RoboPreacher

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...

where my sorrows still remain The Holy Gospel according to St. John ! Me and the fertilizer plant moved into Burlington around the same time.   * Lest you think I brought it with me, just know that I beat the plant here by about a year ! The thing is though, when I first came I was relatively young and healthy. So I didn’t need a doctor. But I kept being asked who my doctor was.   So, after a year or so, I figured I should finally get one.   But by then, Burlington was bulging with transplants working at the plant. And I assume those workers were also filling the doctors’ appointment books, because all the offices I called weren’t taking any new patients! I had to call three different offices before I finally found a doctor who was willing to just consider taking me! They asked for my health information, and told me I’d get a call later that week to let me know if I’d been accepted. After a few days I got a call back telling me I’d been a...

use it tonight The Holy Gospel according to St. John, the 3rd chapter ! Poor Nicodemus.   So little to show for all his efforts that night he went to meet Jesus… But really, I think the reason we have sympathy for Nicodemus is because the truth is, we’re a lot more like Nicodemus than we care to admit… After all, Nicodemus was the kind of guy who, like you this morning, would show up to church on a crummy January day… And there’s more we have in common with old Nicodemus.   First, Nicodemus was a leader . In other words, he had managed to climb up the ladder a little. BUT, good Nicodemus didn’t let it go to his head. In fact, he comes across as altogether sincere . Humble even, as he meets Jesus. BecauseNicodemus lives by the very virtues we’ve been reared on! And secondly, we can’t help but admire Nicodemus for his work-ethic. Nicodemus shows up to meet Jesus by night . In other words, after the nine-to-five! Because Nicodemus isn’t afr...

reaching out to you The Holy Gospel according to St. John the second chapter ! It’s a terrible thing to be consumed by something, isn’t it? … Sure , at times, letting the passions have free-reign can serve us.   Usually, though, it isn’t long before whatever impulse we’ve given carte blanche to, turns on us. Consumes us… And it’s a terrible thing to be consumed by something, isn’t it? …That’s how it was for me this week. Like the rest of the schmucks of the world, I had my annual evaluation… And let me tell you… …Well truthfully I can’t remember much of it.   But , you know as well as I do, what I DO remember.   The suggestions for improvement . “What??? Me?!?” I wondered. I need improving? I thought that part of the evaluation was just a formality for the likes of me …   * Please feel free to laugh * Now after the eval I was asked if I had anything I wanted to say, or even, thoughtfully, if I was offended.   B...