1 Lent A17—3/5/17 Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7; Psalm 32; Romans 5:12-19; Matthew 4:1-11 Pr. Scott Kramer A couple of weeks ago my wife and I traveled to Arizona, which included two days in a remote monastery on a pre-Lenten silent retreat. It was a wonderful experience that you can read about in this month’s newsletter, if you haven’t already. This monastery we visited is surrounded by desert and mountains, similar to what I imagine Jesus saw when Matthew describes him being “led up by the Spirit … [Read more...]
Sermons Archive
Birds of the Air
Epiphany 8A17—2/16/17 Isaiah 49:8-16; Psalm 131; Matthew 6:24-34 Pr. Scott Kramer (Preached at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Seattle) "Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?" This past week I’ve been thinking a lot about the “birds of the air.” My wife and I just returned on Friday from a few days in Arizona, which included some fine bird-watching. It’s too early for spring … [Read more...]
Choose Love!
6 Epiphany A—2/12/17 Deuteronomy 30:15-20 (Sirach 15:15-20); Psalm 119:1-8; Pr. Scott Kramer Clyde Ford is a retired chiropractor and psychotherapist who lives in Bellingham; he’s also African-American. In yesterday’s Seattle Times Clyde Ford tells the story of a lunch meeting he had one day in a small local café. As he and his luncheon companion were enjoying their conversation, without warning a woman outside the coffeehouse beat on the window, shot her middle finger into the air and hollered … [Read more...]
Salt of the Earth
5 Epiphany A—2/5/17 Isaiah 58:1-12; Psalm 112:1-10; 1 Corinthians 2:1-16; Matthew 5:13-20 Pr. Scott Kramer I remember a time as a young adult when I had just turned legal age. Wine and beer were familiar to me but cocktails were completely foreign. One day I was out to dinner with an older and more experienced friend, who explained some of the drinks listed on the menu. I settled on a Mai Tai. When the drink was served I took a sip and exclaimed, “That’s really salty!” My friend … [Read more...]
Just Business
4 Epiphany A—1/29/17 Micah 6:1-8; Psalm 15; 1 Corinthians 1:18-31; Matthew 5:1-12 Pr. Scott Kramer As you know, after worship this morning we will hold our congregation’s annual meeting for 2017. Likewise, on May 20th, Lutheran congregations from around Western Washington will come together for what we call Synod Assembly. These two gatherings are often described as the church’s annual “business meetings.” What would you say is the church’s “business?” Some of us might talk about budgets, … [Read more...]
New Beginnings
Baptism of Our Lord A—1/9/17 Isaiah 42:1-9; Psalm 29; Acts 10:34-43; Matthew 3:13-17 Pr. Scott Kramer Not many of us were here at worship last Sunday. On New Year's Day, mostly because of snow and ice, we were only 13! Last Sunday was also the first Sunday of the New Year. This past Friday marked the beginning of a new church season, the season of Epiphany, also known as the Season of Light. We are in a season of new beginnings, and today, when we remember the Baptism of Our Lord, our scripture … [Read more...]
God’s Dream
4 Advent A—12/18/16 Isaiah 7:10-16; Psalm 80:1-7,17-19; Romans 1:1-7; Matthew 1:18-25 Pr. Scott Kramer So, how did you sleep last night? Over the past three weeks of Advent we’ve heard a lot about the need to be wakeful, and we hear it again today. Be alert! Be aware! Pay attention to the unexpected ways that God shows up among us! But there is value in sleep. We need sleep, right? And here, on the final Sunday in Advent, Joseph is sound asleep! How he was able to sleep I have no idea. He’d … [Read more...]
Good News!
3 Advent A—12/11/16 Isaiah 35:1-10; Psalm 146:5-10; James 5:7-10; Matthew 11:2-11 Pr. Scott Kramer Did you know that KFC--Kentucky Fried Chicken--has been licensed to sell marijuana in Colorado? Did you know that loggers in South America have cut down the world’s oldest tree? Did you know that a Texas turkey farm was found to be contaminated with the Ebola virus? Did you know that Facebook is reporting the names of gun owners to the Department of Homeland Security? Did you know that…none of … [Read more...]
Cats and Dogs
2 Advent A—12/4/17 Isaiah 11:1-10; Psalm 72:1-7,18-19; Romans 15:4-13; Matthew 3:1-12 Pr. Scott Kramer Today we at Lakeridge Lutheran Church continue our celebration of 70 years; 70 years of being a presence in the neighborhood and, at our best, being Christ to the community, providing a glimpse of God’s unconditional love for the world…and a hint of Christ’s realm on Earth! For me personally, our congregation’s anniversary is one of several opportunities to celebrate. In September I attended … [Read more...]
Keep Awake!
Advent1A—11/27/16 Isaiah 2:1-5; Psalm 122; Romans 13:11-14; Matthew 24:36-44 Pr. Scott Kramer Anybody remember the 1970 book “The Late Great Planet Earth?” Some of you who are younger might be more familiar with the “Left Behind” series of novels and movies that appeared in the 1990s and early 2000s. These best-sellers used today’s reading from Matthew, with other Bible passages, to describe the “end of history.” The idea is that God will suddenly one day appear in the clouds to snatch away … [Read more...]
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