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A WILD, SKEPTICAL HOPE

4/16/2023

GOSPEL — JOHN 20:19-31
The Second Sunday of Easter

“Doubting Thomas” is nearly always meant as a pejorative, but Jesus shows up for him. It’s easy to forget that Thomas is asking for nothing more than what Jesus has already provided to his friends—showing up for them, in the flesh. When he does the same for Thomas and Thomas exclaims, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28), Jesus responds, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe” (John 20:29). It’s easy to hear this as if Jesus were chastising Thomas while he blesses the rest of us, but he does no such thing. He can show up for Thomas and bless the rest of us all at the same time.

THE STONE-MOVING POWER OF GOD

4/9/2023

GOSPEL — MATTHEW 28:1-10
The Resurrection of Our Lord--Easter Sunday

Special effort had been taken to seal up Jesus’ tomb. Pilate and the religious authorities had taken great care to make absolutely certain there was no way Jesus’ followers could move that stone themselves. They posted armed guards all around.

WITNESSING TO THE TRUTH

4/7/2023

GOSPEL — JOHN 18:1—19:42
GOOD FRIDAY

When Jesus is interrogated by Pilate, he describes his mission in this way: “For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth” (John 18:37). Even in his terrible suffering and death on a cross, Jesus witnesses to the truth of God’s love, life, and power to the end. Refusing retaliation, Christ reveals to us divine power at work through the vulnerability of suffering love and nonviolence. Crucified as a criminal, Christ demonstrates divine solidarity with all who are persecuted and victimized. Weak and dying on the cross, Christ bears witness to divine presence in the depths of human pain.

IT'S ALL ABOUT LOVE

4/6/2023

GOSPEL — JOHN 13:1-17, 31b-35
Maundy Thursday

On the night before he is killed, Jesus gives his disciples a new commandment: to love one another as he has loved them. Before Jesus speaks these words, he shows the disciples what this love looks like and feels like. With a basin and a towel, he bends down and kneels before them, one by one. Stooping low, he cradles their dirty, smelly feet in his hands, washing them with tenderness and care.

PARADES AND LONG WALKS

4/2/2023

GOSPEL — MATTHEW 26:14—27:66
Palm / Passion Sunday

The stories we hear for Sunday of the Passion/Palm Sunday are marked by a series of parades. The crowd shouts “Hosanna” as Jesus processes into Jerusalem. After his arrest, he is paraded to the home of Caiaphas to be confronted by the scribes and elders. They bind him and parade him to Pilate. The soldiers lead him to the governor’s headquarters before he is paraded to Golgotha to be crucified.

COMING AND GOING

3/26/2023

GOSPEL — JOHN 11:1-45
The Fifth Sunday in Lent

There is a lot of coming and going in today’s gospel. Mary and Martha send a messenger to Jesus with news that Lazarus is ill. Jesus and his disciples do not go right away, but eventually they come to Martha after Lazarus has died. We learn that many had come to console the sisters. Martha proclaims Jesus “the Messiah, the Son of God, is the one coming into the world” (John 11:27). She then goes to get Mary, who comes quickly to Jesus. Mary is weeping, and so are those who come with her. When Jesus asks where Lazarus is, they invite him to come and see. They all go to the tomb. With all of this coming and going, it is not surprising that Jesus tells Lazarus to come out and that Jesus commands others to unbind him so he can go.

WHAT? OR WHY?

3/19/2023

GOSPEL — JOHN 9:1-41
The Fourth Sunday in Lent

What do we believe? Our Lutheran heritage is rooted in theological debate, and such conversations have always been a part of our tradition. Disagreements about theological propositions and biblical interpretations have led to split after split among Lutheran church bodies and congregations. At the same time, our theological and biblical commitments have led us to seek the unity of the church with mergers among Lutheran denominations and with common communion agreements with our ecumenical neighbors. In our broader culture it also seems that theology often leads the way in conversations about faith. Theological principles from various religious communities are used to argue for or against laws, corporate practices, and cultural expectations.

GUSHING WITH GRACE

3/12/2023

GOSPEL — JOHN 4:5-42
The Third Sunday in Lent

The word gush has nuances of meaning. On the one hand, it can speak to large amounts of a liquid flowing forth. A geyser gushing water is quite different than a leaky faucet letting water through a drop at a time. On the other hand, gush can speak to our enthusiasm about a person, place, or experience. A person gushing about a new movie to a friend carries different energy than someone saying, “Eh, it was okay.”

WINDY PEOPLE

3/5/2023

GOSPEL — JOHN 3:1-9
The Second Sunday in Lent

What does it mean to be born of the Spirit? Jesus tells Nicodemus those who are born of the Spirit are like the wind: you can hear it but cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. What does it mean to be people of the wind? Are we to be heard, but unpredictable in our actions? Maybe.

IF YOU...

2/26/2023

GOSPEL — MATTHEW 4:1-11
The First Sunday in Lent

In today’s gospel, Jesus is led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted. This story recalls that of Job, whose righteousness God also allowed to be tested. Both Job and Jesus are urged to turn away from what they know to be true and faithful. In Job’s case, it is his friends who are relentless in making this enticement.

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GOSPEL MESSAGES

A WILD, SKEPTICAL HOPE

GOSPEL — JOHN 20:19-31
The Second Sunday of Easter

THE STONE-MOVING POWER OF GOD

GOSPEL — MATTHEW 28:1-10
The Resurrection of Our Lord--Easter Sunday

WITNESSING TO THE TRUTH

GOSPEL — JOHN 18:1—19:42
GOOD FRIDAY

IT'S ALL ABOUT LOVE

GOSPEL — JOHN 13:1-17, 31b-35
Maundy Thursday

PARADES AND LONG WALKS

GOSPEL — MATTHEW 26:14—27:66
Palm / Passion Sunday

COMING AND GOING

GOSPEL — JOHN 11:1-45
The Fifth Sunday in Lent

WHAT? OR WHY?

GOSPEL — JOHN 9:1-41
The Fourth Sunday in Lent

GUSHING WITH GRACE

GOSPEL — JOHN 4:5-42
The Third Sunday in Lent

WINDY PEOPLE

GOSPEL — JOHN 3:1-9
The Second Sunday in Lent

IF YOU...

GOSPEL — MATTHEW 4:1-11
The First Sunday in Lent

2022/2023 — YEAR A

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GOSPEL MESSAGES

GOSPEL — JOHN 20:19-31The Second Sunday of Easter

GOSPEL — MATTHEW 28:1-10The Resurrection of Our Lord--Easter Sunday

GOSPEL — JOHN 18:1—19:42GOOD FRIDAY

GOSPEL — JOHN 13:1-17, 31b-35Maundy Thursday

GOSPEL — MATTHEW 26:14—27:66Palm / Passion Sunday

GOSPEL — JOHN 11:1-45The Fifth Sunday in Lent

GOSPEL — JOHN 9:1-41The Fourth Sunday in Lent

GOSPEL — JOHN 4:5-42The Third Sunday in Lent

GOSPEL — JOHN 3:1-9The Second Sunday in Lent

GOSPEL — MATTHEW 4:1-11The First Sunday in Lent

2022/2023 — YEAR A

ARCHIVE​

Stay connected with us!

Telephone

Saint John's Lutheran Church

EMAIL

GOSPEL — JOHN 20:19-31
The Second Sunday of Easter

GOSPEL — MATTHEW 28:1-10
The Resurrection of Our Lord--Easter Sunday

GOSPEL — JOHN 18:1—19:42
GOOD FRIDAY

GOSPEL — JOHN 13:1-17, 31b-35
Maundy Thursday

GOSPEL — MATTHEW 26:14—27:66
Palm / Passion Sunday

GOSPEL — JOHN 11:1-45
The Fifth Sunday in Lent

GOSPEL — JOHN 9:1-41
The Fourth Sunday in Lent

GOSPEL — JOHN 4:5-42
The Third Sunday in Lent

GOSPEL — JOHN 3:1-9
The Second Sunday in Lent

GOSPEL — MATTHEW 4:1-11
The First Sunday in Lent

ARCHIVE