An Advent Sermon on Luke 3:1-6
Repent. Prepare the way of the Lord. Make his paths straight. Valleys shall be filled. Mountains and hills shall be made low. The crooked shall be made straight. The rough ways shall be made smooth. By themselves those words have no meaning. They need context. That’s true for any word. We might be able to Read more
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Advent, A Season of Uncategorized Life – A Sermon on John 1:6-8, 19-28
Most of you have heard enough of my preaching and teaching to know that when it comes to either/or questions my default response is “yes.” Is it this or is it that? Yes. This isn’t about playing a game, being evasive, or trying to be difficult. I am simply trying to be faithful. We encounter Read more
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Advent, A Season in the Wilderness – A Sermon on Mark 1:1-8
The wilderness, John the Baptist, preparing the way of the Lord. They are three major images in today’s gospel, Mark 1:1-8. They are three signposts on the Advent journey. They are three windows into our heart. I want us to think about them in the context of last Sunday’s gospel, Mark 13:24-37. Last Sunday was Read more
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Recognizing the One Who is to Come – A Sermon on Matthew 11:2-11
“Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another” (from Matthew 11:2-11, Advent 3A)? That doesn’t sound like the guy we heard from last week. So what’s happened to John the Baptist? Last week he was a name calling wild man. He stood in the wilderness announcing that the Read more
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Too Content to Repent? A Sermon on Matthew 3:1-12, Advent 2A
“Repent for the kingdom of heaven has come near” (From Matthew 3:1-12, Advent 2A). Those words drew the people to John the Baptist. The people of Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region along the Jordan went to him. I wonder what they expected? Were they really ready for St. John? Did they expect to hear Read more
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Repentance Means Becoming Human
There comes a time when we realize change is needed. Things don’t work out. Something happens. Someone says something. The tried and true ways become tired and trite. It may happen suddenly or slowly over time. Either way, we realize we can’t go on like we have. We must not only do things differently we Read more
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A Welcome Word in the Wilderness
Each one of us could tell a story about the wilderness. I am not talking about the scenic overlook along the highway, the unspoiled beauty of nature, or that quiet, back to nature, weekend getaway from the hassles of life. No. Our stories would be ones of struggles, ups and downs, highs and lows, stories Read more
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In Whose Name Shall I Baptize You?
Seeing you, O Christ our God, drawing near to him in the river Jordan, John said Why are You who are without defilement come to your servant, O Lord? In whose name shall I baptize you? Of the Father? But you bear him in yourself. Of the Son? But you are yourself the Son made flesh. Of the Holy Spirit? But Read more
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Witnesses and Interrogators – A Sermon on John 1:6-8, 19-28; Advent 3B
The collect and readings for the Third Sunday of Advent may be found here. The following sermon focuses on the gospel, John 1:6-8, 19-28. There are, today’s gospel suggests, two ways of approaching life and God’s presence in the world. One way is demonstrated by John. The other way is demonstrated by the priests and Read more
Interrupting the Silence 