Sermons from 2016 (Page 2)

Has this always been the plan?

Trinity Sunday is the Sunday in which we consider the nature of God Himself. Given that our annual focus this year is “Wise Unto Salvation”, we are drawn to the reading from Proverbs about wisdom and how wisdom and God interact The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a…

What Could We Do Together?

The Tower of Babel Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. And as people migrated from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone,…

What can you imagine?

About the Sixth Sunday of Easter: The readings this week look toward the inclusion of all peoples in God’s Kingdom. The inclusion of Macedonia through Lydia’s faithful response to God’s work in her heart, the organization of heaven that includes not only Jewish believers, but Gentiles as well, to the Psalm that looks forward to…

Will you pass?

About the Fifth Sunday of Easter: God’s Kingdom is revealed in a New Heaven and a New Earth in the book of Revelation. It is described as a New Jerusalem coming down out of the heavens, where God’s dwelling place is with man. This New Jerusalem is a place where there is no separation along…

Who Are These?

About the Fourth Sunday of Easter: The fourth Sunday of Easter is often called “Good Shepherd Sunday” because the readings traditionally center around the image of Jesus as a shepherd. Even in the book of Revelation, Jesus is pictured as a shepherd – here a sort of ironic shepherd, a Lamb who is a shepherd.…

Who is the right choice?

About the Third Sunday of Easter: The readings this week revolve around the idea of worthiness. In the reading from the book of Revelation, we see that it is only the Lamb, who is Jesus, that is found worthy. No others are worthy of the responsibility and action of heaven. Because we learn that it…

Do you have a negative theology?

About Easter Sunday: Alleluias return to the sanctuary of University Lutheran as we consider emptiness again, but this time joyously, as we consider the empty tomb of our Lord whom death could not hold. Together with Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women and disciples, we consider the mystery of…

Whats the point of the story?

Throughout the lectionary readings this week, we see hints of Jesus’ crucifixion and how we are called to lose our lives in His life. As Jesus was persecuted, we are given the command to give of ourselves in love as well. Though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else…

Where’s the party?

Sometimes culture views the Christian God of judgment, and while this is true about God’s fairness, it neglects God’s love and restoration of the human being. As we consider the God whom Jesus portrays as the father in the story of the prodigal, we consider a God who has given grace and forgiveness. And he…

Do you need more time?

The readings this week are about repentance, and so it makes sense that we talk about how we are called to something greater than simple songs in our worship, but how we are turned around by God in our repentance. “So you, son of man, I have made a watchman for the house of Israel.…