The Power of God

The texts for Sunday, March 11, 2012 are: Exodus 20:1-17; Psalm 19; 1 Corinthians 1:18-25; John 2:13-22 "For God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God's weakness is stronger than human strength." -1 Corinthians 1:18-25 "It is said that [the Devil] deploys extreme and exquisite cunning to foil God’s power and goodness and toContinue reading "The Power of God"

Taking Up Your Cross

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. I confess that I cringe when I read this gospel text. I've rarely heard a piece of scripture that is more frequently misused than this passage. And worse— these words are said to come straight from Jesus and seemContinue reading "Taking Up Your Cross"

Dancing Dust

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. "Indeed, all who sleep in the earth shall bow down in worship; all who go down to the dust, though they be dead, shall kneel before the LORD. Their descendants shall serve the LORD, whom they shall proclaim toContinue reading "Dancing Dust"

Biblical Preaching

The texts for Sunday, February 26, 2012: Genesis 9:8-17; Psalm 25:1-10; 1 Peter 3:18-22; and Mark 1:9-15 Note:  the sermon is only loosely based on the texts.  For the season of Lent, we are lifting up different parts of the liturgy and talking about what they are and why we do them.  This sermon focusedContinue reading "Biblical Preaching"

Refracting God’s promises

The texts for Sunday, February 26, 2012: Genesis 9:8-17; Psalm 25:1-10; 1 Peter 3:18-22; and Mark 1:9-15 "I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth." - Genesis 9:13 Hildegaard von Bingen is one of my favourite church ancestors. She is theContinue reading "Refracting God’s promises"

Glory Ungraspable

The texts for Sunday, February 19, 2012: 2 Kings 2:1–12, Psalm 50:1–6, 2 Corinthians 4:3–6, Mark 9:2–9   ... There is a certain tragic edge to glory it seems. As though, we can only seek after it, but in the end we are destroyed in the attempt to attain it. Either that, or only a very few are everContinue reading "Glory Ungraspable"

Moving on—Tears allowed

The texts for Sunday, February 19, 2012: 2 Kings 2:1–12, Psalm 50:1–6, 2 Corinthians 4:3–6, Mark 9:2–9 "But when he could no longer see him, he grasped his own clothes and tore them in two pieces." - 2 Kings 2:12b So, the story goes that Elisha was plowing his field and the prophet Elijah came along and threw hisContinue reading "Moving on—Tears allowed"

Resisting Meaning Making

Text: Job 30:16-31 I find Job a very important book in scripture. It's actually probably the oldest of the books in scripture, and it is a script for a drama—yes, it's a play. The point of Job is to ask the question “Why suffering?” It contradicts everything we tend to want to believe about healthContinue reading "Resisting Meaning Making"

Contagious Wellness

The texts for Sunday, February 12, 2012: 2 Kings 5:1–14; Psalm 30; 1 Corinthians 9:24–27; and Mark 1:40–45. "But he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the word, so that Jesus could no longer go into a town openly, but stayed out in the country; and people came to himContinue reading "Contagious Wellness"

Going to Hell

“The church is going to hell in a handbasket.” This is a phrase I hear periodically. I especially hear it from people who think that the church shouldn't change, that it should have stayed the way it was when they were kids. My response has usually been to try to understand what it is thatContinue reading "Going to Hell"

The Infinite Blue

The texts for February 5, 2012: Isaiah 40:21-31; Psalm 147:1-11, 20c; 1 Corinthians 9:16-23; and Mark 1:29-39.   "but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." -Isaiah 41:31 This is oneContinue reading "The Infinite Blue"

God’s Break(in)g

The texts for Sunday, January 8, 2012: Genesis 1:1–5; Psalm 29; Acts 19:1–7, and Mark 1:4–11. ... In these texts we have a God who doesn't seem overly interested in just making things better by fixing them but it seems like this God is interested in breaking things and making them radically new. Light broke openContinue reading "God’s Break(in)g"

Chaos: God’s favorite material

The featured image is by Shelly Fanguy.  Check out her beautiful work and the wonderful blog of St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Mt Lebanon, Pennsylvania here: Bible 365 at St. Paul's The texts for Sunday, January 8, 2012: Genesis 1:1–5; Psalm 29; Acts 19:1–7, and Mark 1:4–11. "In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, theContinue reading "Chaos: God’s favorite material"

Foolish Wisdom

The texts for Epiphany, January 6, 2011: Isaiah 60: 1-6; Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14; Ephesians 3:1-12; Matthew 2:1-12 ... I've always found the magi such a mysterious group of people these guys show up from the east by the guiding of the star and make their presence known and then disappear into the mists from whichContinue reading "Foolish Wisdom"

Cradling an Unknown Future

The texts for January 1, 2012: Numbers 6:22–27; Psalm 8; Galatians 4:4–7; and Luke 2:21-38. ... It is also maybe why we get sentimentally sappy as the clock strikes midnight and we break out in "Auld lang sine": "We'll take a cup o' kindness yet for old time's sake!" Essentially we are saying good byeContinue reading "Cradling an Unknown Future"

Reflections of the Manger

The texts for Christmas Day, 2011: Isaiah 52:7–10, Psalm 98, Hebrews 1:1–12, and John 1:1–14 Christmas morning—thanks to inspiration from Nadia Bolz-Weber, the House For All Sinners and Saints, and Clayfire, as well as the texts themselves: "The Word became flesh..."—I didn't preach a traditional sermon.  Instead, I introduced the Gospel by restating exactly thatContinue reading "Reflections of the Manger"