This is the sermon I preached Sunday, March 24, Passion/Palm Sunday at St. Timothy Lutheran Church. The text was the Processional Gospel, Mark 11:1-11. Passion/Palm Sunday brings us to Holy Week. A significant shift occurs in Jesus’ words and actions as he moves from Galilee into Jerusalem, ultimately to the cross. On this day, we are looking at Mark 11:1-11, the Processional Gospel, detailing the Palm Sunday aspects of this day. We’re using the lens of being Altered by the Spirit, with today’s theme “Victory Altered.” Let’s think about these words, “Victory Altered.” Jesus was at the p ..read more

 This is the sermon I preached at St. Timothy Lutheran Church. The text is John 12:20-33.     Our series on being Altered by the Spirit continues with being Altered Alongside Our Enemies. This passage highlights the confrontation between Jesus and the world. This is how it looks: The world (represented by the Greeks) hungers for Jesus, meets him in community. There is the call to discipleship—which is service. There is the call to suffering—which is glory.  Finally, there is a call to judgment—which is resurrection (Rob Myallis, lectionarygreek.blogspot.com). T ..read more

 Here are some thoughts on this coming Sunday's gospel: Gospel: John 3:14-21 [Jesus said:] 14“Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.  16“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.  17“Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemne ..read more

  Gospel: John 2:13-22 13The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. 15Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16He told those who were selling the doves, “Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father’s house a marketplace!” 17His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.” 18T ..read more

 Here are some random thoughts on this Sunday's gospel. I'm using the resource Lent in a Box, which has the overall theme for Lent as Altered by the Spirit. For the first Sunday, we're focusing on Altered on the Edge of Belonging.   Gospel: Mark 1:9-15 9In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. 11And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”  12And the Spirit immediatel ..read more

This is the sermon I preached on Sunday, 2/11/24 at St. Timothy Lutheran Church. The text was Mark 9:2-9. You probably thought I misspoke when I said “transformed” instead of “transfigured” in the reading of this morning’s gospel. However, in Greek, they are the same word. It is the same word used in Romans, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed…” and in 2 Cor. 3:18, “And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the ..read more

 This is the message on this coming Sunday's gospel that will go out to the people of St Timothy Lutheran Church. Gospel: Mark 1:29-39 29As soon as [Jesus and the disciples] left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30Now Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once. 31He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them.  32That evening, at sunset, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons. 33And the whole city was gathered around the ..read more

 This is the message I sent to the people of St. Timothy regarding this coming Sunday's gospel. Gospel: Mark 1:21-28 21[Jesus and his disciples] went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught.22 They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. 23 Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, 24 and he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.” 25But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, a ..read more

This is the sermon I preached on Sunday, 1/21 at St. Timothy Lutheran Church. The text was Mark 1:14-20. There’s something fishy about today’s gospel. Are we really to believe that these four prospective disciples would instantly drop everything and follow Jesus? And this was at night, when fishing took place, to get the fish to market while they were fresh. Jesus has dropped his net to fish for disciples.  The kingdom having come near is the refrain for Jesus—where the work of God is done among the people of God, there the kingdom of God can be found. It is the heart of Jesus’ message ..read more

 This is the sermon I preached on 1/14 at St. Timothy Lutheran Church. The text is John 1:43-51. The other day I was in the grocery store. I noticed a couple wearing Bills regalia and decided to say to them, “Go Bills.” They smiled and responded in kind, “Go Bills.” Because they identified themselves as fans, we were able to identify each other and greet each other as fans. They displayed their identity and I saw it. I wonder how often we display our faith, not so much by t shirts and colors as by our actions. Others can then see Jesus in us. Sight is key in John’s gospel. In fact, the ..read more