Why Does Church Matter?
A Sermon on Matthew 18:15-20 and Romans 13:8-14 Today, all over the country, Lutheran churches are kicking-off their program year:...
The Offensive, Healing Kingdom
Sermon on Matthew 15:10-28 Today’s gospel reading offers us two different scenes, and the lectionary actually gives preachers the choice...
A Savior in the Storm
A sermon on Matthew 14:22-33 I have never experienced trying to sail a boat in the sea in the middle of a violent storm (and I hope I...
Freed for Absurd Compassion
A sermon on Matt. 14: 13-21 Show of hands. How many of you have heard the story of the feeding of the 5,000 at least once before? What...
Scribes of the Kingdom
Sermon on Matt. 13: 31-33, 44-52 The kingdom of heaven is like poison ivy, that invades a back yard. From a few green shoots peeking out...
Growing Among the Weeds
Sermon on Matt. 13: 24-30, 36-43 (as well as Isaiah 44:6-8; Psalm 86:11-17, and Romans 8:12-25) My children have both been going through...
On Granite and Growing
Sermon on Matt. 13: 1-9, 18-23 and Isaiah 55:10-13 If I had had the chance to pick today’s Bible readings, rather than relying on the...
Dramatic Proclamation: Why Church is Better than Baseball.
Matthew 11: 16-19; 25-30 The proclamation of God’s Word is central to the weekly worship of Christian communities. We hear the Word...
Wonder Woman, Ambiguous Rewards, and an Ethic of Identity
A sermon on Matt. 10:40-42 and Jeremiah 28:1-9 When given the choice, “super hero” is not usually my favorite genre of movie. (It’s just...
On Not Being Afraid - A Sermon for World Refugee Sunday
Sermon on readings from Genesis 21:8-21, and Matthew 10:24-39 Listen to the words of Claudette, a Rwandan refugee: “I will never forget...