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This is an adapted form of the sermon I preached this morning, September 25, 2022. The gospel reading I preached on was Luke 16:19-31. I recommend you read it here before proceeding with the sermon. Okay. First things first. This story is not about the afterlife. It’s not about God’s plan for us in eternity. … Continue reading But Nothing Changed (Sermon)
Last week, I had the honor of officiating at a graveside funeral. It was simple. The family wanted only the simplest form of funeral – no sermon, no eulogy, just the scripture, the prayers, the commendation, the committal. The woman whom I buried never joined my church – but she was an active worshiper there … Continue reading What I Didn’t Say to You at a Funeral
This is an adapted form of the sermon I preached tonight, Good Friday. The gospel text was John 18:1 -- 19:42. On Sunday, we heard the Passion of Our Lord according to Luke. And I invited you to write down questions that the story brought up in you. A few of you did so, and … Continue reading Who Am I in the Face of the Cross? (Good Friday Sermon)
I just read Wendell Berry's book The Hidden Wound, an extended essay about racism, told in part as a memoir of his childhood experiences with two Black people who touched his life. The Hidden Wound was written in 1969, but it's remarkable how applicable it is to today's world. Berry wrote this: I am trying … Continue reading Some Wounds are Still Open
This is an adapted version of the sermon I preached today, the Third Sunday in Lent. The gospel reading was John 4:5-42. On account of the COVID-19 outbreak, we did not hold regular worship today. Instead, we filmed a version of worship with just a musician, an assisting minister, and me, and shared it via … Continue reading Filling Our Jar (Sermon)
This is an adapted form of the sermon I preached yesterday, the Third Sunday of Advent. The gospel text was Matthew 11:2-11. I also began a two-month period of leading the congregation in talking and praying about "pastoral care." You may see this theme appear in many upcoming sermons. When you’re in school, sometimes you … Continue reading The Smartest Kid in School (Sermon)
This is an adapted form of the sermon I preached on Sunday, July 7. The gospel reading was Luke 10:1-11, 16-20. Apologies for the lateness of this post. God has work for you to do. Do you know how big this work is? Jesus says, “I saw Satan fall from heaven like a flash of … Continue reading Big Grace, Big Work (Sermon)
This is an adapted form of the sermon I preached this morning, the Fourth Sunday of Easter. I'm preaching a sermon series on the book of Revelation; today's text was Revelation 7:9-17. Today is the Fourth Sunday of Easter, a fifty-day season when we focus on Jesus’ resurrection, and what that means for us. Today … Continue reading Who’s in Heaven, Anyway? (Sermon)
This is an adapted form of the sermon I preached at the Great Vigil of Easter this morning. The gospel text was John 20:1-18. Rabbouni. That was the word Mary said to Jesus once she knew it was really him. Once Mary believed that Jesus had risen from the dead, she spoke one word, Rabbouni. … Continue reading The Opposite of a Black Hole (Easter Vigil Sermon)
This is an adapted form of the sermon I preached last night, Good Friday. The gospel text was the Passion according to John, John 18:1 -- 19:42. John tells us that it was a Friday evening when Passover began that year. It was one of those years when the first day of Passover was also … Continue reading The Completion of the Cross (Sermon)
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