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The Foundation of Faith
a Sermon for Epiphany 2A Text: John 1:29-42 The Foundation How strange this sight must have been for John the Baptizer. So many baptisms and among them is Jesus, the Messiah, the one whose way John is preparing. What John the Baptizer experiences is so significant that he testifies to its power: the Spirit made…
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Jesus has gone swimming
a Sermon for Epiphany 1A Text: Matthew 3:13-17 I insist This morning’s gospel story begins with the most unlikely of conversations. It is a titanic theological battle of You go. No, you go. No, I insist. John the Baptizer and Jesus dance over who baptizes who like two men arguing over which one gets to…
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Technicolor Faith
a homily for Advent 3A Text: Matthew 11:2-11 From Repent to Doubt When John appeared in the wilderness, a wild man dressed the prophet’s part, we caught a glimpse of his vision for the kingdom of heaven. He preached repentance and preparation: turning away from our pasts and toward a new future, living in a…
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In the Wilds
a homily for Advent 2A Text: Matthew 3:1-12 In the wilderness, a hero As our story begins, it says John “appeared in the wilderness.” Other verbs would convey motion: John walked, wandered, or made his way. Our verb “appeared” lacks motion: he was not—then he was. John appeared, like an apparition, it seems from nothing.…
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Worthy
a Sermon for Advent 3C Text: Luke 3:7-18 (audio will come soon) Hearing of Tragedy I couldn’t go to sleep Friday. Most of the day, I avoided the details that were flowing in about the shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. I picked Sophia up from preschool and took her to the park on a sunny and…
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Winnowing Forks (Eating Scripture)
Continuing our Advent and Apocalypse theme, we have more from John the Baptizer. Repent, change, because the big guy’s coming up behind me! Notice, too, the season, the demand for fairness. Just the kind of gospel for the “fiscal cliff” negotiations. Eating Scripture is a short video series in which we explore the juicy and…
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It’s That Time of Year…For Repentance?
Why do you hate Advent? Seriously. What did it ever do to you? It never tried to steal your lunch money. It never made up rumors about you and spread them around school. So what gives? Why are you talking about a holiday that isn’t even here while ignoring the season that is? It isn’t…