In this corner…Jesus! In this corner…the devil! As Lent begins, we have an epic showdown on our hands as Jesus confronts sin and evil. But quickly we are faced with our own complicity. How can we live as people of faith who also mess up and test our boundaries on a regular basis? Jesus reminds […]
What is real? Transfiguration is an odd attempt to answer that question. Jesus goes up on a mountain, talks to dead guys, his face glows brightly, God speaks from within a cloud, and the disciples are terrified. Wouldn’t you be? But Transfiguration shows us that even when things are confusing and scary, Jesus isn’t going […]
Salt and light. That’s what Jesus says: “You are the salt of the earth…you are the light of the world.” Notice he does not give a list of things to do in order to be salt and light. If you are a follower of Jesus, a citizen of God’s reign, then you already are these […]
When our world seems to be turned upside down…how do we go on? Jesus reminds us that in God’s kingdom, life is anything but business as usual. He is all about turning the world upside down, and giving a foundation of blessing and compassion to keep us right side up. This worship service includes Communion […]
What are you looking for? Where are you staying? Can I get a witness? Today’s Gospel reading is filled with provoking questions to, from and about Jesus. Who is he really? What is he up to? Where can he be found? Often we first see Christ in the example of other people. Indeed, he seems […]
You can’t baptize yourself. Jesus knew this—he came to the waters of the Jordan to be baptized by his cousin John. We know this—we come together to feel the water on our heads and hear words of forgiveness, love and grace. We come together to hear the call to work for justice and peace in […]
In the dumpster fire of life…God is with us. This is the foundation of our Christmas joy. In our Bible readings, Joseph and Ahaz find themselves in impossible situations with no good options and nothing to hope for. They both receive messages saying, Do not be afraid. Hang onto hope. Do not let go. Against […]
It’s one of life’s perennial questions: what do we do when things don’t go as planned? Do we blame someone? Try to make a deal? Try to take control? Or do we just get angry or go numb? Today John the Baptist confronts Jesus with his disappointed expectations. It’s not always easy to hear, but […]
John the Baptist: scary street preacher, or truth-telling hippie? Today we hear his call to repent and make a new beginning in the wilderness. We hear how God is doing something new and surprising in Jesus. We wait with hope for that day when the wolf will dwell with the lamb, a new tree will […]
Night owl or early bird? Today begins with a wake-up call: Christ is coming soon! In today’s readings, we are challenged to stay awake to what God is doing in our broken world and Isaiah proclaims that day when there will be no more war or suffering. Even when we struggle, we keep watch for […]