Blog (Page 19)
Another Year to Bear Fruit
Associate Professor of Preaching at Luther Seminary, Karoline Lewis, said this about last Sunday’s Gospel (Luke 13:1-9), “The world cannot afford our barrenness any longer.” I think she appropriately captures the urgency of Jesus’ parable about a fig tree for which the gardener convinces the landowner to give one more year to bear fruit. Time is of…
Holy Day
Did you know that these two words are the origin of our word, “holiday?” Holidays are times to pause, reflect, and celebrate. Many of us are given time off from work for holidays and encouraged to rest and recharge. While everyone these days seems to refer to December as the “Holiday Season,” this year April contains the holi-week for the church. Holy Week takes place…
Nothing Stops Jesus’ Mission
Trusting in God
Ash Wednesday and Truth
Marked With The Cross of Christ
Some Resources For Engaging With Our Faith This Lent
An Extremist For Love
In Letter From A Birmingham Jail, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. asks the question, “Was not Jesus an extremist for love?”He then quotes from Sunday’s Gospel text, a continuation of Jesus’ sermon on the level place, Luke 6:27-38, saying, “Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you…”…
A Level Place
In the Gospel according to Matthew (chapters 5-7), Jesus gives an extended teaching we call the “Sermon on the Mount,” but Luke (in chapte 6) records Jesus giving many of the similar teachings on “a level place.” I grew up on a house that was near the top of a hill. The house in which I currently reside is about halfway up a hill. It’s…
Jesus Is Calling
In last Sunday’s gospel reading, Luke 5:1-11, after being out on the water all day to no avail without catching anything. At the very moment when Peter and James and John are probably feeling like they are failures at fishing. When they are filled with thoughts of going hungry without anything to eat or any catch to earn a living. When they are feeling they are not…