Sermons (Page 119)
Fourth Sunday in Lent
Fire – it’s complex, it’s mysterious, and it’s destructive. In the United States, we’ve seen an alarming level of wildfires this year. Over 2 million acres have been scorched, which is 10 times higher than average.[1] Some people are not the same after these raging fires. We look with pain at their burnt bodies, and we tremble with fear gazing at their simmering homes. In the Bible, stories of God’s fiery wrath are used to motivate or control. Even the inquisition used flames to compel heretics to recant. However, fire is also life-giving. In fact, some species of trees need fire for their seeds to be released from the cones.[2] Fire invites community when we cuddle-up in front of the fireplace or tell stories around a campfire. Fire illuminates. Fire warms. Fire provides life…
Third Sunday in Lent
Has anyone else here been watching the new nature documentary, Planet Earth II? I have. When the first episode premiered a few weeks ago, I turned it on for some background noise and to catch some glimpses of spectacular natural wonders, but before I knew it I was hooked! I couldn’t look away! The series has a surprisingly enticing way of bringing to life the dramatic stories that play out in nature all around us – often without our notice. Now the intricate details of the lives of these exotic animals that are scraping out a way of life in beautiful but demanding climates captivate millions of people around the world, myself included. Last week, I was engrossed by the literal life and death struggle for a small family of elephants in Africa’s Kalahari Desert as they desperately searched for water. They trudged through the barren and arid landscape hoping that they would find water before it was too late. And just when it seemed that the burning sands would be unending, they find a watering hole full of life. Zebras, antelope, giraffes, ostriches, birds, and more huddle around this small oasis in the desert as they all lapped from this fountain of life. The animals that traveled for miles to find this water source show that even with the diversity of wildlife – four legged or winged, big or small, they all share a common need of water to live…
Second Sunday of Lent
In school, there was one subject I never enjoyed. I saw the importance of science, math, and, of course, religion, but I hated grammar. What put me over the edge was dissecting sentences. It was complicated with its many lines – horizontal, vertical, and dotted. I was already struggling with parts of speech, and dissecting sentences crossed the line into my firm hatred with grammar. Yet, it turns out that the parts of speech matter. Who would have thought?! To understand the full impact of today’s gospel, we must understand verbs and nouns to best grasp the word “believe.”…