Sermon for the Third Sunday after Pentecost

Romans 5:1-8; Matthew 9:35-10:8

In the gospel text for today the twelve disciples are sent out into the world to announce the kingdom of heaven is at hand, to heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, and cast out demons.

What about us? Twenty-first century disciples? What’s our mission?

Today there are church leaders who say something very different. For example, one prominent Christian leader recently said: “Everybody will be saved in the end. Jesus isn’t the only way. God is bigger than that. He can save through any means; it doesn’t have to be through Jesus.”

Really?

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Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26

A Sermon for the Second Sunday after Pentecost

What is worship? And what is it to be spiritual? We know that worship by itself is not in itself Christian. Worship is found in all religions, even so-called nature religions.

The question is: Are you worshipping the true God or other false gods?

Here the Bible can help us, particularly the Matthew text for today. It has the famous line: “I desire mercy and not sacrifice” (Matthew 9:13).

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Matthew 28:16-20

A Sermon for Trinity Sunday

Today, Trinity Sunday, marks the end of the festival season in the church, the first festival is the first Sunday of Advent, six months ago, and the last festival was last Sunday, Pentecost, the festival of the Holy Spirit.

Just think: There is no festival for God the Father, the Maker of heaven and earth.

But there is Trinity Sunday, today. And the question for today is: Who is God? Or, really: Who is the TRUE God? How do we figure that out?

When we think about it, we realize there is all kinds of stuff out there about figuring out God. The major way people think about figuring out God is that God must be that great “X” in the sky, the great unknown, and then people have different ideas and views, but really, it’s “X,” like in algebra, only there’s no way to solve the equation. So, we end up in the unknown, the unseen, the invisible.

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Acts 2:1-11

A Sermon for Pentecost Sunday

Today is a festival Sunday, Pentecost, when we celebrate the Holy Spirit who descends like the rush of a mighty wind and with tongues of fire.

A month ago, the ELCA Church Council elected a new executive for administration; her name is Rachel Wind. The press release about her election quotes her saying: “I am humbled by the opportunity to step into this position at this moment in the life of the church. The Holy Spirit is up to something, and I’m grateful to be part of it.”

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John 17:1-11

A Sermon for the Seventh Sunday after Easter

Today is all about glory. It is the last Sunday of the Easter season. Last Thursday, May 14th, was the Festival of the Ascension, which marks the end of Jesus’ post-resurrection appearances and the bodily ascension of Jesus into heaven.

Today we celebrate the fact that the victory is his, and we are in him, and therefore the victory is ours as well.

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