Sermons
Another look at transformation
This is another post from the “Wednesday just past.” I was asked again to take a chapel service at First Baptist Place. I was told I could preach/share on more or less any topic so I thought I would revisit the first part of Romans 12 and talk about transformation. If you regularly listen to what I say, this is going to be similar to what I spoke about a couple of…
If you were wondering
This week in Romans (Rom 12:9-21 to be exact) we are dealing with a hodge podge of things to do. I consulted some other resources to see if I was missing some subtle connection and realized that the connection is found in Romans 12:1-2 and can be summed up, more or less, as, we demonstrate our love for God by serving him and loving and serving our fellow human beings….
Abraham and Sarah and my Mom
This post comes from the Wednesday just past. I was asked to take a chapel service at First Baptist Place. I have been there before and have always enjoyed it so of course I said I would. The usual leader, Norma Holtslander, has been working through the lives of Abraham and Sarah. This was intended to be the final part of the story so I thought I’d take a stab…
It’s a process
It was, and is, good to be back after a week away. I had a more than lovely time with my extended family, although I must say, I’m a bit past enjoying driving 1100km in four days 🙂 One of the things being away for a bit allows for is to look ahead and it seems that we are going to be staying with Romans until the Lectionary finishes with…
Everyone means everyone
As you know by now I’m not a fan of totalizing language. It tends to be hyperbolic and frequently less than useful and occasionally misleading. However, there is a time for it and this is one of those times. In today’s Romans text we read Paul saying that “everyone” who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. This is one of the times when the totality is…
Wrestling. Of all things
I don’t know about you but I don’t think about wrestling very often. It isn’t that I look down on wrestling or think it is silly or anything like that, I simply don’t think about it at all. But sometime I’m “forced” to. This Sunday is one of those times. Not because I got into an impromptu wrestling match. Not because someone insisted I watch theatrical wrestling. Not even because…
Some thoughts on “separate”
This Sunday we spent some time with Paul and his letter to the Romans. Romans 8 has some of the most comprehensive language about our relationship with God anywhere in the Bible. In a couple of different places Paul provides lists that cover virtually everything and then says the things on the list and insufficient to come between us and God. He finishes the chapter with, “For I am convinced…
God’s children
One of the most pervasive images in both Scripture and church history for the relationship between God and us is that of parent and child. There are many instances where God is described in parenting terms, most frequently as father but mother shows up as well. This Sunday the lectionary provides us one of those instances. Romans 8 is a well know chapter for many reasons but the paragraph that…
Sort of farming
This Sunday we had another opportunity to revisit a familiar story to see if there is anything there for us to find. I have spoken frequently about how helpful it can be to revisit what we already know, what what we “know” but what we actually have knowledge of. Needless to say it is helpful to dispense with knowledge that has scare quotes around it but this is different. The…
Pick a burden
This Sunday’s sermons are drawn from the Epistle and Gospel lessons, Romans 7 and Matthew 11 respectively, and revolve around what kind of burden we want to carry. The image of burden is taken from Jesus’ words at the end of the Gospel reading, “For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:30 NRSV) and then applied to what Paul is talking about in Romans 7. I’m…