RoboPreacher

in a baby's eye Christmas Eve sermon from  Luke 2:1-20 : There’s a Christmas sermon I’ve always wanted to preach, but never have. And I think this year, of all years, presents the perfect opportunity. So here goes… EVERY Christmas there is an irony .   Christmas is one of those times we can really pack ‘ em in the church. The paradox , though, is Scripture makes it abundantly clear that on Christmas , the church is the last place you want to be on Christmas! All the action is taking place out there! A million miles away from any respectable sanctuary! Here, I’ll show you, pretend this passage is a movie , AND you don’t already know what’s going to happen… The film opens in darkness , and the narrator tells us this is the account of the momentous birth of Jesus, the savior of the world . Next, the narrator tells us this happened during Emperor Augustus’ reign. The camera fades in on the Emperor in all his power and opulence , ordering a worldwide census.   Now, t...

in a cry of a tiny babe The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew the 1st chapter! Today we come to the very last moments before the manger will bear the Living Word, Jesus. Today we get to hear the last details of those final precious moments before that fateful birth... The truth, though, is that I don't really need to work too hard at commending this story to you, do I? No, this story needs no cranky pastor exhorting we read, and take seriously this story. No, this is a story needs no help captivating our attention. Why is that? Why is this is a story that "sticks in our craw" as the expression goes? Why is it is a story that comes to life for us like no other story? In fact, it is a story that I find, again and again, takes little teaching.   I'm always struck how our youth don't need to be taught how to notice this strange holiness within the story. This story even manages to fiddle with our all too ordinary, and busy...