Blessed Are You Too – An Advent Sermon On Luke 1:39-45
“In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.” I don’t know why Mary set out “with haste” to go...
View ArticleOur Original Blessing – A Christmas Eve Sermon On Luke 2:1-20
“To you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.” (Luke 2:1-20) That is the angel’s “good news of great joy for all the people.” It is the summation of Christmas....
View ArticleThere’s Something About This Day – A Christmas Day Sermon On Luke 2:8-20
“The shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place.’” There’s something about this day like no other day. I’ve told you this before but I’ll say it...
View ArticleGod’s First Sacrament – A Christmas Sermon On John 1:1-18
“And the Word became flesh and lived among us.” That’s the Christmas story St. John tells in today’s gospel (John 1:1-18) and it’s very different from the one we heard from St. Luke on Christmas Eve...
View ArticleSpoiler Alert: Christmas Happens In The Real World – A Sermon On Matthew...
I think today’s gospel (Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23) should have come with a spoiler alert. So here it is. Are you ready? Spoiler Alert: Christmas happens in the real world; not in the candlelight of a...
View ArticleAll They Could Do Was Follow The Star – An Epiphany Sermon On Matthew 2:1-12
I’m going to begin by telling you about some epiphanies I’ve had. I offer them not so much to tell you about myself but as an invitation for you to connect to the epiphanies in your life. They may be a...
View ArticleBecoming All Flame – A Sermon On Luke 3:15-17, 21-22
Today is the Feast of the Baptism of Jesus. But I’m more interested in your baptism. If you don’t remember it, that’s okay. You can still tell a story about your baptism. And if you haven’t yet been...
View ArticleWhat’s Your Water To Wine Story? – A Sermon On John 2:1-11
So what do you make of today’s gospel (John 2:1-11)? Did Jesus really turn water into wine? If so, how did he do that? And what do we have to do to get a refill? I think those are the kind of...
View ArticleIt’s A Question Of Consistency – A Sermon On Luke 4:14-21
One of the things I’ve always tried to be with you is consistent. I want who you get on Sunday to be who you get on Monday, Tuesday, the day after, and the one after that. I want what you see in and...
View ArticleKeeping Our Appointment With Life – A Sermon On Luke 2:22-40
“Shut up. Suit up. Show up.” Those six words are the daily mantra of a psychologist named James Hollis. He says them to himself as he rides the elevator down to his car each morning. (Hollis, Living...
View ArticleIt’s Not About The Fish – A Sermon On Luke 5:1-11
For as long as I can remember, whenever I’ve come to today’s gospel (Luke 5:1-11) my focus has always been on the great catch of fish – two boatloads of fish. That’s a lot of fish – so many fish the...
View ArticleBlessings, Woes, And A Level Place – A Sermon On Luke 6:17-26
One of the things I struggle with is my sense of privilege, power, and position. I don’t miss a meal unless I choose to. I can pay my bills on time and still have a little money left over at the end of...
View ArticleTaking The Gospel To Heart – A Sermon On Luke 6:27-38
Today’s gospel (Luke 6:27-38) is one of those texts that some say preaches itself. The text itself is the sermon. It’s even called the Sermon on the Plain in recognition that Jesus “stood on a level...
View ArticleLife Transfigured, Life Disfigured – A Sermon On Luke 9:28-43
“Life is so beautiful. Life is so hard.” That’s a phrase the author Kate Bowler often uses. It’s a reality we’ve all experienced. It’s a truth today’s gospel (Luke 9:28-43) holds before us. It’s not...
View ArticleRethinking Ash Wednesday And Lent – A Sermon On Isaiah 58:1-12
Years ago I heard a story about a priest who went to a new parish. I don’t know if it really happened; it probably didn’t, but I think there’s some truth in the story. Anyway, the priest was meeting...
View ArticleThe Decisive Moments – A Sermon On Luke 4:1-13
Decisive Moments When you look back on your life what have been some of the decisive moments? I’m not asking about the routine decisions and choices we make every day. I’m asking about those decisions...
View ArticleThe Clarity To Be All In – A Sermon On Luke 13:31-35
Last Sunday I spoke about the decisive moments in our lives. You may remember that I distinguished them from the routine and ordinary decisions we make every day. They are the kind of decisions that...
View ArticleAsking A Better Question – A Sermon On Luke 13:1-19 And Exodus 3:1-15
The Why Question Years ago I was talking with John, one of my best friends. I was telling him about something that had happened to me. I no longer remember what it was but I vividly remember wanting to...
View ArticleNo More Write Offs – A Sermon On Luke 15:1-3, 11-32
Last week I received an email from a woman who said she was unable to keep our appointment. It was the second time that had happened. I know from our first meeting a couple of months ago that she’s...
View ArticleLoving Each Other Into The Future – A Sermon On John 12:1-8
By now many of you have heard that Tom died Wednesday afternoon. He was one of the great men in this parish and town. His wife and children were with him the last few days as he was crossing over....
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