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Biblical Text: Mark 9:1-10 We create fancy ways of talking about the reality of suffering – like the theology of the cross. If you think words are a bloodless way, there are less attractive ways. Like gated communities, or social darwinism or government programs that can make us feel like we are . . . → Read More: The Christ must include the Cross – Mountain to Mountain Biblical Text: Mark 1:40-54 Bonhoeffer called it cheap grace. A taking of the cleaning, the grace of Christ, without also taking on discipleship or the Lordship of Christ. If you read this biblical text, you can’t help but think that cheap grace has been around for a long time. The leper is . . . → Read More: Offer what Moses Commanded, for a witness to them… Biblical Text: Mark 1:29-39 I slipped into something of a philosophical frame of mind this past week – I suppose I should apologize to the congregation for that. Some of it has to do with events and people. Some of it has to do with this year’s gospel – the gospel of . . . → Read More: The Christ Who Can Be Found Biblical Text of Sermon: Mark 1:21-28 So, if you are not from a pentecostal denomination, when was the last time you heard a sermon about powers and principalities or demonology? There is probably a good reason. Denominational pastors are by and large an educated lot (often over-educated) and talking about spiritual forces . . . → Read More: The Powers That Be Biblical Text: Mark 1:14-20 I think it is sometimes difficult to relate the call to discipleship we hear in the gospels to our lives. These are men (and women) who literally dropped their nets. How do you proclaim that without completely gutting it or spiritualizing it too much? The epiphany season’s texts give . . . → Read More: Discipleship: Dropping the nets, Identity and the Reign of God Biblical Text of Sermon: John 1:43-51 The modern world is one full of distractions. I’m the geek that as a kid you could find reading an encyclopedia. My schoolmates were sure that “Encyclopedia Brown” was biographical. But today I find myself reading a few pages and flitting off to something else. . . . → Read More: The Exclusive/Inclusive Jesus Sermon Text: Mark 1:4-11 The flu knocked me out for a considerable amount of time this week. And when you are chilling and sweating some different lines come into you head. And I’m sure I didn’t get to refine this one enough. And I feel like I am way out there . . . → Read More: Fevers Sermon Text: Luke 2:21 and Church Calendar festival The Circumcision and Naming of Jesus There were a bunch of things that were not functioning fully this past week. This post is for completeness. If there is one thing that I wish as a preacher I could ensure that people get is that the life . . . → Read More: Getting Caught Up – A Very Real Event I have a big thank you to send to the parents of St. Mark. By a blessed miracle they were all in town and agreed to do the children’s service on Christmas day. The picture above is the “stars”: Mary, Joseph, Shepherd and Angel, preparing before the service. We also had a . . . → Read More: Christmas Day – Children’s Pagent Sermon Text: Luke 1:26-38 I’m not sure why but Advent 4 (Mary’s week in the lectionary) and Thanksgiving are probably the two occasions that I almost always feel real good about the sermon. On firm Lutheran grounding I’d just say that they are opportunities to proclaim a very clear gospel. In my . . . → Read More: Standby by for some Announcements… |
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