Claimed, gathered and sent

This is the sermon I preached last Sunday, 1/15 at St. Timothy and St. Mark Lutheran Churches. The text was John 1:29-42 .   Don’t we share things that excite us with friends and family? Did you see that new movie that’s out? It was so exciting. You have to go see it! Or what about that new restaurant that’s opened up? The food is great. The service is wonderful. And the atmosphere is so relaxing. To top it all off, the prices are very reasonable. I’m telling all my friends about it. Today’s gospel reading is a whole series of people telling each other that they have seen Jesus, who they think he is and inviting those people to come with them to see for themselves. That is the way God grew the church then and we are given the basic things we need to know to allow God to grow the church today. It’s called evangelism, which is simply noticing what God is doing in our lives, sharing that with others and inviting them to come and see for themselves. A very simple pattern...

It is difficult for some of us to share our faith in Christ with others. However, that is a necessary component of discipleship and the growth of God's kingdom. This is the sermon I shared at Bethel Lutheran Church . I shared the same basic message later Sunday with the folks at Bethany Lutheran Church. The biblical text is from the John 1:29-42. Did you ever experience something that was so fantastic that you had to share it with everyone you meet? Did you see that new movie that’s out? It was so exciting. The special effects were unbelievable! You have to go see it!  Or what about that new restaurant that has just opened up? The food is great; the service is wonderful; the atmosphere is so relaxing; and to top it all off, the prices are very reasonable. I’m telling all my friends about it! Today’s gospel reading is a whole series of people telling each other that they have seen Jesus, who they think he is and inviting those people to come with them to see for th...