For the past few weeks, the story of God with us from the New Testament gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John has been fueling our discipleship. Time after time, over and over again, we’ve heard Jesus extend the invitation to drop everything and follow him. Drop your old ways of self-centered thinking, and followContinue reading “Look Around, Not Up”
Category Archives: Sermons
Vines and Vineyards
Committing one’s self to faithful discipleship in Christ is not for the faint of heart. In the story of God with us, in the process of our spiritual resurrection, in the fueling of our discipleship, the Cross of Jesus takes center stage, and our willingness to let our everyday lives be shaped by that CrossContinue reading “Vines and Vineyards”
Passing through Jesus
Unlike the gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke in which Jesus teaches through parables, John’s Gospel doesn’t include any parables. Instead, Jesus reveals himself through his much-beloved “I AM” sayings: “I AM the bread of life.” “I AM the light of the world.” “I AM the resurrection and the life.” “I AM the way, theContinue reading “Passing through Jesus”
Least, Last, Lost
The biblical story of God with us, as of last Sunday, has brought us to a place of invitation. Our recent Scripture lessons have brimmed and teemed with simple, straightforward, yet gracious offers from Jesus to “follow me.” Accepting the Lord’s invitation to discipleship with humility and gratitude holds the potential to change each ofContinue reading “Least, Last, Lost”
Seeing with Kingdom Eyes
The Lord’s persuasive invitations to discipleship are the common threads woven into our Scripture lessons over the past couple Sundays. Those gracious, open invitations to be counted among Jesus’s followers immediately compel a tax collector named Matthew to quit his lucrative job raking in big bucks for his Roman bosses and to join the communityContinue reading “Seeing with Kingdom Eyes”
Cross Training
We typically sing the rousing lyrics on a Sunday in Lent: “In the cross of Christ I glory, towering o’er the wrecks of time.” The idea of the cross towering over various “wrecks” across the ages became all-the-more poignant in the harrowing days of anger and grief after 9/11. That twisted, iron-girder cross rising fromContinue reading “Cross Training”
Here’s What Mercy Means
Since the first of the year, we’ve been making a high-flying trip over the Old Testament of the Bible. The overarching story of God with us that we’ve heard thus far boils down to this: The God of all Creation has no patience for chaos and disorder, sin and brokenness – behaviors and situations thatContinue reading “Here’s What Mercy Means”
Subject to Change
Conquered by an invading army and carried off into exile, God’s people find themselves living hundreds of miles from home in the confusing loneliness and hopelessness of a strange land – among the Babylonians and their ruthless ruler, King Nebuchadnezzar. That’s where the story of God with us left off in last Sunday’s Scripture lesson.Continue reading “Subject to Change”
The Kingdom Within
Like many communities, a friendly welcome sign stood beside the highway at the edge of the town where I grew up. The sign clearly intended to warm the cockles of its residents’ hearts and offer hospitality to visitors. But according to my high school buddy Steven, the sign also served a less obvious but-to-him- more-importantContinue reading “The Kingdom Within”
Faithful, No Matter What
It’s the kind of question that causes a pastor to break out in a cold sweat, and the query always begins with a simple word: “Why.” An innocent child is killed; a beloved teacher dies; a freak accident claims the life of dear friend, and with quivering lips and lumped throat, a hapless survivor asksContinue reading “Faithful, No Matter What”