Sermon for 3rd Sunday after Pentecost – Matthew 10:24-39

We’ve got a lot to argue about these days. Do we still have to hunker down at home, or do we start eating out again? Do we have to wear a mask or not? Do we gather for in-person worship or not? What do we really think of the president? What do we believe about the police? Systemic racism? Is it ever ok to bring any of this up in a sermon? At the end of the day, we all make our choices or answer our calls, I suppose. But not without a cost. We’re exhausted from all this fighting. Every day we witness a new worst case scenario that leaves us cynical. We struggle to hang onto some kind of hope for peace and justice even though we can’t see it right now.

So of course we look to Jesus to reassure us that this is only a passing phase. But Jesus doesn’t seem very reassuring today. He says “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set man against father, daughter against mother. One’s foes will be members of one’s own household.” That doesn’t sound like peace. That sounds like strife. Like Jesus wants us to be a bunch of Pharisees at each others’ throats in the name of some kind of righteousness. In what universe does this jive with what we know about Jesus as the source of forgiveness and community?

Sermon for Lent 1 – Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-70

The creation story raises more questions than it can even pretend to answer. So what do we do with it? This was my attempt to preach from outline, but didn’t quite go according to plan

Sermon for 5th Sunday after Epiphany – Matthew 5:13-20

Jesus says some pretty strange things, but today he says one of the strangest things of all. “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored?” Does that make sense? No. It’s a super stable compound. Salt can’t go stale. It can’t lose its taste. Not that Jesus wants to be a chemistry teacher or anything. So, what does he mean?

Well, let’s start with the context. Jesus is going all around Galilee, teaching and preaching and healing every sickness. He becomes famous, because it’s an epidemic of folks who need miracles. So they start coming out from everywhere. The crowds get bigger. It gets overwhelming, because Jesus never gets a moment to himself. We’d be overwhelmed too. So Jesus goes up a hill to get away. His disciples find him there. And so begins his sermon on the mount. Last week we heard – blessed are the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. Now, this is a controversial sermon, because what Jesus is saying, is that the ones who will inherit the kingdom of God aren’t the rich or powerful, but the poor and powerless, and where does that leave us if we aren’t them?

Sermon for 2nd Sunday of Christmas – Ephesians 1:3-14

So, some of you know I don’t care for sports. Probably because I hated gym class. How many times we had to pick teams. Teacher always picks a couple favorites to be captains. Never a surprise who those kids are, right? So they take turns picking kids, one by one, until guess who’s the only one left. Like usual. Good times! Couple decades of therapy. No big deal! Has this ever happened to you? Doesn’t have to be gym class. Have you ever applied for a job that you didn’t get? Some group that either didn’t let you join or kicked you out? When you find out that your so-called friends are getting together without you? Lots of different situations here. But is there anyone who hasn’t ever felt left out or left behind? So many popularity contests in the course of our lives, and are they ever fair?

Sermon for First Sunday of Christmas – Matthew 2:13-23

Merry Christmas! You know, a lot of folks are surprised to find out that Christmas isn’t just a one day thing. Then again, Christmas is full of surprises. We surprise each other with gifts. We like being surprised by them, unless it’s another ugly sweater. Kids love to open a Nintendo box filled with socks and underwear. Distant friends sometimes drop in for a surprise visit. We get a surprise card from someone we haven’t heard from in years. Surprises can bring a lot of joy. But, the pendulum swings both ways. Surprises can disappoint us or even be very tragic.

Well, how surprising is our gospel for today? I mean, we just celebrated Christmas Eve. Our sanctuary was packed. We listened to Luke’s nativity story in the manger. We gave thanks for the birth of the holy child. We sang Silent Night by candlelight. It was glorious. Sure, the reality wasn’t so glorious. A dirty, smelly manger, noisy animals, childbirth. Mary and Joseph wondering what folks were going to ask when they went back home with a baby. It’s complicated. But it’s still a story that gives us peace, and you’d think that should be enough.

Sermon for First Sunday of Advent – Matthew 24:36-44

“Expecting the unexpected” seems like the gist of what Jesus is talking about in our gospel reading for today. “Therefore be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.” Sounds like an oxymoron. Now, this is just part of a really long conversation between Jesus and his disciples. Way back in verse 3 the disciples ask him “When will this be, and what will be the sign of your coming?” 36 verses and he’s still answering! Hopefully my sermon will be shorter…

“The Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.” What Jesus means is that after crucifixion, death, resurrection, and ascension, he will come again to us. Like we confess in our creed – “he will come again to judge the living and the dead.” Here, Jesus is describing what his second coming will be like. How do we imagine that? Peaceful? But how does Jesus paint it? Terrifying. I mean, he starts with the story of Noah and the flood. That’s controversial. The whole world is full of sin except for Noah, the only righteous person in the entire world. So God strikes out in anger and destroys all humanity with a flood, except for Noah and his family in the ark. God’s judgment like a sledgehammer. So much for forgiveness. Of course, we know the story continues with God promising never again. God gives the rainbow as a sign. But deep down, does that feel like enough? It’s terrifying to think that God has the capacity for such unexpected violence. Who could explain that away?

Sermon for Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost – Luke 14:1, 7-14

So how about that first reading from Proverbs? If only all our readings could be that simple, right? “Do not put yourself forward in the king’s presence or stand in the place of the great; for it is better to be told, “Come up here,” than to be put lower in the presence of a noble.” But you know, context makes all the difference. There’s that gracious king or queen that looks at you and says in this kind and benevolent voice, “come up here.” Good news, right? But then there’s that Game of Thrones kind of ruler that looks at you and yells “COME UP HERE!” Good news? Context makes all the difference.

Especially when it comes to humility. But what does it mean to be humble? Being modest. Downplaying ourselves. Giving others credit first. Are we good at being humble? (SEE WHAT I DID THERE?) Tricky thing. Maybe the instant you start thinking about your own humility, you set yourself up for failure. I confess I do it way more than I want to admit. But enough about me, what do YOU think of me? So the old joke goes. But right there, is humility about what we think, or what others think? Is our humility believable? Context makes all the difference. Sometimes you can tell when someone’s just fishing for compliments or sympathy. Is that humility or manipulation? Sometimes humility turns into self-deprecation, when we genuinely don’t like ourselves very much. We downplay ourselves because it’s so easy to lose touch with our God-given dignity.

Sermon for Sixth Sunday after Pentecost – Genesis 18:1-10a

How’s the weather treating you? Hot? Sticky? Who’s a fan? Who’s not? There’s something about this kind of hot weather that weighs on me after a while. Usually I’m full of energy and hustling on a whole bunch of projects, but right now it’s kind of a monumental effort for me to do anything at all. Which is pretty frustrating, but maybe it’s a good lesson in patience. It won’t be summer forever. Or I hope not! Thanks, global warming! But somehow it kind of makes me picture a city street where you’ve got a row of front porches or stoops where folks are just sort of sitting and watching time pass by. Some folks are fanning themselves. Some are sipping a glass of water or lemonade. Not a lot of energy. Not lot of moving around. Just watching and waiting for something to change. But you kind of get the feeling not much ever changes. Some folks are trying to get work but no one ever calls them back. Some folks wonder when the city is ever going to pave those craters in the street that destroy tires. Some folks wonder about the absentee landlords letting some of the houses sit abandoned for years and invite trouble. A lot of needs that won’t go away. A lot of folks waiting for a change that never seems to happen. After a while you wonder if anyone cares.

And so we have today’s first reading from Genesis. The Lord appeared to Abraham by the oaks of MAMRA, as he sat at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day. Now, that’s actually a weird thing to say, because we think this is actually Hebron in the West Bank of Palestine, and their weather is a little cooler than ours, but let’s go with it anyway. Point being Abraham feels stuck. Worn down. God always making promises but nothing ever changes. So how did Abraham get here?

Sermon for Fifth Sunday after Pentecost – Luke 10:25-37

So, a priest, a Levite, and a Samaritan walk into a bar. Ouch!

Is there a better-known parable than the Good Samaritan? Even folks who have never read the bible seem to know what it means to be a good Samaritan. We’ve got laws named for him. Sometimes when you’re driving on 465, you might see a CVS/Samaritan van pulled over to help out a stranded motorist. But why is this story so popular? Maybe it’s because it sounds like a simple lesson about being a good neighbor. You don’t have to be Christian to know that’s a good idea. But what if there’s more to the story? What if Jesus is talking about something a lot more controversial than just being helpful people? I mean, Mister Rogers was always telling us to help others and no one tried to crucify him, so let’s dig a little deeper into what Jesus is saying.

Sermon for Sixth Sunday of Easter – John 14:23-29

I love bumper stickers. Here’s one of my favorites (VISUALIZE WHIRLED PEAS). Or this one (MY KARMA RAN OVER YOUR DOGMA). Clever, right? I don’t care so much for this one (JESUS IS MY COPILOT). I mean, I think I know what they’re TRYING to say, but what’s a copilot for? When the pilot passes out. YIPES! You stay in your lane way over there, and I’ll stay way over here, and everything will be just fine. Have you ever seen one like this? (I’M NOT PERFECT JUST FORGIVEN) I confess, this one makes me skeptical, like they’d be the most likely one to cut me off in traffic. Now, that’s kind of ironic. For as much as I think and talk about Jesus’ forgiveness, isn’t it weird to feel skeptical when I see this sticker? Why do I feel that way?