Sermons on John

Sermons on John

Lent 3A He Gives Living Water

John 4:5-26 The thread that ties our Gospel and OT Readings together is thirst and water; both are physical and spiritual. That is not so different from where we find ourselves today in dealing with a pandemic and sickness. Thirst and sickness are not so different. They are physical needs that have spiritual repercussions. Jesus takes us from the physical to the spiritual. Jesus takes us from what seek for in our concerns to what we really need; the restoration…

Epiphany 2A

John 1: 29-42a Evangelism can be a scary word for some. Perhaps that is because it can seem so foreign to us. In our minds, evangelism is marvelous and miraculous. But we live in the mundane, meaning evangelism happens in some place other than our lives. So we don’t relate. But John shows us that evangelism is simply sharing the good news within our relationships; the everyday relationships of our mundane lives. More likely than not, that’s the way it…

Reformation C Sola Scriptura

John 8:31-36 The Reformation principle “by Scripture alone” traces its history back to the Leipzig Debate where Luther insisted that Scripture is the only norm for doctrine. Our text shows us that it is also the only norm for our lives and the very power of God for our salvation. Sermon Date:  October 27, 2019

Pentecost C Joining Jesus Pt 3: Doing Good and Praying

John 14:23-31 In response to Jesus informing his disciple that he was going away (ascending onto heaven) Judas (not Iscariot) had a question, “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?” Good question right? The sermon today will explore two things. First, Jesus’s answer to the question. Second, how this answer dovetails with the Joining Jesus Mission Practices. Sermon Date:  June 9, 2019

Easter 7C Joining Jesus Pt 2: Hearing and Talking

John 17:20-26 In the second part of our series on Joining Jesus we will talk about two more of the five Mission Practices. The first practice is “Seeking what Jesus is up to.”  Today we continue with practice #3, “Hearing from Jesus” and practice #4, “Talking with People.” Jesus tells us the wise person puts his words into practice. So we don’t just want to know and believe but also to do. These practices will help us to do. They…

Easter 5C/Armed Forces Sunday

John 16:12-22 In hearing the Gospel for today it is imperative that we remember the context in which Jesus first spoke those words. He said at the time that there were things his disciples could not bear to hear. But I say to you, you can bear them. Why? Because the circumstances are different now. We are post-resurrection rather than pre-resurrection when Jesus spoke the words. Today we will talk about the things that have changed and that secure our…

Easter 4C/Mother’s Day

John 10:22-30 Mother’s Day and Good Shepherd Sunday share some things. Both have a primary image and secondary image. While one image is dominant, the day can’t exist without the other. For Mother’s Day, it is mothers and their children. For Good Shepherd Sunday, it is the Good Shepherd and his flock. So just as Mother’s Day is primarily about mothers but also involves the appreciation of their children, so Good Shepherd Sunday is primarily about the gifts of the…

Easter 3C

John 21:1-14 In our experience, God is often a hidden God, meaning that we do not or cannot know God and why He does things. That is because we are created beings and God is creator. It is also because of our sinful nature that has stripped us of spiritual discernment. But the good news is that God in his mercy comes to us and reveals himself to us. We see this particularly in the resurrected Christ as he appears…

Easter 2C……. Confirmation

John 20:19-31 Confirmation is all about confession; that which we believe in our hearts, we confess with our lips, and live out in our lives. On this Confirmation Sunday, Thomas helps us with our concession, “My Lord and my God.” This is the cry of every Christian. This is a cry that both confesses who God is and how we relate to him.   Sermon Date:  April 28, 2019

1/20/2019 Epiphany 2 John 2:1-11 Faith that God is Good

Have you ever felt rebuffed by God, like your prayer gets about as far as the ceiling and just bounces back? It is not an uncommon experience and something that Mary, Jesus’ mother, experienced too. Feeling rebuffed can lead us down a bad path of bitterness and non-responsiveness to God. But there is another way. Mary shows us what that is.