Old Self – New Self, Response in Baptism

Audio Link Jeremiah 20:7-13 Romans 6:1b-11 Matthew 10:24-39 So, you have been baptized into Christ Jesus, do you feel different?  Different than what, would be a good question.  Do you feel different than before you were baptized?  For those that were baptized as an infant, that would be something to hear wouldn’t?  Baptism is a … [Read more…]

Greatest Commandment + Holy Spirit = Great Commission

Audio Link Genesis 1:1–5, Genesis 1:26-2:4a 2 Corinthians 13:11–13 Matthew 28:16–20 I have not done this before but today, I want you to pull out pens or pencils and write something on your bulletins.  Write it in a place that you can see, so you can take this with you, maybe even tape it to … [Read more…]

Are We Wasting the Greatest Resource Ever?

As I have been reading the texts this week out of the Revised Common Lectionary in preparation for the upcoming sermon, I have been listening to music in the background.  A song that I used in a sermon a couple of months ago, more as a side note, keeps coming up for me to hear. … [Read more…]

Are we satisfied?

I have started a new practice of reading a Psalm every morning.  I choose from different versions of Bibles.  Sometimes the NRSV,  The Message and I choose others as well.  I am very fortunate to have Logos Bible Software and have so many Bibles available to me. Today I was looking at Psalm 4 from … [Read more…]

Who is Life and What is Life?

Audio Link Acts 2:42–47 Psalm 23:1-6 1 Peter 2:19–25 John 10:1–11 Who or what is life giving?  In all reality, there is only one thing that is life giving, isn’t there?  We as Christians would say God incarnate, Jesus the Christ, the Word who has been before the beginning and is still here today, is … [Read more…]

Fear and Love

Audio Link Acts 2:14a Acts 2:36–41 Psalm 116:1–4 Psalm 116:12–19 1Peter 1:17–23 John 20:19–31 I have secrets and do not care to share them. I have had secrets that I dare not share at the time. Some secrets we have may be related to self-perception. Some related to others perception of us. Some are grounded … [Read more…]

He is risen!

                He has risen! What a great season to be in, the church year of Easter and the season of spring. Both offer life in their coming. Spring, we begin to see the awaking of life that has been dormant over winter. Yes, this long long long long … [Read more…]

Gone!

He was taken from us, why did this happen!? God, Jesus said He was Your Son.  If that were so, then why did You let Him die?  Why God, why have you forsaken Your Son?  If Him, then what about us? Jesus, King of the Jews, Son of man, Son of the living God, has … [Read more…]

Silence

Jesus of Nazareth has been taken from us!  We just broke bread together and shared in drink.  Now He has been betrayed and taken away.  We are scattered and scared, not knowing what will come of this. We are in silence, in hiding for our own fear of what will happen next.  Will they punish … [Read more…]