A sermon on Acts 9: 1-20 Most people want to make Saul the hero of this story. After all, he turns from being a wicked persecutor to a champion for Jesus in the end. But I always want to lift up Ananias, who goes to help Saul, at risk to his own life, just because a voice from heaven told him to. Do some of the things Jesus asks you to do … [Read more...]
Obeying God
April 28, 2022
A sermon on Acts 5: 27-39 So after worship this Sunday, one of our regulars said that this was the closest to a "fire and brimstone" sermon he'd ever heard me preach - and he liked it! Wow! And all I said was that one of our responsibilities when we choose to follow Jesus is radical obedience - even when it's hard. Yep, I guess that's pretty … [Read more...]
Who’s the Messenger?
April 28, 2022
An Easter sermon on Luke 24: 1-12 God had big plans for Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James and the other women who went to Jesus’ tomb one dark morning millennia ago. They were the messengers! They were the first to learn of Jesus’ resurrection – they were tasked to tell the news to all the world – they went running back … [Read more...]
Celebrating Lent
April 28, 2022
A sermon on Luke 19: 28-40 It's Palm Sunday! For those in the Christian "know" Jesus came into town on a donkey and the people waved palms celebrating his arrival. Are we allowed to celebrate during the serious, solemn season of Lent? This week's sermon is a monologue from one of the Pharisees in the crowd. Enjoy this original imagination … [Read more...]
There’s always something
March 18, 2022
a sermon on Luke 9: 28-43 We have these exceptional mountaintop experiences and then something happens and we're cast back down into the valley again. That's ok, because it turns out Jesus does his best work in the valley. Listen to this whole sermon on the transfiguration here. … [Read more...]
Prophesy Lent
March 16, 2022
a sermon on Luke 13: 31-35 In this text, Jesus is warned that Herod wants to kill him, and he seems to tempt fate, by telling his friends that he's not stopping what he's doing and on his way to Jerusalem. It must have frustrated the people who made the dangerous journey to warn him. I think they likely misunderstood his bravado in the face … [Read more...]
An Opportune Time
March 16, 2022
a sermon on Luke 9: 28-43 "I refuse to preach a sad Lent!" I'm not sure that's really a Lenten theme or just a promise to myself. There's so much sadness in the world already, that it seemed more appropriate to preach an active Lent -- a Lent where we do things despite or even to help with the sad things in the world as we turn our attention … [Read more...]
Are You Sure?
February 9, 2022
A sermon monologue on Luke 5: 1-11 Today was not a typical sermon - instead I did a monologue as a person in the boat with Simon when Jesus helped them catch an abundance of fish. Simon was afraid Jesus was there to condemn him, but instead Jesus recruited him - and John and James too. Was there anyone else on those boats who might have been … [Read more...]
Anointed
January 27, 2022
A sermon on Luke 4: 14-21 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor.He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free,19 to … [Read more...]
Saving the Best for Last
January 27, 2022
A sermon on John 2: 1-11 So, who doesn’t want to party with Jesus? Two thousand years before we’re all wearing masks and worrying about whether we can take them off long enough to sip a tiny cup of grape juice, Jesus is whooping it up with his disciples in Cana. I can’t wait until we can do that again. Then – the wine runs out. Now … [Read more...]
