Sermon Audio 10/23/2022, 20th Sunday after Pentecost C

Hope Lutheran Church, Saint Paul (in person and live on Zoom)

 

Lectionary 30 / 20th Sunday after Pentecost, Revised Common Lectionary Year C

 

Luke 18:9-14

The prayers of the Pharisee and the tax collector can tell us a lot about ourselves and how we relate to God and one another.  

 

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Sermon Audio 10/25/2020, Reformation Sunday

 Hope Lutheran Church, Saint Paul

(gathered via Zoom for live online worship)

 

Reformation Sunday, Lectionary Year A

 

John 8:31-36

 

The freedom we receive in Christ is freedom to love and serve our neighbors. 

 

To hear this podcast: listen here, use this link, or use iTunes or Google Play Music to subscribe or listen by searching "Tengwall," or find it on Spotify by searching "Reverend Killjoy."

Sermon Audio 10/11/2020, 19th Sunday after Pentecost A

Hope Lutheran Church, Saint Paul

(gathered via Zoom for live online worship)

 

Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost, Lectionary Year A

 

Mark 4:26-34

One of Jesus' most frightening parables, paired with one of Isaiah's most beautiful visions for the Reign of God: somehow this helps me understand why people in power may need not be afraid of those they oppress. 

 

To hear this podcast: listen here, use this link, or use iTunes or Google Play Music to subscribe or listen by searching "Tengwall," or find it on Spotify by searching "Reverend Killjoy." 

Sermon Audio 10/28/2018, Reformation Sunday

Hope Lutheran Church, Saint Paul

Reformation Sunday

John 8:31-36

To hear this podcast: listen here, use this link, or use iTunes or Google Play Music to subscribe or listen by searching "Tengwall." 

Hello! I haven't been posting my sermons - or anything else - since I came to Saint Paul. I will probably start to do so again soon. Right now I'm still trying to figure out how best to balance my time between pastoring Hope, starting a new congregation, and keeping my home and family life together. Pro tip: don't move across the country, start new jobs, buy a house and two cars, and start new schools and daycares all at the same time unless you really, really need to do so.

Anyway, on to this week's sermon. Other pastors - even Lutheran ones - undoubtedly preached better sermons against Christian anti-Semitism this weekend in response to the murders of eleven people at Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh on Saturday. Still, this is my sermon attempting to grapple with Lutheran history and biblical interpretation in light of the current moment. The congregation seemed to appreciate it (if not exactly "like" it), and a number inquired about the book I recommended, Mary Solberg's A Church Undone.

For what has God in Christ set us free? This is the question we followers of Jesus wrestle with on days like this, when we are keenly aware of our Lutheran heritage and the effects of bad theology and biblical interpretation upon innocent people in today's world.