If you were good enough, there would be no need of confessing Christ at all. It is just because you are not good enough, that Christ says to you, “Follow me.” He came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. It is not the perfect people whom He wants in His church, but those who have a deep sense of their own imperfection, and who believe that His strength is made perfect in weakness.
Washington Gladden
December 6, 2020
“What Was, and What Will Be” Isaiah 40:1-5 2 Peter 3:8-15a Mark 1:1-8 May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O God, our strength and our redeemer. Amen. So, about a week ago, I sat in on a Zoom meeting with Rev. Tussing, Amy LaDu, Gregg Dudash, and our current confirmation class. One of the things the confirmands had been asked to do was to submit a photo…
November 22, 2020
“Sheep and Goats” Ezekiel 34:1113, 16, 20 Ephesians 1:15-23 Matthew 25:31-46 May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O God, our strength and our redeemer. Amen. Today is Reign of Christ Sunday, also known as Christ the King Sunday. That means it is the final Sunday of the church year. Next Sunday is the first Sunday of Avent, and thus the start of a new church year. Next…
November 15, 2020
November 15, 2020 Them That’s Got Shall Get Judges 4:1-7 Matthew 25:14-30 So Billie Holliday wrote and sang: “Them’s that got shall get, Them’s that not shall lose” So the Bible Says. I have heard that line or variations of it over the years and it seems to indicate that those who have much will just keep getting more and those that have little will get less. Now, just what folks are talking about gaining and losing is not clear…
November 8, 2020
November 8, 2020 “Nothing New” Amos 5:18-24 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 Matthew 25:1-13 May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O God, our strength and our redeemer. Amen. There is a verse from the book of Ecclesiastes that says: What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; there is nothing new under the sun. So, there are a number of…
November 1, 2020
November 1, 2020 “Find Out What it Means to Me” Matthew 23:1-12 1 Thessalonians 2:9-13 Here is the conundrum which we face each week. I get to wear this robe and about my shoulders is this stole. Both have some significance but it sets me apart. Rev. Lisa wears a white robe. Nevertheless, here in front of this congregation we wear these robes. I remember one time, a good friend in the congregation saw me in the narthex and I…
October 18, 2020
October 18, 2020 “Going with God” Isaiah 57:1-7 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10 Matthew 22:15-22 May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O God, our strength and our redeemer. Amen. Several years ago I was having a conversation with a friend and the topic somehow turned to a very “hot button” issue. My friend and I respectfully expressed our opposing views on this hot-button topic – and then my friend…
October 11, 2020
October 11, 2020 Matthew 22:1-14 Here is a rather strange parable. Jesus says that here is what the Kingdom of Heaven is like…Now, if you are listening as I did. You would expect Jesus to tell a story of wonder and delight with rainbows and angels crowding round the gates of heaven. But listen to the parable: A king gives a wedding banquet for his son. This sounds delightful! The king sends his servants out to call all who…
October 4, 2020
October 4, 2020 “The Truth of the Matter” Isaiah 5:1-7 Philippians 3:10-14 Matthew 21:33-46 May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O God, our strength and our redeemer. Amen. OK, I am going to start with a confession. I found this week’s scripture passages to be extremely challenging and difficult – they talk of murder and death and destruction – hardly “feel good” passages. However, not every passage…
September 27, 2020
September 27, 2020 Exodus 17:1-7 Matthew 21:23-32 Jesus entered the temple courts and while he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him. “By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you this authority?” I was a student minister at a church out west. I was in the middle of my theological studies and took the my third year of studies to work full time for this church. I…
September 20, 2020
September 20, 2020 “From the Beginning” Micah 6:6-8 1 John 2:7-10 John 13:31-35 May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O God, our strength and our redeemer. Amen. So, in the passage from 1 John that we just heard, the writer says, “I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you have had from the beginning.” The audience for the writer of 1 John…