Sermon: “Young Adult Jesus” Matt. 16:21-28
St. Mark’s Lutheran Church
Fargo, N.D.
August 28, 2011
Young Adult Jesus
Matthew 16:21-28
Thank you for the invitation to worship with you all this morning. It’s always a joy to share a bit about what God is doing with young adults in Fargo-Moorhead and The Project F-M. So, I’m very grateful to be here at St. Mark’s….
Today’s gospel lesson from Matthew 16 is one of those head-scratchers. I mean, just a few verses before, Jesus praises Peter for identifying him as the Messiah. Jesus says to Peter, “Blessed are you” and he gives him a nickname — Rocky — proclaiming, “On this rock I will build my church.”
… Continue Reading
Sermon: The Traveler’s Psalm
First Presbyterian Church of Hallock, Minn.
March 20, 2011
The Traveler’s Psalm
Psalm 121
Three or four years ago, when I was serving as seminary intern, I went with a pastor supervisor to meet with a family to plan a funeral. It was the first funeral I helped lead as any type of pastor. Even though I knew the family a little through some previous connections, it was a big deal going on my first funeral planning visit, so I paid very close attention to my supervisor.
We arrived at the house and drank coffee for a few minutes, then we pulled out our legal pads and, with the family, planned what the funeral service would look like. What hymns might you want to sing, we asked. How about the scripture lesson? Does a certain reading come to mind?
Well, the woman who had died was a lifelong choir member so the family had plenty of hymn suggestions. And, beyond that, they also knew what scripture reading they wanted. “The Traveler’s Psalm” they said.
My supervisor nodded. “Oh that’s nice,” he said. “Is there a special meaning to that psalm for you?” And the family went on to explain that, before they ever went on a family trip, or when they were on vacation together, or before someone in the family made a big transition — like to go college or get married — they’d gather together as a family and read The Traveler’s Psalm.
I have to admit, at that time I didn’t know that psalm 121 was known as the Traveler’s Psalm, but I haven’t forgotten it since. That image, of reading God’s word with one’s family before going on a family trip or transition still strikes me as profoundly moving. A few days later when I read psalm 121 at her funeral, it with a new and lasting appreciation.
So it’s particularly powerful for me, that today — my last official Sunday in Hallock — Psalm 121 is the suggested psalm for this, the second Sunday in Lent.
Sermon: Holding It Together
First Presbyterian Church of Hallock, Minn.
March 6, 2011
Holding it Together
Matthew 17:1-9
There’s some stories in the Bible that pretty much everyone seems to know irregardless whether they’re Christian or attend church. Of course: there’s Christmas — the story of little baby Jesus in a manger. There’s the story of Noah and the ark. And Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection are pretty much universally know. But, today’s stories from Matthew and it’s companion from Exodus wouldn’t quite make the top ten list of commonly-known Bible stories.
If Matthew were alive to day, he’d be sorry to hear that. The story of Jesus’ transfiguration in Matthew 17 holds the whole story together, it connects the faith and makes following Jesus so much more than just Christmas and Easter. … Continue Reading
Sermon: Critic or Judge?
First Presbyterian Church of Hallock, Minn.
Feb. 27, 2011
Critic or Judge?
1 Cor. 4:1-5
I’m sure you have all been waiting with bated breath for tonight. Well…maybe not, but tonight is the 83rd Academy Awards and the presentations of this year’s Oscars. As they’ve done for the last while, the Academy has nominated a whopping ten films for best picture. Ten, rather than the previous five, gets more films more hype, and is supposed to give a better chance for those dark horse films.
You’ve probably seen articles and interviews with movie critics in the lead up to the Oscars. We just heard another on the radio this morning. Can you imagine the life of a professional critic? These folk get paid to critique hundreds of movies each year. Then there’s music critics, arts critics, wine critics, I’ve even heard of a wine critic who developed an allergy to alcohol and became a professional bottled water critic! … Continue Reading
Sermon: Assured of Our Foundation
First Presbyterian Church of Hallock, Minn.
February 20, 2011
Assured of our Foundation
1 Cor. 3:10-11, 16-23
It didn’t take Megan and me long to figure out that Hallock was a special place. After my interview with the Pastor Nominating Committee in the summer of ’09, Megan and I were struck by many signs of the community — all the beautiful flowers in people’s yards, tasty dining at the Caribou Grill, seeing the many Canadian license plates in the motorhome park — and we gathered, quite rightly, that something good must be happening here. I admit, the sign up by the school, “Canada 20 miles” did freak out this Florida boy, but if I had decided to determine my life based on warm weather I wouldn’t have gone to St. Olaf or married a North Dakota girl! … Continue Reading
Sermon: Growing Up With God
First Presbyterian Church of Hallock, Minn.
February 13, 2011
Growing Up With God
1 Cor. 3:1-9
A few years ago now, the presbytery surrounding metro Atlanta declared a goal of increasing the number of adult baptisms in year by 10%. In a presbytery that large, they figured, there were too few growing churches and too few people coming to understand that they are claimed and loved by God.
In Atlanta (here too, but especially in a metro area like that) there are many people who grow up without any church influence. They’re never baptized as children. According to a recent study, about 25% of college freshman across the country have never even attended a worship service, let alone call them believers. And so, the presbyters of greater Atlanta made the goal of increasing the number of adult baptisms, of increasing the number of people who understand Jesus Christ as their Lord even though they didn’t attend church growing up.
There’s no real way to know for sure, but we can guess that most of the people in the church in Corinth were like these Christians the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta is seeking. … Continue Reading
Sermon: Foolish Baptism
First Presbyterian Church of Hallock, Minn.
Jan 30, 2011
Foolish Baptism
1 Cor. 1:18-31
Dear Annika,
Welcome to church. Heck, while we’re at it: welcome to life! I know it’s been a roller coaster these last few weeks. First there was the whole being born thing. Good job on that, by the way. Things went down well at Altru in Grand Forks, and I hope the drive back home wasn’t too bad. Sure, it’s cold outside, I know. But you live in Minnesota — northern Minnesota — you’ve just got to get used to it. And from what I hear, you got enough snuggy outfits at your baby shower to keep you nice and warm every day from now until kindergarten!
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