Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Mark 16:6 Early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, three women went to the tomb of Jesus. They found the stone rolled away, and the tomb empty.…
Learning from Joseph of Arimathea: My Sermon for Palm Sunday on Mark 15
Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council, who was also himself waiting expectantly for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Mark 15:43 There is so much happening in our worship service today that I thought I would narrow the focus for my sermon, and…
Impatient on the Way: My Sermon on Numbers 21:4-9
From Mount Hor [the Israelites] set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; but the people became impatient on the way. Numbers 21:4-9 If I were to take a poll to determine everyone’s favorite verse of the Bible, John 3:16 might find itself near the top. It is a…
Ten Things that I Am Learning (Remembering?) About Grief
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Matthew 5:4 It has been said that grief is the price of love, which means that all who love will grieve. There is no way to go through life without loss. And doing without love is no way to go through life. So accepting grief…
God’s Path to a Blessed Life: My Sermon on Exodus 20:1-17, the Ten Commandments
Then God spoke all these words, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; you shall have no other gods before me. Exodus 20:1-3 Our first reading today offers us one of the most famous passages in all of scripture: God’s giving to Moses the Ten…