Lutheran Church of the Savior, Kalamazoo
2nd Sunday after Christmas, Lectionary Year A
John 1:1-18
On this Sunday of Twelfth Night, I had the privilege of sharing my sermon with Rev. Sarah Friesen-Carper, the North/West Lower Michigan Synod of the ELCA's Assistant to the Bishop for Congregational and Leadership Excellence, and also my amazing wife. We talked about Epiphany traditions. Some of these traditions may seem at first to be quaint or silly, but if you understand them, they can show forth the good news about God's love in Jesus Christ. Did you know the song The Twelve Days of Christmas was secretly an illegal Catholic catechetical text? Also, check out my impassioned plea for more worship outdoors around a fire at night.
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Sermon Audio 12/24/2013
Lutheran Church of the Savior, Kalamazoo
Nativity of Our Lord - Christmas Eve A
Luke 2:1-20
Every year we gather on Christmas Eve to celebrate the birth of Jesus, so you'd think we'd have it all figured out by now, but I have a few questions: What, specifically, is the "good news of great joy for all the people?" Why does the answer to that question matter so much to me, personally? Why have we been doing yoga on Wednesdays for the past few weeks and calling it worship? What does "faith in God" even mean? You know, it's Christmas eve, so I figured I should just keep it light and simple, a goal at which I seem to have pretty obviously failed. Oh well. It turns out the birth of Jesus brings me back to the very foundations of my faith.
I'm usually pretty skeptical of Christmas Eve sermons, but I admit I'm really quite proud of this one, and I hope you'll check it out.
Nativity of Our Lord - Christmas Eve A
Luke 2:1-20
Every year we gather on Christmas Eve to celebrate the birth of Jesus, so you'd think we'd have it all figured out by now, but I have a few questions: What, specifically, is the "good news of great joy for all the people?" Why does the answer to that question matter so much to me, personally? Why have we been doing yoga on Wednesdays for the past few weeks and calling it worship? What does "faith in God" even mean? You know, it's Christmas eve, so I figured I should just keep it light and simple, a goal at which I seem to have pretty obviously failed. Oh well. It turns out the birth of Jesus brings me back to the very foundations of my faith.
I'm usually pretty skeptical of Christmas Eve sermons, but I admit I'm really quite proud of this one, and I hope you'll check it out.
Sermon Audio 12/22/2013
Lutheran Church of the Savior, Kalamazoo
Fourth Sunday of Advent, Lectionary Year A
Matthew 1:18-25
Matthew's version of the birth of Jesus is light on details. Jesus was a normal-enough baby, born to a normal-enough family, and somehow God uses these utterly common people - Mary and Joseph - to save the world.
Fourth Sunday of Advent, Lectionary Year A
Matthew 1:18-25
Matthew's version of the birth of Jesus is light on details. Jesus was a normal-enough baby, born to a normal-enough family, and somehow God uses these utterly common people - Mary and Joseph - to save the world.
Thursday, December 19, 2013
Sermon Audio 12/8/2013
Lutheran Church of the Savior, Kalamazoo
Second Sunday of Advent, Lectionary Year A
Isaiah 11:1-10
"A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots." The story of the life of Christian faith is the story of death paradoxically leading to new life. From an old pizza pan to a revered world leader to Jesus himself, death leads to new life.
Second Sunday of Advent, Lectionary Year A
Isaiah 11:1-10
11A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. 2The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. 3His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide by what his ears hear; 4but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. 5Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist, and faithfulness the belt around his loins. 6The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them. 7The cow and the bear shall graze, their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 8The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder’s den. 9They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain; for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.10On that day the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples; the nations shall inquire of him, and his dwelling shall be glorious.
"A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots." The story of the life of Christian faith is the story of death paradoxically leading to new life. From an old pizza pan to a revered world leader to Jesus himself, death leads to new life.
Sermon Audio 12/15/2013
Lutheran Church of the Savior, Kalamazoo
Third Sunday of Advent, Lectionary Year A
Matthew 11:2-11
John the Baptist asks Jesus an impatient question: "Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?" But does John know what he is waiting for? Do we?
Third Sunday of Advent, Lectionary Year A
Matthew 11:2-11
2When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples 3and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” 4Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. 6And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.”
7As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind? 8What then did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes? Look, those who wear soft robes are in royal palaces. 9What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10This is the one about whom it is written, ‘See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’ 11Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
John the Baptist asks Jesus an impatient question: "Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?" But does John know what he is waiting for? Do we?
Sunday, December 1, 2013
Sermon Audio 12/1/2013
Lutheran Church of the Savior, Kalamazoo
First Sunday of Advent, Lectionary Year A
Romans 13:8-14
The new church year starts off with a bang, as we wait for Jesus to return by acting as if he's already here. I talk a lot about the reign of Christ, but it occurs to me that people might just as reasonably think I'm saying "rain of Christ." R-E-I-G-N, reign. Got that? OK, good.
First Sunday of Advent, Lectionary Year A
Romans 13:8-14
The new church year starts off with a bang, as we wait for Jesus to return by acting as if he's already here. I talk a lot about the reign of Christ, but it occurs to me that people might just as reasonably think I'm saying "rain of Christ." R-E-I-G-N, reign. Got that? OK, good.
Sermon Audio 11/27/2013
Lutheran Church of the Savior, Kalamazoo
Thanksgiving Eve Worship, Lectionary Year C
John 6:24-35
Eucharist is the fancy church word that means "thanksgiving," so when we celebrate the sacrament at our Thanksgiving Eve worship, the sermon practically writes itself!
Thanksgiving Eve Worship, Lectionary Year C
John 6:24-35
Eucharist is the fancy church word that means "thanksgiving," so when we celebrate the sacrament at our Thanksgiving Eve worship, the sermon practically writes itself!
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