Sermon: Pentecost 17C

It’s no wonder why so many people are turned off by Christianity, when there’s so many negative voices dominating religious discourse. 

When I encounter an atheist, or agnostic, or someone who simply walked away from Christianity, I usually encounter someone who’s been hurt by Christians. And I hear all sorts of stories of Christians behaving badly.

I hear stories about the mean Sunday School teacher who scolded them for asking uncomfortable questions about the creation story, saying questions reveal doubt and that doubt is a sin.

I hear stories about the angry preacher who condemned them for walking away from an abusive marriage, because, they say, divorce is a sin.

I hear stories about the overly pious aunt who said that science was from the pit of Hell when they told her they were studying biology at school.

And when they drive past churches, they don’t see places where God’s people dwell. They don’t see places where they feel they can walk through the door without wearing spiritual body armour. 

They see places where they have to become someone they know they aren’t nor who they want to be, before they can even start looking for a parking spot...(whole thing here)

UPDATE: Link added.

Easter Sermon

"...For among them, Christ IS risen indeed.

In this story, and in the lives of the disciples...

...we hear that Easter is NOT just about a dead man opening his eyes.

...we hear that Easter is NOT just about our sins being forgiven. 

...we hear that Easter is NOT just about the miracle of victory in the midst of defeat.

We hear that Easter is about God's undying commitment to LIFE.


Easter is about how God making life THRIVE in the world. 
Easter is about how God is making EVERYTHING new.


Easter is about a God building a world...

A world....

...where setbacks are turned into comebacks.

...where the fearful find faith
.
...where the hurting find healing
...where the addicted find freedom
...where the broken find wholeness

...where the weak find strength

...where the sinful find forgiveness

Wherever evil is defeated, there is Easter! It is there that Christ is Risen!

Wherever selfishness rises into generosity, there is Easter. It is there that Christ is Risen!


Wherever enemies become friends, there is Easter! It is there that Christ is Risen!

Wherever hungry bellies are filled, 
wherever tears are wiped dry, 
wherever the grieving find comfort, there is Easter!
It is there that Christ is Risen!

Wherever justice destroys oppression, 
wherever the lowly are lifted up and proud are de-throned, 
there is Easter!  It is there that Christ is Risen!

Wherever life bursts from death, there is Easter! It is there that Christ is Risen!


And today, Easter descends upon...(whole thing here)"

Sermon: Christmas 1C

...what if you were Mary or Joseph? What would you have done when you finally caught up with Jesus and found him lecturing the finest religious minds of your generation about the intricacies of the Almighty?

While I’m sure that Mary and Joseph were used to strange things happening since this boy came into their lives. I also think they wondered what their jobs as parents were.

How do they guide a child into adulthood who has God’s wisdom living inside of him? How do they prepare him for a future that is so different from anyone else’s and nothing like they’d ever seen?

The story says that “When his parents saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, “Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety.” Jesus said to them, “Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”

I’m sure that their frustration was aimed both at this runaway kid and at their own feelings of inadequacy as parents. And while they were relieved to have him back, they probably looked at what was happening at the Temple and quietly asked each other, “What do we do now? Where do we go from here?”

And what kind of glib answer was that that Jesus gave his frantic parents? “Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”

How would you have answered that question? It’s not as clear an answer as it first appears.

Yes, he was...(whole thing here)

Sermon: Reformation Sunday

(NB: You can listen to the sermon by clicking here)

If someone asked you what a Lutheran was, how would you respond?

I ask that question to most of the congregations for whom I’ve been a pastor, they looked as blankly then as you do this morning.

For most of us, that’s a tough question to answer. Lutheranism has such a rich and diverse tradition. But it’s also very specific. How do you sum up a whole faith history in a few words?

Those of us initiated in the deeper workings of the Lutheran theological tradition would throw around weighty words such as “justification” and “sanctification” before lapsing into Latin spewing phrases such “sola fide” “sola gratia” “sola scriptura;” high sounding words to explain what is really a tremendously personal faith. “Why,” ask Lutherans, “would you use a 50 cent word when a $100 word will do just as well?

Others, more narratively minded, will tell the story of Martin Luther, from whom we derive our name “Lutheran.”

You’d mention his beginnings as a law student, before being caught in a thunderstorm, and thinking he’s going to die, he cut a deal with St. Anne that if she helps him survive the storm, he’ll devote his life to God and become a monk.

She did. And he...(whole thing here [link fixed: kgp)