Sermons
Nicodemus? What about him?
There are quite a few intriguing characters in the Bible. Most of them are intriguing because we know so little about them. One of them is one of the two principle characters in our Gospel reading, Nicodemus. Who was Nicodemus? We know he was a Pharisee and we know he was on the Jewish council but other than that, not a lot. So why does he get most of chapter…
Do I have to give up something?
Here we are, another season in the church year, another Lent. If there is a single question I get asked most frequently about Lent, it is, “Do I have to give up something?” A reasonable question, to be sure. For those folks who weren’t raised in a liturgical church or any church, their view and understanding of Lent is most likely informed by popular culture. Jokes about giving up atheism…
Clouds and mountains
Today is Transfiguration Sunday. Today is also the first Sunday since the tragic, multi-victim shooting in Tumbler Ridge, BC. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) Synod of BC issued a call to prayer. They wrote: Our hearts are broken by the horrible tragedy in Tumbler Ridge. Words can hardly express the depth of pain and sorrow we feel for all affected. We hold in our prayers those who mourn…
What’s wrong with upside down?
So what is wrong with upside down? Well, everything, if you are properly oriented to the world. The thing is, when the world is upside down, or better, “upside down,” then everything is wrong. And, our world is upside down. We are in a time when what was formerly considered undoable, or even unthinkable, is being thought and done. Wealth inequality has grown exponentially in my lifetime. The gap between…
Surely not!
Surely not! The late Rev. Dr. John Stott once said about the Beatitudes, “the Sermon on the Mount is probably the best-known part of the teaching of Jesus, though arguably it is the least understood, and certainly it is the least obeyed.” Well, that’s a “fine” situation to be in . . . but only if I think I am somehow supposed to change the behaviour of people by my…
A great light
There are many sources of light in our personal worlds. From the sun to a “happy” light to the bulbs that light up our kitchen, light is all around us. So why on earth would I choose to preach about light? The answer is, as it so often is, the lectionary. The lectionary texts both explicitly and implicitly talk about light. When Paul got knocked off his horse, there was…
Who should we follow?
It seems everywhere you turn on the internet these days, there are opportunities to learn about leadership or how to be a leader or a better leader. There is quite a dearth when it comes to follower-ship. Where is a book on the X number of steps to becoming a better follower? If you were to look at the bookshelves at any bookstore, you will find all sorts of books…
A new year and a baptism
Today was not the first Sunday of the year, 2026, but I was thinking about the new year and how, by now, most people will have broken their resolutions and it fit somehow. More importantly this Sunday is the when we remember the baptism of Jesus. Jesus’ baptism is a bit of theological conundrum. There are several theories of course but as this isn’t a theological lecture I’ll pass over…
Epiphany? What’s that?
So what does “epiphany” mean? I don’t generally turn to the dictionary for definitions of words of theological significance, but in this case I did. The American Heritage Dictionary proved quite helpful. I case you are wondering why I am using this dictionary, it is because it was the first one I found and I liked what it had. Epiphany is: The part of the definition I am most interested…
What about Joseph?
We are into the church year’s season of Christmas, which is pretty short all things considered. The lectionary texts continue to draw from Isaiah and Matthew, with prophecies perhaps about Jesus and birth narratives definitely about Jesus. I thought I’d use this Sunday to talk about the most forgotten person in the stories about Jesus’ birth, namely his step-father, Joseph. I wish there were some way I could meet Joseph…