cross « St. Mark's Lutheran

Its been a bad 72 hours…

By Parson Brown, on 11:22 am%

Penelope Trunk – a business/social trends speaker – always held before the truth became apparent that it was Gen X that were the true radicals. Her reasoning was that they didn’t have anything to lose anyway. The bank account had been emptied and the all the families’ assets were mortgaged. Good luck . . . → Read More: Its been a bad 72 hours…

The Communion of Saints

By Parson Brown, on 10:18 am%

Sermon Text: Matt 5:6, Rev 6:10, Rev 7:9, Lord’s Prayer, Apostles Creed, All Saints Day
Full Text of Sermon

A Lutherans we are trained to think in terms of paradoxes in tension. Here is what I mean by that. The big tension paradox is law and gospel. The law kills, yet is necessary to show . . . → Read More: The Communion of Saints

Saturday Book – One Thousand Gifts – Part 3

By Parson Brown, on 3:02 pm%

Here is a link to part 1.
Here is a link to part 2.
We take up Chapter #2 this time. Chapter 1 was the writer’s confrontation with her lost or sad state. It also starts to ask the questions if anything else is possible. Chapter 2 in my mind asks the question: Where does . . . → Read More: Saturday Book – One Thousand Gifts – Part 3

Sin, Death and the Power of the Devil – part 1

By Parson Brown, on 5:24 pm%

That is a beloved phrase of Luther. The explanation of the 2nd article of the creed goes, “I believe the Jesus Christ …has redeemed me, a lost and condemned person, purchased and won me from all sins, from death and from the power of the devil.”

There is a woodcut from the Book of Concord – . . . → Read More: Sin, Death and the Power of the Devil – part 1

Steve Jobs

By Parson Brown, on 11:05 am%

I can’t say that I’m an Apple product user (although when I did get one of their products I would never get anything else after it). I didn’t know that Steve Jobs had been a Lutheran as a child before I read this. There is so much else swirling around I’m surprised it cut . . . → Read More: Steve Jobs

Whose expectations get met?

By Parson Brown, on 2:34 pm%

Full Text of Sermon

The text is Matthew 21:33-46 which is the parable of the wicked tenants. I’ve pondered this parable for a long time – at least in American terms. It is filled with an urgency and a venom missing is the mustard seed and birds of the air. It has an easy . . . → Read More: Whose expectations get met?

Truth in the midst of Ugly

By Parson Brown, on 4:53 pm%

Full Text

I would be real interested to know what people actually heard from this sermon. I think it had a high emotional register, but I’m not sure if I used that emotion to the proper end.

The core concern that I think the text addressed is God’s truth. And God’s truth can be real ugly. . . . → Read More: Truth in the midst of Ugly

Futility and Hope

By Parson Brown, on 11:46 am%

Full Text

…Because Jesus entered into this groaning and futile mess. It easily could all be meaningless. But He said no. I’m going to claim it. I’m going to redeem it. Jesus felt and experienced the full futility. Disciples who didn’t get it. Kinsmen who rejected him. Fellow Jews . . . → Read More: Futility and Hope

My Father’s World…

By Parson Brown, on 9:27 am%

A better example of preaching on the theology of the cross. And how dumb it makes you feel.

And what of our long list of beliefs and the desire for certainty? When we let the mystery of evil open us more fully to the mystery of love, that need goes away. On this point, I am . . . → Read More: My Father’s World…

Cross and Glory

By Parson Brown, on 4:50 pm%

I’m a long time basketball fan, although I usually like the NCAA better than the NBA. But somewhere close is an image of LeBron James after the game 6 loss. The Miami Heat were put together with one idea in mind – glory. They were built to win. Yet they lost. . . . → Read More: Cross and Glory

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