Sermons from 2024
Pruning
5 Easter – April 28, 2024John 15:1-8 We are given two rich pieces of scriptures this morning, the amazing story of the Ethiopian eunuch and the story of the vine and the branches. Jesus is telling us that we are the branches and he is the vine – that we cannot bear fruit by ourselves unless we abide in the vine. It’s a counter cultural message in this age of ‘pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps’ and describing ourselves…
Leading With Our Scars
3 Easter – April 14, 2024Luke 24:36b-48 Last week, we heard about Thomas, his doubts, his questions about the risen Jesus, touching Jesus’ wounds. That was John’s account. This week we hear the story from a slightly different angle, from the writer of Luke. The disciples huddle together behind locked doors, afraid that the authorities will come after them. They struggle to take in these strange reports of “Jesus sightings” and wonder what it all means. Then, suddenly…
The Lord Is My Shepherd
4 Easter – April 21, 2024John 10:11-18 Jesus said, “I am the Good Shepherd”. This usually conjures up, at least for me, comforting thoughts. Like the image of Jesus holding a sheep lovingly and tenderly in his arms. But in actuality, this discourse emerges out of a conflict with the religious authorities in the previous chapter. So, why did Jesus use a shepherd metaphor in his time and place? According to John’s gospel, Jesus had just healed a…
Beloved
1 Lent Year B – February 18, 2024Mark 1:9-15 This Sunday’s gospel consists of three episodes: Jesus’ baptism, his temptation and his inaugural preaching. Mark is brief and to the point. We are now in the church season of Lent, which began this past Wednesday, Ash Wednesday, when I shared about dust. “Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return”. It’s a statement about God’s faithfulness to us, about God’s love for us, God’s promise…
Life in the valley
Last Sunday after the Epiphany: The Transfiguration – Feb 11, 2024Mark 9:2-9 Jesus is transfigured. Moses and Elijah appear and then strangely disappear. Peter is perplexed. James and John are silent. God speaks. The disciples are overcome with awe. Jesus tells them to say nothing about what has happened! Mystery and divine presence are pervasive in our stories for today. So, what is the message for us? On Transfiguration Sunday, we come to the end of another church season,…
Healing and relationship
5 Epiphany – February 4, 2024Mark 1:29-39 Our gospel selection for today has three parts: a healing story, a description of the multitude brought to Jesus and the many who are healed and exorcised, an account of Jesus going to the wilderness to pray and, when found, expresses his resolve to go to proclaim the message in the towns throughout Galilee. The scenes alternate between “private” and “public,” an encounter among a few people in a “house,” then…
Our demons
4 Epiphany Year B – January 28, 2024Mark 1:21-28 So, I think today’s gospel story may be difficult for many of us to relate to. It sounds like an exorcism story and many of us have no direct experience of that. But there is so much we can learn from it. Mark tells this story about unclean spirits, and he tells it up front; in other words, at the very beginning of the Gospel of Mark. Keep in…
Invited and called
3 Epiphany Year B – January 21, 2024Mark 1:14-20 Let me repeat: “Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent and believe in the good news.” The time is fulfilled. The Greek for time here is kairos….meaning this is significant time; the moment of truth; a decisive moment; God’s time. Jesus says the time is fulfilled…
“Vision in the Kitchen”
2 Epiphany – January 14, 2024John 1:43-51 Epiphany is a season of light and revelation, a season of searching, discovering, finding, and knowing. What can we learn from the penetrating and grace-filled vision of God in these days? If Jesus were here right now, looking at what we’re looking at, what would he see? In our reading from John’s Gospel, we encounter a skeptic named Nathanael who thinks he knows exactly who God is and how God operates. Nathaniel…
I See you
Epiphany Year B– January 7, 2024Matthew 2:1-12 Happy New Year! Happy Epiphany! It is the end of our Christmas season and the beginning of church season of Epiphany. A season of recognizing Christ’s surprising appearances or manifestations in our lives. Today we hear the wonderful story of the magi, the wise men, following a star to see the Christ child. It is a story of hope. Hope in the midst of great struggle. Each year, Jan Richardson creates and…