Tag: Repentance
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What If The Gospel Is Like A Backwards Bicycle?- A Sermon On Mark 8:31-38
Imagine trying to ride a bike but the steering has been reversed and is completely opposite to everything you’ve been taught about and experienced riding a bike. When you turn the handlebars to the left the wheel turns to the right. When you turn the handlebars to the right the wheel turns to the left.… Read more
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Fishing Or Following? – A Sermon On Mark 1:14-20
“O Lord, please let me go fishing soon. Help me catch a lot of fish and one really big one.” I loved to fish when I was a kid and for a long time that was my nightly prayer. Every night I’d cast that prayer to God hoping he (back then God was a he)… Read more
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“Uh-Oh” – A Sermon On Matthew 15:10-28
“Listen and understand,” Jesus says in today’s gospel (Matthew 15:10-28). Imagine what our world and lives might be like if listening and understanding were our daily practices. There is a lot of practical wisdom in what Jesus says and we’ve all experienced the truth of his words. Haven’t there been times when deep thorough listening… Read more
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Rethinking Repentance – A Sermon On Matthew 4:12-23
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near,” Jesus says in today’s gospel (Matthew 4:12-23) How’s that working for you? Who here has repented today? Anyone? No? Okay, well it’s still early, not even lunch time yet. Did anyone repent over the weekend? No? How about over the past week? No? Is anyone thinking… Read more
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Reimagining Our Lives – A Sermon On Luke 13:1-9 and Exodus 3:1-15
As I reflected on today’s gospel (Luke 13:1-9) and prepared this sermon I thought about the Russian war on Ukraine, the six million covid deaths worldwide, the collision between a pick up truck and a van that killed nine last Tuesday, the death of my son and other tragedies in my life. Not much has… Read more
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Looking At The Landscape Of Our Lives – A Sermon On Luke 3:1-6
There’s a particular person in my life I sometimes just don’t want to be with. It’s often uncomfortable and sometimes scary to be together. There are times when I intentionally avoid this person. Sometimes I don’t like what I see in this person. Other times I am disappointed in or angry with this person. Sometimes… Read more
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“I Can’t Breathe” – A Trinity Sunday Sermon On Matthew 28:16-20
I don’t know and never will know what it’s like to have the knee of a police officer against my neck, but I still can’t breathe. I want to be able to breathe again. I want you to be able to breathe. I want the George Floyds of the world to be able to breathe.… Read more
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Life Can Be Different – An Advent Sermon On Matthew 3:1-12
The Second Sunday in Advent, Year A – Matthew 3:1-12 What if I preached like John the Baptist? What if I was as blunt and direct as he is? What if one Sunday I began my sermon like this? “So what brought you slithering in here today? You sons of … snakes. Why are you… Read more
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It’s About Ordinary Life – An Advent Sermon On Luke 3:7-18
I remember asking the what-to-do question in my teen age and early adult years as I thought about and made decisions. I asked it during my separation and after my divorce. I asked it after our son Brandon died. I’ve asked it after I said or did something that hurt another. I’ve asked it when… Read more
Interrupting the Silence 