Sermons
Our lives are made up of this tension between grief and hope, loss and new life, sorrow and resurrection. This is Lent and Easter. This is humanity and divinity. This is the Paschal mystery, the awful death and the glorious resurrection of our redeemer and sustainer, Jesus the Christ.
Listen to or read Ryan’s entire sermon by clicking “Read More.”
It’s hard for me to imagine how this woman must have felt at finding a strange man sitting by the well, a man who upon speaking to her turned out to be a Jew. Her surprise at the situation notwithstanding, the woman did converse with Jesus, though initially that didn’t go terribly well. As in conversations Jesus had with Nicodemus, a well-educated Pharisee and member of the Sanhedrin, to those he had with his disciples who traveled with him and on some levels knew him well, what Jesus said to the woman and what she heard were definitely not the same thing.
Listen to or read Sharon’s entire sermon by clicking “Read More.”
In our Gospel today we have the beginning of a different portrait about a different kind of disciple. It is about Nicodemus. Nicodemus is a man full of faith, he is a well respected community and religious leader, he is wealthy. He has been hearing about Jesus and is intrigued. He knows there is something about God going on in this, but doesn’t quite know what to make of it.
Listen to or read Bingham’s full sermon by clicking “Read More.”
In today’s gospel, we continue the story of Jesus teaching his disciples on the mountain. Jesus began his public ministry with the call to metanoia, a changing of heart, mind, and action. And he declared that God’s kingdom, (which remember for Jesus this kingdom is in contrast to the kingdoms of the world, whose ways of ruling emphasize power over others, in this kingdom that Jesus proclaims, governance is more equal, more relational, more connected, with everyone working together as kin, so Jesus’ kingdom is more of a kindom), and this kingdom slash kindom that he declared, was very near, and in fact, was being created in their midst through Jesus’ works of healing and love. And Jesus invited everyone to help create this kindom.
To read Ryan’s entire sermon, click “Read More.”
Guess who’s back? John the Baptist, AGAIN! When Jesus hears about his cousin’s arrest, he goes to Galilee. He leaves his home in Nazareth and sets up in Capernaum, by the sea. He calls some of his first disciples, Andrew, Peter, James and Jon, and he launches his public ministry. Remember when his mom wanted him to help with the wedding feast in Cana and he told her it wasn’t his time? Now, it’s his time. And from this point he begins changing his world in ways that are still resonating today. The first message of Jesus’ public ministry is: “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven has come near.” (Matt 4: 17)
To read Ryan’s entire sermon, click “Read More.”
In today’s Gospel reading we heard a story that included John the Baptist. We have been hearing a lot about John the Baptist recently. He showed up on two separate Sundays in December, and this is the second Sunday he has showed up in January. So, who is this John the Baptist we have been hearing so much about?
To read Bingham’s full sermon, click “Read More.”
We had a baptism today in an earlier service, and in that font of water were molecules that were in the Red Sea the day the Children of Israel left slavery and went into the desert. There were molecules in the puddles that brushed against garments, perhaps against Moses. There are molecules in the font that were in the Jordan River the day Joshua led the Children of Israel out of the desert into the Promised Land. There are molecules in that water that were flowing in the Jordan River the day that Jesus was baptized, and would have brushed against Jesus. There are molecules in the baptismal water that were in the Jordan River the day Jesus was nailed to the cross, and the day the women went to the tomb and the tomb was empty.
To read Bishop Neff’s full sermon, click “Read More.”
