Claimed, gathered and sent

This is what I preached last Sunday, 10/18 at St.Timothy and St. Mark Lutheran Churches. The gospel text is Mark 10:35-45. Does it seem like Mark's gospel is repeating itself? Didn't we just hear something about being servants and that the first shall be last? It's like being on a merry-go-round that never stops to let us off. The disciples had to hear this teaching again because they didn't get it when Jesus taught them earlier. Today's gospel story occurs after the third time Jesus tells his disciples about his coming passion. After the first prediction (8:31), Peter objects and rebukes Jesus, after the second prediction (9:31), the twelve discuss who will be the greatest of them. After the third prediction, which is the most detailed one, we find the Zebedee brothers asking for favored positions in glory. James and John approached Jesus innocently enough, "Teacher, we have something we want you to do for us" (v. 35). Doesn't thi...

This is the message I shared last Sunday at Bethel Lutheran Church in Portville, NY, where I have the privilege of serving as pastor. It is based on Matthew 5:21-37 .              The Ten Commandments don’t sound that hard, do they? Is Jesus doing away with the law? After all, that’s the Old Testament. It doesn’t really apply to us today…or does it? Jesus’ interpretation makes it sound like he’s making it a lot harder. Jesus doesn’t let any of us off the hook, but levels the playing field. We all fall short and we’re all guilty.             Jesus is not giving us a new, harder list of rules. Rather, he is talking about the intention of the commandments. Jesus is saying, “Yes, I am challenging interpretations of the law that are not consistent with its heart: whole-hearted love of God and neighbor." Remember that Jesus told the rich man that the two greatest command...