A sermon preached on November 15th, 2020 based upon Matthew 25:14-30 entitled “A Parable Turned on Its Head.” The parables are generally challenging when it comes to probing their meanings, but man! This parable is particularly perplexing. Did you catch those last words on the lips of the master? “For to all those who have, […]
A sermon preached on October 11, 2020 based upon Philippians 4:4-8 entitled, “Is this ‘Happy Talk’ or Life Lived in Harmony with Reality?” Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with […]
The Eulogy for Ruthann Stefel (July 15, 1945 – September 19, 2020) 1Corinthians 13:1-13; Luke 18:1-8 You know how we get all these cards at Christmastime in which the sender includes a letter summarizing the events of the past year in their family? Maybe you’ve done this yourself. I have. They’re nice to receive – […]
A sermon preached on September 27, 2020 entitled “Sympathy for the Chief Priests and the Elders”, based upon Matthew 21:23-32. Philippians 2:1-11 was read during the children’s sermon and connects to the theme of this sermon. Last week we heard a parable Jesus told as he was on his way to Jerusalem, the place where […]
A sermon preached on September 20th, 2020 based upon Matthew 20:1-16, entitled “The Grace Beyond Our Limited Notions of Fairness” A while back a couple of animal behavior psychologists developed an experiment that demonstrated monkeys have an innate sense of what we call “fairness.” Two monkeys were placed side by side in separate cages. With […]
The Eulogy for Rachel Marie Weiss (March 20, 1995 – September 8, 2020) All childhoods have their hard times; Rachel’s did as well. But for the most part, Rachel’s childhood was one that was soaked with love. She born to parents who loved her, with a four year old big sister named Heather who adored […]
A sermon preached on September 6, 2020 based upon Romans 12:9 – 21 entitled “Getting Clear about Hatred and Evil.” In Paul’s letters, he typically spends the early parts describing the Gospel as he has come to know it – that we are saved by a grace that transforms us and not by works of […]
A sermon preached on August 30th, 2020 based upon Exodus 3:1-15 entitled “The Great I AM”. I want to invite you to go with my in a little flight of fantasy. Let’s imagine that God sends to us our very own guardian angel – think, Clarence from ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’, just not so clumsy, […]
A sermon preached on August 23rd, 2020 based upon Matthew 16:13-20 entitled “Living the Question.” Several years ago I received an email from a mom from our church that I’ve never forgotten. In it, she described the experience of her young son — an unusually sensitive, open-hearted little boy of about six who had recently […]
A sermon preached on August 16th, 2020 based upon Matthew 15: (10-20), 21-28 entitled “Letting Go of the ‘Perfect Jesus’ for the Jesus who Struggles as We Do, Allowing Himself to be Changed in the Crucible of Great Stress.” The sermon followed a children’s sermon on the story of Joseph and his brothers in Genesis. […]