ASLC Podcast

As we are invited today to consider what it means to be managers (rather than owners) of all that we have, it is crucial to recognize that we are bought with a price. “Christ Jesus, himself human, . . . gave himself a ransom for all.” Apart from the generosity of God we have nothing—we are nothing. By God’s gracious favor we have everything we need. Readings: Exodus 32:7-14, Psalm 51 and Luke 15:...

The religious leaders grumbled: “This Jesus welcomes sinners and eats with them.” Thanks be to God—because if Jesus only ate with the perfect, church potlucks would be very small. Our hope isn’t in being flawless, but in a God who keeps pulling up more chairs. As 1 Timothy says, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” Which means—he came for us. Thanks be to God. Readings: Amos 8:4-7,...

Called to contemplate the cost of discipleship, we might be helped by translating Paul’s request to Philemon into our prayer of the day: Refresh my heart in Christ. Strengthened by the company and forgiveness of Christ in holy communion and recalling God’s grace in remembrance of baptism, we can be strengthened in this hour to “choose life”—to choose life in God as our own. Scripture Reading: Psal...

Invited and inviting—that’s the heartbeat of the church. God doesn’t hand out VIP passes to a select few; in holy baptism, everyone gets a seat at Christ’s big, messy, joyful banquet table. And let’s be honest: no one’s asked to bring a casserole to earn their place. When the Spirit stirs up humility and mutual love among us (instead of, say, squabbling over the thermostat or the hymnal selection)...

The word of God is a refining fire—think of it like the church kitchen stove: it can boil things over if you’re not paying attention, but it mostly just gets the casserole to the perfect “golden and bubbly” stage. Jesus is the big turning point in human history—like the moment someone finally brought lutefisk to the potluck and no one ever forgot. He calls for our undivided attention, which in chu...

Introduction The word of God is a refining fire. Jesus is the great divide in human history. He invites our undivided attention and devotion. Today in worship we are surrounded by a great “cloud of witnesses.” In the word and in holy communion we are invited yet again to look to Jesus, “the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.”

Jesus says, “It is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” It is God’s promise from the beginning—to Abraham, to the early church, and to the “little flock” of which we are a part in today’s assembly. Faith, God’s baptismal gift, trusts the promises of God. Have no fear. Scripture Reading: Genesis 15:1-6; Hebrews 11:1-3,8-16; Luke 12:32-40

Jesus encourages us to stick with prayer—not to earn God’s attention, but because we already have it. As people rooted and growing in Christ through baptism, prayer is how we stay connected to the source of our life and strength. God listens. God responds. And God keeps showing up with what we need. As the psalmist says, “When I called, you answered me; you increased my strength within me.” Script...

Today’s readings are a welcome word for anyone who’s ever felt weighed down by the “unhappy business” of life—which, let’s be honest, is most of us at some point. Jesus lovingly reminds us to stay alert, especially when it comes to the sneaky ways greed can take hold of our hearts. But there’s good news (of course there is—this is church!): in baptism, we’ve already died and risen with Christ. Tha...

God is the source of our nourishment. Jesus’ invitation to “take and eat ... take and drink” is a repeated one. In holy communion, in the word read and proclaimed, in the assembly of the people of God, the dominion of God has come near. Rejoice! Your name is written in heaven. Scripture Reading: Galatians 6:1-18; Luke 10:1-11, 16-20

Today we celebrate two great figures of the early church, Peter and Paul, who represent the spread of the gospel to both Jews and Gentiles and, according to tradition, were martyred on this date. The witness of Peter and Paul inspires us as we seek ways to faithfully proclaim the gospel in our contemporary context. Scripture Reading: Acts 12:1-11; Galatians 5:1,13-25; John 21:15-19

St. Barnabas was a Levite from Cyprus who, with St. Paul, was an apostle to the gentiles. Originally named Joseph, the other apostles gave him the name Barnabas, which means "son of encouragement.” All possessions were held in common, so Barnabas sold a field he owned, brought the money, and laid it at the apostles' feet. He became a leader of the Church in Jerusalem. When Paul, who had...

“O LORD our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!” Today we celebrate the holy Trinity. Paul writes that through Jesus we have peace with God, whose love pours into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, giving us lasting hope. We celebrate the gracious One-in-Three, eternal Three-in-One, as we worship in community; as we share water and word, bread and wine; and as we bring God’s love an...

On Pentecost, we celebrate that we have been given an Advocate to accompany us. Poured out in wind and fire, water, wine, and bread, the Holy Spirit abides in and among us. We give thanks that God speaks to each of us, no matter our origins, language, or life path. Filled with the Spirit of truth, we go out from worship to proclaim the saving power of Christ’s love and the freedom of God’s grace w...

It is possible to hear in Jesus’ high priestly prayer, a prayer he offered shortly before his death, the petitions of the ascended Christ for his own throughout history—to our day—and beyond. Jesus prays for us. In holy baptism we become believers in God, have our robes washed in the flood of Christ’s forgiveness, and receive the gift of life forever with all the saints. Scripture Reading: Acts 16...

Visions abound in the readings for the sixth Sunday of Easter. Paul has a vision about what to do. John has a vision of what will be. Jesus provides visions of peace that surpasses human understanding and power beyond human imagination. Scripture Reading: Acts 16:9-15; Revelation 21:10, 22—22:5; John 14:23-29

Easter initiates a new day. It anticipates a new heaven and a new earth. The risen Christ is making all things new. In the mystery of holy baptism God has made new people of us. Today Jesus invites us to see everyone in a new light—through the lens of love. Scripture Reading: Acts 11:1-18; Psalm 148; John 13:31-35

The gift of new life, of eternal life, is the gift of the risen Christ. It is the promise of Jesus. It was true for Dorcas in Joppa. It was true for those “who have come out of the great ordeal” in the Revelation vision. It is true for us and for all the baptized: Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Scripture Reading...

The disciples make a big splash and eat breakfast with the risen Jesus. Wading in the water (remembering baptism) and eating with Jesus (celebrating holy communion) is our weekly encounter with the risen Christ. Jesus asks us again and again: Do you love me? And Jesus invites us, again and again, to follow him, bringing the Easter life to others Scripture Reading: Acts 9:1-20; Psalm 30; John 21:15...

In spite of all we have heard and all we have seen, it is often hard to believe. Because it is hard to believe, we will invest ourselves in the Easter mystery for fifty days (a week of weeks). Because it is hard to believe, John the evangelist will provide sign after sign celebrating Jesus’ victory over death. Because it is hard to believe, the risen Jesus will return to us again and again in the...

Today Christ is risen, and we gather together with astonishment and joy. Christ is risen, and we have been set free from the bonds of death. Christ is risen, and we are forgiven. Christ is risen, and with the women at the tomb and Peter, we are amazed.  Scripture Reaading:Isaiah 65:17-25; Acts 10:34-43; Luke 24:1-12

Introduction This evening our Lenten observance comes to an end, and we gather with Christians around the world to celebrate the Three Days of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Tonight we remember Christ’s last meal with his disciples, but the central focus is his commandment that we live out the promise embodied in this meal. As Jesus washed his disciples’ feet, so we are called to give and receive...

We have walked the Lenten pathway these forty days, each of us invited through baptism to “let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus.” We enter this holy week accompanying Jesus to the cross with both grief and thanksgiving in our hearts, trusting in God’s redeeming love. Scripture Reading: Psalm 31:9-16; Philippians 2:5-11; Matthew 21:1-17

The psalm sets the tone this day: “Happy are they whose transgressions are forgiven, and whose sin is put away!” Happy are those who have “become the righteousness of God” in the merits of Christ Jesus. Happy are those for whom the forgiveness of God has “rolled away ... the disgrace” of former times. Happy is the father at the return of his prodigal son. Happy are we that our sins are forgiven fo...

The warnings are plentiful and blunt on the third Sunday in Lent. Cut it out or get cut down! The warnings are accompanied by God’s invitation to attentiveness: “Incline your ear, and come to me; listen, so that you may live.” The landowner’s ultimatum is forestalled by the gardener’s readiness to till the ground one more year. That is good news for all of us. Thanks be to God! Scripture Reading:...