Tag Archives: Year C

Glasses resting on Bible

The Miracle of Being Worthy

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Chatham, N.J.  Readings for the Fifth Sunday after Epiphany: Isaiah 6:1-8, Psalm 138, 1 Corinthians 15:1-11, Luke 5:1-11 There are miracles and then there are miracles. In this passage, the one that is the most obvious is the great catch of

Glasses resting on Bible

This Is Love

A sermon delivered at the Lutherans Concerned/Twin Cities worship service Psalms and Lessons (Series C, Seventh Sunday after Pentecost): Psalm 138, Genesis 18:20-32, Colossians 2:6-15, Luke 11:1-13 Offertory: Psalm 84:3-4 Wrestling with the text “Who decided I should preach on August 17th?” That was my

Glasses resting on Bible

Making Room in God’s Embrace

Faith United Church of Christ, Dayton, Ohio Readings for the Second Sunday after Pentecost: Galatians 3:23-29, Luke 8:26-39 In my first preaching class in seminary, our professor, a dry stoic Dutchman named Syd Greidanus, told us that the best way to start off every sermon

Glasses resting on Bible

Joy in God’s Law?

Holy Trinity Metropolitan Community Church, Edinburgh, Scotland Readings for the Third Sunday after Epiphany: Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10; Psalm 19; Luke 4:14-21 I appreciate that it is a long time since anyone suffered the dubious pleasure of hearing me preach but some of you may

Glasses resting on Bible

Repent, or You’re Going to H-E-Double-Toothpicks

University Temple United Methodist Church, Seattle, Wash. Readings for the Sixth Sunday after Pentecost: Amos 8:1-12, Luke 10:38-42 Repent, or You’re Going to H-E-double-toothpicks. So let’s see if that’s what I’m really getting at today, as we consider again the prophet Amos. As in last

Stained glass window image of Jesus

What Would Jesus Do?

Reading for the 13th Sunday after Pentecost: Luke 14:25-33 Now large crowds were traveling with Jesus; and he turned and said to them, “Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself,

Glasses resting on Bible

The Injustice of Grace

University Baptist Church, Austin, Texas Readings for the 15th Sunday after Pentecost: Jeremiah 8:18-9:1, 1 Timothy 2:1-7, Luke 16:1-13 People usually get what they deserve, don’t you think? Leo Rosten tells the story of two guys, partners in a men’s clothing store, who made a

Two men sitting and waiting

Neighbor as a Verb

Cathedral of Hope MCC, Dallas, Texas Readings for the Fifth Sunday after Pentecost: Deuteronomy 30:9-14, Luke 10:25-37 This morning, our journey through the Bible leads us down a well-worn path. We encounter a story we know as “The Good Samaritan.” Even those unfamiliar with the

Justice

Really? From Judgment to Grace

First Congregational Church of Berkeley, Calif. Readings for Laetare Sunday (Fourth Sunday in Lent): 2 Corinthians 5:16-21, Luke 15:1-3, 11-32 The fourth Sunday in Lent, Laetare Sunday, sometimes called Refreshment Sunday, is supposed to be a bright spot, a moment of relief in the otherwise

Glasses resting on Bible

The Celestine Vision

Fellowship Congregational Church, Tulsa, Okla. Reading for Transfiguration Sunday (Last Sunday after Epiphany): Luke 9:28-36 Early 20th century English writer G. K. Chesterton once defined philosophy as “thinking that had been thought out.” We are influenced, Chesterton went on to say, either by thought that