RoboPreacher

visions of rapture now burst on my sight A sermon on a better sermon about love in Christ : This is one of those passages where the pastor can’t help but be a bit miffed ! In this passage, John encapsulates the entire Bible AND all of theology, too! And he does it with just one sentence! Worse still, the sentence is simple ! But worst of all, the sentence is short , to boot!   It’s just three little words: God is love . What else is there to say?!? God is love . Amen ! Let’s go home! Right?!? If I were to do that, though , in no time, you’d start thinking, “Gee, Pastor’s job is awfully easy.” And sure , that may be true! But who is Saint John to make it so plain ?!? The least John could do is have the decency to resort to cliche or summary ! It’d be one thing if this sentence was on the shallow side. But it’s not ! In this short and simple sentence, John has compacted the breadth of faith into one explosive sentence: God is love . Whammo! Now, maybe you’re a bit uncomfo

& i get more than i deserve A sermon on St. Stephen and ministry : There’s a question we sometimes ask students in confirmation . And the reason we ask is to check if the students are paying attention . Obviously, of course, not this year’s students. They always pay attention. They’re perfect . As they are every year.   Nevertheless, it’s a nice little exercise. So, I thought we might try it. And here’s the question: What just happened? This isn’t a trick question, either. I just want to engage you. What just happened in today’s passage? That said, although this isn’t a trick question, it is the sort of question that has right and wrong answers. For instance, if you were to say that Stephen was just hired as the head pastor at First Lutheran in Jerusalem, that would be wrong . However, there were a few details in that example that would be considered correct . But I don’t want to do your work for you. So, I’m not going to tell you what they were.   Instead , let’s take abou

Born of the One Light Eden / saw play A sermon on the  conclusion of the Epistle to the Galatians : I’d like to begin today’s sermon with a confession . I will turn 40 this month. Yes, you heard me right—40. Soon, I will be 40 years old. Perhaps you’re thinking, “That’s just a baby .” And I will grant you, in the grand scheme of things, 40 isn’t that old. But , considering I knew enough to know what you were thinking, perhaps I’m not as young as you imagine. And anyway, it’s beside the point. It’s beside the point. The fact is, we’re all helplessly trapped in our own existence. 40 is as old as I’ve ever been. For me , 40 is old . And I’m sorry, but just because you’re older doesn’t mean I’m not, too. Or, for that matter, the 6-and-a- half , thank you very much, year old. Like you, life has changed under my feet. And the strange thing is, it all happened without my awareness, too. Yes, I knew the days were passing . BUT I was totally unprepared for the way they would accumulat