RoboPreacher

'cause they're sure that there's more The holy Gospel according to St. Mark the 13th chapter ! Like a portent from heaven, a few weeks ago, I received a revelation from the Lord! …It came in the form of a divinely generated playlist! A celestial suggestion to listen to a Nickel Creek song… Now, I know what you’re thinking, but bear with me! Nickel Creek was a band at the forefront of the americana revival in the early aughts. And while you may not be familiar with their work, it’s less likely that you’re unfamiliar with their influence.   For instance, the sound track to the excellent Coen Brother’s film, “ O Brother, Where Art Thou .” You know, with the banjo and fiddle. That’s the americana sound.   And the band leading this revival was a group of musicians barely old enough to vote! The album that finally broke them through to a wider audience was their second, 2000, self-titled album, Nickel Creek.   But, as you’re probably not ...

well, look at my face The holy Gospel according to St. Mark the 12th chapter ! As a country we’re sort of going through something of a collective hangover . Aren’t we? We’ve all become so accustomed to equating who we are with what we accomplish and accumulate that, now that we can’t as easily, we’re all a little off our game. We’re on edge . Easily agitated . And a little more downhearted than usual, too. …I know this has been true for me . The closure of gyms has caused me nearly an existential crisis! Filled me with inappropriate amount of apprehension.   Like the hoarders we’re all castigating, when I heard gyms were closing, I ran out and got pair of running shoes as quickly as I could. The first day I couldn’t go to the gym, was the day I was out there pounding the pavement. So deep is my need to equate myself with what I do. But, right on cue, as always , I came home with a limp … The whole reason I started going to the gym in t...

& i've never led no one astray  ('cept in the fall of '94) The holy Gospel according to St. Mark the 12th chapter! We may not be residents of Missouri, but we’re all “show me” people… That’s what’s so frightening about this novel coronavirus. Isn’t it? We can’t see it. You can be infected, but not show any signs.   We are a people who trust our eyes , living in a time when our eyes fool us. But, I want you to know that, that’s always been the case. In fact, seeing that we can’t trust our eyes, may actually help us see what’s God’s doing in our midst. Because the truth is, today’s parable is about the folly of relying upon what you see. And, not only is this true for the parable, it’s also true for you . None of what’s about to happen will make any sense unless you close your eyes to everything else and set your heart on these words: Here they are: In Jesus Christ everything IS actually taken care of. Right now. Not a week ...

and i don't think you even see it in yourself The holy Gospel according to St. Mark the 10th chapter ! Daylight Savings Sunday. Easily the w orst Sunday of the year! You all half -awake, half -asleep. Perfectly grumpy ! Barely here. And I want to shake you awake! Get you a little more lively. And in so doing, I prove I am a lot like James and John… …You might remember on Ash Wednesday we reviewed one of Luther’s finer theological points; God’s proper work and God’s alien work. Quickly: God’s proper work is, in love, raising and restoring us. & God’s alien work is, in love, humbling us and taking us down a peg. The reason God works in a way so foreign to God’s character is because as sinful creatures, we regularly fool ourselves into believing we are alright on our own , thank you very much.   So God, in love, will come and show us otherwise , so that when we’ve been humbled we will be ready to look to God! God who’s prop...

but i don't wanna die The holy Gospel according to St. Mark the 10th chapter ! This man runs to Jesus and wanting to know what he HAS to do . But , don’t you get the feeling this poor guy has been running his entire life? …Right now a few of us are reading “Seculosity,” and one of the author’s points is that you can tell when effort is being exerted in religion, in whatever the form, by looking out for anxiety .   Which, sadly , seems to be the case all too often. It certainly rings true for this man.   Eventually we will be told he had a lot . But, as it turns out, none of that was enough to allay his anxiety about the future . He runs up to Jesus, desperate to find out what he needs to do to make sure his future is in order .   “ What MUST I DO to inherit eternal life,” he asks. Jesus, though, doesn’t seem too interested in discussing such questions.   First, he takes issue with the designation the man uses to a...