Sermons (Page 115)

This is one of my favorite Sundays of the year. It’s Pentecost! Today we get to use big words like pneumatology, and we’re decked out in red. We also hear a variety of images to help us understand the Holy Spirit, including water, wind, and fire. That combination reminds me of when the planeteers summoned Captain Planet. If you’re not familiar with the show Captain Planet, it focuses on five children, one from each continent, who were given rings that harnessed the power of earth, fire, wind, water, and heart. These rings were given to them by Gaia, the spirit of the planet. When they needed help fighting eco-villians, they’d combine their powers and then Captain Planet would help…

Language can be confusing, and words are not always clear. A phrase to one person may mean something different to another. For example, the phrase “sanctuary congregation,” can be interpreted by one person as a disregard for the law, while another hears the same phrase as a way to use the laws to promote dignity and justice. So too, in today’s reading from John we come across a phrase that has a multiplicity of interpretations. This phrase is “eternal life.” I wonder, how do you define eternal life? As I present that question, I encourage you to get out the half-sheet insert in your bulletin titled “The Seventh Sunday After Easter” and find a pen in the pew. Then, ponder that first question, “how do you define ‘eternal life?”…

Like it or not, we’re living in a social media culture. Research shows that 81% of the US population has a social networking profile.[1] Across industries, social media went from something “nice to have” to an essential strategy.[2] Places that aren’t social media-friendly are quickly finding their doors shuttered. Yet, before we share something on social media, we must first have an experience worth sharing…