Year: 2001

Scriptures: 1 Kings 19:1-12; 2 Corinthians 5:1-5 Before I say anything else today, I need to say thank you… To all those in the Sojourners community for flowers, and food, and prayers, and hugs, and all the expressions of sympathy you have been sending my way.  It is all very deeply appreciated. To Lee for … Read more

Scriptures: Psalm 42 If the sermon topic for today seems like it might be a little too “heavy”, if it sounds to you like it might be pretty much of a “downer”…I have to say it sounds that way to me too.  As I was beginning this sermon, I was thinking that I would really … Read more

Scriptures: Mark 12:28-34; Luke 17:11-19 I want to begin with the story about the ten lepers this morning.  It will lead us in a kind of roundabout way to what I really want to talk about. The story is pretty straightforward.  It says that ten people approached Jesus, all of whom had leprosy.  It’s important … Read more

Scriptures: Psalm 122 and 121; 2 Corinthians 4:7-10; Ephesians 3:14-17; Zechariah 4:1-6; Matthew 5:3-10; Micah 6:6-8 I have just a few words I want to say this morning before we come to a time of sharing and prayer.  I’ve called this reflections rather than sermon because “sermon” sounded too official somehow.  Like many of you, … Read more

Scripture: Exodus 2:1-15 I had intended to ground my preaching in the book of Exodus this fall.  I still intend to ground my preaching in the book of Exodus this fall, though my preaching may be somewhat different than I had originally imagined.  I’m not entirely sure how it will be different, but I am … Read more

Scripture: Exodus 3:1-7 I want to continue interacting with the story of the Exodus and the book of Exodus this morning, but before I get to today’s reading I need to acknowledge a couple of problems lingering from last week that were brought to my attention by other Sojourners. One of those other Sojourners happened … Read more

Scripture: Exodus 3:7-14, 4:9-13 People have been asking me quite a bit recently how I am doing, how I am feeling.  Not that people never inquired after my wellbeing before, but since September 11 I have often had the feeling that when I’m exchanging greetings with people and someone asks me, “And how are you … Read more

Scripture: Exodus 17:1-7 Speaking to you this morning about our trip to Scotland seemed to me a little bit like the sermonic equivalent of inviting you over to our house to see the slides.  I had thought I would spare you that this morning.  I found though that as I thought about what I wanted … Read more

Scripture: Exodus 25:1-22 I chose a scripture this morning that may have caused you to wonder why I would choose it, and that I admit is somewhat obscure.  There are many well-known stories in Exodus.  This is not one of them. What I have to say, I hope will not be obscure.  In my mind, … Read more

Scripture: John 1:1-5, 14 I usually start to write my sermons on Friday mornings.  That means that sometimes, when I can, I spend a portion of Thursday evening in a kind of meditative mode, just being quiet and gathering my thoughts so that I can get off to a good start the next morning.   … Read more