2009

Scripture: Matthew 26:59-75 This is a sermon I have been wanting to give and have been on the verge of giving for many years. It is also a sermon I have not given in the past because I didn’t feel I was quite prepared to give it or quite ready to give it, and I … Read more

Scripture: Matthew 27:62-28:10 You may find this to be a somewhat unusual sermon for Easter. I’m not apologizing for that, you understand. Every year I warn myself against what I perceive to be some of the usual Easter messages whether based on the symbolism of flowers in springtime or the literal belief in Jesus’ resurrection … Read more

Scripture: John 20:19-31 I had decided earlier this week that I was not going to preach about doubt today. Many people will, no doubt, be preaching about doubt today. As many of you are aware, there is something called the lectionary, a set of recommended readings for each Sunday of the church year that many … Read more

Scripture: Luke 24:13-35 I had my doubts about preaching a sermon on doubt last week. I have my doubts about preaching a sermon about journeying this morning…for some of the same reasons. The idea that faith is a journey is certainly not a new idea at Sojourners. If “faith journey” is not a phrase that … Read more

Scripture: Luke 15:11-32 The last two sermons have been dealing with themes that I consider fairly familiar ones at Sojourners. Two weeks ago I was talking about doubt, which I think is a comfortable topic and a common experience among us at Sojourners, not for everyone necessarily but for a good portion of us. And … Read more

Scripture: Acts 1:1-11 Sometimes the scriptures speak to you sort of sideways. A case in point is the scripture you heard a few moments ago that describes Jesus’ ascension into heaven. This scripture is the lectionary scripture not for this Sunday but for last Thursday, which was Ascension Day, and which some portions of the … Read more

Scripture: Acts 2:1-21 I’m going to guess that not too many of you were thinking, as you walked into the building this morning, that today is Pentecost. We don’t pay a lot of attention to the liturgical calendar at Sojourners other than Christmas and Palm Sunday and Easter, although there have been some years when … Read more

Scripture: Acts 2:43-47; Isaiah 6:1-8 I’ve been taking my preaching cues recently from the liturgical year, and I decided that I would do it one more time today. Two weeks ago the occasion was the ascension of Christ, last week it was Pentecost, this week—well I had a couple of choices. Today is Trinity Sunday, … Read more

Scripture: Numbers 22:22-35 This is going to be a somewhat whimsical sermon, though I do mean for it to have a few serious ideas in it before I’m done. Whimsical first of all in the choice of subject matter, which in a way comes from General Synod, the national meeting of the UCC I just … Read more

Scripture: 1Corinthians 14:6-19 As I was beginning my sermon based on the story of Balaam last week, which I sensed and several of you confirmed afterwards is a fairly obscure story, I said that I just might pick a few more relatively obscure Biblical stories to preach on in the coming weeks. I decided against … Read more