Sermons
Sermons preached in a context, but written for people of all sorts and conditions.
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What God Intends
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9 min read
In Mark 7, Jesus responds to a challenge over rule-breaking by exposing their hypocrisy. Is this just a takedown, or is he saying something else? The challenge of following Jesus isn’t doing or believing. It’s both. Proper 17B | Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 We have to go back nearly two months. Back in June, we…
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Who can listen to it?
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9 min read
At the end of the Bread of Life discourse in John 6, his disciples abandon him. Not because the road is hard, but because Jesus told them the truth. We want to be more effective. Jesus would rather be honest. Proper 16B | John 6:56-69 You’ve heard of reverse psychology. It’s a simple idea that…
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Does Jesus Jump the Shark?
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9 min read
Sometimes the problem isn’t whether to read the Bible literally or metaphorically. It’s the asking us to pick which distorts the point. Jesus gets gross with the bread of life. Proper 15B | John 6:51-58 To be honest, I don’t actually remember the episode. It was so long ago, but I’m sure I’ve seen it.…
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(In)tangible
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7 min read
In the Bread of Life discourse, Jesus seeks to teach his followers about God, but they keep missing the point. Just like we do. Jesus shows us how our worry and fear keeps us from the truth. Proper 14B | John 6:35, 41-51 It starts with a sign. The hungry masses are fed with a…
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Jesus is not Superman
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8 min read
The lectionary cuts up the story in Mark 6:30-34, 53-56, resting on the image of Jesus as a super shepherd. But Jesus isn’t offering comfort only. Mark’s gospel and its conviction to follow, not worship. Proper 11B | Mark 6:30-34, 53-56 We gathered in an antiphonal circle in the chapel to read the first part…
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out of regard for his oaths and for the guests
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10 min read
In Mark 6:14-29, the famous death of John the Baptist, we get a scene so absurd we might miss what’s right in front of us. When Herod went to see a therapist to justify killing John Proper 10B | Mark 6:14-29 If he had had Charles Dickens to draw on, Herod might’ve described this as…