Covenant Church

Three big words of prayer; peanut allergies; a standing ovation for life: in the first of three sermons on the Stilling of the Storm (Mark 4:35-41), Zack discusses the importance of awe at Jesus’ power (”Who is this?”) and the fact that Jesus allows us to go through storms that can change us. For a handout, visit covmin.org/sermons

Zack struggles with God's apparent unfairness in hardening some people -- and ends up with a vision of God's unfailing mercy. For a handout, visit covmin.org/sermons

Zack makes the point that parables necessarily require us to have ears to hear the Holy Spirit interpreting them for us — and then we pray together through this parable.

Wrestling with what unforgivable “blasphemy against the Holy Spirit” means, Zack tentatively affirms the “traditional” reading that it is a persistent state of rejecting the LORD unto death. Beyond this, Zack suggests that, when faced with the possibility of having committed this sin, we choose the way of Peter, not the way of Judas — throwing ourselves upon the limitless, impossible mercy of God....

Instead of making ethical decisions by deciding which of two valid principles is more important, Scripture encourages us to look to a paradigm, a Person, as the Truth: Zack draws out the heart of our moral life from Mark 2:13-28. For a handout, visit covmin.org/sermons

The story of a real man with leprosy and a real woman paralyzed from an accident -- and why it matters that we never lose sight of the literal (and the spiritual).

Falling off a horse on one side then the other; driving back from New Jersey with a friend; freedom-from and freedom-for: Zack reflects on the single day with Jesus narrated in Mark 1:14-34.

Did Jesus sin? Was Jesus a sinner? In wrestling with why Jesus was baptized, Zack's answer may surprise you. For a handout, visit covmin.org/sermons

Zack discusses the "way" of the Lord Jesus -- a way of peace, a way of offering what little we have, a way of following the Spirit. For a handout, visit covmin.org/sermons.

When things are too big to pray for; the mustard seed behind Alexander Men; the mustard seed behind Clarence Jordan: Zack discusses the deep meaning of Epiphany for us, and sketches the shape of Kingdom growth according to Jesus' parables.

Not celebrating a Christian Christmas; a friend hosting a family on Christmas; hosting Shabbat for the first time (on The Chosen): Zack makes a proposal for how we might celebrate Christmas. For a handout, visit covmin.org/sermons

Henri Nouwen; Damien of Molokai; Vincent Lebbe: Zack tries to make the incarnation unfamiliar again.

Downpayments on houses; "the impossible possibility" of New Creation; Isidore the Farmer and St. Margaret: Zack describes the Kingdom for which we hope. For a handout, visit covmin.org/sermons.

Practicing law by mailing mail; Peter Maurin; "time horizons" for living: Zack discusses the centrality of waiting to the Christian faith. For a handout, visit covmin.org.

Amy, Linda, and Peter Biehl, The Way of a Pilgrim, the wrath of God: Zack considers the final verses of 1 Thessalonians. For a handout, visit covmin.org/sermons.

Jesus weeps; John Nelson Darby; the Left Behind series: Zack teaches about grief and "the rapture." For a handout, visit covmin.org.

Ole Anthony, Karl Barth, Alasdair MacIntyre: To understand this passage from 1 Thessalonians, Zack explains the difference between "be who you are" and "you do you." For a handout, visit covmin.org/sermons

Giving up on giving secondhand clothes; Marguerite Bourgeoys; the overwhelming, neverending, reckless love of God: Zack fumbles to articulate the love on display in 1 Thessalonians 3. For a handout, visit covmin.org/sermons

Screentime; running with a backpack; a law-school Bible study: Zack examines the most important passage in Scripture for raising our children today.

A phenomenon of light in the sea; Thomas Merton; a litmus test for pastors: Zack asks whether affection is a necessary part of Christian love.

Harriet Beecher Stowe; choosing joy; habits/virtues: Zack tries to understand how, exactly, we can strive for rejoicing in suffering. See covmin.org/sermons for a handout.

Zack struggles with this last chapter of Nehemiah: Does Nehemiah go too far in excluding all foreigners and prohibiting all marriages to foreigners? How do we understand this? What about conflicting texts in Scripture? What is God's word for us today? See covmin.org/sermons for a handout.

Wearing sandals (or not); Martin Rinckart (1586-1649); the effects of engineered gratitude: Zack examines the heart of worship on display in Nehemiah 12. For a handout, visit covmin.org/sermons

Henri Perrin and Engelmar Unzeitig: Zack discusses volunteers in Nehemiah 11 and beyond.

The biophilia hypothesis; meaning in projects; intentional communities: Zack argues that Nehemiah 10 is best understood as an intentional community following God in their context.