Sermons on Abundance
Contentment
Readings: Amos 6:1a, 4-7, Psalm 146, 1 Timothy 6:6-19, Luke 16:19-31 I have a vivid memory of this one morning during seminary. It was during the summer, when I was working in an office. That meant I was answering phones, stuffing envelopes, making copies, that sort of thing. It was a good job, and one that I enjoyed. It was the summer I was finally confident enough that…
Good News
Scripture: Genesis 12:1-4a, Psalm 121, Romans 4:1-5, 13-17, John 3:1-17 This story of Nicodemus and Jesus in the garden–the way Nicodemus seems to have snuck away to see Jesus at night, Jesus’ teachings, this image of two men surrounded by the sounds of crickets and big green trees (fine, that last one’s my own image, and Israel is nothing like that, but…
God our Foundation
Scripture: Jeremiah 23:1-6, Psalm 46, Colossians 1:11-20, Luke 23:33-43 I really wanted to open this sermon with a story. I’m not doing that, obviously; I struggled to find a story that really fit with what I was trying to say about our psalm for today, Psalm 46. It’s a psalm full of big imagery: the mountains are shaking, the ocean is roaring, and kingdoms…
Lost and Found
Scripture Readings: Exodus 32:7-14, Psalm 51:1-10, 1 Timothy 1:12-17, Luke 15:1-10 In our gospel reading today, we have two parables of Jesus about things that are lost. They’re very similar stories, with a person losing something, searching for it, finding it, and finally celebrating its return. In the first, we have a shepherd who is caring for his flock. One of…
Sabbath
Lectionary Texts: Isaiah 58:9b-14; Psalm 103:1-8; Hebrews 12:18-29; Luke 13:10-17 Here Jesus is, in this unidentified synagogue. It’s the sabbath; Jesus was teaching, as He often did, until He saw a woman who was so bent over that she could not stand straight. And so Jesus immediately calls her over and frees her, heals her. The synagogue’s leader was furious…
Letting Go of How-it-was
Lectionary: Joshua 5:9-12, Psalm 32, 2 Corinthians 5:16-21, Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32 Let us pray: Lord God, holy and true, we ask for your presence here. Come among us and speak to us. Show us your will and your way. And may the words of my mouth and the meditations on all our hearts be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer. In your holy name we pray, Amen.…
Letting Go of Indulgence
Lectionary: Isaiah 55:1-9, Psalm 63:1-8, 1 Corinthians 10:1-13, Luke 13:1-9 Let us pray: Lord God Almighty, be with us this morning as we hear your Word. Speak to us; show us what we need to hear. Bless our understanding; send us out from worship to do your will. In your name we pray, Amen. Letting Go of Indulgence “You deserve this!” I saw the slogan on a…
Letting Go of Fear
Lectionary Readings: Deuteronomy 26:1-11; Psalm 91:1-2, 9-16; Romans 10:8b-13; Luke 4:1-13 Let us pray: Lord, speak to us this morning through your Word, we pray. Send your Holy Spirit to this place to remind us of your truth. Be with us. We pray together in your holy name, Amen. Letting Go of Fear I don’t know about all of you, but I am loving this trend where…
Good News??
Lectionary readings: Zephaniah 3:14-20, Isaiah 12:2-6, Philippians 4:4-7, Luke 3:7-18 Let us pray: Lord, prepare the way for your coming. Prepare our hearts and our world. Speak truth to us, that we may see you coming. And may the words of my mouth and the meditations on all our hearts be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer. Amen. Good News?? I think…
Wisdom
Lectionary: Jeremiah 11:18-20; Psalm 54; James 3:13-4:3, 7-8a; Mark 9:30-37 Let us pray: Lord, bless our hearing of Scripture this morning, so that you can speak to each of us what we need to hear. And may the words of my mouth and the meditations on all our hearts be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer. Amen. Wisdom “Who is wise and…
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