RoboPreacher

get right with the Lord A sermon from Galatians : All you have is your reputation; and Paul’s had seen better days… Paul founded the congregations in Galatia.  While he was away working with other congregations, though; some other missionaries showed up… And when they found out Paul had been the one to start those congregations, they couldn’t hold their tongue. “Oh Paul . You know, he isn’t authorized from HQ, right,” they ask rhetorically. Paul’s pedigree didn’t cut the mustard… But that wasn’t all. Because it wasn’t just Paul’s bona fides that troubled those other missionaries. It was his entire message … The infiltrators said Paul’s message was too simple .  They accused Paul of telling the Galatians what they wanted to hear. That Paul made the Gospel easy , because he was trying to gain the favor of his audience, the Galatians. That Paul was a people-pleaser. All you have is your reputation, and these other missionaries were suspicio...

 that time don't command A Pentecost Sermon : On any given Sunday you come to here as if it’s the most ordinary thing in the world to do. You could just as well be doing anything else. But, here you are — acting as if you’re perfectly normal! These days though, at least in our little corner of the world, fewer and fewer folks are knocking down the doors of the church. More and more people are looking just a little sideways at our gatherings. Questioning just how normal you must be to be here this morning… Once again , we’re being confronted with the scandal of The Church. How strange our little assembly each week, truly is… Take comfort! You are certainly not the first to be told how strange your Sunday morning activities are - with God’s grace we won’t be the last, either.  The first Christians certainly had no illusions about their gatherings. They knew how strange their Sunday morning plans made them. A theologian once quipped, Christians...

Jesus told them a parable about the need to pray always and not lose heart ~Luke 18:1 I suspect the biggest reason prayer doesn’t come easily to us, is because we’re not good at resting . Sure, summer is quickly approaching. Perhaps your thoughts are turning to a quieter schedule. Maybe you’re even looking ahead to a vacation. But have you ever returned from a long-awaited vacation, even more tired than when you left?  I know I have! We’re an all or nothing people. We work, work, work until we’re totally exhausted. Eventually we decide it’s high time we take a rest. So we cut out any and all work for a few days, perhaps we even go to the beach.  During those days set aside for nothing but rest, we jam in as much relaxation as we can. We end up exhausting ourselves, trying to make sure we get as much leisure as possible! It’d be comic if we weren’t all so worn out, so often… Yet Jesus says, “Come to me, all you that are weary and carrying heavy burdens, a...

that are keeping us on our feet A Sermon for Maundy Thursday : Isn’t it just like Jesus, to make us do something we’d just as well avoid? All this business of taking off shoes, having someone wash our feet, for heaven’s sake. It’s all just too much!  Today is Maundy Thursday, though. On this evening, we hear of Jesus’ last night with his disciples. On this holy day, the church gathers her children and puts before them Jesus’ command to actually love one another, to risk vulnerability. To risk humility. Tonight we hear of Jesus’ last night with his disciples.  The command he gave them, as he said what had to have been so hard to hear. How soon, he would go where they could not . The way their life together, was going to rupture all too quickly. Admitting that in a matter of hours, nothing would be able to put it back together the days they had, had with Jesus… Of all the poignant moments in Jesus’ all too short life and ministry, this is the p...

now there is naught but death's gray shell The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke ! For Easter Sunday; it sure is gloomy. Not only that, either. The Gospel practically reads like a misprint this day. Here you are. Dressed in your Sunday finest. On your best behavior, no doubt. The Easter feast is waiting at home. Or the brunch reservation made weeks ago.  You’re here . Ready for some good news. All decked out and just waiting to sing Alleluias to the rafters. Only the Gospel is sure full of false-starts .  I nstead of “alleluias;” the Gospel report is keeps inserting that qualifier, “ but .” Hardly a joyous word. And that isn’t all that’s wrong! The cast isn’t filled with joy or wonder this day. The women arrive early to prepare the body, only to have two men dressed in dazzling clothes, reprimand them. They should know better than to be looking for Jesus in a tomb , they sternly say. Once they finally remember everything Jesu...

but you idiot kid, you don't have a clue A sermon from Paul's epistle to the Philippians: “For [Jesus’] sake I have suffered the loss of all things,” sighs Paul. Talk about a tough sell… Paul was never much of a salesman, though. And it wasn’t just that he didn’t have such instincts. No, Paul had too much trust in his Lord, and he had too much respect for his hearers to do something like, try and peddle worshipping the Risen Christ… “For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things,” admits Paul.  That’s a hard God to talk about. A God who would demand everything . A God who would even let it all be lost.  No, this kind of talk about God, isn’t our favorite… Paul has that evangelistic fervor, though. You can’t help but have the sense he would gladly polish his pitch; if only he could.  The trouble, however, is the kind of God we have. A God who doesn’t share. A jealous God… If you’re going to try and get someone to join yo...

from where you left it Lent Music Vol IIII Untitled 07 - Kendrick Lamar California - Grimes Get Up - Caitlin Canty My Silver Lining - First Aid Kit Slow Coming - Benjamin Booker