cross – Jabbok Dawn

Who is this master?

The texts for Sunday, November 16, 2014 (23rd Sunday after Pentecost): Zephaniah 1:7, 12–18; Psalm 90:1–8[9–11] 12; 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11; and Matthew 25:14–30. Link to the audio file of the sermon: Sermon on the Master and three slaves **Most of the sermon was preached without manuscript. In this sermon, I compare Mary’s Magnificat and the God that she describes there withContinueContinue reading “Who is this master?”

Drawing Near to Jesus

The texts for Sunday, October 21, 2012 (Lectionary 29): Isaiah 53:4–12; Psalm 91:9–16; Hebrews 5:1–10; and Mark 10:35–45. “Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve. You don’t have to know aboutContinueContinue reading “Drawing Near to Jesus”

The Way of the Cross

The texts for Sunday September 16, 2012 (Lection 24): Isaiah 50:4–9a; Psalm 116:1–9; James 3:1–12; and Mark 8:27–38. “He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save theirContinueContinue reading “The Way of the Cross”

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””

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”

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 seemContinueContinue reading “Taking Up Your Cross”