Sermons
Not a wise guy, just wise
As I was thinking about the Lectionary texts for this Sunday, wisdom kept coming to the forefront of my mind and attention. Wisdom is one of those things that we all want. Interestingly, it is also one of the few words that hasn’t been debased by popular use—with the possible exception of the use in the title of this post, “wise guy”—to the point of being functionally useless.* We want…
Who? Me?
I think it is virtually impossible for any of us over a particular age to hear “Only you . . .” without filling in the rest with “. . . can prevent forest fires” complete with the visual image of a stern bear pointing directly at us. For some people that might have been their first experience with someone, other than a parent, telling them that they had personal responsibility…
It is good to be back
It is good to be back! I had an excellent vacation and not just because I got to work some of it into one or both of the sermons (you’ll have to listen to both of them to see if I’m kidding about the both). This Sunday the Lectionary has us in the book of James, a problematic book for many people but one to which I find myself drawn…
Lists, lists, lists
This is going to be my last post for the month of August. As of next week I am going to be on vacation with my family, at least the members who live in the same house as I do, and won’t be back in the pulpit until September. I will miss it, naturally, but I am also very much looking forward to the different routines and rhythms that come…
Spiritual gifts never get old
I like this week’s blog post title because for me, at least, spiritual gifts never do get old. I can think about them and talk about them a lot but there are always new things to consider; new aspects to ponder. This Sunday’s sermons are more of a reminder than anything else. A reminder of three salient facts about spiritual gifts. We all have spiritual gifts It is okay that…
The myth of the self-made person
For the first time ever, the title of the blog post comes from what might amount to a mini-rant in the middle of a sermon. The sermon title is “What do we need?” and is intended to give us some insight into how important it is to see that there are a number of things that we simply cannot do for ourselves. There is a pernicious notion in our culture…
What’s a cornerstone anyway?
Well, spoiler alert, I won’t really discuss what a cornerstone is like because I don’t know. I could do an in depth, i.e. three minute, internet search and pretend I know but I don’t think that would address any questions anyone might have anyway. Our New Testament text this week talks about Jesus as the cornerstone, “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with…
Blessings and more blessings
I don’t know how many times I have read the book of Ephesians, 20, 30, 50? Who knows? Lots anyway. One of the best things about reading and rereading both Scripture and great literature is that you can come back to the same work over and over again and find new things. The new thing you find was always there but you weren’t able to see it or weren’t ready…
Paradox?
No, no, no. Paradox not a pair of ducks, yeesh. This Sunday’s sermons were about paradox. Well not exactly the notion, theory or existence of paradox but rather a particular statement that might be a paradox. First, here’s a few definitions of paradox. n. A seemingly contradictory statement that may nonetheless be true: the paradox that standing is more tiring than walking. n. One exhibiting inexplicable or contradictory aspects: “The…
Courage is still needed
I know this Sunday is Father’s Day and as I am at pains to point out in at least one of the sermons, I am not opposed to Father’s Day . . . I’m just more focused on the Lectionary and the texts it has for us on this or on any given Sunday. There is a very well known story in the Old Testament. This story is so well…