Category: Sermons

March 13, 2022

Luke 13:31-35

“Willing to Learn”

When I think about the state of the world today, and find myself railing against powerful and corrupt leaders and lamenting the selfishness or indifference of people, today’s Gospel text reminds me that I am in good company. Jesus also criticized the political leaders of his time, and lamented about the people of the Great City for their acceptance of injustice.

When a few Pharisees decided to warn Jesus that King Herod wanted to kill him, it’s not clear whether their goal was to scare him off with threats, or if they were actually trying to protect him. Either way, Jesus is not dissuaded from continuing his mission. He calls Herod “that fox” – a metaphor that paints the ruler as sly, cunning, and voraciously destructive.

Herod will not hinder Jesus from completing his work, however. Jesus vows to continue casting out demons and healing the sick – public acts that boldly demonstrate the power of God that is with him. And when he says that “on the third day” he will finish his work, those of us who know his whole story catch the reference to his death and his resurrection which takes place “on the third day.”

Although … Read more »

March 6, 2022

Luke 4:1-13

“Temptations and Territories”

Welcome to another Season of Lent. As the days lengthen and Easter comes nearer, the church marks a season of 6 ½ weeks, 40 days, not counting Sundays, in which we traditionally pray, fast, and give alms. We may take on spiritual disciplines, re-commit ourselves to practices of faith, and turn and return our hearts and lives to God as we prepare for the Great festival of Easter.

I don’t know about you, but I didn’t give anything up for Lent this year. I kind of feel like we’ve had to give up so much over the last couple of years that I just don’t have the energy for it. And although I have lots of devotional books and Lenten resources at my disposal, I haven’t added any new prayer practices for this season either. The one thing I am hoping to add is worshipping together LIVE, in-person, with a congregation once again. That will be enough to make this season special for me, after a season of online only and an empty sanctuary.

If you who are listening this morning, whether you’re here in the church building or watching online, want to take up a spiritual discipline for … Read more »

February 27, 2022

Exodus 34:29-35
2 Corinthians 3:12 – 4:2
Luke 9:28-36

“A Shine That Never Fades”

The biblical texts set in the lectionary for this “Transfiguration Sunday” are very strange. They invite us to hear about two mysterious spiritual experiences of encounters with God on mountain-tops, and then to consider what these stories may mean for us today.

Most of us have probably heard the New Testament story about the Transfiguration of Jesus on the mountain-top with his disciples. We usually read one version or another of that story every year on the Sunday just before the Season of Lent – Transfiguration Sunday. Although I know that sometimes it does get skipped, as preachers aren’t always sure what to say about such a strange and mystical experience.

This year, the story about Jesus on a mountain-top is paired with one from the Book of Exodus about Moses on a mountain-top. In both cases, God is present and meets with them. And both men are transformed physically by the experience, with their faces (and in Jesus’ case, his clothing too) beginning to shine.

Moses has been on a mountain-top to meet God before, of course. Back when God first called to him out of a “burning bush” and sent him … Read more »

February 20, 2022

Luke 6:27-38
Psalm 37:1-11, 39-40

“For Those Who Are Still Listening”

This morning’s Gospel passage continues where we left of last week in Jesus’ “Sermon on the Plain.” Last Sunday we heard what Jesus had to say to the poor: that they were especially loved and blessed by God. And we heard what he had to say to the rich: that they should watch out because they may well be on the wrong path. We also noted that his preaching was particularly aimed at his own disciples, calling them to take up his particular concern and care for the poor, the oppressed, and the outcast people who were treated poorly by the world.

As the sermon continues today, Jesus addresses his comments “to you that listen.” His next instructions aren’t just for the poor, or just for the rich, or just for his committed disciples. He speaks to all who are listening, and one commentator suggests that the translation could just as easily be rendered “to all who are still listening.”

I don’t expect the problem is that some of the sermon-listeners have drifted off to sleep in the middle of a long and boring sermon, as some contemporary church-goers have been known to do. … Read more »

February 13, 2022

Luke 6:17-26

“Loving Who Jesus Loves”

“Jesus came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of [other people too].” That’s the way that today’s Gospel text begins. Jesus came down to be WITH the people – with his followers and with everyone who wished to gather around.

The Bible includes plenty of stories of Jesus and others going up hills or mountains. They go up there to think, or to pray, or to draw close to God. And often God speaks to them and encourages them in special ways during those mountain-top experiences.

But in Luke’s Gospel, Jesus comes down. Perhaps it’s not unlike how God came down to be with us in human form in Jesus himself. And then Jesus did not keep his ministry up in the mountains or reserve it for holy places like temples or synagogues. Jesus came down with his disciples to be with them and with all the people of the community.

The first thing he did on that level place was that he healed all of them. “They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled … Read more »

February 6, 2022

Luke 5:1-11
1 Corinthians 15:1-11

“Unworthy Apostles”

Have you ever had the feeling of being unworthy or ill-equipped to do something that you were being asked to do? Perhaps you felt like that when you found out you were going to be a parent for the first time, or when it fell to you to deliver the eulogy for someone you loved. Maybe you remember being interviewed for a position of new responsibility or leadership at work, or letting your name stand for a role in the church or another community organization that stretched you beyond your comfort zone.

I think that’s what was happening with Simon in today’s Gospel story when Jesus began to prepare him to take on the role of Apostle on Jesus’ missionary team.

The way Luke tells the story, Simon wasn’t meeting Jesus for the first time on that day of fishing out on the water. Jesus had already stayed at Simon’s house and healed Simon’s mother-in-law from some kind of illness. Likely, Simon had also witnessed Jesus healing other people in his community, and undoubtedly heard some of his preaching and teaching as well.

But on this day, Jesus singles out Simon and his fishing partners to receive a great … Read more »

January 30, 2022

1 Corinthians 13:1-13

“We Know in Part”

I’ve been watching Jeopardy a lot lately. I started getting into it again after Alex Trebec died because I was curious about all potential new hosts that they were trying out to take on his role. Then, when there were a couple of really good contestants that got into long winning streaks, it kept me watching as I got to know them and I wanted to see how they would do.

It’s funny that I enjoy watching Jeopardy because I’m not particularly good at it. I do very well when the Bible categories come up occasionally, and not bad on the vocabulary-based questions. But generally I don’t have a good memory for trivia, so I never imagine myself actually being a contestant like many other viewers might.

Watching Jeopardy actually reminds me that I don’t know everything. And particularly when the players do know most of the answers, their knowledge humbles me and teaches me a few things at the same time. This week I was sad to see Amy Schneider lose the game on Wednesday after a 40-game winning streak. She was an amazing player who seemed to know so much about so many diverse topics, … Read more »

January 23, 2022

1 Corinthians 12:12-31a
Luke 4:14-21

“Bringing Scripture to Life”

This morning I want to talk about the Bible – about the Scriptures that we love so dearly in our church. We begin our service each Sunday with a procession of the Scriptures, placing the Bible at the centre of our worship space for all to see. We read significant portions of the text each week, following a lectionary cycle of readings so that the minister doesn’t just pick her favourites. And then everything that we say, and sing, and pray, and proclaim to one another in our community of faith is rooted in the themes and truths of Scripture that we intend to let guide our daily lives and decision-making.

Presbyterians love the Bible, and one of the highlights of my week is when a group of us gather on Zoom to discuss one of the upcoming readings for Sunday. It gives me a chance to share some of the things I’ve been learning or thinking about as I prepare to preach, and an opportunity to hear other perspectives, questions, and insights from some of you.

I cancelled our mid-week Bible study this week though, in favour of joining in an ecumenical Bible study that … Read more »

January 16, 2022

1 Corinthians 12:1-11
John 2:1-11

“For the Common Good”

The Apostle Paul’s first letter to the Church at Corinth is one of my favourite books of the Bible. I guess I like it because I can relate to the Christians at Corinth. They’re trying to figure out how to live as Christians in a diverse society of many religions, values, and cultures. They don’t have everything about their faith or practices worked out, but they’re doing their best to follow Jesus. And they don’t always agree with each other about everything, and need to work through differences and conflicts with Paul’s help.

In the context of all those challenges and a church that the Apostle criticizes quite strongly for their divisions and wrong priorities, there is a very strong message in the letter that God loves them and has blessed them with many gifts.

Over the years, Christians have reflected on today’s passage and the listing of spiritual gifts and tried to discern which gifts they have received. I’ve been at retreats and led workshops where we’ve completed “Spiritual Gift Inventories” to consider how God has blessed us, usually following up with making plans for how we might develop and use those gifts more fully.

I … Read more »

January 9, 2022

Isaiah 43:1-7
Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

“Still With Us”

Seven months ago, I preached on the same texts that appear in the lectionary for today – Isaiah 43 and Luke 3. They were the texts that I chose for the opening worship of the online General Assembly of The Presbyterian Church in Canada as I finished my term as Moderator.

On that Sunday at the beginning of June, I sat alone in our sanctuary here at First Church in front of my laptop computer, and preached to Presbyterians across the country as we began the important meeting in the strange and new context of an online forum.

Normally, General Assemblies begin with the celebration of Holy Communion together. And as we gather around the Lord’s Table, we remember that Christ is present with us – the host at the meal. We are united with one another and with Christ through the shared Sacrament, and nourished for the days ahead of meeting, deliberating, and deciding with the assurance of the Spirit’s presence and help.

But since we couldn’t do that, we remembered our Baptisms instead. Reading one of the accounts of Jesus’ Baptism in the Jordan River, we could almost see that Holy Spirit coming down from the … Read more »

January 2, 2022

Ecclesiastes 3:1-13
Revelation 21:1-6a
Matthew 25:31-46

“A Time to Welcome Christ”

As we begin a New Year, the passage from Ecclesiastes seems very appropriate for our reflection on the year past and our looking forward to all that is in store for us in 2022. The author of the Wisdom Book of Ecclesiastes helps us to keep the events of the last year in perspective, remembering that there were good times and challenging times, and that God was with us through them all.

“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted…” There is a time and a season for each purpose – good news for those of us who often feel like we are always running short on time.

Of course, the poetic listing of those various purposes is familiar to us. Perhaps we’ve encountered the passage in Bible study, or heard it read at a funeral, or maybe we just know the song by Pete Seeger, later covered by the band, “The Byrds”: “To every thing (turn, turn, turn) there is a season (turn, turn, turn) … Read more »

December 26, 2021

Colossians 3:12-17
Luke 2:41-52

“We Belong to God’s Family”

It often happens when I am preparing to conduct a funeral. I am thinking about what I should say in order to proclaim the Gospel in the context of the life of one individual follower of Jesus. I am reflecting on what I know about that person’s life, and the stories I have heard from the family, and the stories that will be shared as part of the eulogy or tribute.

I sometimes begin to wonder about what stories might be told and shared at the end of my life. And if there was only one story, what would it be? And what would it reveal about the meaning and purpose of my life?

We are blessed to be able to share more than one story to remember and celebrate the complexity of our lives in this world, and we are blessed to have many, many stories passed on to us about the life of Jesus – the One whose Way we seek to follow with our lives.

But we only have one story about Jesus as a child. One story, carefully chosen… that reveals a great deal about who he was and the person he was … Read more »

December 24, 2021

Isaiah 9:2-7

“Christmas Reflection”

“Unto us a child is born. Unto us a son is given.” When I hear those words on Christmas Eve, I immediately think of Jesus. Christ is the one whose birth we celebrate tonight, the Saviour who came to us from God more than 2000 years ago. He was born to a poor family, in a difficult time, suddenly, while they were travelling far from home.

But the words of the Prophet Isaiah were not spoken in reference to Jesus – at least, not at first. Isaiah lived about 800 years before the time of Jesus, and he was speaking to King Ahaz of Judah with a message of hope and joy. As is often the case, learning about the original context can help us to appreciate the message of this Scripture as it relates to Jesus so many centuries later, and to our lives in this time.

King Ahaz was stuck between a rock and a hard place. Perhaps you know what that feels like – when you feel like you have no control over what is happening in your life, when it seems like you have to choose between two terrible possibilities, and you don’t know what to … Read more »

December 19, 2021

Micah 5:2-5a
Luke 1:39-55

“Joining Mary’s Song”

You know, it’s not only Catholics who like to name their daughters Mary. It was a very popular name in first-century Palestine also, when a remarkable number of Jews were naming their daughters Mary – after the prophet Miriam, Aaron’s sister, and in defiant memory of Mariamne, who was murdered by her husband, Herod the Great.

Mary’s name suggests that her family was among those in first-century Palestine who longed for God to free them from Rome. The name Mary is unambiguously political, brave, and resistive. Jesus was born into such a family.

We can imagine that Mary’s family and others in their community were remembering the words of the prophets like Micah, and praying that their hopes would be fulfilled again in their own time.

Seven hundred years earlier, Micah expressed hope for a better future for the people of Judah who had endured much devastation (likely the invasion of Sennacherib in Judah in 702-701 BCE). The source of the hope was the suggestion of new leadership for the people. Micah furiously criticizes the Jerusalem king and the elite, and he calls for a new ruler who will bring security and peace to the people.

His words could be … Read more »

December 12, 2021

Zephaniah 3:14-20
Isaiah 12:2-6
Philippians 4:4-7
Luke 3:7-18

“The Joy of Salvation”

The message of the prophets on this third Sunday in Advent is about the joy of salvation. Like Israel before us, we have a reason to rejoice, because God has decided not to hold us accountable for our sins and failings, but to demonstrate grace and offer us forgiveness.

As the prophet Zephaniah wrote to the people of Israel, “The LORD has taken away the judgments against you.” We are called to rejoice and exult with all our hearts. We are invited to draw spiritual water from the wells of salvation, and to do so with joy and thanksgiving.

This is, of course, a message that is not reserved for Advent or Christmas. We are reminded of God’s grace and forgiveness over and over in the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, and Sunday after Sunday, we hear the assurance of God’s abiding love and grace for us, God’s own wandering children.

But the message of grace in today’s scriptures comes hand in hand with a challenge. The prophet John is preaching about the One coming into the world from God. He is calling the people to prepare the way of the Lord, to get … Read more »

December 5, 2021

Malachi 3:1-4
Philippians 1:3-11
Luke 3:1-6

“Prepare the Way”

That’s such a great Gospel reading for Saskatchewan, don’t you think? “Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low…” God is making a beautiful, wide-open prairie! That’s the vision of the Kingdom of God when Jesus is coming into the world!

These are the words of John the Baptist when he begins preaching out in the wilderness, calling the people to repent and to “prepare the way of the Lord” who is coming (in Jesus, as we will soon see) to save all people from our sin and sadness.

John is quoting from another prophet centuries before him, Isaiah, who proclaimed similar words to the people of Israel who were in exile in Babylon. It seemed to them like God had abandoned them there, but God was coming, he assured them. They should be ready to welcome God, who was going to come and bring them home.

The image of the people “preparing the way” probably came from practices associated with welcoming royalty. It was like rolling out the red carpet, making sure that the monarch would have a smooth ride in coming to visit the community.

When we talked about this in … Read more »

November 28, 2021

Jeremiah 33:14-16
1 Thessalonians 3:9-13
Luke 21:25-36

“Blooming in the Darkness”

Our Christmas cactus is blooming. We’ve had it for a few years, and it does bloom occasionally. But since I’ve been working at home, I’ve really noticed it blooming over the last week, with more and more flowers appearing each day, more than I ever remember seeing before.

I’m not a gardener at all and I don’t know much about plants. Nick is the one who remembers to water our plants occasionally, with my job being mostly just to notice and appreciate them once in a while. But we all know that Christmas cacti are famous for their unusual schedule of tending to bloom at Christmas.

What they really do is that they start to grow flowers when they experience slightly cooler temperatures and longer nights: at least 13 hours of darkness will do it, and we’re well past that measure here in Regina at this time of year. So our Christmas cactus is blooming.

And I appreciate that it is a glimpse of beauty when I need it most – when it’s getting colder and darker every day, and I’m feeling discouraged because another long Saskatchewan winter is setting in.

It’s not only the darkness and … Read more »

November 21, 2021

 John 18:33-37

“Are You a King or Not?”

This is Reign of Christ Sunday – the final Sunday of our Church Year before we begin a new cycle with the Season of Advent next week. And so, it seems good to remember the journey through the Scriptures that we have shared in our worship throughout the last year – the cycle that we go through each year in our life together as church.

We began with Advent a year ago – waiting and preparing for Emmanuel and then celebrating the arrival of Jesus the tiny, helpless child at Christmas.

We remembered the Baptism of Jesus – that moment when the Spirit of God descended onto him and the voice from heaven was heard declaring “You are my beloved Son.” We traveled with Jesus through his ministry in Galilee. We heard his parables. We witnessed his miracles – food multiplied, people healed, evil spirits driven out.

We heard his debates and arguments with the religious authorities of his time. We watched Jesus break the rules and turn our understanding of the world upside down. We saw him eat with the outcasts and rejected people of society. We wondered at his strange, wandering way of life and … Read more »

November 14, 2021

Hebrews 11:11-14, 19-25
Mark 13:1-8

“Meanwhile”

There will be “wars and rumours of wars” – nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. This is but the beginning of the birthpangs.”

As we near the end of the Church Year and prepare to begin again with the Season of Advent, the lectionary gives us some apocalyptic texts (like this one from Mark 13) on which to reflect and preach. What are apocalyptic texts, you ask? Here’s how the SALT Lectionary Commentary explains these strange, symbolic, and often scary pieces of writing:

“When death-dealing forces seemed to have the upper hand, one ancient literary response was to envision an imminent future in which God directly comes to the rescue in spectacular fashion: righting wrongs, routing wrongdoers, and thereby inaugurating a new era of justice and compassion. This literature is often called “Apocalyptic” (from the Greek word apokalupsis, meaning “uncovering” or “revealing”).

“God pulls aside the veil, revealing to God’s people the hidden dramatic rescue to come. Apocalyptic narratives and images can be found throughout the Bible (with Daniel and Revelation being prime examples), typically including cryptic, poetic language; ominous signs in the heavens; falling stars; … Read more »

November 7, 2021

Ruth 3:1-5; 4:13-17

“Hatching Plans & Taking Action”

This morning’s reading from the Book of Ruth incudes a couple more short sections from the story of Naomi and Ruth that we began last Sunday.

You may remember that Naomi and her family have been struck by one disaster after another, including first a famine, becoming refugees to a foreign land to survive, and then the deaths of all the men in the family, leaving the women alone and vulnerable as widows in that time and place.

Naomi’s daughter-in-law, Ruth, shows her faithfulness and courage when she returns with Naomi to Judah. It is likely the more tenuous choice for Ruth’s future, but her presence may give Naomi a chance at survival.

Chapter two, which the lectionary skips, tells of the women arriving in Naomi’s homeland and relying on the kindness of a relative who allows them to glean grain from the edges of his field. For the time being, they are okay.

One might pause and give thanks to God for this blessing, but their situation is still very precarious.

But rather than just waiting, praying, giving thanks for their daily bread, and hoping that God will continue to provide for their needs, Naomi hatches a plan.

Their … Read more »