Categories
Gospels

Disbelieving Joy, or Joyful Disbelief

15-Apr-18 Luke 24:13-49 I sometimes wish that the disciples of Jesus were brighter people, especially when it comes to understanding and accepting Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. In the Gospels, they are portrayed as being frightfully dull and terribly unimaginative. They don’t seem to realize that Jesus is alive, even when he confronts them face […]

Categories
Gospels

A Noble Beginning

08-Apr-18 Acts 4:32-5:11 Mention the word “communism”, and the word “godless” is almost immediately attached to it. “Godless” and “communism” go together almost as well as peas and carrots. The two are nearly inseparable. I think that this is especially true for people who are in my generation, or perhaps a tad older. When I […]

Categories
Gospels

Some Said It Thundered

18-Mar-18 John 12:27-36a The earthly ministry of Jesus is nearly over. It won’t be long now, before the most loving person who ever lived and walked on this earth will be arrested and put to death as a common criminal. For three years now, Jesus has preached good news and hope. He’s cured the sick, […]

Categories
Epistles

The Dead Have Been Raised!

11-Mar-18 Ephesians 2:1-10 Oftentimes, in the Scriptures, the normal definitions of being dead and being alive don’t really apply. And this can be confusing because most of us, being the practical sorts that we are, tend to believe that we know the difference between being dead and being alive. Being alive, for instance, generally implies […]

Categories
Uncategorized

…Shall Be Cut Off

04-Mar-18 Genesis 17:1-16 Often, when people have a profound encounter with God, they become undone. They go down for the count, passed out on the ground, without any strength to help themselves. And quite frankly, I don’t think that becoming completely undone in God’s presence is an option. It’s not something over which we have […]

Categories
Torah

Fresh Off The Boat In A New Land

18-Feb-18 Genesis 9:8-17 I almost began this sermon this morning by saying that everyone knows the story of Noah and the ark. That unfortunately, however, would have been a lie. Just this week I was reading about a recent survey that revealed that twelve percent of our friends and neighbors are quite confident that Joan […]

Categories
Epistles

Looking For The Light Shining Out of the Darkness

11-Feb-18 II Corinthians 4:1-6 The Apostle Paul is putting himself into a very dangerous spot in our passage this morning. He’s putting himself into the trust of a group people who do not trust him at all. On the surface, this is a rather stupid thing for him to do. It is brave, but stupid. […]

Categories
Prophets

Poof!

04-Feb-18 Isaiah 40:21-26 It occurred to me this week that I really don’t have a very profound appreciation for the beauty of creation. That certainly is one of my failings, and I suspect that as failings go, it is a pretty important one, at least in terms of our passage this morning. Our house is […]

Categories
Gospels

Authority In Word And In Deed

28-Jan-18 Mark 1:21-28 I have a ton of trouble with this passage. Trying to pull a sermon out of it absolutely frightens and paralyzes me. And while I would love to pull a sermon out of this passage, and have truly wanted to do so all week long, I have struggled with two things about […]

Categories
Epistles

Phew! Not On The List

21-Jan-18 1Corinthians 6:9-20 I have come to enjoy these lists of aberrant behaviors in the Scriptures, because they provide me with a wonderful opportunity to promote my self righteousness. If you are anything like me, you have probably already satisfied yourself that like me, you have probably already satisfied yourself, that like me, you are […]