Claimed, gathered and sent

 Here are some thoughts on this coming Sunday's gospel: Gospel: John 3:14-21 [ Jesus said: ] 14 “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.   16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.   17 “Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. 20 For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. 21 But those who do what is true come to the light, so that i...

  This is the sermon I preached Sunday at St. Timothy Lutheran Church . The gospel was John 2:13-22 .  Have you ever wondered if Jesus really felt what you feel when he was living on earth? How human was he? Any of you? In this week’s gospel, we see that he certainly experienced anger. It seems that Jesus needs an intervention in anger management. Did Jesus let his emotions get the best of him? Is Jesus overreacting? Is John's purpose of including this story to emphasize Jesus' humanity? There are lots of questions we should be asking about this passage of scripture. In our series of being Altered by the Spirit, today we’ll look at being Altered by Disruption. Jesus delighted in disrupting business as usual. John writes, “…in the temple he found people selling” (v. 14). Can you imagine what it would be like if we found our sanctuary full of loud people, smelly animals and merchants making a profit off of those who came to worship? Wouldn't we be incensed at such inappropr...

  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...