Jesus’ Big But

Ascension of Our Lord Acts 1:1-11 Ephesians 1:15-23 Luke 24:44-53 One of my favorite movies is Pee Wee’s Big Adventure. In this flick, Pee Wee Herman travels across the country searching for his beloved, lost bike. At one point in his journey, he meets a woman named, Simone, at a diner. They quickly strike up …

That Pesky Boundary Breaking Holy Spirit

Sixth Sunday of Easter Acts 10:44-48 I John 5:1-6 John 15:9-17 We keep boundaries to keep safe… however we imagine being safe. A sign on the road that reads, “Speed Limit 40 mph” is intended to keep drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists safe. If you’ve ever driven on Roosevelt Boulevard and a car zipped past you …

Choose Your Own Easter Adventure

Resurrection of Our Lord B Easter 2024 Isaiah 25:6-9 I Corinthians 15:1-11 Mark 16:1-8 Happy Easter! It is supposed to be happy, isn’t it? This is the big show, right? The power of sin is destroyed, death is defeated, Jesus is alive! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! But it’s hard to get …

Let Go of Life To Take Hold of Life

Fifth Sunday in Lent Jeremiah 31:31-34 Hebrews 5:5-10 John 12:20-33 “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” On March 24, 1980, Archbishop of San Salvador, Oscar Romero, was shot and killed while preaching and celebrating Holy Communion. …

What Happens in the Wilderness does not Stay in the Wilderness

First Sunday in Lent Genesis 9:8-17 I Peter 3:18-22 Mark 1:9-15 20 years ago, a group of tourism advertisers racked their brains for a new, fresh ad campaign slogan for Las Vegas. The folks in the room felt like Las Vegas had been tied up almost exclusively to the gambling industry and so the advertisers …

Overcompensating

Ash Wednesday 2024 Isaiah 58:1-12 2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10 Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 It’s a funny scene Jesus describes. People conducting a literal parade and sounding the trumpet to announce their donations. People shouting prayers to God on the street corner. People roughing up their clothes, skipping bath time, and mussing up their hair to show just …

Be Terrified of this Wonderful News!

Transfiguration of Our Lord II Kings 2:1-12 II Corinthians 4:3-6 Mark 9:2-9 Think of that feeling you get when your “happily ever after” finally arrives. You are a senior in high school and you’ve been working your tail off to get good grades, you’ve applied to your dream college, and after weeks and weeks of …

Built Up Not Puffed Up

Fourth Sunday of Epiphany Deuteronomy 18:15-20 I Corinthians 8:1-13 Mark 1:21-28 That’s the problem with cheese puffs. They taste so good, all that artificial orangey cheesy goodness, but they’re mostly air. If you aren’t paying attention, you get into a hypnotic rhythm gobbling up those doodles. Puff after puff, they hit your tongue and just …

Different Kinds of Bait

Third Sunday after Epiphany Jonah 3:1-5, 10 1 Corinthians 7:29-31 Mark 1:14-20 “I will make you fishers of people,” Jesus says… but what’s the bait? More recently in Christian history, we’ve heard Jesus’ call to become “fishers of people” as a command to save souls and/or boost church membership numbers. The urgency of this call …

A Good, but Not So Safe Baptized Life

Baptism of Our Lord (Year B) Genesis 1:1-5 Acts 19:1-7 Mark 1:4-11 To live a baptized life is a lot. It is comforting, fun, challenging, wonderful, joyful, and a bit scary. Kind of like the water exhibit of a children’s museum. Have you ever been to the water part of a children’s museum? It’s a …