Category: Faith

What’s in a name? A sermon on Jesus’ name day.

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

After eight days had passed, it was time to circumcise the child; and he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

Luke 2:15-21

My sermon from New Year’s Day (January 1, 2017) on Luke 2:15-21.

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Would God be Born: When does Christmas show up?

In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!” When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

Luke 2:1-20

My sermon from Christmas Eve (December 25, 2016) on Luke 2:1-20.

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Unregistered Hope: Slow tv and the Sacred Everyday

In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!” When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

Luke 2:1-20

My sermon from Christmas Eve (December 24, 2016) on Luke 2:1-20.

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Christmas Cookies

The Gospel Reading is Luke 2:1-20.

One of my favorite scenes in the movie Elf is when Buddy the Elf is talking to his elf-dad while fixing Santa’s sleigh. Buddy is appalled that some people do not believe in Santa Claus. One of the questions he asks pertains to cookies: “I guess . . .parents then eat all those cookies?”

This is the season to eat all those cookies.

There’s something joyful about Christmas Day falling on a Sunday. The church gathers together on every Sunday to remember, proclaim, and celebrate the entirety of Jesus’ story. We share God’s Son through worship, song, and communion. We also share our story as people living in the light of his resurrection. Each Sunday is a day to celebrate Jesus. And Christmas Day is a day to remember God entering the world and spending God’s first moments wrapped in blankets and resting in a feeding trough.

We don’t always get to decide what moments come into lives. But we do have a God who promises to be in those moments with us. God didn’t need to be born as a child. God didn’t need to spend that first night in a manger. But God decided to have parents. God decided to grow up like we do. And God went on a journey that did not escape death. God goes where we go. Christmas Day isn’t the start of God’s presence in creation; God has never been far from what God loves and made. But Christmas is the moment when God took a chance to be one of us because we are worth the love only God can give. I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and many blessings (cookies and other treats) in the New Year.

Each week, I write a reflection on one of our scripture readings for the week. This is from Christ Lutheran Church’s Worship Bulletin for 12/25/2016.

A Christmas Eve Countdown Reflection

The Gospel Reading is Luke 2:1-20.

In my kitchen is my family’s Advent calendar. The calendar is large, made of felt, and has dates embossed on little pockets. Inside each pocket is a Christmas character. We have magi, camels, angels, and even a Christmas goose. On the Nativity scene above the pockets, there is a piece of Velcro for each character to be stuck to. Every morning, I pick up my two year old or four year old (or both) and we empty a pocket, adding that character to the Nativity. Sometimes the Christmas goose ends up in the manger or the camel ends up in the sky. Other times I let my two kids change the entire scene. Once they’re distracted by something else, I stick everything into a more traditional setup. My daily countdown to Christmas involves letting a little chaos happen before sorting everything out.

This year we also counted down to Christmas is a different way. Kids in our Sunday School invited the entire congregation to create a Reverse Advent Calendar. Each family picked an organization to support (a food pantry, homeless services organization, etc.) and each day we placed an item in a box to support that organization. My family spent the month filling a cardboard box with diapers, baby food, and pacifiers. We wanted to help a family with a newborn baby. When a character left their pocket in the Advent calendar, a new item for a baby was given to help someone in need.

We spend months counting down to Christmas but I wonder if we should be counting down at all. Maybe we should be counting “up” to Christmas. We can’t countdown to something that has already happened and Jesus was born 2000 years ago. But we can look forward to what Christmas means for us today. God chose to live a human life. Jesus needed to experience everything we experience. In Jesus, we see how God loves the world. Through his life, we see what God’s love does for the poor, marginalized, and everyone in need. And in his death and resurrection, we watch as God refuses to let our brokenness be our final word. Darkness, despair, frayed relationships, sorrow, and pain will not be what we to offer the world. By coming down to us, God gave to us the faith, love, and support we need to live lives that reflect God’s love full into the world. When our countdown to Christmas runs out, that doesn’t mean Christmas is over. Christmas is already here. Christmas is all year long. Our calling is to love like it’s Christmas every day.

Each week, I write a reflection on one of our scripture readings for the week. This is from Christ Lutheran Church’s Worship Bulletin for 12/24/2016.

Found to Be: Joseph (Jesus’ Dad) and Silence

Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means, “God is with us.” When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.

Matthew 1:18-25

My sermon from 4th Sunday of Advent (December 18, 2016) on Matthew 1:18-25.

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Who is Joseph?

The Gospel Reading is Matthew 1:18-25.

Today’s reading from the gospel of Matthew is almost a mini-Christmas. We’re hearing the story of Jesus’ birth one week early and we’re focusing on Matthew’s telling of the story. And this telling is very short. Jesus’ birth is only one verse long. The bulk of the the story is tied to a guy named Joseph.

So who is Joseph? It’s a bit complicated. We hear he’s a carpenter and…that’s about it. The details about Joseph’s life are lacking. Today’s story shares that Joseph was not involved with Jesus’ conception which means Jesus is not Joseph’s biological father. Using our modern day language and context, we could call Joseph Jesus’ stepfather. Joseph, like Mary, will take care of Jesus and his siblings. Our community is full of stepfathers, step siblings, stepmothers, and more. Our families are incredibly diverse in structure and makeup. Joseph, like all parents, is encouraged to be a parent even if the children they are raising are not their biological children. A parent does more than just share DNA with their child. A parent takes the time, energy, resources, and makes appropriate sacrifices so the child can thrive.

This description of parent fits who Joseph is. He raises Jesus. But we need to be careful with our stepfather language because, in Jesus’ time, there were no step-parents. There were only parents. Our language can add helpful additions to explain the complicated relationships that exist in families. But, in the ancient world, those additions rarely existed. Instead, a child with parents who claim him as their own did not depend on biology to set who belongs to what family. Once a child was claimed by a parent, that child had a parent and a family. God the Father is Jesus’ Father but Joseph, in the eyes of the ancient world, is also Jesus’ father too.

Each week, I write a reflection on one of our scripture readings for the week. This is from Christ Lutheran Church’s Worship Bulletin for 12/18/2016.

What You Hear and See: Even John the Baptist has Questions.

When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.”

As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind? What then did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes? Look, those who wear soft robes are in royal palaces. What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written, ‘See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’ Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

Matthew 11:2-11

My sermon from 3rd Sunday of Advent (December 11, 2016) on Matthew 11:2-11.

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Dealing with Doubt

The Gospel Reading is Matthew 11:2-11.

Wait a minute. Why does John ask Jesus if Jesus is the “one?” Shouldn’t John know by now?

Last week, our gospel reading introduced John the Baptist to us. John the Baptist is a prophet preaching in the wilderness. John gains followers and his message puts him in conflict with the local authorities. John is arrested and thrown in prison. While in prison, John receives word that Jesus is preaching and teaching throughout Israel. John, who heard a voice from heaven declare “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased” (Matt 3:17), sends his followers to question Jesus. As we heard last week, John has high expectations for what the Messiah will do. Even though John heard the voice announcing Jesus, John still wonders who Jesus is. John’s questions, in the words of Bonnie L. Pattison (Feasting on the Gospels: Matthew Volume 1, pg. 288), asked for some “clarification” for his faith.

Doubt can be unsettling. When we look at the people around us and hear the stories about Jesus’ followers in the Bible, we assume we do not measure up. We see the people around us as the true believers while we are lacking. We might have questions. We might long to experience God. We might, after a tough experience or a profound loss, wonder if this faith thing is for us. Something might happen that knocks our faith ajar or challenges our basic assumptions about God and ourselves. The very fact that we are asking questions can make us wonder if we really believe or not.

But I want to invite you to welcome the questions. Even John the Baptist, who was at Jesus’ baptism, wasn’t always sure. Even John had questions. Questions are not a sign that we do not have faith. Questions are a sign that we have it. In our questions, we are opening ourselves to a conversation with God about who we are and who God is. Jesus didn’t run away from questions. He answered them. And Jesus will answer your questions too.

Each week, I write a reflection on one of our scripture readings for the week. This is from Christ Lutheran Church’s Worship Bulletin for 12/11/2016.