Claimed, gathered and sent

  Gospel: John 2:13-22 13 The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. 15 Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16 He told those who were selling the doves, “Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father’s house a marketplace!” 17 His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.” 18 The Jews then said to him, “What sign can you show us for doing this?” 19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 20 The Jews then said, “This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three days?” 21 But he was speaking of the temple of his body. 22 After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered th...

  This is the sermon I preached on Sunday, February 25 at St. Timothy Lutheran Church . The text was Mark 8:31-38 . Our sermon series “Altered by the Spirit” continues as we focus on being “Altered Through Stories We Don’t Trust.” I would add “or Like.” Today’s gospel is among the “hard sayings” of Jesus. The Holy Spirit will change us as we give ourselves over to these “hard words.”  Jesus was preparing his disciples for his upcoming crucifixion, resurrection and ascension. He would no longer, physically, be with them.     What was wrong with Peter's response to Jesus' news? After all, Peter loved Jesus and cared about what would happen to him. Peter could not imagine his messiah and friend being subjected to such horror. Wasn't Peter responding in a way any loving friend would? Do any of you wonder why Jesus is talking like this? Here was certainly a story that Peter didn’t trust.    Firstly, this passage is right in the middle of Mark's gospel. Jesu...

  Here are some random thoughts on this Sunday's gospel. I'm using the resource Lent in a Box, which has the overall theme for Lent as Altered by the Spirit. For the first Sunday, we're focusing on Altered on the Edge of Belonging.   Gospel: Mark 1:9-15 9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. 11 And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”   12 And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. 13 He was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on him.   14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.” Our overarching sermon theme ...

This is the sermon I preached on Sunday, 2/11/24 at St. Timothy Lutheran Church . The text was Mark 9:2-9 . You probably thought I misspoke when I said “transformed” instead of “transfigured” in the reading of this morning’s gospel. However, in Greek, they are the same word. It is the same word used in Romans, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed…” and in 2 Cor. 3:18, “And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit.” In these verses, I hear echoes of Jesus’ transfiguration/transformation. Let’s look more closely at these events. Moses represents the law, while Elijah represents the prophets. Both ascended to God at their deaths, as will Jesus. Their appearance is beyond what most people think is possible. In scripture, there are numerous signs of God’s presence. The cloud is one such mysterious sign....

  This is the message on this coming Sunday's gospel that will go out to the people of S t Timothy Lutheran Church. Gospel: Mark 1:29-39 29 As soon as [ Jesus and the disciples ] left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30 Now Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once. 31 He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them.   32 That evening, at sunset, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons. 33 And the whole city was gathered around the door. 34 And he cured many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.   35 In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed. 36 And Simon and his companions hunted for him. 37 When they found him, they said to him, “Everyone is searching for ...