Recent Sermons
“But to what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the market-places and calling to one another, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we wailed, and you did not mourn.’ For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon’; the Son…
The same night [Jacob] got up and took his two wives, his two maids, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. He took them and sent them across the stream, and likewise everything that he had. Jacob was left alone; and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. When the man saw that…
Today is Pentecost Sunday – symbolized with the color red, with fire, proclaiming the power of the Holy Spirit. Rather than read the somewhat lengthy scripture passage traditionally associated with this Sunday, I want to offer a quick Pentecost primer: During this Jewish feast, celebrated fifty days after Passover, pilgrims came to Jerusalem from all…
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will…
“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber; but he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens; the sheep hear his voice, and…
There’s a poem by Gerard Manley Hopkins. It includes the line “Easter in us…” It’s really a prayer. The word “Easter” which is normally a noun is used as a verb. Easter in us. Let Easter get into us. Let Easter come alive where we live. Let it permeate our souls. It sounds strange,…
When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side.…
When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. They had been saying to one another, “Who will…
The scripture reading assigned for today, Palm or Passion Sunday, is very long. It’s actually the entire passion story as told in the Gospel of Matthew – the Last Supper, Jesus’ betrayal and desertion, his arrest and trial, and finally his crucifixion. This morning I’m going to focus on one particular aspect of that…
Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son…