(Sermon preached April 30, 2023). John 10:1-10 is a jumble of mixed metaphors related to shepherding that Jesus’ audience doesn’t understand. Midway through the passage, he says, “I am the gate,” which is a challenging metaphor to unpack. Is Jesus the only way into an exclusive community of the saved or are the teaching of Jesus and his example the way of abundant life for all people?
Creation Care = Neighbor Love
(Sermon preached April 23, 2023) Galatians 5:13-15 may not be the most obvious text for an Earth Day Sermon, and yet, when we consider the impact of our practices of consumption and production we learn that it is the most vulnerable people that suffer the consequences. Every act, large or small, that we do in care of creation, is an act of neighbor love.
Easter Sunday
(Sermon preached April 9, 2023) Resurrection is more than an event that we celebrate – it is something we practice daily. In John’s version of the story (John 20:1-18), Jesus tells Mary not to hold on to him. With Mary, we are challenged to see the bigger story of how God’s divine love lives on in us!
Where Are You Headed?
(Sermon for Palm Sunday, April 2, 2023) When you read the story of Jesus’ dramatic entry into Jerusalem in Matthew 21:1-11, the appropriate question to ask is “What’s going on?” It’s so much more than a joyous parade. When we step back and ask a few questions about this text we quickly realize that we are being presented with a choice; the choice between violence and nonviolence. Our seeking question is “Where are you headed?” We know where Jesus is headed. Where are YOU headed?
The Raising of Lazarus
(Sermon preached March 25, 2023) John 11:1-45 describes the raising of Jesus’ friend Lazarus. Lazarus has already been dead for four days. What Jesus knows all along is that this is going to be a resurrection story. Believing that Jesus is the resurrection and the life; believing that this is going to be a resurrection story, is the promise that sustains us when we find ourselves entombed by the painful and dark experiences that come our way. We can know that our story will be a resurrection story. We may not know how or when, but we believe. And we can help others believe it as they experience the darkness of the tomb. This is going to be a resurrection story.