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Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12. “Now concerning spiritual gifts…” Paul writes at the beginning of chapter 12 of 1Corinthians, and then basically he says, “We’ve got to talk.” He goes on to develop at some length the metaphor of the body of Christ, suggesting that the people of the Corinthian church belonged to each other the … Read more

Scripture: 1Corinthians 13. Both the scripture reading and the sermon from last week were incomplete. In a certain sense of course all sermons are incomplete. The Christian life is always a work in process so anything anyone says about it should be understood as unfinished. In that sense a sermon is never complete. But last … Read more

Scripture: Psalm 139:1-12. This is not so much a sermon this morning as it is part of a family discussion. It’s about things here at Sojourners, which in itself is not so unusual. My sermons often are related specifically to our life together as a community of faith, or grow out of issues and concerns … Read more

Sermon for Pentecost.  Scripture: Acts 2. There’s an installation service this afternoon. I don’t get to talk at that service, not much anyway, and so I wanted to try this morning to put into words some of what I’m thinking about on the day of installation, which also happens to be the day of Pentecost. … Read more

Scripture: Psalm 8 Mark 10:13-16. J made me a little nervous about this sermon. She and B and I were talking a week or so ago about this service, and somewhere in the course of the conversation, J said something to the effect (I know these weren’t the exact words, but I hope I’m quoting … Read more

Scripture: Genesis 1:1-2:7. I decided to focus my sermons during the months of July and August on some of the stories and characters from the Book of Genesis. I don’t have any particular reason for choosing to do this…except that these sermons will be a little different in style from what I have been doing … Read more

Scripture: Genesis 2:8-9, 15-17 and Chapter 3. I’ve been thinking about loss. I’ve been thinking about loss probably for lots of reasons that have nothing to do with the scripture for this morning. But I am aware that what I am thinking about in other areas of my life has a heavy influence on the … Read more

Scripture: Genesis 4:1-16. I’m afraid I don‘t have too many happy words for you this morning. The scripture doesn’t have too many happy words in it. To me anyway, the story of Cain and Abel is really bleak. About as bleak as you can get. There is no happy ending, and not a single one … Read more

Scripture: Genesis 16 and 21 (selections). I am very aware of being a male this morning. Gender is an issue in these stories. I chose these stories because gender is an issue in them, and I think it’s important for all of us, especially males, to confront the issues of gender that are presented to … Read more

Scripture: Genesis 22:1-19. I want to talk about the story that you have heard this morning, but I also need to talk a bit about how we interpret the Bible, because once again we are confronted here in Genesis with a difficult story. I think one of the reasons we have trouble with the scriptures … Read more