Hosea 11:1-11; Psalm 107:1-9,43; Colossians 3:1-11; Luke 12:13-21 As my teammates & I stood at the top of Mt. Rainier last Saturday morning, our lead guide looked at us & smiled. We’d reached our goal, the summit of Mt. Rainier. But then he said: Congratulations--you’re half-way there! He was right. Over the past two days we’d climbed 9000’ vertical feet. Now, even though we were exhausted, we had to descend in one day 9000 vertical ft. to Paradise Visitor Center, where we’d begun our … [Read more...]
The Guy in the Ditch
Amos 7:7-17; Psalm 82; Colossians 1:1-14; Luke 10:25-37 How many people know what the Good Sam Club is? Maybe you’ve seen the bumper sticker with the smiling guy, a halo over his head? It’s the nation’s largest RV club. “Good Sam,” of course, refers to Good Samaritan. The story of the Good Samaritan is so well known, even by non-Christians, that we forget the point of the story. If I were to ask anyone on the street, Christians included, what being a Good Samaritan means, what would … [Read more...]
Servant Power
2 Kings 5:1-14; Psalm 30; Galatians 6:1-16; Luke 10:1-11,16-20 I’d like to thank you for your care for the Rystrom family this past week. I’d also like to thank you for welcoming Pr. Martha Myers last Sunday. I was away for continuing education these past two weeks. Last Sunday I was able to worship with my family. Unlike you, I don’t get the chance very often to visit other churches on Sunday morning so I was grateful for the opportunity. This Sunday, of course, happens to fall on … [Read more...]
“Wacko”
1 Kings 19:1-15a; Psalm 42-43; Galatians 3:23-29; Luke 8:26-39 Last week one of you said to me, I don’t think I really know you, but I’d like to. You never know what little thing might turn into sermon! I could say the same thing about the person who spoke those words: I don’t think I really know you. The truth is, any of us could say something similar about anyone else. Even those we know & love—we can’t really say we know them well. Only God knows our full stories. Two thousand … [Read more...]
Simon Says
1 Kings 2:1-21a; Psalm 5:1-8; Galatians 2:15-21; Luke 7:36-8:3 How many of you remember the game Simon Says? In today’s reading from Luke, we meet Simon. Simon is a Pharisee. Pharisees were experts in Jewish law--they knew it inside & out. So when a woman with a “certain reputation” approaches Jesus at a dinner party & touches him, Simon says, If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him — that she is a sinner. Simon didn’t … [Read more...]
Hope in Spite of Circumstances
1 Kings 17:8–16 [17–24]; Psalm 146; Galatians 1:11-24; Luke 7:11-17 It was good to see Alan & Anne Compaan in worship last week. Not everyone here knows Alan & Anne. Alan is the grandson of a former Lakeridge pastor. Today he’s chief of police for the City of Edmonds. It’s tough to be a police officer these days. It’s never been easy to be in law enforcement but lately it’s seemed especially difficult. In times of crisis, we hope, our faith & most of all, our faith community, … [Read more...]
Unbearable Love
Proverbs 8:1-4,22-31; Psalm 8; Romans 5:1-5; John 16:12-15 Did you hear about the woman who became a Catholic priest? Sounds like a set-up for a joke, doesn’t it?--but it’s not! Yesterday’s Seattle Times reported that an Olympia woman was the first woman in Washington state to be ordained as a Catholic priest. The ordination was performed by an organization called Roman Catholic Womenpriests. It isn’t considered valid by the Pope or the mainline Roman Catholic Church because the Roman … [Read more...]
Diversity is Part of God’s Plan
Acts 2:1-21; Genesis 11:1-9; Psalm 104:24-34,35b; John 14:8-17, 25-27 Most of you already know that I‟m planning to climb Mt. Rainier in July. In order to prepare for that climb I need to do training climbs. Yesterday my wife & I climbed Mt. Si near North Bend. The forests of the Northwest are always beautiful, especially this time of year. Everything is green. As you walk through the woods, you might get the idea that because it‟s all green it‟s all pretty much the same. But as a … [Read more...]
New Direction
Acts 9:1-20; Psalm 30; Revelation 5:11-14; John 21:1-19 After the loss of a loved one, life is never the same. And yet, hopefully over time we settle into a routine that helps us move forward. After he rose from the dead, Jesus appeared to his terrified friends twice behind locked doors. In today’s reading he appears once more. By this time, they’ve ventured out from behind their locked doors. In fact, they’re beginning to get back into a routine that feels somewhat normal. “I’m going … [Read more...]
Belief or Forgiveness?
Acts 5:27-32; Psalm 118:14-29; Revelation 1:4-8; John 20:19-31 What do you think about Thomas? He’s been called “doubting Thomas” because he didn’t believe that Jesus was alive. But is that fair? In today’s reading John tells us that the other disciples didn’t believe until they saw for themselves. And put yourself in their shoes. Who of us would’ve believed such a story as resurrection from the dead? Not me! It’s tempting to think that this Easter story is about belief—belief that Jesus … [Read more...]
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