“There are two kinds of people in the world: Those who believe there are two kinds of people and those who don’t.” –Robert Benchley Hebrews 11:1-16; Genesis 12:1-9 Early 20th century humorist Robert Benchley once proposed what he called “The Law of Distinction,” which goes something like this: “There are two kinds of people in …
The story of the Tower of Babel reminds us that we weren’t made for dominance and isolation, but to scatter God’s glory throughout creation. Genesis 11:1-9 Well, this is Memorial Day Sunday, the day when we stop and remember those who have fallen in the service of our country. When I was a kid I …
Genesis 3 When I was a kid I used to spend part of every summer at the farm my uncle and aunt owned out in rural Western Pennsylvania. I usually went during the time to put up hay, especially because I was small enough to tuck the bales into the spaces at the top of …
Genesis 2 tells us who we are and invites us to turn our lives toward “A New Hope.” Genesis 2 May the Fourth Be With You… Well, Sunday was May 4, a date that has now become an unofficial holiday for Star Wars fans because we can utter the greeting, “May the Fourth Be With …
First in the series “Beginnings: The Story of Genesis.” Genesis 1:1-2:3 You may have seen this debate a few weeks ago between Bill Nye (The Science Guy) and Ken Ham the director of the Creation Museum in Kentucky concerning the origins of the universe. If you didn’t see it, as I didn’t, that’s ok—debates like …
Luke 24:1-12; I Corinthians 15 Behind the University of Tennessee Medical Center is a lovely little woodlot on a hillside where people are seen lying in the sun or reclining in the shade as squirrels and other forest creatures play in the trees. Stare at those people long enough, however, and you’ll notice that they …
The Not-So-Secret Life of a Stiff: A Message for Easter Sunday Continue Reading »
Jesus rode down the Mount of Olives in tears. What makes you weep? Luke 19:41-44 If you’ve ever been to a small funeral, you know that it’s always a bit more depressing than most. Whether the person has outlived most of his or her family and friends or they were simply not well known by …
The Church of Dominus Flevit – A Reflection for the Beginning of Holy Week Continue Reading »
Third in a series on health and the Christian life. To read last week’s sermon on maintaining a healthy inner life, check out my colleague Joe Iovino’s blog. This week’s text: John 15:1-11 Thomas Bramwell Welch was a 17 year-old immigrant from Glastonbury, England when he joined a church of the Wesleyan Methodist Connexion …
Be a Branch: Connecting to Spiritual Health Continue Reading »
Part 1 of the Lenten Sermon Series “The Jesus Prescription: Health and the Christian Life” I Corinthians 6:19-20; Luke 7:18-23 One of the interesting phenomena that happens every year, as sure as January 1st will roll around on the calendar, is that the local gym will become really crowded. People make their New Year’s resolutions, …
Part IX of “Romans: The Road Less Traveled” Romans 16 The Academy Awards are tonight, and while I haven’t seen many of the movies (ok, really none of them), it’s always an interesting exercise in watching human behavior. I especially enjoy watching the speeches, where excited people try to thank everyone they know while the …
Part VIII of “Romans: The Road Less Traveled Romans 13:1-15:6 One of the great privileges I’ve had for the last couple of years is to do the opening prayer for the Colorado State Senate several times per legislative session. I put on a suit, drive up to the Capitol building, climb up the marble stairs …
Part VII of “Romans: The Road Less Traveled” Romans 12:1-21 A writer named Shelley Jackson is publishing a short story, but it’s not one you’ll find in a magazine or literary collection. To read it, you’ll have to track down 2,095 people around the world and get them all together. Jackson’s story is entitled “Skin” …
Part VI of “Romans: The Road Less Traveled.” Romans 9:1-11:36 As someone who is trained as a historian, one of the things I love to look at is old maps. I talked about this a couple of sermon series ago when I said while GPS is great technology, there’s really no substitute for the context …
Part V of the series “Romans: The Road Less Traveled.” Romans 7:1-8:39 Well, after two weeks of hype, the Big Game is finally here. It’s especially interesting this year, of course, because the Broncos are in it and most us of will be tuned in this afternoon to watch the game, or at least to …
Part IV of the series “Romans: The Road Less Traveled.” Romans 5:1-6:23 I was digging around in my office at home this week (always making room for more books) and I came across my baptismal certificate. I was baptized on September 13, 1964 at the tiny Presbyterian Church in Tunnelton, PA—my grandparents’ church. The elder …