The texts for Sunday, April 15, 2012 (Holy Humour Sunday): Acts 4:32–35; Psalm 133; 1 John 1:1—2:2; John 20:19–31 … After all, Jesus is risen! Death doesn’t get the final word! Life —abundant, joyful, generous, gracious, flawed and messy —LIFE overflows out of the empty tomb out of every crack in the side walk outContinueContinue reading “Lighten up!”
Author Archives: jabbokdawn
The Bravery of Doubt
The texts for Sunday, April 15, 2012: Acts 4:32–35; Psalm 133; 1 John 1:1—2:2; John 20:19–31. “Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.””- John 20:29 Poor Thomas. Every year, this second Sunday of Easter, Thomas gets heldContinueContinue reading “The Bravery of Doubt”
Off the Cliff
The texts for Sunday, April 8, 2012 (Easter Sunday): Isaiah 25:6–9; Psalm 118:1–2, 14–24; Acts 10:34–43; Mark 16:1–8 The End. Really? That’s it? “So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.” Period. The end. (No wonder weContinueContinue reading “Off the Cliff”
Waiting for Resurrection
I think my favorite day of Holy Week is Saturday. I love Maundy Thursday and the footwashing and communion shared with a smaller number of people in the dim lighting of the evening, remembering the last night that all the disciples were together with Jesus at the meal. I am always moved, transformed, convicted byContinueContinue reading “Waiting for Resurrection”
God’s “Answer”
The texts for Good Friday, April 6, 2012: Isaiah 52:13-53:12; Psalm 22; Hebrews 10:16-25; Mark 14-15:47 … Why doesn’t God just come and make everything right? It’s a question that we sometimes ask when things are going horribly wrong in our lives or when we hear about terrible things going on in the world aroundContinueContinue reading “God’s “Answer””
Earthy Spirituality
The texts for Maundy Thursday, April 5, 2012: Exodus 12:1-14, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, John 13:1-17, 31b-35 …Our faith is earthy. Here we have the heart of our Christian practice together— meal sharing and serving one another by washing each other’s feet. You can’t get more earthy than that. You can’t get more connected to theContinueContinue reading “Earthy Spirituality”
Resurrection
The texts for Sunday, April 8,2012 (Easter): Isaiah 25:6–9; Psalm 118:1–2, 14–24; Acts 10:34–43; Mark 16:1–8 “I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD.” – Psalm 118:17 Every year around Easter, there are all sorts of interesting arguments put forward about whether Jesus was really raised from the dead andContinueContinue reading “Resurrection”
Fully Human
The texts for Sunday, April 1, 2012 (Palm/Passion Sunday): Isaiah 50:4–9a; Psalm 31:9–16; Philippians 2:5–11; and Mark 11:1-11 “who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness.” – Philippians 2:6-7ContinueContinue reading “Fully Human”
Dissonance
The texts for Sunday, April 1, 2012 (Palm/Passion Sunday): Isaiah 50:4–9a; Psalm 31:9–16; Philippians 2:5–11; and Mark 11:1-11 Audio of sermon: Palm-Passion-B.2012 … The music: the tones and harmonies and melodies communicate in complex yet seemingly simple ways the tone of each service, each movement in Holy Week each part of the drama of theContinueContinue reading “Dissonance”
about: power
The texts for Sunday, March 25, 2012: Jeremiah 31:31-34; Psalm 51:1-12; Hebrews 5:5-10; and John 12:20-33 The ability to dominate, to control, to destroy, to hurt, to kill is often perceived as power. As real strength. We certainly measure the strength of our country this way: the strength of our military might the strength it has to kill others,ContinueContinue reading “about: power”
Confessions of a Lousy Gardener
A friend of mine asked me to help her learn to garden. I honestly have mixed feelings about this. Not because I’m not excited that she wants to learn to garden—I am. Not because I don’t love helping people garden—I do. Not because I’m not excited about helping her learn to garden—I very much am.ContinueContinue reading “Confessions of a Lousy Gardener”
Saved from Death
The texts for Sunday, March 25, 2012: Jeremiah 31:31-34; Psalm 51:1-12; Hebrews 5:5-10; and John 12:20-33 “In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.” – Hebrews 5:7ContinueContinue reading “Saved from Death”
Nicene Creed: Mind Words
Texts: 1 Kings 3:3-15, Mark 12:29-30, The Nicene Creed Grace to you and peace from God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. ‘Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all yourContinueContinue reading “Nicene Creed: Mind Words”
Whine!
The texts for Sunday, March 18, 2012: Numbers 21:4-9; Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22; Ephesians 2:1-10; and John 3:14-21 “The people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned by speaking against the LORD and against you; pray to the LORD to take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.” – Numbers 21:7ContinueContinue reading “Whine!”
Nicene Creed: Soul Words
Texts: Psalm 42, Mark 12:29-30, The Nicene Creed Grace to you and peace from God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. – Psalm 42:2a ‘Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with allContinueContinue reading “Nicene Creed: Soul Words”
The Main Thing
The texts for Sunday, March 11, 2012 are: Exodus 20:1-17; Psalm 19; 1 Corinthians 1:18-25; John 2:13-22 … These texts that insist again and again that the main thing for us should be God —I am the Lord Your God —You shall have no other gods before me —God’s weakness is greater than human strengthContinueContinue reading “The Main Thing”
Nicene Creed: Heart Words
A sermon/reflection from Wednesday, March 7th, 2012. Texts: John 12:37-43, Mark 12:28-34, The Nicene Creed Grace to you and peace from God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Last Wednesday (if we hadn’t been snow/sleeted/iced out), we would have heard a different text, from Mark actually, that was to frame all of ourContinueContinue reading “Nicene Creed: Heart Words”
Working with our nothing
The texts for Sunday, March 4, 2012: Genesis 17:1–7, 15–16; Psalm 22:23–31; Romans 4:13–25; Mark 8:31–38. … How often in the church do we look for ways that we can be better? Better outreach programs Better ministry programs Better web presence Better use of technology Better teaching programs and classes And yet, we forget thatContinueContinue reading “Working with our nothing”
Jabbok Dawn 