RoboPreacher

hope, love, truth, and the belief in the indestructability of the good in all people The holy Gospel according to St. Luke the 5th chapter ! Peter, James, and John are washing their nets. But they might as well be licking their wounds after the night they just had. That’s why, when Jesus commandeers one of their boats for a makeshift stage, they don’t protest.   Once the sermon’s complete and the crowds have dispersed, Jesus tells Peter to sail out INTO the deeper waters, for a little catch. Peter tries to tell Jesus what kind of a night it’s been, but it’s not worth the trouble. Peter obeys Jesus, but he could just as well be humoring him for all Peter expects to come of their little endeavor. If they didn’t catch anything that night , they’re not about to catch anything during daylight hours, either. And certainly not in the deep waters, for that matter. …You know what happens next, though. Don’t you? Apparently, when it comes to following Jesus, life works the other way ‘r...

but I won't let you run away this time A sermon on  the   call of Jeremiah Jeremiah had his whole like mapped out. He was going to follow in his daddy’s footsteps, and become a priest . He was enrolled to start seminary come fall. And even though he was an legacy, he wasn’t arrogant or entitled. He was willing to put in the work. He planned to keep his head down, graduate with good marks and then take his first call.   Jeremiah hoped his work ethic with a little luck, would land him, one day, in a prestigious pulpit. And the truth was, now was the time to go for it! If there ever was a time to go into the priesthood, it was now ; the era of King Josiah’s reforms. * The first king mentioned in today’s scripture . King Josiah had ordered renovations to the national cathedral, and during the remodeling, an old book was unearthed. Deuteronomy !   Apparently it wasn’t the most popular book in those days…   But the discovery...

face the sun of my salvation A sermon on vocation from the beginning of Genesis : It’s really great to be here with you today; especially during vocation week. Because I am sure it was here that I was first forced to reckon with this concept of vocation. But, it's not just for nostalgia’s sake that is is nice to be here today.   It’s always fun to preach to college students. Because you’re used to having to volunteer answers, and that always makes preaching more fun. So let’s just try:   What are you majoring in? * Let’s just hear a few … Okay, and what vocations are these majors preparing you for? Great !   Okay, and what have you learned about vocations so far? …Nothing? You’re thinking that my job? Well, okay. Well, as I understand it, Vocation comes from the Latin word, Vocare. Which means, “to call.” The root of vocare is “vox,” which means voice .   And that is a root word we’re familiar with.   From it we...

but I don't care A sermon from the hodgepodge of Luke 5 : This is one of those passages from the Bible that you hear and think, “I’ve heard this before.”  This passage has that ring of familiarity to it, doesn’t it? Well, it sounds so familiar, because it is .  This is one of the few passages in the Bible that turns up in all four Gospels!  It’s a surprisingly rare thing for a account of Jesus’ ministry to turn up in all four gospels. And this passage does! Well, parts of it anyway… With the Gospels of Mark and Matthew, this passage tells of the drafting of the first disciples. How Jesus called Peter and his partners, to follow him. How then and there, they dropped everything and did just that.  With the Gospel of John, this passage tells about how, after a night of failure , Jesus tells Peter to cast out to some spot or another. How when Jesus’ orders are followed the result is a catch is so big, the nets can barely keep from break...

i guess do whatever moves you Only God could have done something like that .  And Paul isn’t talking about miracles. Although what he’s talking about is a miracle; in a way… No, Paul is talking about The Gospel. Only God could have decided to call the un godly. That’s what “the Gospel” is, God’s decision to be God for those who have turned from God. After all, who would ever decide to overcome godlessness, by being a God for exactly those who have turned from God ? Only God could have done something like that . Something like that , could only be a revelation from God… …Only God could have done something like that. And Paul isn’t talking about miracles. Although what he’s talking about is a miracle… No, Paul is talking about his own call .  Only God could have done something like call someone like him , to be an apostle. After all, who would ever thinking of calling a persecutor of the church, to be its advocate? Only God could hav...