How can these things be?, 2 Lent (A) – 2014
March 16, 2014 Genesis 12:1-4a; Psalm 121; Romans 4:1-5, 13-17; John 3:1-17 A question that must echo through the centuries is this: Did Nicodemus ever get it? Did this righteous, sober, pious man ever...
View ArticleThe big surprise, 3 Lent (A) – 2014
March 23, 2014 Exodus 17:1-7; Psalm 95; Romans 5:1-11; John 4:5-42 The story we just heard about Jesus talking with a Samaritan woman at the well outside Sychar is a story full of surprises. The first...
View ArticleWashing in the life-giving water, 4 Lent (A) – 2014
March 30, 2014 1 Samuel 16:1-13; Psalm 23; Ephesians 5:8-14; John 9:1-41 Lent draws the faithful – sometimes kicking and screaming – to a period of spiritual preparation and renewal in anticipation of...
View ArticleThe waiting is the hardest part, 5 Lent (A) – 2014
April 6, 2014 Ezekiel 37:1-14; Psalm 130; Romans 8:6-11; John 11:1-45 Friends, we are almost there. We have been on this Lenten road since Ash Wednesday: about 28 of our 40 days. We are in the home...
View ArticleWalk through Holy Week with Jesus, Palm Sunday (A) – 2014
April 13, 2014 Isaiah 50:4-9a; Psalm 31:9-16; Philippians 2:5-11; Matthew 26:14- 27:66 or Matthew 27:11-54 What does it feel like to have less than a week to live? That’s the situation in which Jesus...
View ArticleOur mandate for this day: Love one another, Maundy Thursday (A,B,C) – 2014
April 17, 2014 Exodus 12:1-4, (5-10), 11-14; Psalm 116:1, 10-17; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; John 13:1-17, 31b-35 The ancient designation of this day, this night, is “Maundy,” a form of the word “mandate.”...
View ArticleGod’s Passion, our passion, Good Friday (A,B,C) – 2014
April 18, 2014 Isaiah 52:13-53:12; Psalm 22; Hebrews 10:16-25 or Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9; John 18:1-19:42 Each year, year after year after year, Christians gather on Good Friday to rehearse this story –...
View ArticleGood News in the ashes, Ash Wednesday (A,B,C) – 2015
February 18, 2015 Joel 2:1-2,12-17 or Isaiah 58:1-12; Psalm 103 or Psalm 103:8-14; 2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10; Matthew 6:1-6,16-21 There’s something compelling about Ash Wednesday, something that draws...
View ArticleWashed with holy love, Maundy Thursday (A,B,C) – 2015
April 2, 2015 Exodus 12:1-4, (5-10), 11-14; Psalm 116:1, 10-17; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; John 13:1-17, 31b-35 The disciples are gathered in the upper room for supper. Passover was beginning soon, and...
View ArticleThe blues moan in the gospel shout, Good Friday (A,B,C) – 2015
April 3, 2015 Isaiah 52:13-53:12; Psalm 22; Hebrews 10:16-25 or Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9; John 18:1-19:42 Take up your cross, the Savior said, if you would my disciple be. Well, today we see what that...
View ArticleEngaging Lent, Lent 1(A) – March 5, 2017
[RCL] Genesis 2:15-17, 3:1-7; Psalm 32; Romans 5:12-19; Matthew 4:1-11 As Lent means Spring in Old English it for sure favors the later Lent timeline of this year; it is always strange when the season...
View ArticleDigging Into Our Certainty, Lent 2(A) – March 12, 2017
[RCL] Genesis 12:1-4a; Psalm 121; Romans 4:1-5, 13-17; John 3:1-17 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal...
View ArticleTrust in God’s Love, Lent 3(A) – March 19, 2017
[RCL] Exodus 17:1-7; Psalm 95; Romans 5:1-11; John 4:5-42 What follows is largely based on the teachings of esteemed New Testament scholar John Knox, who wrote extensively about the context of today’s...
View ArticleLight! Lent 4(A) – March 26, 2017
[RCL] 1 Samuel 16:1-13; Psalm 23; Ephesians 5:8-14; John 9:1-41 The gospels need to be approached as a sort of unfolding – the unfolding of who Jesus is and what that can mean about who we are called...
View ArticleIn Trust and Hope, Lent 5(A) – April 2, 2017
[RCL] Ezekiel 37:1-14; Psalm 130; Romans 8:6-11; John 11:1-45 These long readings from John’s Gospel during Lent have a depth and a power to them that can reach to the very core of our lives. Today we...
View ArticleHow can these things be?, 2 Lent (A) – 2014
March 16, 2014 Genesis 12:1-4a; Psalm 121; Romans 4:1-5, 13-17; John 3:1-17 A question that must echo through the centuries is this: Did Nicodemus ever get it? Did this righteous, sober, pious man ever...
View ArticleThe big surprise, 3 Lent (A) – 2014
March 23, 2014 Exodus 17:1-7; Psalm 95; Romans 5:1-11; John 4:5-42 The story we just heard about Jesus talking with a Samaritan woman at the well outside Sychar is a story full of surprises. The first...
View ArticleWashing in the life-giving water, 4 Lent (A) – 2014
March 30, 2014 1 Samuel 16:1-13; Psalm 23; Ephesians 5:8-14; John 9:1-41 Lent draws the faithful – sometimes kicking and screaming – to a period of spiritual preparation and renewal in anticipation of...
View ArticleThe waiting is the hardest part, 5 Lent (A) – 2014
April 6, 2014 Ezekiel 37:1-14; Psalm 130; Romans 8:6-11; John 11:1-45 Friends, we are almost there. We have been on this Lenten road since Ash Wednesday: about 28 of our 40 days. We are in the home...
View ArticleWalk through Holy Week with Jesus, Palm Sunday (A) – 2014
April 13, 2014 Isaiah 50:4-9a; Psalm 31:9-16; Philippians 2:5-11; Matthew 26:14- 27:66 or Matthew 27:11-54 What does it feel like to have less than a week to live? That’s the situation in which Jesus...
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