Claimed, gathered and sent

Here are some thoughts on Sunday's gospel that were emailed to the people of St. Timothy Lutheran Church. Gospel: Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32 1 Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to [Jesus.]  2 And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.”   3 So he told them this parable:  11b “There was a man who had two sons.  12 The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.’ So he divided his property between them.  13 A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living.  14 When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need.  15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs.  16 He wo...

This is the sermon I preached last Sunday, 3/24/19 at St. Timothy Lutheran Church . The text was Isaiah 55:1-9.  This reading from Isaiah is especially meaningful to me. It emanates God’s care and promise of provision. I shared in the e-ministry this week how I was effected one Sunday morning as I read the lesson for the congregation in Rochester when I was the scheduled lector. At that time, I was divorced and the kids were living with me. I didn’t have two cents to rub together as the saying goes. Some weeks I was working 80 or more hours. What came in went out to pay bills and buy food. I was always concerned about how I would make ends meet. Then along comes this scripture which blew me away, letting me know I really didn’t have to worry so much about money and food. I had the sense of God’s loving care for me. That is the overarching theme of this text: the extraordinary nature and dependability of God’s promises. Though we apply these promises to us, who was Isaiah wr...

Here are some thoughts on this coming Sunday's First Lesson. See what you think about the text and let me know your thoughts. This was sent electronically to the people of St. Timothy Lutheran Church.  First Reading: Isaiah 55:1-9   1 Ho, everyone who thirsts,   come to the waters;  and you that have no money,   come, buy and eat!  Come, buy wine and milk   without money and without price.   2 Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,   and your labor for that which does not satisfy?  Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good,   and delight yourselves in rich food.   3 Incline your ear, and come to me;   listen, so that you may live.  I will make with you an everlasting covenant,   my steadfast, sure love for David.   4 See, I made him a witness to the peoples,   a leader and commander for the peoples.   5 See, you shall call nations that you do not know,   and nations that do not know you shall run to you,  because of the Lord your God, the Holy...

This is the sermon I preached last Sunday, 3/17/19, at St. Timothy Lutheran Church. The gospel text is Luke 13:31-35 .                            Our gospel lesson from Luke is soap opera- esque with all the conflicting wants and desires it portrays. In the midst of the clashing cravings, Jesus grounds his ministry in the divine necessity, God’s desire for Jesus. The first want we come across is Herod’s desire to kill Jesus. This information is brought to Jesus by  some  Pharisees. They were not all lumped together. There were those who were sympathetic to Jesus’ mission. However, in essence, they were still encouraging Jesus to abandon that mission and save himself.  Herod’s was no idle threat. After all, Herod had beheaded John the Baptist, Jesus’ cousin. You’d think Jesus would be scared, literally to death. Jesus doesn’t even mention Herod’s threat because he was so consumed with his mis...

Here are some ideas about this coming Sunday's gospel lessons. This was sent out to the people of St. Timothy.  Gospel: Luke 13:31-35 31 At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to [Jesus,] “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.”  32 He said to them, “Go and tell that fox for me, ‘Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work.  33 Yet today, tomorrow, and the next day I must be on my way, because it is impossible for a prophet to be killed outside of Jerusalem.’  34 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!  35 See, your house is left to you. And I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.’” Is it hard to imagin...

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 for this Sunday's second lesson from Romans that were shared with the people of St. Timothy Lutheran Church . Let me know what other thoughts you may have.  Second Reading: Romans 10:8b-13   8b “The word is near you,   on your lips and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim);  9 because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  10 For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved.  11 The scripture says, “No one who believes in him will be put to shame.”  12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him.  13 For, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”   Can it really be that easy? Don’t we have to do this and this and that and be good enough to be saved, to become God’s...