Easter banner in the church 4 Easter A—5/3/20 Acts 2:42-47 Pr. Scott Kramer You just heard this reading from the Book of Acts: Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods, and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and … [Read more...]
Young Prophets
3 Easter A—4/26/20 Luke 24:13-35 Pr. Scott Kramer Today's question is the same one we heard last week: Can you see Jesus? Now on that same day, while two disciples were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. Maybe I’m the only one who finds that last verse interesting. …but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. For most of my life I understood that to mean God prevented them from seeing. But God does not … [Read more...]
Out Ahead of Us
Easter Sunday—4/12/20 Matthew 28:1-10 Pr. Scott Kramer Of all the images in Matthew’s account of the Easter story, the one that I identify with most this year is the empty tomb. Here we are, Jakub and Marissa and me, just the three of us. The worship space is empty. Those of you who are here week after week are not here! Today, as we conclude the season of Lent and continue the season of social distance, you—the Body of Christ—are not here. Some of you have a lifetime practice of … [Read more...]
Faithful Thomas
2 Easter B—4/8/18 1 John 1:1--2:2; John 20:19-31; Mark 16:1-8 Pr. Scott Kramer Our gospel reading for this second Sunday in Easter picks up where last Sunday’s Easter reading left off. Last Sunday we heard John’s account of the Easter story. But Mark’s account is the gospel that we follow this year. It, too, has an Easter story. (Read Mark 16:1-8) So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone; for they were afraid. The … [Read more...]
Stranger on the Road
3 Easter A—4/30/17 Acts 2:14a,36-41; Psalm 116:1-4,12-19; 1 Peter 1:17-23; Luke 24:13-35 Pr. Scott Kramer A week and a half ago I stopped by the Renton History Museum for the first time. The museum features a traveling exhibit titled, “Sorting Out Racism,” which is excellent and continues through May 17th. While I was at the museum I learned about an event held at the museum this past Thursday, a panel discussion titled, Undoing Racism in Renton. The panel was an African-American pastor … [Read more...]
A Living Christ
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...]
Power to Change
3 Pentecost C—6/5/16 1 Kings 17:17-24; Psalm 30; Galatians 1:11-24; Luke 7:11-17 Pr. Scott Kramer Over the past few weeks the church calendar has made a transition from the season of Easter to the season of Pentecost. We are now in the long season of green, in which God’s Word instructs us in the ways of spiritual growth and maturity. And yet, both our reading from 1 Kings and our reading from Luke are very similar resurrection stories. This sounds like Easter! What’s going on here? The first … [Read more...]
Room for You
Easter C16 Acts 10:34-43; Psalm 118; 1 Corinthians 15:19-26; Luke 24:1-12 Pr. Scott Kramer Years ago on a trip to Israel my wife and I planned to visit some of the places that were important parts of Jesus’ life. One of these was the traditional place of his birth in Bethlehem. It’s a small, cramped space, with room for only a few people, beneath the floor of a church that was built above it. The traditional place of Jesus’ birth is not a shelter for animals, such as we find in the Bible. It’s … [Read more...]
Fall
It has felt more like winter these past weeks but by the calendar we’re only mid-way through fall. The word “fall” lately has been showing up regularly in my life. It’s our informal word for “autumn.” But its most common use describes moving from “upright” to “face-plant.” I’ve had some painful, first-hand experience with this use of the word. Two months ago I slipped on a large boulder while walking along a river. I hit the rock full force on my back. More recently, I fell off a … [Read more...]