Sermons That Work
Sermons and Bible Studies
St. John Chrysostom’s Paschal Sermon, Great Vigil of Easter (B) – 2018
Are there any who are devout lovers of God? Let them enjoy this beautiful bright festival! Are there any who are grateful servants? Let them rejoice and enter into the joy of their Lord! Are there any weary with fasting? Let them now receive their wages! If any have toiled from the first hour, let […]
Sermon for a World AIDS Day Interfaith Service: Remembering Wayne
When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked…Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”[1] According to the way Christians tell their story, Jesus is crucified. His disciples, who love him so greatly […]
It Is Difficult to Pick Up…, Proper 17 (C) – 2001
This sermon is written as an alternative for use on Sunday, September 16, 2001. It may be used in conjunction with the Lessons for the Day or as a topical sermon with other readings. It is difficult to pick up shattered lives. While many people have been able to return to a mostly normal life […]
In Bach’s St. Matthew Passion…, Great Vigil of Easter (A) – 1999
In Bach’s St. Matthew Passion there is a musical theme that is connected to the time between Jesus’ crucifixion and his resurrection. It is in a minor key but it is not sad. Rather it is hopeful. It is expectant. Some might say that it captures both the pain of Jesus’ death for our sakes […]
We Gather Together Today…, Good Friday – 1999
We gather together today to remember. We are remembering an event that occurred about 2,000 years ago that seemed to be an ending but was really a beginning. We are not really here to celebrate because even after 2000 years the physical events of that day we call Good Friday do not seem to be […]
There Is an Ancient Egyptian Myth…, Ash Wednesday – 1999
There is an ancient Egyptian myth about a bird which regenerates itself by burning itself up. Imagine, the living phoenix literally makes an offering of itself: it carefully builds a nest, settles down in it, and burst into flame. From the ashes left by those flames emerges a magnificent reborn bird. The new phoenix is […]
Settle Disagreements and Conflicts…, Proper 18 (A) – 1999
The Gospel reading today deals with ways to settle disagreements and conflicts. How do you feel about disagreements? Do you avoid them? Do you hate them? Do you enjoy them? Do you always win them or lose them? Sometimes people have the impression that since we claim to be Christians, we will live in eternal […]
Have You Had Any Trouble…, Proper 11 (A) – 1999
Have you had any trouble with darnel lately? It seems to me that this inquiry might bring a big question to our mind. What is it? What does it look like? Does it itch? Will “Head and Shoulders” get rid of it? When we read the Gospel lesson for today, it is difficult for us. […]
The Parable of the Sower, Proper 10 (A) – 1999
The “parable of the sower” is one of the special parables in the New Testament because Jesus interprets it for us himself. A sower went out to sow grain, presumably wheat, and the seeds were broadcast by hand. So, once the seeds were thrown, there was no controlling where they would land. The seed fell […]
A Seminarian Returning…, Proper 7 (A) – 1999
A seminarian, returning from his weekend duties one Sunday afternoon, gave a lift to a hitchhiker and received a theology lesson in return. The hitchhiker, an older man, asked about the seminarian’s clerical collar and interpreted the answer he got to mean that he was, “some kind of preacher.” The hitchhiker then commented that the […]
In This Text, Jesus…, Proper 6 (A) – 1999
In this text Jesus is filled with compassion and then he puts in a prayer request. For those of us who have years and years of life as serious Christians, this is the most normal of patterns. We are moved to compassion. Then we pray. At the first opportunity we call for prayers from our […]
We Believe That…, Proper 5 (A) – 1999
We believe that what this Gospel text is telling us is that if we want to be one of Jesus’ friends we must be sinners. In fact, Jesus said, “I did not come to the virtuous, but sinners.” Since most of us are sinners and since most of us sinners don’t really enjoy hanging out […]
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