Claimed, gathered and sent

This is the sermon I preached this past Sunday, which was Pentecost Sunday, 5/15/16 at St. Timothy and St. Mark Lutheran Churche s. The text was Acts 2:1-21 . Did you hear that wind yesterday? Do you think that's what the apostles heard when the Spirit appeared or do you think it was bigger and stronger than the wind that blew yesterday? In the book of Acts, Luke tells us that the Holy Spirit appeared in the form of wind and fire. We often describe the Holy Spirit as being like the wind. You can't see the wind, but you can see the effects of the wind when it blows through.   The same can be said for the Holy Spirit. You can't see him, but you know when he's made his presence known. What comes to mind when you hear the word Pentecost? Do you think the apostles were   bewildered by the sound of the wind? Do you picture all the apostles with little tongues of flame dancing on their heads? Do you think of the apostles addressing the crowd and each person hearing them

  Pentecost, 5/24, was wonderful. After the service at St. Mark's , we had a delightful time at a very special birthday party for a 90 year old member from St. Timothy's that included Swedish dancers and barber shoppers. In the morning, I preached from Acts 2:1-21. On the day of Pentecost, the apostles in the upper room experienced the filling of the Holy Spirit. This filling equipped the apostles with inspired speech for ministry. It is the first fruits because the Holy Spirit's filling of believers did not end with the original followers of Jesus. The focus is a celebration of the Spirit of the risen Christ in the church. Do you remember how last week's gospel described what the disciples did after Jesus' ascension? Luke recorded that they were praying and worshipping and waiting for Jesus' promise  "and [the disciples] were continually in the temple blessing God" (Luke 24:53).. But then, God shows up and the Holy Spirit breaks in and sha

This is the emessage that was sent to God's people at St. Timothy Lutheran Church . The scripture text is Acts 2:1-21 . I used only part of the passage. I know I am not alone in thinking this way, but have you ever been awestruck by the manifestation of the works of God in the book of Acts? Miracles were happening all over the place. It's no wonder the church grew exponentially! There are well meaning Christians of other denominations who would tell us that the age of miracles was completed when the canon of scripture was put together, but is really? Neal D. Presa takes on this scripture text from Acts in the blog, The Hardest Question, http://thq.wearesparkhouse.org/yearb/pentecostnt-2/. Here are but a few things he mentioned. 1. This is Pentecost in God's world. The Holy Spirit is on the move. Everything is shaken. We should not be surprised that the "tectonic plates of our fixed expectations and calcified thoughts need to be shaken up and stirred.&qu

This is the message I shared on 5/17 with God's people at St. Timothy, Bemus Point and St. Mark, Mayville. The gospel text is Luke 24:44-53 . What is Ascension and why are we celebrating it? Jesus' ascension to the Father is basically the conclusion of Easter. The ascension both closes the period of Jesus' ministry on earth and opens the period of the church's mission. It is like God is saying, "Tag--you're it! Now you're me in the world." This important feast is often overlooked in the American Protestant church. The irony is, this is the third pillar of the Christian faith. Christ became incarnate, Christ died and rose from the dead and Christ ascended into heaven. We confess these every week in the Creed. The Feast of the Ascension is always on a Thursday, right before the last Sunday of Easter. If it is not observed on Thursday, we can observe it on the following Sunday, as we are doing today. Many times it is skipped altoget

This is the message I preached to God's people at Bethel Lutheran Church in Portville, NY on Sunday, April 27. The text is John 20:19-31.  Let’s use our imaginations today as we look at today’s gospel reading. We’re going to jump into a time machine and go back to Jerusalem later in the day after the resurrection. How do you think we’re going to find the disciples? Are they going to be ecstatic? Are they going to be boldly walking around the temple area telling the Pharisees, “We told you so. He’s baaaaaaaaaaack.” Were they telling everyone they met that Jesus is risen? Were they spreading the news and the faith?  No. They were hidden in the large room behind locked doors scared out of their wits. Would we be in any better shape? Just a few days before, their master and Lord was crucified. Yes, he rose on that Sunday morning—we know that, the women who went to the tomb know that, but just because some women had told the disciples about it doesn’t necessarily mean they

  This Sunday's sermon was from Matthew 5:13-20. I shared it with my congregation, Bethel Lutheran Church in Portville, NY.  At times in our lives we may wonder who we are and what our lives are all about. Have you ever heard the slogan, “Be all that you can be!” You think the U. S. Army is original in that? They’re paraphrasing a thought that Jesus told his disciples 2000 years ago. This questioning may be more common with youth, but I suspect adults as well look at themselves and wonder about who they really are. Jesus does not mince words in today’s gospel. Jesus is not giving a cooking lesson when he teaches about salt. Nor is Jesus giving a lesson on safety as he talks about light. The issue at hand is Jesus’ followers, who they are and how their lives can manifest God’s reign in this world. Salt was common yet essential in life It was not only a spice used for flavoring, it was a preservative. Is it any wonder that salt became associated with God’s grac