Isaiah 2:1-5; Psalm 122; Romans 13:11-14; Matthew 24:36-44 I’ve been thinking about last week’s sermon all week. You might remember that Pr. Jan Nesse invited us to think of Jesus as an icon. Anyone who has a computer knows what an icon is. You see an example of an icon on the back of today’s bulletin: the Internet Explorer icon. An icon is a symbol, but it’s more than just a symbol. If I use my computer mouse to click on that symbol, it opens up a whole other world that I couldn’t see … [Read more...]
Love’s Perspective
Jeremiah 31:31-34; Psalm 46; Romans 3:19-28; John 8:31-36 Election Day is this Tuesday. If you’ve been following the Seattle Times you know that during this campaign season they’ve been running a series of articles investigating the claims of candidates & campaigns. They call it “The Truth Needle” & report to what extent the campaigns are being truthful in their claims. Are the ads all true? All false? Usually, they’re somewhere in between. In John 8, Jesus says, If you continue in … [Read more...]
…And Justice For All
Jeremiah 31:27-34; Psalm 119:97-104; 2 Timothy 3:14-4:5; Luke 18:1-8 This past week my wife & I enjoyed watching a six-hour TV series called God in America. It was the story of religion in the history of our nation, beginning in the 1600s & continuing to the present day. Much of that history, as the program showed, is the story of a struggle for justice. In the 1800s, of course, our nation experienced a terrible war in the struggle over slavery. One of the shining lights in that story … [Read more...]
A Faithful Heart is a Grateful Heart
Jeremiah 29:1,4-7; Psalm 66:1-12; 2 Timothy 2:8-15; Luke 17:11-19 Today’s gospel reading is about gratitude. Many of you have heard this story countless times. So have I. There are many lessons to learn from this story, but the one that jumps out at me this week is the connection Jesus makes between gratitude & spiritual health. Ten lepers seek Jesus out. All do as they are told. They go to the priests as any ―unclean‖ person must do to get an official clean bill of health. On the … [Read more...]
Do Something Crazy
Jeremiah 32:1-3a,6-15;Psalm 91:1-6,14-16; 1 Tim. 6:6-19; Luke 16:19-31 From the introduction to today’s first reading: In the year before Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians, when the siege had already begun, Jeremiah, imprisoned in the king's palace, purchased a piece of land. The purchase of the land is a sign of hope that God will restore the people to life in the land after the exile. What would you do if you were Jeremiah? If you were in prison, would you buy a piece of land? … [Read more...]
Get Low
Jeremiah 4:11-12, 22-28; Psalm 14; 1 Timothy 1:12-17; Luke 15:1-10 Last week my wife & I enjoyed one of the best movies we’ve seen in a long time. It’s called Get Low. Get Low is based on the true story of a hermit living in the hills of Tennessee during the 1930s. Felix Bush is a man that everyone fears. Nobody really knows anything about him because he’s hardly ever seen. One day the local pastor drives out to Felix Bush’s cabin to let him know that one of his few friends had died. … [Read more...]
“Hate” Your Family?
Jeremiah 181-11; Psalm 139:1-6,13-18; Philemon 1-21; Luke 14:25-33 On the front page of this morning’s paper is an article about Craigslist. Craigslist is the free online advertising service. Even your church uses Craigslist. We’re trying to sell two burial plots that were gifts to the church. Craigslist has been under attack because of its adult advertising section. Critics have accused Craigslist of promoting prostitution and abuse. In response, this past week Craigslist shut down the … [Read more...]
Thanksgiving for All
Jeremiah 2:4-13; Psalm 112; Hebrews 13:1-8;15-16; Luke 14:1,7-14 Many of you know that every Thanksgiving the good people of St. Anthony’s Parish in Renton host a meal for the community. You don’t have to make reservations. Just show up. Some community meals at Thanksgiving are specifically for homeless people. It’s a good thing. But the Thanksgiving meal at St. Anthony’s really is for everyone. There is no special seating. Old or young, rich or poor—all are welcome. As the writer of … [Read more...]
Inception
Isaiah 61:1-11; Psalm 34:1-9; Galatians 4:4-7; Luke 1:46-55 You may have seen the movie Inception. It’s the story of people who make their living by helping groups of people experience the same dream while they’re sleeping. They use a machine that connects each person to the others. The point of sharing the same dream is not entertainment; in the dream, people work together to influence events in the real world. But the most important story in the movie is about the relationship of a young … [Read more...]
Center of the Universe
Isaiah 1:1,10-20; Ps. 50:1-8,22-23; Hebrews 11:1-3,8-16; Luke 12:32-40 16. Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your doings from before my eyes; cease to do evil, 17. learn to do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow. 18. Come now, let us argue it out, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be like snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. Let us pray... Two weeks ago I met my … [Read more...]
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