• Power From Below

    Power From Below

    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…

  • Why ‘Is’ May Be Our Most Important Word

    Why ‘Is’ May Be Our Most Important Word

    Bill Clinton Was Right About the Nature of Being Twenty years ago, in the midst of an impeachment, the sitting president made perhaps the most weasely defense ever. He infamously tried to parse the word ‘is’. In his questioning about an ongoing relationship with an intern, Former President Clinton said: “It depends upon what the…

  • Burying the Dead

    Burying the Dead

    Jesus can be a real jerk. Seriously. Major league jerk. Clean-up hitter, empty the bases level jerk. OK. Maybe not a jerk. Maybe it is just that he sounds so snarky that it’s impossible not to be offended. OK. Maybe not snarky. But what else could it be? It isn’t nice! It is something else.…

  • Identity Politics

    Identity Politics

    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…

  • Paul As An Ally – Why His Letter To The Romans Is About More Than Sexuality

    Paul As An Ally – Why His Letter To The Romans Is About More Than Sexuality

    or Why Paul is Anti-Anti-Gay You find yourself stuck in a conversation you don’t want to be in. You hear some pretty outrageous things about GOD and the Bible and homosexuality and it is upsetting. You’ve already talked about love and how Jesus works with people and doesn’t care about that stuff, but still they…

  • When Love Overcomes Fear

    When Love Overcomes Fear

    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…

  • We Politicized Tragedy Long Before Now

    We Politicized Tragedy Long Before Now

    If I had looked at the news Sunday morning, I would have rewritten my sermon. I’ve done that before, but I was being patient. I liked it already. I take the time in the morning, to review and reflect. I don’t look at email or listen to messages. I don’t read the news and I…

  • The Prophet and the Prostitute

    The Prophet and the Prostitute

    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…