Sermon Archive

The Millstone Award Text: Mark 9:38-50 There are occasionally certain texts and stories that come up in the Bible that us preacher types go to great length to avoid. Let’s be honest. They can be difficult sayings, hard stories, or accounts of ancient medical procedures that while interesting for some, might work better as a cure for insomnia for most. Among these readings are ones that are so jarring, so strange, that to simply read them without preaching on them would likely leave everyone scratching their heads. Today is one of those days where one of those hard readings has come up, and really won’t let go… I also find the timing rather interesting… Starting on Wednesday night, I’m leading a series of stand alone studies as an introduction to the Bible. Each night will be a different theme, doing what is essentially a broad overview on what the Bible is, how it has made an impact on society, who them major characters are, languages and translations… At the request of a few people, I...

Text: Mark 9:30-37 As most of you know by now my daughter started school this month for the first time. Tomorrow she actually begins attending classes all day on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Alternating Fridays. Over the past week, they have been doing what they call “graduated entry.” We talked with her new teacher. We saw the classroom, while a teaching assistant asked Megan to play with a number of different things. Being the son of teachers, it was obvious that they were trying to figure out where Megan is developmentally… but to Megan, she was just having fun. Our teacher shared with us that much of the early part of the school year is simply getting the children used to the routine. Not the least of this is the whole idea of lining up… waiting one’s turn… A lot of this stuff we tend to take for granted, but in order for the class to work, these basic skills are needed from the get go. It’s amazing how quickly we forget. Maybe because as adults we look patronizingly ...

Genesis 37:2ff ~ The story of Joseph and his family This Rally Sunday, we gather once more, returning from summer for what is in store. The children return to their schools once again, and parents celebrate, but sadness we feign. For now we come back to our everyday routines, back from the cottage to those familiar scenes. Today here in church, it is much the same, but hopefully we worship with renewed aim. We’ve listened to a tale, in words that are said. We heard Joseph’s story, and now we are lead To contemplate, through these words that rhyme How Joseph’s story is like yours and mine: Fathers and brothers, sisters and mothers; Me, my cats, my rabbits, and others. Grandmas and uncles, aunts and cousins; Family members by the dozens. How many people live with you? Eleven or twelve; or one or two? Joseph lived with many others. Joseph, we know, had eleven brothers! Their names were: Levi, Asher, and Dan, Judah, Gad, and Simeon. Reuben, Issachar, and Benjamin. Naphtali, and Zebulun. Bu...

When the Gospel goes to the Dogs Mark 7:24-30 In one of my Biblical research books, there is a printed warning in distinctive red letters that says “Beware of finding a Jesus entirely congenial to you.” There is a real temptation to try to create Jesus in our own image, being for us the representation of our own ideals. We tend to downplay any stories of Jesus that we might think of Jesus being unpleasant. For those who embraced the Temperance movement in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, there was a flat-out denial that Jesus actually drank wine… they came up with these acrobatics explaining that it was in fact grape juice… or that the miracle at Cana wasn’t truly wine either. Others don’t like the reality that Jesus got very angry, threw stuff about, and turned over the tables over in the Temple. After all, how many of us would get away with that here? Then there is this morning’s story from Mark. The story we heard doesn’t seem to fit with the compassionate, open, loving and c...