Blog Archives

12 Pentecost

8/27/2017

“Who do you say that I am?” This is the question that Jesus puts to his disciples. Simon Peter, always the impetuous one, replied, “You are the Messiah, the son of the living God.”

I believe that this is a seminal time in the life and ministry of Jesus. All summer long we’ve heard stories of Jesus healing, telling parables, doing miracles and then last week he went all the way northwest to the territory of Trye and Sidon on the Mediterranean coast in what is now Syria. He was outside of his Jewish homeland. Then this week he has traveled from there, back into northern Israel, to Caesarea Philippi. I believe Caesarea Philippi is a watershed point for Jesus. It is at Caesarea Philippi that Jesus asked his disciples who others thought he might be. It is at Caesarea Philippi that he asked his disciples the question, “Who do you say that I am?” It is at Caesarea Philippi that Jesus offered the paradox: “For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.” It was on a nearby mountain that Jesus was transfigured. And it was at Caesarea Philippi that Jesus set his sights on Jerusalem and began the journey that would end in his crucifixion. At Caesarea Philippi Jesus literally turned a corner and headed south to his ultimate destination.

0 Comments

11 Pentecost

8/20/2017

0 Comments

Printer-Friendly Version

In the Eucharistic prayer (from Enriching Our Worship) that we are using this summer are these words:

Blessed are you, gracious God, creator of the universe and giver of life. You formed us in your own image and called us to dwell in your infinite love. You gave the world into our care that we might be your faithful stewards and show forth your bountiful grace.

But we failed to honor your image in one another and in ourselves; we would not see your goodness in the world around us; and so we violated your creation, abused one another, and rejected your love.

This is the basic theme of the Book of Genesis … The “good” that God has given us and calls us to be faithful stewards of that “good” for our sake and the sake of the world … and evil that brings brokenness to individual and corporate life. This theme was played out throughout the Book of Genesis. This theme was played out … and continues to be played out … in the events of this past week. Yet, in the end, there is hope for the good … for reconciliation and redemption. That is what this sermon this morning is about.

0 Comments

10 Pentecost

8/13/2017

0 Comments

Printer-Friendly Version

There are probably as many explanations for the Miracle of Walking on Water as there are preachers in our churches. Some take it at face value and declare that it is an actual “miracle” … a phenomenon outside of what most people accept as natural laws. As such, this “miracle” becomes one more example of Jesus’ divinity as the son of God.

Others explain it by saying that in the storm and waves the disciples were really a lot closer to land than they thought. That Jesus was actually wading in shallow water, and when Peter jumped out of the boat he happened to jump into a deeper portion of the Sea of Galilee. To some degree this makes sense … anyone who has been to the beach at low tide knows that there is usually a sandbar about 50 to 75 yards from shore, and with the waves breaking around them people can be seen walking on the sandbar as if they are walking on water. And, between the sandbar and the beach the water is often deeper … one can easily step off the sandbar into 4 or 5 feet of water. So, maybe that is the explanation.

And then there is the joke that Jesus just knew where the stones were under the water. In West Virginia I traveled some back-country dirt roads that crossed small rivers. Knowing where the ford of the river was … the shallow crossing point … was part of the adventure. I have seen some vehicles that misgauged the crossing and got stuck in the deeper mud one side or the other of the ford. Kind of like Peter jumping out of the boat.

0 Comments

9 Pentecost

8/6/2017

0 Comments

Printer-Friendly Version

Well … this is a story! Five thousand men (not counting women and children) … are fed with just five loaves and two fish? Not only that, but the author of Matthew’s gospel wanted to make sure that we get the point. In the very next chapter the author tells a similar story with 4,000 men (not including the women and children) … and seven loaves and just a few fish. If ever there were a miracle, this was it! Of course, there is that whole walking on water trick … but that is next week.

0 Comments

12 Pentecost

11 Pentecost

10 Pentecost

9 Pentecost

PAST SERVICES

GET IN TOUCH

ABOUT

CONNECT