Sermons

Epiphany 4, Jan. 28, 2018 – St. Paul’s lectionary Deuteronomy 18:15–20 1 Corinthians 8:1–13 Mark 1:21–28 Opening It was last year nearly 2 months ago that I stood in this place and announced that we were going to begin to listen to the gospel of Mark in this the year of Mark. We have worked our way through Advent Christmas and now a good way through epiphany and we’re all the way to the 21st verse in chapter 1. Wow. Mark the gospel writer who is so spare with his language. the gospel writer who gets right to the point and moves on with a narrative that is fast paced. And in 2 months we’ve still just begun. This is the gospel of Jesus, the Messiah, the Son of God John the Baptist came preparing the way John baptized Jesus and immediately Jesus headed off into the wilderness for an intense retreat After that intense time of prayer and exercise, Jesus was ready to begin his ministry He called some folk to accompany him and share in his...

Homily: Baptism of the Lord St. Paul’s, Monroe * Jan 7, 2018 Bump into baptism [ Image of retreat center east of Chicago and small church ministry ] … having coffee with the designer of the chapel and the font. The font was so refreshing with water running down a little rivulet into a small pool. You could easily put your hand down into the water – make the sign of the cross. The architect told me he wanted people to bump into their baptism the moment they entered his chapel. I immediately latched onto that phrase and thought “How perfect.” I first bumped into my baptism with Owen’s baptism (my first child), then subsequently at the baptism of Julian, then their sister Miriam, etc. Once my life reaches its end, my hope is that I will have not just bumped into my baptism but I will have lived into the fullness of it . Jesus baptism marks the beginning of his ministry Jesus’ baptism by John is at the beginning of all the gosp...

Homily: Baptism of the Lord St. Paul’s, Monroe * Jan 7, 2018 Bump into baptism [ Image of retreat center east of Chicago and small church ministry ] … having coffee with the designer of the chapel and the font. The font was so refreshing with water running down a little rivulet into a small pool. You could easily put your hand down into the water – make the sign of the cross. The architect told me he wanted people to bump into their baptism the moment they entered his chapel. I immediately latched onto that phrase and thought “How perfect.” I first bumped into my baptism with Owen’s baptism (my first child), then subsequently at the baptism of Julian, then their sister Miriam, etc. Once my life reaches its end, my hope is that I will have not just bumped into my baptism but I will have lived into the fullness of it . Jesus baptism marks the beginning of his ministry Jesus’ baptism by John is at the beginning of all the gosp...

Homily: Baptism of the Lord St. Paul’s, Monroe * Jan 7, 2018 Bump into baptism [ Image of retreat center east of Chicago and small church ministry ] … having coffee with the designer of the chapel and the font. The font was so refreshing with water running down a little rivulet into a small pool. You could easily put your hand down into the water – make the sign of the cross. The architect told me he wanted people to bump into their baptism the moment they entered his chapel. I immediately latched onto that phrase and thought “How perfect.” I first bumped into my baptism with Owen’s baptism (my first child), then subsequently at the baptism of Julian, then their sister Miriam, etc. Once my life reaches its end, my hope is that I will have not just bumped into my baptism but I will have lived into the fullness of it . Jesus baptism marks the beginning of his ministry Jesus’ baptism by John is at the beginning of all the gospels. The gospels are not reporting to us biograph...