Claimed, gathered and sent

This is the message I preached at  St. Timothy Lutheran Church  on Sunday, 9/2. The text was from  James 1:17-27 .    When my family and I lived in Bethlehem, my son Christian, went to an Arab Christian boys’ school. One day Christian came home and was singing in Arabic,  Shwee, shwee ya idie shu bisouwee. Oh, shwee, shwee ya idie shu bitsouwee. I don’t remember how the rest of the song goes in Arabic, but here’s the English. O be careful little hands what you do, O be careful little hands what you do, for the Father up above is looking down in love So, be careful little eyes what you see It continues with verses about ears, eyes, feet and mouths. This little children’s chorus kept running through my mind as I was studying this week’s passage from James, with its own priority given to faith that works. All good gifts are from God, in whose character there is no change at all. James insists that only good comes from God. How many of you have heard people t

Here are some thoughts about the epistle reading for this coming Sunday from James. This was shared electronically Thurs. with the people of St. Timothy Lutheran Church. Second Reading: James 1:17-27 17 Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. 18 In fulfillment of his own purpose he gave us birth by the word of truth, so that we would become a kind of first fruits of his creatures.   19 You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for your anger does not produce God’s righteousness. 21 Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls.   22 But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. 23 For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those

This is the sermon I preached for the last Sunday of the Season of Creation: Mountain Sunday on 8/26/18 at St. Timothy Lutheran Church. The text was from Isaiah 65:17-25. Ray and I are fans of science fiction. Many are familiar with is the apocalyptic style of science fiction. You know the type, death and destruction everywhere from a deadly disease or another kind of catastrophe. Humanity and the entire earth are on the verge of extinction. Only a few people remain and they must try to survive and eventually rebuild their broken world. That’s a negative type of apocalyptic story. However, in Isaiah, we have apocalyptic literature full of joy and life. It is not about destruction, but rather about something altogether new that God is doing. God had allowed destruction when God’s people were disobedient, exemplified in the people of Judah being exiled to Babylon for several generations. However, God brought them back from exile and promised not just a new Jerusalem, but

Here are some thoughts on this Sunday's text. This is our last Sunday of the Season of Creation, Mountain Sunday. This was sent electronically to the people of St.Timothy Lutheran Church. Isaiah 65:17-25 1 7 For I am about to create new heavens and a new earth; the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind. 18 But be glad and rejoice forever in what I am creating; for I am about to create Jerusalem as a joy, and its people as a delight. 19 I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and delight in my people; no more shall the sound of weeping be heard in it, or the cry of distress. 20 No more shall there be in it an infant that lives but a few days, or an old person who does not live out a lifetime; for one who dies  at a hundred years will be considered a youth, and one who falls short of a hundred will be considered accursed. 21 They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. 22 They shall not build and another inhabit; they shall no

This is the sermon I preached on Sunday, Aug. 19 at St. Timothy Lutheran Church. The text was Philippians 2:14-18 . “Sign, sign, everywhere a sign Blockin' out the scenery, breakin' my mind Do this, don't do that, can't you read the sign?” (Five Man Electrical Band) Doesn’t this seem to sum up the beginning of this reading? If we go back a couple of verses, we get a better idea of Paul’s point. “…work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;  13  for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (vv. 1-13). Paul can give those instructions because it is God who does the work!  In the first verse, Paul tells the Philippians what to do, that they are to do everything without murmuring or arguing. The emphasis falls on the words “all things,” which is  panta  in Greek. It is the first word of this verse, emphasizing its importance.  A great illustration of what murmuring looks like is Amity’s pred