The sermon will be a post on our Facebook page. A Kingdom for the Little Flock “Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” Jesus promises the kingdom to us, his little flock, straining our minds with this uninhibited generosity. Even to us, so little…
The sermon will be a post on our Facebook page. Our Persistent, Negotiating Prayer Life Today’s readings incorporate several themes: negotiation, commands, persistence, and expectation. And surrounding all these themes is a bigger theme: boldness. Abraham is bold in speaking with God, so bold in fact that he not only negotiates with the Almighty, the…
The sermon will be a post on our Facebook page. Unexpected and Intentional Distraction As digital tablets and smart phones keep us busy and on the go, today’s gospel reminds us of a struggle: when are we to set aside our busy calendars, duties, and to-do lists and simply rest in God’s presence, listening to…
The sermon will be a post on our Facebook page. Please click on link to view sermon. Purpose and Perseverance This week’s gospel text from Luke presents another temptation for Jesus. The Pharisees approach Jesus with a warning about his safety, telling him to “get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you” (Luke 13:31).…
The sermon will be a post on our Facebook page. Please click on link to view sermon. Overview The promise and its fulfillment may not look at all alike, even though they are intimately connected. Paul speaks about seeds and plants as he tries to picture resurrection life. Joseph’s brothers never thought they would see him…
Who Would Jesus Bless Today? Many Bibles include a heading before the latter part of today’s gospel reading (Mark 10:13-16) that says something like “Blessing the Children” or “Jesus Welcomes the Children.” In reading such a heading, we might begin to imagine a sentimental scene in which Jesus is surrounded by cute, adorable children. When we…
The sermon will be a post on our Facebook page. Please click on link to view sermon Baptismal Water Is Thicker than Blood Many, perhaps most, subcultures in North America affirm the belief that “blood is thicker than water.” Even when our commitment to family is too often served through hand-wringing sentiment over the so-called decline…
The sermon will be a post on our Facebook page. Please click on link to view sermon. Promises, Promises The story of God’s relationship with God’s people is a story of promises fulfilled. We hear about God’s covenant with Sarah and Abraham in today’s Genesis reading and about its fulfillment in the New Testament texts. As…
The sermon will be a post on our Facebook page. Please click on link to view sermon. The Power of Water Water is an integral part of the created order. Water sustains and fosters life; too little or too much water can end it. A glance at the news headlines points out the destructive power of…
The sermon will be a post on our Facebook page. Please click on link to view sermon. Breath of God Breath figures frequently in Scripture. God’s breath or Spirit hovers over the chaos in creation in Genesis. Breath or Spirit enters the nostrils of the created in the story. Breath and Spirit is breathed onto the…