[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…]
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…]
Audio Link Matthew 10:40-42 In today’s reading, the NRSV translation you heard today, chose to use the word “welcome” in verse 40. “Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. [1]After doing some digging into the Greek and looking at several other English translations, I just don’t … [Read more…]
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…]
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…]
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…]
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…]
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…]
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…]
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…]