Sermons
Sermons preached in a context, but written for people of all sorts and conditions.
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The Encounter With the Lawyer
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3 min read
The most important part of the passage about the Good Samaritan in Luke may not be the parable itself. It is the two questions which provoke its telling. What must I do to inherit eternal life? And who is my neighbor?’ I usually enter the gospel by reading over the last chapter. I want to…
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Power From Below
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10 min read
Here a story of the powerful commander, the two kings who don’t have the right kind of power, and slaves, servants, and disciples who bear the very power of GOD. GOD’s Alternative Power SourceProper 9C | 2 Kings 5:1-14, Luke 10:1-11, 16-20 We’re given a gift today. On this weekend, as our minds turn toward…
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Identity Politics
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9 min read
While Jesus tries to help them see what he is up to, they struggle to get past his identity. Even his closest followers are confused by who he is supposed to be. How fighting over the nature of Jesus prevents us from following Him.Proper 8C | Luke 9:51-62 Who is Jesus? Last week, we…
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When Love Overcomes Fear
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7 min read
For he was not only feral: he was naked. Not even human. But when they see him, he is clothed and “in his right mind.” Instead of feeling joy and excitement, they fear him. They fear Jesus. They fear that he actually is human. A restored humanity and the work of restoring the whole communityProper…
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The Prophet and the Prostitute
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9 min read
The answer is revealed immediately when Jesus tells a parable about forgiveness and the man can’t see the parallel. He can’t see that he is that man. The one to which little will be given. The difference between shame and faith Proper 6C | Luke 7:36-8:3 Jesus is a rulebreaker. I think of this every…
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GOD and Power
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9 min read
In his interaction with the widow, the encounter’s parallel with Elijah, and his commissioning of apostles, we see that GOD is doing something big in Jesus — and with us.