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Worship 2018 (Page 3)

March 25, 2018 – Palm and Passion Sunday – Even Death on a Cross

John 19:16b-22 Sign above the cross proclaims the crucified king. Opt.: John 12:12-27 Triumphal Entry Psalm 24 The week starts off one way, and it turns so quickly. We have spent a lot of time this Lent towards the end of the week. Jesus comes into the week surrounded by cheering. He exits the week nearly alone, not in the company of those we might…

March 18, 2018 – The Fifth Sunday in Lent – Talking about Jesus

John 19:1-16a Jesus is condemned, they have no king but Caesar. Psalm 146 If you’ve ever been in the room for someone to talk about you, either knowingly, or unknowingly, this passage might sound familiar. The soldiers mock Jesus and name him the king of the Jews. The Jews confront Pilate and tell him that Jesus called himself the son of God. Pilate gets…

March 11, 2018 – The Fourth Sunday in Lent – Can’t, Won’t, Don’t

John 18:28-40 My kingdom is not from this world. Psalm 145:10-13 This passage is full of the impossibilities that present themselves in the movement towards the cross. The chief priests don’t even take Jesus into Pilate’s building, so that they won’t defile themselves. They hand him over to Pilate because they can’t kill him. Pilate doesn’t find him guilty of anything that would be worth of…

March 4, 2018 – The Third Sunday in Lent – Said and Unsaid

John 18:12-27 Jesus’ trial before Annas, Peter’s denial. Psalm 17:1-7 Jesus is tried before Annas, the high priest. And in his trial Jesus really doesn’t say much. He says almost nothing. Jesus simply says that everything he has done, he has done out in the open. He has preached in the temple. He has spoken in public. He has healed in public and worked miracles…

February 25, 2018 – The Second Sunday in Lent – Off Limits

John 13:1-17 Jesus Washes Feet Psalm 51:7-12 While shoes really don’t seem to be an essential doctrine of faith around here, this foot washing passage might make us uncomfortable. It is a scene of great intimacy. It is a scene of great trust, and a scene of great drama. Beyond Peter’s protest and exclamation, the words of Jesus are pretty powerful and important, even if they…

February 18, 2018 – The First Sunday in Lent – A Little Easter

John 11:1-44 Raising Lazarus, Jesus as resurrection and life Psalm 104:27-30           As I prepare in the relative quiet of the church office on a Sunday morning, I know that I’m tired of rewriting sermons because of the events of the week regarding a gun and a school. We’re just a small handful of days into Lent, and it feels like we’ve…

February 4, 2018 – Fifth Sunday After Epiphany – The Ground We Walk

John 4:1-42 Jesus meets a Samaritan woman at well, speaks of living water and true worship. Psalm 42:1-3 My soul longs for God The Ground We Walk This story is too much. There’s too much going on here. There’s Jesus, absent disciples, challenge, conviction, water, living water, Messiahs, worship locations, redemption, evangelism, and boundary crossing. That’s way too much for one sermon. Not that I haven’t tried…

January 28, 2018 Fourth Sunday After Epiphany

John 3:1-21 Jesus and Nicodemus, being born  anew, God’s love for the world. Psalm 139:13-18 You formed me in my inward parts Intimacy This John passage is perhaps best known for creating ‘born-again Christians,’ and showing up at sporting events and other mega events on banners and signs. We’ve spent a lot of time on this passage over the years. We have often cut them apart,…