RoboPreacher

an easter sermon It’s a curious thing, today’s Gospel … We call this a “resurrection story;” but actually everything in today’s Gospel takes place after Jesus’ resurrection… Indeed, there’s the earthquake, and as the angel rolls away the stone, lo and behold, Jesus is already out and on the loose!  By the time we get there to investigate, Jesus has already been raised! The resurrection itself takes place well out of our sight ; today’s Gospel, truthfully, is more of a story about the first moments after Jesus’ resurrection - not a story of Jesus’ resurrection itself. Which is an odd thing. It’s an odd thing because in this world, ‘seeing is believing.” I have a story: At the college I went to, there was this one gentleman who worked in the president’s office; and he was a pain to deal with. He seemed to only have contempt for the place. Which was weird, seeing as he graduated from the school himself…  The whole time he was a student there, though,

that i thought i knew Tonight as the each of your lights helped expel the darkness, we added two new lights to the one light of Christ. And, admittedly, for as wonderful as the experience was, it was a little confusing. There was a fire, water and a lot of words. A lot of words… Amidst all those, though, there were about five that were the most important. Those words, in fact, were all names .  Names. “In the name of Father , In the name of the Son , In the name of the Holy Spirit ,” And then two more important names, A.J. , and Nikolas . Mary who would just heard about in today’s Gospel can tell you how important names are… Mary, just like each of us, found herself outside as light and darkness mingled. Mary found herself in a garden, and although she confused, she could tell something was different. Just like us out there with the fire and water… Then Mary saw someone standing there; and she thought him to be the gardener… Now

a sermon for good friday Truthfully, it never ceases to amaze me that y’all show up… I’m always surprised because, honestly, we live in a frenzied world. With all that is on everyone’s plates these days, I am surprised that on a Friday evening, you’d drop everything you already have going on to come here … Surely there is no shortage of tasks clamoring for your attention: what with cleaning, bills, the Easter meal to prepare, and so on. Isn’t there already enough to do without coming to church on Friday Evening? Sadly, though, it isn’t just how full our plates are, that makes your presence here a surprise… The real reason I’m always surprised by your presence, honestly, is that we live in a skeptical world… And who can blame the skeptics, after all? What, with racially charged shootings in Kansas, the violent crimes that have happened here lately, the Ferry sinking in South Korea, the long winter, and that’s not to mention the personal calamities we each k

I’ve been to enough Maundy Thursday services in my life (although, since I didn’t grow up in a liturgical tradition, I remember how odd the first service I attended seemed). This year was the second Maundy Thursday service I’ve done at Trinity. This year, though, was the first time the service was moving for me. As we stripped the altar, everything was orderly. Everyone knew where to be, when.  The gentleman reading Psalm 22 as we stripped the altar was someone who had been estranged from the congregation. As he read the psalm crying over a broken relationship, his words dripped.  That wasn’t the only reason this service was so meaningful this year, though… At this point I’ve been at Trinity for nearly two years. As I walked to the back of the sanctuary, once the stripping was complete I turned just as the gentleman reading Psalm 22 finished. As I turned I saw the altar where we’ve all shared the Eucharist stripped, I sensed the deep pathos wound up in t

but i'd probably end up pushing you over As we hear Jesus promising, ‘ By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another ,’ this evening something in us whispers, "Lean in. Listen closely. These words we hear today are important." Listen to that whispering, your instincts are right, because these words we hear in Today’s Gospel are Jesus' last… Today we enter into a Holy journey - here we start. Today the great three days commence, the tridium. Here we begin , with Jesus' final words. Jesus' last words... For centuries Christians have insisted that to understand the tragedy of the of the cross or the triumph of the empty tomb, we must hear these words first. Jesus' last... These are the words we need to hear, to carry with us so that we may persevere through the dark day ahead. These last words will sustain us as we journey from heartbreak to hope; from darkness to light and ultimatel

Palm / Passion Sunday Preparation for Holy Week: Palm / Passion Sunday: Combination of Palm Sunday and The Passion Done for folks who can’t attend Holy Week Service PLEASE TRY TO ATTEND AS MUCH OF THE SERVICE AS YOU CAN, THOUGH Almost feels “Schizophrenic”  but it’s actually, combining these two moments, makes a similar point Matthew is trying to make in his Gospel… Now onto Matthew: Matthew’s Passion is the most “ordinary,” or all too ordinary… Leaders stir up crowd (control crowd) Ignore Prophetic Dream (how Joseph warned) Sham trial Crowd gets swept up in the drama “Crucify Him” Sports crowds… Consequences / outcome of all this: Betrayal (kiss) Deception Boasting Denial of Friendship Desertion Arrest Mocking Suicide  Murder  That all is at the heart of our faith… It’s heart-breaking, but Matthew won’t look away from this reality… So, where’s God in all this? “This took place to fulfill scripture…” Asse

against resolve Sufjan Stevens; “Vesuvius” (Age of Adz) Mark Orton; “Their Pie” (Sweet Land Soundtrack) Josh RItter; “To the Dogs or Whoever” (The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter) Great Lake Swimmers; “Your Rocky Spine” (Ongiara) Typhoon; “White Liars” (Hunger and Thirst)

i can't take it anymore I don’t know about you, but Spring can’t come soon enough; it’s been a long winter… Being stuck under piles of snow, as the bad news kept tumbling in has started to get the better of me.  The week I was glad the gray days only brought rain and not that “S-word.” At the risk of sounding ungrateful, though, I would have preferred some sunny days. I’m ready for a break from all this… That’s why when the news about the Fort Hood shooting came on yet another wet, drab day; I began worry that perhaps the final straw that would break the camel’s back had been dropped on the pile… There still aren’t many details, it seems the poor soul who took those innocent lives and finally his own, was wounded in his own right. Apparently he had been seeking treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder. Regardless of what other details will emerge, though, all it took was one split second and Ivan’s life was forever changed . And only moments after that

before they wrote it in stone Lenten Jamz: Screaming Females; “It All Means Nothing” (Ugly) Santigold; “L.E.S. Artistes” (Santigold) Elvis Costello & The Roots; “Walk Us Uptown” (Wise Up Ghost) TV on the Radio; “New Cannonball Blues” (Nine Types of Light) Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.; “We Almost Lost Detroit” (It’s a Corporate World)

saved from the moment * Begin with slide: The Epistle of Romans * Pastor: Since our reading from the Epistle was Paul’s introduction to Romans , I thought today would be a good occasion to talk about Romans in general. To help us grasp what Romans is all about.  First, it is worth pointing out that Paul didn’t write Romans himself, rather he dictated it to a scribe… Paul: *Interrupting* Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle / Pastor: No way! This can’t be happening again! Paul: What’s that? Tertius are you getting this?!?! Pastor: Like I had said, Paul didn’t actually write the epistles, he dictated them, the scribe who took-down Roman was named Tertius. Paul must think that’s who we are… Paul: Tertius, what in the world are you talking about??? Wait a minute! Who are you all?!?! Pastor: Okay, you’ll never believe this, but somehow this screen has transported us to while you’re writing the letter to the Romans. It’s happened t