Sermons (Page 153)
Fourth Sunday of Easter
In the reading from the Gospel of John we hear about flocks of sheep, and namely about the flock of sheep who can call Jesus their shepherd. I always get a chuckle out of farming or agriculture metaphors, of which there are countless in the Bible and in the teachings of Jesus. After all look around. We are about as far away from a shepherd and sheep as we can get. Not only is there city all around us but to the east of us there is a huge body of water. No sheep there, and to the west of us, the place where I drove from this morning, the western suburbs green lawns, trust me, no sheep their either…
Third Sunday of Easter
The leading cause of death in the United States in 2013 was heart disease. What’s interesting about heart disease is that many forms can be prevented or treated with healthy lifestyle choices. Sure, surgeons can re-do the plumbing of the heart, that’s easy. The harder part is getting patients to comply with lifestyle changes to quit smoking or eat differently. One statistic suggests that compliance rates are as low as 20% post-surgery. Why? Well, part of it is the difference between two types of change – technical change and adaptive change. Technical changes are easy solutions that often have apparent solutions, like a needed routine surgery. While adaptive change requires an alteration in beliefs, roles, relationships, or approaches, like a diet overhaul. In short, with technical change you do something different, and with adaptive change you think different…
Second Sunday of Easter
“Why?” It’s a question that parents often get from their preschoolers. One study suggested that preschool children ask their parents and average of 100 questions a day. By middle school, however, they’ve basically stopped asking questions. Research indicates that around age 3, at just about the time reading and writing become prominent, questioning drops off. Why? Great question. One researcher suggests it’s because “in school, we’re rewarded for having the answer, not for asking a good question…