Claimed, gathered and sent

This is the sermon I preached on 9/30 at St. Timothy Lutheran Church. The text was James 5:13-20. These days, our public discourse, whether in person or via social media is ugly. People get angry at each other because they disagree on policies made by those in power. It’s taken so personally, that those claiming to be Christians wonder out loud or online if any they disagree with could possibly still be Christians. Especially in recent years, we Americans vilify each other over a host of topics.  The book of James speaks volumes to our world today. James spends much of his time writing about speech and in this final section of the letter, that speech is specifically prayer. In this focus, the community of faith to whom he writes is called to wholeness.  As we look at the first few verses, we see that James addresses people in all kinds of circumstances. No one is left out.  If you’re suffering, you should pray. If you’re cheerful, then sing songs of praise, which is also a f

Here are some thoughts regarding the reading from James for this coming Sunday. This was sent out via email to the people of St. Timothy Lutheran Church .  Second Reading: James 5:13-20 13 Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise. 14 Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up; and anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective. 17 Elijah was a human being like us, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. 18 Then he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain and the earth yielded its harvest. 19 My brothers and sisters, if

This is the sermon I preached on Sunday, 9/23/18 at St. Timothy Lutheran Church. The gospel test was Mark 9:30-37.   This is the second of Jesus’ three predictions in Mark of his death and resurrection. Between the first instructions and the second passion prediction, there are: The transfiguration where Peter doesn’t know what to say and the three disciples are terrified. There is a discussion coming down the mountain and the disciples don’t understand Jesus’ comment about “rising from the dead.” And they had just come down the mountain where the dead were alive! Finally, the other disciples fail to cast out a demon and Jesus is appalled at their faithlessness.  On the way to Capernaum, Jesus taught his disciples for the second time that he would be crucified and would rise from the dead. The dense disciples didn’t understand Jesus’ teaching and they were afraid to ask Jesus what he meant. Why would they be afraid? Were they maybe thinking back to Jesus’ r

Here are some thoughts on this coming Sunday's gospel text. This was sent electronically to the people of St. Timothy Lutheran Church . Let me know what your thoughts are.  Gospel: Mark 9:30-37 30[Jesus and the disciples went on] and passed through Galilee. He did not want anyone to know it;31for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him, and three days after being killed, he will rise again.” 32But they did not understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him.   33Then they came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the way?” 34But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another who was the greatest. 35He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.” 36Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them,

This is the sermon I preached last Sunday, 9/16/18, at St. Timothy Lutheran Church. The text was Mark 8:27-38 .  Poet and novelist, Rainer Maria Rilke wrote: Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart. Try to love the questions themselves, like locked rooms and like books that are written in a very foreign tongue. Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given you because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps you will then gradually, without noticing it, live along some distant day into the answer. This passage of Mark brings with it lots of questions besides those Jesus asked his disciples. For those of you who read the e-ministry, you saw some of mine. And don’t we find ourselves longing for certainty? As we look at this passage, entertain your own questions as well, for you will find that it’s good to have questions. We may not get the answer right away or ever in this life. That’s part of

Here are some thoughts regarding this coming Sunday's gospel. This was sent out electronically to the people of St. Timothy Lutheran Church .  Gospel: Mark 8:27-38 27 Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” 28 And they answered him, “John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.” 29 He asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Messiah.” 30 And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him.   31 Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divi