Claimed, gathered and sent

  This is the sermon I preached on Sunday, 3/10 at St. Timothy Lutheran Church . The text was John 3:14-21. We know these verses so well. Today, how might it look to hear this story through the lens of God's creativity? This week’s emphasis is being Altered through God’s Creativity. God’s plan has always been that the overarching arc of God’s work in the world has always been love shown in a particular way to all of God’s creation (Lent in a Box). The Spirit's creativity is at work in the beginning, recorded in Genesis. “ In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, …a wind from God swept over the face of the waters” (Gen 1:1-2). In scripture, wind, and spirit are the same word. God’s Spirit was involved in creation. From the beginning, we see God’s Spirit creatively at work. God takes the stories of the lives of Bible heroes, creatively altering what is possible. Remember when Joseph’s brothers dumped him into a pit, and he was sold to the Egyptians? God used...

  Here are some random thoughts on this Sunday's gospel. I'm using the resource Lent in a Box, which has the overall theme for Lent as Altered by the Spirit. For the first Sunday, we're focusing on Altered on the Edge of Belonging.   Gospel: Mark 1:9-15 9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. 11 And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”   12 And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. 13 He was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on him.   14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.” Our overarching sermon theme ...