RoboPreacher

We’re all just a bunch of sinners, free-riding on Jesus Living out the faith is not easy.  In an important way, that’s what Lent is all about. Coming to terms with the challenge of the call to which we have been called (Ephesians 4:1).  The thing is, Christianity isn’t challenging just because it’s hard ; although it is. Christianity is challenging because it doesn’t come naturally to us. The faith is built on all sorts of claims we would never come up with on our own.  For instance, we will begin Lent with a reminder of our mortality.  Now, I don’t know about you, but most of the messages I hear are promises I can live forever. That this or that will help me cheat death. Christianity will have no truck with such lies, though. That’s what’s really challenging about Lent. It isn’t giving up the swears or chocolate; although that may be hard. And it isn’t the call to works of love, either; although those can be difficult too. No, Lent is a chall...

got love all around me A sermon from Jesus' pivot to Jerusalem for Ash Wednesday : When I stopped running and started going to the gym, I read a few articles about how to stick with it. The reason I was joining a gym in the first place was because my discipline to keep running by myself was rapidly waning … My favorite piece of advice was to watch inspirational films. You know; Rocky, Rudy, Hoosiers, Miracle. Those kind of movies… Turns out; I’m a total sucker for these movies.  Sometimes Amanda will pop in, and catch me wiping tears from my face. “Are you crying,” she will ask. And I will mutter back, “Only the manliest of tears.” Maybe you’ve seen these movies. Even if you haven’t , though; you already know their plot.  The hero faces some challenge. Some challenge that, as things stand, the hero cannot best. To overcome the trial, the hero must go on a journey to acquire the key that will turn the tides in their favor. After not a few tribu...

baby, we were born to run A sermon on Simon and the sinful woman : Bruce Springsteen’s breakout, third album, “Born to Run” is a gem. With Born to Run, Springsteen swung for the fences. He had a sound he wanted, and the studio put a bunch of money behind the album so he could have one last shot to break through to a larger audience.  And with Born to Run, Springsteen managed to do it all . The album was a critical success, and he managed to out out an album that sounded like Roy Orbison singing Bob Dylan, and had been produced by Phil Spector.  It’s an album with the swagger of a young man full of confidence and optimism. Embodied by the song the album takes its name from, “Born to Run.” Cause, tramps like us, baby we were born to run. His next, and best, album “Darkness on the Edge of Town” would reckon with the limits of such joyrides. Because although he was right , tramps like us are born to run; you can’t run forever. And, there are some things...

but who's gonna say a little grace for me(?) A Sermon on John's Question : Each week the pastor returns from an encounter with Scripture to report back what he’s seen and heard… Truthfully, that’s a lot harder than it sounds. Especially with a doozy of a passage like today’s … John, shut-up in prison, sends a message to Jesus, “Are you The One , or should we keep waiting.” Honestly, the honesty of John’s question scandalizes us. Why would John, who leapt in utero when Jesus’ mom was simply within earshot, be having second thoughts now ? And, if that did happen at all, why does Luke insist on telling us about it? Couldn’t he have papered over that part?  It’s not what we’d like to hear today; a report of this fiery preacher having misgivings… But it is for me, to report this back to you.  And of course, the temptation is to wriggle here on the hook for ten-minutes, or so. Doing what I can to convince you John didn’t really mean that.  ...

too busy earnin' A sermon from the Gospel of Luke : It just hangs there; unanswered … In the Gospel today there’s a man who works for the enemy. One of his slaves -one who is special to him- is ill. Close to death, even.  Despite who he’s on the dole from, he’s been good to the Jewish people in town. So some elders parlay Jesus to heal the man’s slave. They appeal to Jesus, insisting the man deserves to have his slave healed. He’s worthy of it, they tell Jesus.  Now, apparently the man catches wind of that, because before Jesus can get to his house, he’s sent another envoy! This time with a personal message. “Don’t bother yourself, Jesus. I’m not worthy to receive you.” Worthy. Not worthy. Which is it? Whether we admit it or not, it’s a question we spend a lot of time on. Worthy? Unworthy? We want to know… Well, you who were listening carefully know that a judgement is never given. Jesus doesn’t remark on the man’s worthiness one way or t...