RoboPreacher

we feebly struggle, they in glory shine A Sermon for All the Saints The Gospel for today’s Festival of All the Saints is  when Jesus raises Lazarus. It’s a relatively familiar story. The Gospel reading is only part of this story, though. The conclusion. In fact, the ending is probably the most familiar part of the story; so let me tell the whole story… In John 11 it’s noted that a certain man was ill, the brother of Mary and Martha. Now at this point the two sisters are well acquainted with Jesus, so they send for him; “Lord, the one who you love is ill,” they report. W hen Jesus gets the message, though; he just says the illness does not lead to death, but rather to God’s glory. So, although Jesus loved Martha, and her sister and Lazarus; after getting the news, Jesus stayed where he was for two more days… After those couple days, Jesus tells the disciples they need to return Judea. To which the disciples protest, of course . “Lord, they just tried to s...

but that's the old me     The Holy Gospel according to St. John, theeleventh chapter! It is All Saints Sunday! It is the time of the church-year where we gather to remember those saints in our lives & in the life of the church who have passed, and who now rest in Christ.   This is a very significant time in the church-calendar. Let us say it again, it is a very significant time in the church-calendar. This feast is important, it is about much more than just singing "When All the Saints," and saying some folks name and hearing a bell toll afterward.   While those parts of All Saints Sunday are nice and meaningful, they do not encapsulate the importance of this church-day, they do not tell about everything that All Saints is about. All Saints is a day to reflect, it is a day to let ourselves grieve over the loss of those we love.   But All Saints day is also about doing something much more absurd . All Saints is a ...