God’s Will Accomplished

Audio Recording Sunday, March 22, 2015 | Lent Fifth Sunday in Lent Year B Old Testament       Jeremiah 31:31–34 Psalm                    Psalm 119:9–16 New Testament      Hebrews 5:5–10 Gospel                   John 12:20–33 God works with whatever comes God’s way in order to accomplish God’s will for all … [Read more…]

Into the Wilderness

Audio Version Sunday, February 22, 2015 First Sunday of Lent Genesis 9:8–17 Psalm 25:1–10 1 Peter 3:18–22 Mark 1:9–15 I read the gospel this week and it struck me very starkly about Jesus being driven into the wilderness. When I read this, I had a sense of relief. That may seem a little strange; so … [Read more…]

What We Say and Do, Matters

Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany, Year B Old Testament        Deuteronomy 18:15–20 Psalm                        Psalm 111:1-10 New Testament      1 Corinthians 8:1–13 Gospel                       Mark 1:21–28[1] 11 … so by your knowledge this weak person … [Read more…]

Sowers of Love to All

[youtube:http://youtu.be/Pfm3aRkcb_I] Isaiah 55:10-13 Romans 8:1-11 Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 Whenever I have planted a garden, I am very careful about prepping the soil, adding in fresh soil, compost and other things that will help retain moisture and provide nutrients for the seeds I am about to plant.  Then I till all that together and make nice … [Read more…]

What If?

Audio Version Romans 7:15-25a Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30 What if we follow Jesus, leave our families as He told others, and follow Him. What if we let the dead bury the dead?  There are so many “what ifs” that Jesus presents us.  Today’s reading in Matthew is no different.  What if we recognize the flute being … [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…]

Pentecost: Recovering Our Mission

I was able to attend service back at my home church last weekend.  This was very exciting for our family.  The surroundings just exhilarated us.  The hair on my arms began to stand up and I got a tingle inside of me.  I just knew the Spirit was there and active.  Then when the songs … [Read more…]

The Greatest Resource, Often Goes Unused

Audio Link Acts 17:22–31 1 Peter 3:13–22 John 14:15–21 These days we often hear about conserving our resources.  Stay with renewable resources.  Only use what we have the most of and conserve the rest.  When God created the heavens and the earth, God gave dominion over the earth to humanity.  This was first to Adam … [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…]

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…]