Isaiah 11:1-10 Romans 15:4-13 Matthew 3:1-12 “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:4-13) I’ve had reason to think some about ‘hope’ in these last couple of days: both the kind we live …
Tag: Isaiah
All Saints Day: Claiming the Easter Promise
Isaiah 25:6-9John 11:32-44 For as long as I have been a pastor, I have loved All Saints Day. In some years, I have made the time to walk through a local cemetery — returning to those places I have frequented in the months past. Other years, time just gets away from me or the weather …
The Wolf and the Lamb
Isaiah 11:1-10 A while back I was with a family and friends at a local restaurant. We had gathered for lunch after a late morning cemetery committal. Sitting at my end of the table were Ken’s widow, her cousin from California, a co-worker and friend, and another long time friend of the family. The conversation was more …
Three Crosses
Isaiah 52:13-53:12 Within 24 hours this last week-end I encountered three very different crosses. The first was brought to my attention in a phone call from our custodian. I was working at my desk on Saturday morning when he called to tell me that the church had been tagged with graffiti the night before. He told …
Passing on the Faith
Isaiah 43:1-7Luke 3:15-17, 21-22 I sat in a meeting with our Confirmation Guides the other night. We were kicking around the truth that it’s harder to get young people to memorize than it used to be. (For that matter, memorization seems more difficult for all of us, reliant as we have become on electronic devices to store …
The Gift of Good Friday: It All Belongs to God
Isaiah 52:13-53:12 On Wednesday morning I got called away as it appeared to those closest to him that Cliff would not make it through the day. Cliff is my brother-in-law’s dad. He is 92 years old. He has been widowed for many years and in these last years has depended on the attentive care of …
A Story for Christmas Eve
The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me: he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of …