RoboPreacher

time will never matter The Holy Gospel according to St. John the 13th chapter ! This sermon isn’t about our “ nevers ,” it’s about Jesus’ always … On the night as the pot started to boil over. The night before everything hit the fan. The night before the final reckoning. The night even the air was tense .   Jesus gathered his inner circle around a table.   Only, instead of laying out a plan to take down the enemy, Jesus took off his robe. Instead of putting on a military uniform, he puts on servant’s rags. And instead of taking up arms, he picks up a bowl. On the night when all the forces of evil will wage war with Jesus, Jesus doesn’t stand up to the wicked ruler, instead he kneels at the side of his disciples! He wages no righteous war, instead he washes their dirty feet.   * Even Judas’, who would betray him… And Peter, along with the rest of us, will have none of it. He tells Jesus “ never .” “You will never wash my feet,” P...

i'm getting so old The Holy Gospel according to St. John the 11th chapter! Today, instead of some passage about Jesus in the wilderness for forty days, or some epistle calling us to endure , we have Jesus raising the dead.   It’s only the first week of Lent; Ash Wednesday was just four days ago; and Jesus is already up to Easter! Before I’ve had a chance to build the suspense, Jesus gives the punchline! Before you’ve had a chance to try and keep a lenten fast, Jesus brings the feast! In fact, if I’m right, Jesus is beating Walgreens to the punch! Even corporate America knows it’s too early to get into the Easter business!   And that’s the problem for us , isn’t it? Because for us, the old saying still holds true, “timing is everything.”   Our lives are lived racing against the clock. Or, waiting on it. * In fact, I know for a lot of us, spring can’t come soon enough. This winter has been rough, and we’re ready for it to be over. B...

so scared of what he would find, he started crying The Holy Gospel according to St. John the 10th chapter! “Remember that you are dust; and to dust you shall return.” With those 11 mere words Lent begins .   Just 11 simple words. Words that say something about you and me that isn’t so simple to hear: That we're dust, and heading inescapably back to dust… So, let me ask; how do those words sound to you? Do these words trouble you? Do they scare you? Do they relieve you?   Do these words surprise you? Or, are you perfectly aware that you’re dust already ? You might even try thinking of how these words have struck you over the years ?   How did they sound the first time you really heard them? And what was that night like? How do they sound to you now, tonight ? Do these words sound more true, or less? More welcome, or less? Really think about this. Take note of what’s going on tonight. Attend to what it’s like to hear these ...

& light perpetual shine upon her A reading from the Gospel of John the 14th chapte r: Well, Joyce was a character . Wasn’t she? She had a presence that was felt wherever she went.   One of the ways she made her presence known was with all these great stories that she was so quick to share.   That’s something her family learned from her, too. I recommend afterward, at the reception, to make sure to grab a seat near a family member, because there’s no shortage of stories about Joyce . And one story I’m not sure how many people know is, when Pastor Saathoff’s wife died, Joyce was the working at the hospital. And when she found out, she made sure was at the door to meet Pastor Saathoff so he wouldn’t have to go into the hospital room alone… That’s something only Joyce could pull off; giving pastoral care to her pastor. And then, later; when Joyce could see that Pastor Saathoff had eyes for Mary, Joyce encouraged him to ask her on a date. I’m...