Claimed, gathered and sent

This is the sermon I preached on Sunday, 5/14 at St. Timothy Lutheran Church , Bemus Point, NY. The Tex was John 14:15-21. Like some of you, I am a visual learner. Pictures help me to understand things better. Well, I must say that today’s gospel is a visual learner’s dream. The timing of this passage is a continuation of last week’s gospel. Jesus is still preparing his disciples for the time when he will no longer be with them physically.  John’s writing is typically dense and twisty--Jesus is in the Father, if you’ve seen Jesus,  you’ve seen the Father. Jesus asks the Father to send the Spirit. It makes your head  hurt. In seminary, we had a class on the gospels. We had to choose which of the four,  we wanted to concentrate on for Greek translation. Our prof warned us that we would regret choosing John’s gospel because of the language. It has the most difficult Greek of the four gospels. I must say, however true that may be, it remains my favorite gospel. I love th...

This is the sermon I preached on Sunday, 5/1/22 at St. Timothy Lutheran Church . The text was John 21:1-19 . Click here to listen/watch this song.   Golde goes through the litany of all she does as a good wife of the time. Doesn’t that show she loves Tevye? Ultimately, they each decide that they do love each other. As that scene closes, they sing together, “It doesn't change a thing. But even so, after twenty-five years, It's nice to know.”   Jesus asks Peter, “Do you love me more than these?” These what? In verse 15, who/what are the “these?” Is Jesus talking about fish? Since Jesus was no longer with the disciples in person, was Peter returning to fishing? Or, was it just a way for him to go to the familiar and clear his head? What do you think?   Are the “these” the other disciples? Here we have Jesus commissioning Peter as leader of the disciples. Does Peter love Jesus more than the other disciples do, or does he love Jesus more than he loves the other discip...

This is the sermon for 5/17/20 for the people of St. Timothy Lutheran Church . Here is the YouTube of me preaching the sermon if you're interested. The text is John 14:15-21 .   Today’s gospel is part two of Jesus’ final words to his disciples before his crucifixion. It is bookended by “Keep my commandments,” but not like the Ten Commandments. Rather, Jesus’ commandment goes back to Holy Week, to Maundy Thursday, when Jesus said to the disciples, “ I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another” (John 13:34). Today we find Jesus’ commandments also couched in terms of love. In fact, in John’s gospel, love is the only commandment Jesus gives. The gospel text begins talking about obedience through love. Jesus’ words begin with love and end with love. “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” Here and in the last verse of today’s gospel, “keep” means “to retain in custody, keep watch over, guard.” Anoth...

This is the sermon I preached at St. Timothy Lutheran Church on Sunday, 9/1/l9. The text is Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16.  Hebrews presents quite a picture for us in our second lesson. The framework of the picture is mutual love; meaning the building of solidarity in relationships. This is played out in the actions the church is called to. For love to be mutual, it must happen in community. The church is the community of mutual love. Hospitality is the first action within the framework of mutual love. Can you imagine the people you extend welcome to being angels? You might think of some people being that, but others? This recalls the Old Testament example of Abraham’s hospitality to three visitors (Gen. 18:1-5), who ended up being angels with a message for Abraham. Who are the angels of our time? Could they be immigrant children or those who have been bullied or victims of racism or other isms? Could our angel be a political or theological opponent with whom we pause long enough...

Here are some thoughts on this coming Sunday's second reading. This was sent out to the people of St. Timothy Lutheran Church. I'd like your input. Let's brainstorm.  Second Reading: Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16 1Let mutual love continue. 2Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it. 3Remember those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with them; those who are being tortured, as though you yourselves were being tortured. 4Let marriage be held in honor by all, and let the marriage bed be kept undefiled; for God will judge fornicators and adulterers. 5Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have; for he has said, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” 6So we can say with confidence,   “The Lord is my helper;   I will not be afraid.  What can anyone do to me?”   7Remember your leaders, those who spoke the word of God to you; consider the outcome of their...

This is the message I preached on Sunday, March 10 at St. Timothy Lutheran Church . The text was Romans 10:8b-13 .  In the reading from Romans, God is the ultimate, enamored lover-who draws us to God’s self with grace before we were ever aware of God. Love and grace are lavished upon us, God doing for us what we cannot do for ourselves—that is, making us right with God. Jesus restores broken relationships with the Father.  Today the Apostle Paul invites us to engage our entire being—body and soul in response to God’s action. God’s word is on our lips and in our hearts. This word is not for us alone, but for everyone.  On top of that, God’s word is chock full of promises: the word is near you, you will be saved, no one who believes on Christ will be disappointed, there is no distinction, “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Everyone. Israel is reassured that God’s covenant was not remote in Deuteronomy 30:14. In Christ, God is faithf...

Here are some thoughts on this coming Sunday's gospel sent to the people of St. Timothy Lutheran Church .  However, I will not be preaching. For the first time in many years, we'll be home with part of the family for Thanksgiving. Hope yours is a blessed one of wonderful time with family and friends with much to give thanks for. Gospel: John 18:33-37 33 Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?”   34 Jesus answered, “Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?”   35 Pilate replied, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?”   36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.”   37 Pilate asked him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a ...

This is what I preached on Sunday, April 22 at St. Timothy Lutheran Church . The text was the second lesson, 1 John 3:16-24 .  Last week we talked about being witnesses by verbally sharing our faith. This week, we celebrate Jesus the Good Shepherd who laid down his life for his sheep. The reading from 1 John can be summed up in one word: click here . Yes, that's right--love. Today’s emphasis is on the importance of actions over words.  In today’s reading from 1 John, we see love exemplified, love enacted and love rewarded. Concerning love exemplified, John writes, “This is how we’ve come to understand and experience love…” (v. 16). What is the “this?” It is the love that was demonstrated by and has its model in Jesus, who sacrificed his life for us. He loved others to “completion” or “perfection” in his decision to sacrifice himself on behalf of others. Jesus is the One held up as the great exemplifier of love. In the gospel reading, Jesus speaks of laying down his l...