Second Sunday after Pentecost Audio

Sixth Sunday after Pentecost

This tells me what God's real job description is. The heavens and the earth will be totally destroyed - and yet we will not be. God not only set eternity in our hearts - but He also sent His Son to redeem us so "we would not perish, but have life everlasting." When Jesus said, "All ye that labor and are heavy laden," He saw the rich man worried about someone stealing his stuff, the poor man on the sidewalk with the sign that says, 'anything helps,' the mom working 70 hours a week to care for her family, the bride on her wedding day, the old man who sits in front of the TV missing his wife, the teenager trying to figure out what happens after high school, the child who spends each night listening to her parents fight. Jesus sees all of us. And if we get nothing else from this passage - God never tires of being called upon for help. It turns out, it's God's self-chosen job to love us. And if you are beginning to know, even just a little bit, about what it means to be saved - for Jesus to forgive your sins and cover you with grace - if any of His stories make sense to you - especially the prodigal son, the lost sheep, the bleeding woman, the hungry people who got fed, the thief who got saved at the 11th hour - maybe you can point someone else, who is carrying a heavy load - to Jesus.

Fifth Sunday after Pentecost

Did you ever feel like sacrificing a goat because of something you did wrong? How about buying an indulgence for you or a family member? Crawling on your knees up every stair at St. Peter's Basilica saying a prayer on each one? Walking across Spain on the Camino Santiago. Or moving into a monastery, forsaking all material possessions and promising to remain silent the rest of your life? And even if you did all of these - how would you know it was enough? Sinners need something only God can give – and God has given it… Psalm 32 says, "Blessed are those whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered." King David continues, "While I kept silence, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer - but then I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not hide my iniquity; I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,' and you forgave the guilt of my sin."

Fourth Sunday after Pentecost

What if heaven was created for us even before the first person was born? What if you have already been forgiven of all of your sins so there is nothing left you have to do to get in? What if death - which is the enemy - is really just a momentary transition from where you are right now to where you were born to live forever? Have you ever thought about how audacious it was when Jesus told us to call God "abba" which is not "father" but a much more endearing title like "dad" or "papa." Well "Abba" was even more audacious when He said we were loved and forgiven. No hesitation. No sales talk. No "just four easy payments of only..." God said you are enough. You are forgiven. You are unique and unreproducible. You are exactly who He knew you would be. You have permission to take a deep breath and exhale because it's all going to be okay because of Jesus

Third Sunday after Pentecost Audio

My hope in heaven is not "unprecedented." If it was - I could still hope - but my hope might not end so well. This is where faith comes in. Faith is not hope. Hope is "fingers crossed, lucky rabbit's feet, wishing on a falling star." Faith is having just enough evidence that whatever you are hoping for is possible. Where does that evidence come from? If you always wanted a child - and have not been able to have one - Hannah and Sarai know what you are going through. If you've ever lost a child - Rachel knows your pain. If you've ever done something you aren't sure you can be forgiven for - Kings David and Solomon and St. Paul would like to take you for coffee. If you were ever outside the church looking in - wondering if they would accept you - Ruth and Rahab have good news they want to share. The evidence we need is found in the tears and prayers and struggles and sins of our ancestors. Sarah's laughter, Hannah's outrageous prayer, Mary's labor, David's Psalms, Peter's boasts, Thomas' doubts. For us to have something more than hope - it can't be unprecedented. Someone has to have gone before me so I can follow in their footsteps.

Second Sunday after Pentecost Audio

King David, after his great sin that would have brought him and the nation down if it had not been for God's grace - wrote these words in Psalm 51, "You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings - the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise." God didn't want all the sacrifices - but they were necessary for us to see the cost of our sin. A metaphor - a story - but a powerful one. A thousand year's later St. Paul connected the dots when he wrote these words in Hebrews 10, "Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. Then I said, 'Here I am - it is written about me in the scroll - I have come to do your will, O God.' " Only one sacrifice was ever necessary - and as we look into the eyes of our Jesus on the cross - we see the love of God - and know that we are forgiven and free. Now we give from the heart - sacrifices of thanksgiving - and the BBQ is just a place for friends and family.