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Time after Pentecost • Lectionary 26—September 27, 2015
Preacher: Pastor Jeff Lilley
Lessons: Numbers 11:4–6, 10–16, 24–29 | Psalm 19:7–14 | James 5:13–20 | Mark 9:38–50
Summary: Sometimes we get caught up in comparing ourselves with others. The good works of others should makes us ashamed but should inspire us to God’s mission for us. We are each salt, and we are called to bring our own salitness to our mission. The church is not dying; the church is changing. The saltiness each of us bring to our mission will make this word shine.
Time after Pentecost • Lectionary 25—September 20, 2015
Preacher: Pastor Phyllis Hormann
Lessons: Jeremiah 11:18–20 | Psalm 54 | James 3:13—4:3; 4:7–8a | Mark 9:30–37
Summary: We’ve all been afraid, like the disciples in today’s Gospel, and that fear sometimes keeps us from asking the questions we need to ask and being open to God’s leading. We are called to follow Jesus in spite of our fears and anxieties and to know that God will provide when we step forward in faith and welcome the opportunities God places before us.
Time after Pentecost • Lectionary 24—September 13, 2015
Preacher: Pastor Richard Shields
Lessons: Isaiah 50:4–9a | Psalm 116:1–9 | James 3:1–12 | Mark 8:27–38
Summary: In today’s Gospel, Jesus asks the disciples who they think he is, and Peter answers that he is the Messiah. Jesus then explains how he will suffer, die, and be raised, and Peter objects. Jesus explains that those who follow him must deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow him. Jesus calls us to let go of our expectations about where ministry will take us. This can be frightening, but we can rely on Jesus’ presence with us and the presence of our fellow Christians. We are never alone.
Time after Pentecost • Lectionary 23—September 6, 2015
Preacher: Pastor Jeff Lilley
Lessons: Isaiah 35:4–7a | Psalm 146 | James 2:1–17 | Mark 7:24–37
Summary: In today’s Gospel, Jesus turns away the Syrophoenician woman because she is a Gentile, but she comes back saying that even the dogs get the crumbs. Jesus heals her daughter because of the woman’s faith. In the second reading, James writes that faith without works is dead. But in our tradition, Luther tells us that faith alone is sufficient. We understand that the works James writes about do not earn salvation but show that our faith is alive. We have received the gift of a living faith that sticks us to the cross and drives us to be poured out for our sisters and brothers in the world.
Time after Pentecost • Lectionary 22—August 30, 2015
Preacher: Pastor Jeff Lilley
Lessons: Deuteronomy 4:1–2, 6–9 | Psalm 15 | James 1:17–27 | Mark 7:1–8, 14–15, 21–23
Summary: In today’s Gospel we here Jesus’ examination of the place of traditions and how they can support our relationship with God and with others or can get in the way. We have lots of traditions, and some take on a life of their own. The best traditions point to God’s love and care for us.
Time after Pentecost • Lectionary 21—August 23, 2015
Preacher: Pastor Jeff Lilley
Lessons: Joshua 24:1–2a, 14–18 | Psalm 34:15–22 | Ephesians 6:10–20 | John 6:56–69
Summary: In today’s Gospel, some of the people following Jesus cannot accept him saying that they must eat his flesh, so they leave. Peter responds with a confession of trust that there is no one else who has the words of eternal life. The Gospel can be scandalous and challenging, but with Peter, we know that God abides with us. Trusting that Jesus has the words of eternal life, to whom shall we go?
Time after Pentecost • Lectionary 20—August 16, 2015
Preacher: Pastor Jeff Lilley
Lessons: Proverbs 9:1–6 | Psalm 34:9–14 | Ephesians 5:15–20 | John 6:51–58
Summary: In today’s Gospel, Jesus says, “I am the living bread; whoever east of me shall live forever,” and the religious leaders objected. We too can object to the call God has for us because we don’t see how we can do any more for God. But we need to see that when we eat of the bread of heaven, we have the future in front of us to develop new capacity for mission. Each time we come to the table, we receive the true bread of heaven and are filled up with God’s spirit and power.
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Time after Pentecost • Lectionary 19—August 9, 2015
Preacher: Pastor Jeff Lilley
Lessons: 1 Kings 19:4–8 | Psalm 34:1–8 | Ephesians 4:25—5:2 | John 6:35, 41–51
Summary: In today’s Gospel, people think Jesus is crazy when he says, “I am the bread of life” because they only know him as the boy who grew up among them. God uses incredibly ordinary things for extraordinary purposes. The bread of communion is just flour and other ordinary ingredients kneaded together for an extraordinary purpose. Our work in the church is to offer the simple elements of our lives and let God string them together like flowers into a lei of love for the whole world.
Time after Pentecost • Lectionary 18—August 2, 2015
Preacher: Pastor Jeff Lilley
Lessons: Exodus 16:2–4, 9–15 | Psalm 78:23–29 | Ephesians 4:1–16 | John 6:24–35
Summary: In today’s Gospel, Jesus and the disciples come back to Capernaum after feeding the five thousand, and the people follow. Jesus asks if they are searching for more bread and then gives them the Bread of Life. Each of us comes to worship searching for different things, but we often are not open to encountering God. We want to set the menu but may not be ready for what God offers. May we hunger for God’s presence and God’s love feeding our souls, and may we receive it through faith.