EasterA17—4/16/17 Jeremiah 31:1-6; Psalm 118:1-2,14-24; Colossians 3:1-4; John 20:1-18 Pr. Scott Kramer Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again! This is the message of Easter morning. Death gives way to new life. Despair gives way to hope. Forty days of Lent have led to this day. Forty days in which again and again God’s people have been invited to the task of repentance. We have been reminded that repentance is not about feeling weighed down by guilt for what we have or … [Read more...]
Saving the World
2 Easter A—4/23/17 1 Peter 1:3-9; John 20:19-31 Pr. Scott Kramer (Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, Seattle) A couple of weeks ago I was in the checkout line at our local hardware store and overheard a conversation behind me. It was between a store employee and a young man and woman who are fairly new to the area. When he learned that the young woman works in a local research lab, this store employee said, “Oh, my daughter works in the city as an epidemiologist.” And then he chuckled, “She’s trying … [Read more...]
Living Water
3 Lent A—3/19/17 Exodus 17:1-7; Psalm 95; Romans 5:1-11; John 4:5-42 Pr. Scott Kramer In last month’s issue of National Geographic magazine was a story titled, “For Widows, Life After Loss.” In some cultures, the article reports, “the death of a husband has meant exile, vulnerability, and abuse.” In Uganda, for example, if a woman’s husband dies, her in-laws typically take away everything from her: not only her land and property but even her children! One day Jesus was traveling with his … [Read more...]
Born Again
2 Lent A—3/12/17 Genesis 12:1-4a; Psalm 121; Romans 4:1-5,13-17; John 3:1-17 Pr. Scott Kramer The Lord said to Abram, “I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing…and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” God had big plans for Abram. But what was required of Abram in return was a big move. Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you, God commands. Abram … [Read more...]
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...]
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