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Transfiguration of Our Lord—February 7, 2016
Preacher: Pastor Jeff Lilley
Lessons: Jeremiah 1:4–10 | Psalm 71:1–6 | 1 Corinthians 13:1–13 | Luke 4:21–30
Summary: We like to hold on to stories like the Transfiguration of Jesus in today’s Gospel because they reveal the glory of God. But it misses the most important part where the Gospel goes on to tell about Jesus healing the boy. In the Transfiguration, the voice tells the disciples to listen to Jesus. They were not able to heal the boy, but Jesus does. We need to listen to the Jesus who comes into the day-to-day world. This is our transfiguration as the body of Christ.
Fourth Sunday after Epiphany/Welcoming Sunday—January 31, 2016
Preacher: Pastor Jeff Lilley
Lessons: Jeremiah 1:4–10 | Psalm 71:1–6 | 1 Corinthians 13:1–13 | Luke 4:21–30
Summary: Bob Zimmer speaks about LCH’s welcome to LGBT folks since 1993. Pastor Jeff talks about the Gospel where Jesus proclaims God’s welcome for all and the people in the synagogue get angry and try to throw him from the cliff. We too want to keep up barriers. Here at LCH we have opened the doors for LGBT folks, and many others have come. We are more the church God calls us to be, but God is not finished with us, and that is exciting. May we understand that God’s welcome is being proclaimed in our hearing.
Third Sunday after Epiphany—January 24, 2016
Preacher: Pastor Jeff Lilley
Lessons: Nehemiah 8:1–3, 5–6, 8–10 | Psalm 19 | 1 Corinthians 12:12–31a | Luke 4:14–21
Summary: Today’s Gospel has another first—Luke’s account of Jesus going to the synagogue and proclaiming that the Spirit of the Lord is upon him and that he is called to preach the Good News. Luke’s Gospel shows Jesus’ concern for healing, the poor, and the power of the word. God cares for all creatures, but especially for those who are suffering now, even when they scare us. The Spirit of the Lord is upon us, and we are called to proclaim that radical Good News.
Second Sunday after Epiphany—January 17, 2016
Preacher: Pastor Jeff Lilley
Lessons: Isaiah 62:1–5 | Psalm 36:5–10 | 1 Corinthians 12:1–11 | John 2:1–11
Summary: The first time we do something is always special, and the same is true of the Jesus’ first miracle recorded in today’s Gospel. Wine is a symbol of God’s abundance and promise, and in the hundreds of gallons of wine Jesus made from water, we see God’s grace and abundance flowing into the world. Like the steward, we are called to ladle out God’s grace so that all may feast. And like Martin Luther King, we are called to bring God’s justice and blessing to all people.
Baptism of Our Lord—January 10, 2016
Preacher: Pastor Jeff Lilley
Lessons: Isaiah 43:1–7 | Psalm 29 | Acts 8:14–17 | Luke 3:15–17, 21–22
Summary: Luke’s Gospel is less incarnational than John’s, which we have be reading recently, but even in his short account of Jesus’ baptism, Luke describes the heavens opening and God’s voice proclaiming Jesus as the beloved child. This shows God becoming involved with humans. Our own baptisms make us part of God’s mission here on earth. In baptism we are each signed as beloved children of God. Which part of God’s mission here on earth will each of us take on as a personal responsibility?
Second Sunday of Christmas—January 3, 2016
Preacher: Pastor Jeff Lilley
Lessons: Jeremiah 31:7–14; Psalm 147:13–21; Ephesians 1:3–14; John 1:1–18
Summary: The beginning of the Gospel of John reminds us of the beginning of Genesis. In Genesis, God initiates a conversation with humanity that stretches from the Garden of Eden, through Noah, Moses, the judges, kings, and prophets. Finally God comes in the flesh in to dwell with us. The conversation continues today, and we are called to lift up our heads, move into the world, and engage all creation in truth and joy.
Christmas Eve—December 24, 2015
Preacher: Pastor Jeff Lilley
Lessons: Isaiah 9:2–7 | Psalm 96 | Titus 2:11–14 | Luke 2:1–20
Summary: For weeks we have been hearing in the popular media about the death of Christmas and how we are being drawn away from what we know about the love of God. But here at LCH we have been looking forward to the coming of Christ as we lit each candle on the Advent wreath. And tonight, we celebrate the light of Christ coming into the world and drawing us back to God.
This sermon is not available because of technical reasons.
Advent IV—December 20, 2015
Preacher: Pastor Jeff Lilley
Lessons: Micah 5:2–5a | Luke 1:46b–55 | Hebrews 10:5–10 | Luke 1:39–55
Summary: In our Gospel we hear the part of Jesus’ birth narrative where Mary visits Elisabeth and John the Baptist, in Elizabeth’s womb, leaps for joy. This story and the hymn “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” help us understand the real significance of the coming of Jesus. May we leap with joy and rejoice at the coming of Emmanuel.
Advent III—December 13, 2015
Preacher: Pastor Jeff Lilley
Lessons: Zephaniah 3:14–20 | Isaiah 12:2–6 | Philippians 4:4–7 | Luke 3:7–18
Summary: This Sunday we hear John the Baptist’s warning of the catastrophic end of the age, but his advice seems too simple—don’t cheat, be kind, and work hard. But, these commands are more radical that they seem, and they apply to us in these calamitous times as well. This is the way we make the path straight and the way level. This is the way we usher in the kingdom of God.
Advent II—December 6, 2015
Preacher: Pastor Jeff Lilley
Lessons: Malachi 3:1–4 | Luke 1:68–79 | Philippians 1:3–11 | Luke 3:1–6
Summary: Luke sets the historical context for the Gospel lesson by naming all the great people of that age, but then the focus shifts to a simple itinerant preacher, a nobody. John the Baptist calls people to prepare for a child, another nobody. God is still calling nobodies to prepare the way. Who is God calling to prepare the way with justice, peace, love, and the presence of God? God is calling you.
Advent I—November 29, 2015
Preacher: Pastor Jeff Lilley
Lessons: Jeremiah 33:14–16 | Psalm 25:1–9 | 1 Thessalonians 3:9–13 | Luke 21:25–36
Summary: We start our new church year ahead of the secular year, and we see the world in a new light—the shadow of Christ, who has already come. Today’s Gospel text is often used to scare the devil out of us. When we learn of danger, we often hide, but Jesus tells us to stand up and raise our heads. Jesus calls us to be active and strong signs that Christ is already present with us.