RoboPreacher

to being delivered for the first time A sermon on that time Abraham believed a whooper Did anyone have anything unusual happen this morning? For instance, did something surprising happen this morning? Or how about funny ? Did anyone have anything funny happen on your way here? Anyone? Well, shoot! I don’t have anything, either! It’s been a pretty humdrum morning for me. I was just asking because I was looking for a little comic relief . But I guess we’ve all had a relatively normal day so far. Haven’t we? They’re not all typical, though. Are they? No, the truth is, the uncommon is relatively common. Our lives are awash in a sea of change . And while that change can be welcome , just as often, it’s not . Those are the tough times. Aren’t they? It’s no laughing matter when change comes unplanned or unwelcomed . When that happens, our neat and tidy little lives are thrown on their heads . It puts our past into question and makes the future a threat . Now, I could give examples o...

but they're looking at their maps all wrong A sermon on the intro to Ecclesiastes : Ecclesiastes has a reputation . Doesn’t it? It’s not a fun read. It’s pessimistic . And it barely even seems religious at all! All in all, Ecclesiastes and passages like this one are a bit intimidating . Aren’t they? But that needn’t be the case. Ecclesiastes doesn’t necessarily undermine the faith. In fact, Ecclesiastes might even strengthen yours . No matter what, though, what Ecclesiastes has to say is as plain as day . It’s as plain as day . For instance, something as trite as the Rocky franchise perfectly illustrates the point “the Quester” wants to make in today’s passage. That’s right, Rocky . And just out of curiosity, * who here has seen Rocky? * Raise your hand if you’ve seen it, please. Ok. Thank you.   Even if you haven’t seen Rocky, I bet you know its premise. Don’t you? The young and a little directionless Rocky gets the chance of a lifetime when the reining champion , A...

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...