Claimed, gathered and sent

  This is the sermon I preached at St. Timothy Lutheran Church on Sunday, Nov. 17. The text was Mark 13:1-8. Do you remember the story of the Country Mouse and the City Mouse? The city mouse went to visit the country mouse in the country and found out that it was better suited to city life. In the case of today’s gospel, we have Jesus’ disciples, the country boys, visiting the crowded city of Jerusalem.  They were overwhelmed by seeing the temple complex. The thoughts of people were that nothing could harm it. But the problem was that the Babylonians had destroyed it in the past. The temple in Jesus’ time was not the one built by Solomon, but was the second temple, later enhanced by Herod the Great. For this reason, it was referred to as Herod’s temple.  How did Jesus respond to the country boys’ excitement? As impressive as all this may be, it will be destroyed. That certainly took the wind out of their sails. As Pastor Rob Myallis says, “if you think these rocks are sec...

This is the message I preached at St. Timothy Lutheran Church , Nov. 14, 2021. The gospel text was Mark 13:1-8. Ray and I like language, especially alliteration. I couldn’t help but see this gospel text that way, consisting of 1. Wow, vv. 1-2, When and What, vv. 3-3-4 and Warning and Worry, vv. 5-8.     Ray is from RI and we lived there for 5 years before moving to Gettysburg for seminary. In R. I., I encountered something new, the gawk factor. This happens when you are driving along a highway and for no apparent reason, the traffic stops. Nothing is happening on your side of the highway, but on the side going in the opposite direction, a car has stopped. There is an accident.   Everyone stops to see what has happened and if it involves a friend or family member. Like a big, small town, everybody knows everybody and if you don’t know the person involved, someone you know will know them! On the radio, this stopping to see what is going on is called t...

This is the message I preached on Sunday, 11/18 at St. Timothy Lutheran Church . The text was Mark 13:1-8 . There is a genre of films and books that are called apocalyptic. Inevitably, there is a disaster, whether it’s a virus unleashed upon the world or an alien invasion or some other horrific thing that wipes out half the population. But in the middle of the horror, there are the good and strong people that work together until an answer is found. The war is won.  Today’s reading from Mark falls somewhat into the range of apocalyptic literature. The present time is one of suffering because the people are faithful in the midst of an evil world. In the future, there are rewards for the patient and faithful righteous and eventual suffering for the unrighteous. Its purpose is to encourage faithfulness and patience in the present time.  Jesus leaves the temple for the final time. When the disciples see the temple in Jerusalem, they see permanence. Roman historian Taci...

These are some thoughts about this Sunday's gospel text that were shared with the people of St. Timothy Lutheran Church.  Gospel: Mark 13:1-8 1 As [Jesus] came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!”  2 Then Jesus asked him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.”    3 When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately,  4 “Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?”  5 Then Jesus began to say to them, “Beware that no one leads you astray.  6 Many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray.  7 When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is still to come.  8 For nation will rise against na...

This is the message I preached on Sunday, 11/15 at St. Timothy Lutheran Church and St. Mark Lutheran Church. The text is Mark 13:1-8.  Our world seems to have gone right off the rails. Crazy and awful things are happening everywhere; we have massive swings in the weather, huge hurricanes and typhoons, a giant el nino in the Pacific, unprecedented climate change and upheaval in the middle east;   the latest of which is the 3 simultaneous terror attacks last Friday in Paris, France. When we see such images, don't we sometimes think, "Here we go again. When will the madness stop?"   It seems that today's gospel reading with its apocalyptic overtones is exactly what we need to hear. Apocalyptic describes the style of writing where the heavenly and earthly worlds seem fused. It's like the curtain in a theater being drawn back--and suddenly we see things that until now were hidden from view. Imagine a cosmic curtain, drawn back by an angel of God, that suddenl...