Sundays at St. James

“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....

“Secure in God’s Hands” Main point: Our being is held in an absolutely secure relationship with the one who created us. BLESSING THE CHILDREN TEXT John 10:22-30 At that time the Festival of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the portico of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, "How long will you keep us in suspens...

“Peter is Restored” Main point: The risen Christ meets Peter where he needs to be met in order to restore him to the mission Jesus originally called him to. BLESSING THE CHILDREN When you walked into the church building this morning you may have noticed you were surrounded by a school of fish. On the doors, fish! On the walls, fish! Everywhere, fish! Last night, the kids in Children’s Church had f...

“Faith and Doubt: Two Sides of the Same Coin” Main point: St. Thomas the Apostle is a worthy muse to lead us into the realm of Christian faith rooted in the resurrection of Jesus. BLESSING THE CHILDREN SERMON Introduction Easter greetings from Pastor Amy Dillard. She sent a text to me on Easter wishing you all the blessings of the resurrection. With all of the hubbub of that great feast day, I for...

“The Resurrection Declares Victory” Main point: The resurrection of Jesus secures victory over sin, death, and the devil. BLESSING THE CHILDREN   Holy Hilarity Why did the kid bring a ladder to school? Because she wanted to go to high school. Why did the cookie go to the hospital? Because he felt crummy. Why did the dinosaur cross the road? Because the chicken wasn't born yet. How does a scien...

“Enter into Christ” Main point: We enter into the death of Christ and hear the last words he said. INTRODUCTION As we walk through Holy Week we step in the footprints left by Jesus as he lived his final days on Earth. We tread where he has trod. Even in his death. We say along with St. Paul in the 3rd chapter of his letter to the Philipians… I want to know Christ and share in his sufferings by bec...

“Participation in Christ” Main point: We participate in (walk in) Christ by doing what Jesus did. GOSPEL John 13:1-17, 31b-35  The service of Christ: footwashing and meal) Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.  The devil had already decided that...

“Jesus knows our every weakness” Main point: Jesus experienced the extremes of life and death with those who sat around the table with him. At the last supper, Jesus identifies Judas Iscariot as the one who will betray him, and sends him on his way. 21  Jesus was troubled in spirit and declared, “Very truly, I tell you, one of you will betray me.”  22  The disciples looked at one another, uncertai...

“The Mystery of the Grain of Wheat” Main point:  INTRODUCTION Knowing that his hour has come, Jesus announces that his death will be an exaltation. When he is lifted up in death, drawing people to new life, God’s name will be glorified. 20  Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. 21  They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, “Sir, we...

“Foreshadowing and Forethought” Main point: We contemplate the scene of this dinner and the impact of Jesus’ statement. INTRODUCTION Tonight we witness a familiar scene. Jesus is gathered with his closest friends around a meal six days before the Passover. It is a simple scene. It is an intimate scene.  It is one of the final scenes of his life given to us in the gospels because it happens just a...

“The Shadow in Our Praise” Main point: Today we praise God with our whole hearts in spite of what may beset us. INTRODUCTION I take for my text this morning The prophet Zechariah in the 9th chapter: Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!     Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you,     righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey,     on a colt, the foal of a donkey. This is a we...

“The Lost Son” Main point: God’s reckless love shows us the primacy of repentance and restoration. INTRODUCTION Overview: We encounter a timeless story of a gracious and benevolent Father of two sons.  Many notable authors in our day have composed beautiful, pastoral meditations on this story.  Henri Nowen, Dutch-born Catholic priest, professor, and psychologist  - The Return of the Prodigal Son:...

“Return to the Lord Your God” Main point: All circumstances observed should lead us to repentance. The environment of our repentance is an environment of grace. INTRODUCTION: During this season of Lent, I pray we will give ourselves permission to take an honest look at our lives and deal truthfully with what we find. A sober look may do us good and I pray we do not miss the opportunity. Today’s go...

“The Fox and the Hen” Main point: Jesus is resolved to travel to Jerusalem to suffer in spite of direct opposition from two deterrents: the Pharisees’ warning of danger and Jerusalem’s repeated rejection of him. INTRODUCTION: During this season of Lent, I pray we will give ourselves permission to take an honest look at our lives and deal truthfully with what we find. A sober look may do us good an...

“The Temptation of Jesus” Main point: In the ways humanity has rebelled against God’s will, Jesus has surrendered to God’s will and in so doing has shown us the path to salvation. INTRODUCTION: Contentment  Freedom in doing the will of the Father No need for power, though he could have claimed it. No need for safety of the body, though  No need even for food, as healthy and common as it may be. Al...

“The Heart in Lent” Main point: Beware: We must focus on the heart, but our focus can run a muck. INTRODUCTION: Tonight we begin our preparation for Easter.  We prepare by wiping the slates of our hearts clean through repentance.  We prepare by taking the gritty sign of the cross smeared across our foreheads. We prepare by attentively giving our hearts to God for 40 days of piety marked by prayer,...

“From One Degree of Glory to the Next” Main point: The transfiguration is a display of the goal of the Christian life. INTRODUCTION: Peter, John, and James go up the mountain with Jesus to pray. The face of Jesus changes and his clothes began to shine. Suddenly two men were with Jesus - Moses who represents the Law and Elijah who represents the prophets. These two figures are also bathed in glory...

"There is work to do." Main point: Encounter with God leads to doing the works of gathering people in all kinds of ways. INTRODUCTION: Luke 5:1-11 Jesus calls the disciples to fish for people Once while Jesus was standing beside the Lake of Gennesaret and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God , he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gotten out of them...

“Leveling the Field” Main point: The Sermon on the Plain is a story in its own right.  nThis is the meaning of life: our salvation. INTRODUCTION: Start with a movie story where the setting is very important. TELL THE SORRY The Setting Jesus came down…to a level place. A scary movie needs to take place in a haunted house. A John Wayne Western need deserts and canyons from the Great Southwest. A Hal...

"The Risk of a Jesus Who Offends” Main point: We selectively approve of the cultural Jesus who matches our preformulated ideas about him. We rarely allow Jesus to offend us so that we might grow in faith. INTRODUCTION: Contextualizing the Feast On this day we celebrate the Feast of the Presentation of our Lord at the Temple - or more accurately stated - the Feast of the Purification of Mary. It wa...

“Remember the Poor” Main point: Jesus announces news to the poor. It is our calling to be that good news. INTRODUCTION Welcome to the third week of Epiphany. Epiphany, of course, means “appearance” “manifestation” or “revelation”. I pray you have been celebrating the wonderful revelation of Jesus of Nazareth during our season of Epiphany. If you happened to miss a week here or there, I encourage y...

“The Two Are Made One” Main point: The sign at the wedding feast was an announcement of the messianic age. In the New Creation, heaven and earth become one. INTRODUCTION Last week we looked at an event in the life of Jesus which is recorded in all four of the gospels: the Baptism of our Lord. This week we encounter an event only recorded by John: Jesus turns water into wine at the wedding feast in...

“Baptism of our Lord” Main point: In the Baptism of our Lord, Jesus begins the work of expanding “Sonship” to all people. INTRODUCTION  Welcome to the feast of the Baptism of our Lord. This is an annual festival for all churches who follow the Church year. The baptism of our Lord is recorded in each of the four gospels - but they each tell the story just a little bit different Parable of the Eleph...

“Incarnation” Main point: The incarnation shows us salvation. INTRODUCTION  My wife recently posted on Facebook the list of books she read during 2024. Over the last several years his has become somewhat of an annual tradition among our family and friends scattered around the country. She lists her favorites of the 60+ books she's read and I casually enjoy the rich conversation that develops from...

Christmas Eve at St. James