Words of Welcome

Luke 13:31-35 It is written in the book of Ecclesiastes: For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: (Eccl. 3:1) There is, therefore,   “a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance (vs. 4).   We began our Lenten journey with the imposition of ashes, which is a sign of mourning and repentance.  This is a time to weep.  But, we end our journey on Easter Morning with shouts of Alleluia, because Christ our Lord is Risen from the Dead.     Lent reminds us that the life of a disciple of Jesus is complicated.  There are moments of great joy, but also moments of sadness and even suffering. The reading from Luke begins with a warning from a group of  Pharisees.  They tell Jesus that Herod Antipas wants to add his head to that of John the Baptist.  Jesus tells the “fox,” as he calls the king, that his destiny lies not in Galilee but in Jerusalem. That’s where prophets go to die.     In the sprin

Luke 4:1-13 You know how the Temptation story goes.  After his baptism in the Jordan River, the Holy Spirit leads a Spirit-filled Jesus into the wilderness.  When Jesus enters this barren wilderness, he fasts and prays for forty days and forty nights.  When this physical ordeal ends, he faces three spiritual tests.  This experience forms the basis of our Lenten season, whether or not we join Jesus in his fast. Many have followed Jesus into the desert.  They go there to purge themselves of spiritual distractions and sin.  Desert fathers like St. Anthony went into the desert and practiced extreme forms of asceticism, and like Jesus they reported battling with the devil.  It’s just something that happens when you go into the desert by yourself.   Although many people find fasting to be spiritually liberating, the decision to pursue this kind of spiritual ordeal must be a personal one.  Whatever form our own discipleship takes, whether it includes ascetic practices or n

Luke 9:28-36 You may know this chorus from the Messiah, The choir sings boldly: And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed . . . And all flesh shall see it together . . . Have you seen the glory of God revealed?  If so, where?  What was the occasion?  And what happened to you as a result?   We’ve talked about mountain top experiences before – those times and places where we feel especially close to God.  But as wonderful as they might be, they tend to be short-lived.  Once you come down from the mountain, you have to deal with the mundane things of life.  The question is – how did your experience change the way you dealt with the mundane?  Did you leave God behind on the mountain or did you return knowing that God is present with you?  Moses went up the mountain to meet with God and God gave Moses two tablets containing the Law.  These weren’t mere rules and regulations, they were and are the foundation for God’s relationship with the people of God.  

Note:  We celebrated the life of one of our church members in worship this morning.  I've decided to share the bulk of the sermon, but I've removed the section where I recount the life of our beloved church member.    Jeremiah 1:4-10 There are few callings in life as risky and dangerous as that of a prophet.  Remember how  Jesus told the folks in Nazareth that prophets aren’t always welcome in their hometowns (Lk 4:24).  Moses found out the hard way that even if God sends you to deliver people from slavery, they may resist your efforts.  So, Jeremiah may have had good reasons to question his calling to be a prophet to the nations.  It didn’t even matter that God had made the choice in the womb, which is why Jeremiah told God –  “I don’t know how to speak because I’m only a child.”  No one is going to listen to me.  I’m too young and inexperienced. What does God say in response to Jeremiah’s questions – he simply says –  “my word is your word.”  I’ll give you th