Category: Sermons

This sermon was first preached at Faith Lutheran Church in Joliet on July 4, 2021. Relevant lectionary readings can be found here. In the secular calendar today we commemorate the 4th of July, a day many of us celebrate the founding of our “home” here in the United States. This is a day where we […]

This sermon was first preached for an online service of Tualatin Presbyterian Church on Sunday, June 13, 2021. Relevant lectionary readings can be found here. Hmmmmmm. How can we explain the Reign of God? What is it like? The Reign of God is like….how many of you are gardeners? Or have done landscaping? We recently […]

This sermon was first preached for an online service of Mosaic Lutheran Church on May 9, 2021. Relevant lectionary readings can be found here. Grace and peace are yours from the resurrected Christ. Amen. It is so good to be with you all, virtually, this morning. I have heard a lot about this congregation and […]

This sermon was first preached at an online service for St. John’s Wilmette on April 18, 2021. Relevant lectionary readings can be found here. It had only been about three days since they arrested Jesus. At least I think it was three days. Four? Time moves so differently now. And these last few days…they were […]

This sermon was first preached for an online service of New Life on April 11, 2020. Relevant lectionary readings here. I invite you to take a deep breath. (breathe) Feel the air coming in through your nose. Feel your lungs expand. Notice the rising of your chest or belly and the way it softens as […]

This sermon was first preached at an online service of Kindred+ on March 14, 2021. Relevant lectionary texts can be found here. If Jesus had a Twitter account, these verses might count as some of his spiciest subtweets. In the midst of several parables and direct teachings regarding money, Jesus was getting major heat from […]

This sermon was originally preached for an online service of American Lutheran Church Burbank on February 28, 2021. Relevant lectionary readings can be found here. On April 3rd, 1968, in Memphis, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr said:Like anybody, I would like to live a long life – longevity has its place. But I’m […]

This sermon was first preached for an online service of Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church on February 7, 2021. Relevant lectionary texts here. The woman in this story doesn’t have a name. This isn’t uncommon, unfortunately, with scripture. Women in the Bible are often erased from the narrative entirely or else left unnamed. When […]

This sermon was first written for an online service of Allendale United Methodist Church in St. Petersburg, Florida on January 31, 2021. Relevant lectionary readings can be found here. Buckle up everybody because today we are talking about demons. Reading stories in scripture about unclean spirits or demons can make some of us a little […]

This sermon was originally delivered via online services for Scarsdale Community Church and Spirit of Grace for MLK weekend on the 2nd Sunday after Epiphany. Relevant lectionary readings here. Samuel is curled up in the temple, blanketed in the warm glow of the flames still dancing atop of the oil lamp whose quiet light reflected […]