Since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have died 1 Thessalonians 4:14 I don’t want to ignore today’s gospel reading (Matthew 25:1-13), but I also don’t want to start with it. I want to start instead with our second reading from Paul’s…
Here is my sermon on Matthew 5:1-12 and 1 John 3:1-3 for All Saints Sunday.
They shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the Lord; for I will forgive their iniquity and remember their sin no more. Jeremiah 31:34 For my sermon today, I want to spend some time answering a very simple question: What do today’s Scripture readings teach us about God? What…
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Philippians 4:8 I want to preach today on a verse from our second reading today, verse…
I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Philippians 3:10-11 It is the greatest of all gifts, according to the apostle Paul in today’s second reading (Philippians 3:4-14). Not…
Know that all lives are mine; the life of the parent as well as the life of the child is mine: it is only the person who sins who shall die. Ezekiel 18:4 We just did something quite strange, when you think about it. We listened to messages that were first read and shared thousands…
Are you envious because I am generous? So the last will be first, and the first will be last. Matthew 20:15-16 I have a confession to make: Whenever I have read or heard this parable of the laborers in the vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16), I have always assumed that I was one of the laborers who…
Peter came and said to [Jesus], “Lord, if my brother or sister sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times. Matthew 18:21-22 Let’s talk about forgiveness. It is one of the most important topics in our Christian…
Living among other Christians is a privilege and a blessing, but also can be challenging. Here is my sermon on these themes, based on Matthew 18:15-20.
From that time on [after Peter confessed that Jesus was the Messiah], Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes and be killed and on the third day be raised. Matthew 16:21 For those keeping track,…
My Pastoral Ponderings 