Sermons (Page 68)

Sermons (Page 68)

Christmas Eve

A few days after the year’s longest night, we gather here. We sing. We read. We light candles. And, we do it every year. Even with the familiar story, something different always grabs my attention. This year, it is the phrase, “there was no place for them in the inn.” Now, if you talked to a room of Lukean scholars (yes, there is such a thing), you’d probably get at least two interpretations of the word “inn.” Some say that the word “inn” means public accommodations, like a 21st century hotel, while others say it means a relative’s guest room. Now, here’s the rub, either way–whether they’re at a relative’s home or at a public inn–who would let this pre-teen give birth like that…

Sixth Sunday of Advent

In last week’s gospel, we meet John the Baptist. We heard him crying out on the margins wanting us to embrace God’s way of just living. We heard that John was the first century equivalent to a hype man or a hype gal–that is, the one who is responsible for increasing an audience’s excitement. Then, after all that hype, John the Baptist asks the silliest of questions, namely “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another…”