Luke 10:25-42 One of the things that 21st century parents are most concerned about teaching their children is to watch out for strangers. That’s a legitimate concern, of course, given that the world seems to be a much more dangerous place than it used to be. The truth is, however, that the world has always …
Luke 9:28-45 One of the disadvantages to using a lectionary for preaching is that it tends to skip over significant portions of Scripture in order to highlight certain texts for preaching. The problem is that no text exists in isolation from that which comes before and after it. As I have often said, context is …
Luke 7:36-50 A little survey to begin: When it comes to engaging an interesting story, would you rather read the book or watch the movie? There’s often a clear line of demarcation between the two. Book lovers tend to approach this in a condescending way: “Oh, the book is always better than the movie” (I …
Luke 7:18-35 Take a coin out of your pocket. What does it tell you (other than it’s not worth that much in today’s economy!). Take a look at the pictures and symbols. Of course there are pictures of Presidents on them—Washington on the quarter, Lincoln on the penny—the are some of our iconic American leaders. …
Luke 6:1-16 This is one of those passages that’s difficult for modern people to understand. In fact, it probably wouldn’t make anyone’s list of favorite Bible stories, given that it’s a squabble between the Pharisees and Jesus and especially because it’s about Sabbath. Of all the commandments God gave to the Israelites, this one about …
Luke 5:1-11 One of the things I love to do when I am with a confirmation class or a youth group is to offer them the chance to ask me any question they’ve always wanted to ask a pastor. It’s a fun thing for them and fun for me as well. I often get questions …
Luke 4:14-30 You’ve probably heard the old saying, “You can’t go home again.” Tom Wolfe, the famous American novelist, actually used it as the title of one of his books. It’s the idea that “home” is really more a product of our memories and that, in reality, the things we think are permanent about our …
You Can’t Go Home Again: Lessons from the Mount of Jumpification Continue Reading »
Luke 3:1-22 As Luke 3 opens we see that we’ve jumped ahead quite a bit in the story. When we left Jesus last week he was 8 days old and being dedicated in the Temple. The next scene finds him as a 12 year-old in the Temple, amazing the teachers with his knowledge and exasperating …
Luke 2:1-7; Colossians 1:15-23 “She gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger.” We love the manger scene as we gather here on Christmas Eve, but if you think about it, it’s not exactly the kind of place you’d want to have a baby …
Text: Isaiah 61 Good news! That’s how Isaiah begins last Sunday’s text from the Narrative Lectionary. In many ways it’s appropriate. I mean, we’d all like some good news at Christmas, right? Especially given that this year has had a lot of bad news. This is the time of year that we like to focus …
It’s the second Sunday of Advent, and our attention here at the church has turned completely toward the upcoming celebration of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. I’ve often said that this is like the Super Bowl for us who lead churches—it’s the time of year when we have the biggest crowds and the most expectation. …
It’s the first Sunday in Advent—a time when when we’re usually prepared to sing songs of the season and hear the familiar stories that will lead us up to the manger, whether it’s the preparatory texts in Luke’s Gospel or the prophecies of Isaiah, or the echoes of the Exodus story in Matthew’s Gospel. While …
Text: Isaiah 6:1-8 This has been a historic week by any measure. As we gather here on Sunday, after Tuesday’s election, we suddenly realize that the usual way of things—the predictable politics of the past—is no more. Whether you are dejected or elated over the results, we share in common the fact that none of …
A Game of Thrones: A Sermon After the Election Continue Reading »
Note: This is a post in response to an article written by Rev. Paul Kottke in the Rocky Mountain Conference News concerning his impressions of the Wesleyan Covenant Association. It will be helpful to read his critique before reading my rejoinder. The Princess Bride is one of my favorite movies of all time. This fairy …
The WCA and the Gospel According to Inigo Montoya Continue Reading »
Exodus 32:1-14 Last week we talked about the Passover as the meal signifying Israel’s freedom from slavery in Egypt. Remember the way the rabbi described it? “They tried to kill us, we won, let’s eat!.” The story of Passover is a microcosm of the larger liberation project God launched for the whole creation, summed up …