Sundays at St. James

“Jesus teaches on “the end”” Main point: Give testimony and persevere as the end draws near. INTRODUCTION Advent is just around the corner and our themes are turning toward the arrival of Jesus. As always, when we remember the coming of Jesus in his birth in Bethlehem, we also look forward to his coming in glory at the end of this age. Such is the theme of our gospel this morning. Friends, it’s ge...

“You don’t know what its like to be a bat” Main point: We only know a little about what life will be like in the age to come. But we know it will happen. INTRODUCTION Some very interesting things pop up in our gospel today… The Sadducees come to Jesus with a challenge… they are trying to trap Jesus. Tell the Story: Comical, Outrageous,  Assuming Life After Death We see it in our gospel today: Life...

“Maturity in Christ: Sainthood for Today” Main point: We are not yet what we shall be. Sainthood for today is growing into our maturity in Christ. INTRODUCTION On this Feast of All Saints, we remember the saints of the past as well as those in our congregation who have passed into their eternal rest. They are not gone. They join us today in the lighting of the candles and we join them in the break...

“The Truth Will Make You Free” Main point: Justification by faith is the sure foundation for the freedom Jesus promised us. INTRODUCTION Then Jesus said to [those] who had believed in him, “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”   John 8:31-32 I have one question for you this morning: Do you feel free? In the circumst...

“Pray and Do Not Lose Heart” Main point: God is the perfect judge who hears us when we call out to him. INTRODUCTION Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart. We live in a time when it may be easy to lose heart… Our elderly are being neglected in long-term care facilities that rely heavily on underfunded medicaid and medicare. Our children, the most helpless...

Introduction When we come to church we hear the familiar message of forgiveness of sins and the gift of salvation through Christ so we don’t have to earn merit with God. But is that the end or is it just the beginning? Our gospel tells the story of 10 people with a skin disease.  To understand the story, it is important to understand a bit about the way diseases were handled in the world or Jesus’...

"Faithfulness into Faith” Main point: In trucking times, God gives us opportunities to increase our faithfulness. SERMON Today's gospel meets us right where we need to be met. Today. Faith and the duty of a slave. But what do they have in common? Lord increase our faith.  When times get hard. When the world is chaotic and the problems seem too big to solve. When circumstances in our lives...

“Lazarus and the Rich Man” Main point: Save yourself from hell. Love your neighbor. BLESSING THE CHILDREN SERMON For the time being, I'm going to put the issue of hell and eternal torment on the back burner. If this is something you have questions about, I suggest a book for you by C.S. Lewis entitled, The Great Divorce . Or you can chat me up at another time. Instead, our story references the...

“The Perfect is the Enemy of the Good” Main point: We can get messy in freedom as we are moved by God’s Spirit to act for redemption in the world. SERMON Hold on, what?  Did I read that correctly?  After mismanaging his money and nearly getting fired, did the master really just commend the manager for losing more money? We just sang to Jesus in our acclimation, “you have the words of eternal life,...

Gospel: John 3:13-17 After explaining to Nicodemus that one must be born of water and Spirit, Jesus speaks of being lifted up on the cross, with reference to the bronze serpent lifted up by Moses in the desert. Here the Son of God is revealed as the source of healing. [Jesus said:] 13 “No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 14 And just as Moses li...

St. Luke 14:25-33 25 Now large crowds were traveling with [Jesus], and he turned and said to them, 26 “Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. 28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and...

Luke 14:1, 7-14

Year C, Proper 16

“Where are my people at” Main point: Jesus' message divides the unrighteous and the righteous. BLESSING THE CHILDREN ELW 798 SERMON Introduction In our First reading from the Prophet Jeremiah we heard, “ Is not my word like fire, says the lord, and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?” In our Gospel we hear that word speak, "I have come to cast fire upon the earth, Jesus says, and...

“The Gift of the Kingdom” Main point: Jesus presents the kingdom to us as a gift. We receive the gift in the two ways he presents. BLESSING THE CHILDREN SERMON Introduction My friends, do you ever feel like your salvation is a long way off?  Do you ever feel like you keep trying to do this Christian thing, but something just doesn't seem to match up for you?  Do you ever feel like your timing...

“The Path of Life” Main point: Greed leads to death. Jesus provides an alternative. Generosity leads to life. BLESSING THE CHILDREN SERMON Introduction Most people when given the choice between life and death will choose life without a moment's hesitation. It's an instinct. We are survivors. We strive to live.  These are the terms in today's gospel reading on greed. A path of life and...

“The Good Father” Main point: The Good Father gives the gift of the Holy Spirit. BLESSING THE CHILDREN SERMON Introduction The disciples ask Jesus to teach them to pray. Prayer. Prayer is the habitat of the union we share with God. It is the environment where the life of God joins with the souls of God's children. It is the air we breathe in the spiritual life. It is the cup which holds the wa...

“The One Thing” Main point: In worship and adoration, we are doing the one thing that matters most. BLESSING THE CHILDREN SERMON Introduction Mary and Martha host Jesus. This is a familiar story to many, but, perhaps because of its familiarity, it has been misapplied in some Christian circles and has led to some low-level distress for the Marthas in the room. I pray you find some relief this morni...

“ Is not too hard for you, nor is it too far away. ” Main point: The Spirit leads us to eternal life through obedience to these commandments. BLESSING THE CHILDREN SERMON “This commandment that I am commanding you today is not too hard for you, nor is it too far away.” Deuteronomy 30:11 The story of the Good Samaritan. One of the most famous teachings from Jesus visits us this morning and invites...

“A Picture of Liberation” Main point:  BLESSING THE CHILDREN TEXT Luke 10:1-11, 16-20 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. He said to them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. Go on your way; I am s...

“Already, Not Yet” Main point: Saints live in the “already” reality of the kingdom of God is greater than the “not yet.” BLESSING THE CHILDREN SERMON Introduction Lutheran Summer Day Camp Before I get started.. I want to introduce to you a statement that helps us make sense of so much about ourselves and the era we live in as Christians: Already, Not Yet. Keep that in your minds as we consider the...

“Jesus Enters the Scene” Main point: Jesus has power over the evil forces of our world and is at work driving them out. BLESSING THE CHILDREN SERMON Introduction There is a story of the young monk who came to his Spiritual Father, the Abbot of the Abbey, with a question… “Master, yesterday I was in the village and I saw a girl who was hungry. I was moved with compassion and gave her my lunch. We s...

“Trinity is Reality” Main point:  BLESSING THE CHILDREN SERMON A special greeting to all of the Fathers and Father figures present with us today. May all of your golfballs fly straight; may all of your neck ties stay in fashion for at least as long as it takes you to dribble food on them at your next formal dinner; and may your nap this afternoon be interrupted only by the noise of your children a...

“God Dwells in You” Main point:  BLESSING THE CHILDREN SERMON On this Great Feast Day, the story stands on its own two feet. On the Day of Pentecost the disciples were gathered in a closed room. The doors were locked, the windows were shut, and they were faithfully waiting, just as they were told to do. They were waiting for what God would do next. New things were about to happen. Things they coul...

“That They May All Be One” Main point: Our unity is an outgrowth of the unity God shares in the Godhead. BLESSING THE CHILDREN TEXT John 17:20-26 "I ask not only on behalf of these but also on behalf of those who believe in me through their word, that they may all be one . As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us , so that the world may believe that you have sent me....