Faith Lift

This week’s text could be read alongside our first text for the series (Luke 5:1-11). The parallels and connections between the two are palpable and powerful. Once again, Jesus offers Peter abundance. His journey—like ours—is not linear, but God’s grace continues to circle back to him again and again like a familiar chorus played on repeat. In this text, we primarily want to focus on Peter’s three...

We might expect that, after denying Christ, Peter would cower in shame—or perhaps even run away in an attempt to leave his past behind him. Instead, when he hears the news from the women, he doesn’t dismiss them like the other disciples. He gets up and runs to the tomb. When he peers into the empty tomb and sees the linen cloth, he is filled with awe. Even after the biggest failures, even after th...

Easter Sunday: We might expect that, after denying Christ, Peter would cower in shame—or perhaps even run away in an attempt to leave his past behind him. Instead, when he hears the news from the women, he doesn’t dismiss them like the other disciples. He gets up and runs to the tomb. When he peers into the empty tomb and sees the linen cloth, he is filled with awe. Even after the biggest failures...

On this Fifth Sunday in Lent, Peter is often all or nothing—either resisting Jesus or drawing closer to him in earnest. In this scripture, we see a version of Peter who is hungry to learn. His posture is humble and open—he wants to absorb Jesus’ teachings like a sponge. He asks a question and expects a straightforward answer: “How many times should I forgive?” Instead, Jesus’ math is not predictab...

Fourth Sunday in Lent: When your world unravels and your beliefs are tested, you may cling to what you know. As Jesus foretells his death and resurrection, Peter protests. Peter is fixed upon the way he thinks things should go; he resists the pain of what will come. But Jesus is fixed upon his calling and calls Peter out. We may want to cling to easy or simplistic answers. Can you stay fixed upon...

Third Sunday in Lent Matthew 16:13-20 “Praise the mount of God’s unchanging love. . . ” This lyric represents Peter’s mountaintop faith moment. It speaks to spiritual euphoria and feeling the closeness of God. In this story, Peter proclaims who Jesus is. He speaks with conviction. Peter claims his faith. If you had to speak your faith in one sentence or phrase, what would you say?

Matthew 14:22-33 As a new disciple, perhaps Peter wants to prove himself. Boldly, in the middle of a storm, Peter steps out of the boat to join Jesus who is walking on top of the waves. He, too, walks on water until the wind shakes his trust and he begins to sink. Many of us know what it feels like to be thrown off balance,to feel as if we’re sinking. In this story, we empathize with the desperati...

Jesus doesn’t seek out trained rabbis and priests to be his disciples; instead, he calls a few Galilean fishermen to follow him and join his ministry. And yet, Peter and his partners drop their nets and follow Jesus. What is the beginning of your faith story? When has God sought you out? Have you ever felt like your calling was pursuing—or chasing—you? Did you resist? Did you follow?

Since the pandemic the constant reporting bad news has left many of us with “news fatigue” or anxiety regarding circumstances and events about which we can do nothing. We, the people of God, are “good news” people, however, and through the prophet Isaiah, God reminds us that no matter how bad the news seems to be, God is still at work.

Mark 1:14-20 Simon, Andrew, James and John show us how to change direction and follow Jesus as disciples. The values of God’s kingdom are important guideposts along the way. When we share our love and knowledge of the kingdom of God with others, we move a little closer to the destination.  

We remember the baptism of Jesus by John each year. Jesus baptism identified him as God's son. So who are we? What does our baptism teach us in light of who Jesus is? We come to know who we are and whose we are.

Christmas Eve: Luke’s Gospel tells us that when Mary gives birth to Jesus, she lays him in a manger, for there was no place for them in the guest room. Scholars argue about where, exactly, the birth occurs—and why. Was it in a stable or the living room of a simple peasant home? Was Bethlehem teeming with visitors who were also there to be counted in the census? Was Joseph’s family inhospitable bec...

Advent 4 As soon as Zechariah’s voice returns, his first words are gratitude and blessing. He sings a story of praise for God’s protection and promise, and then he showers a blessing on his newborn son. He sings a story of hope. After Elizabeth proclaims blessings upon Mary, Mary sings: “My soul magnifies God; my spirit rejoices in God.” Mary sings about a God of liberation who pulls the powerful...

After Elizabeth gives birth, her neighbors and family celebrate with her. When it comes time to name the child, Zechariah affirms the name given by the angel and by Elizabeth. In that moment of affirming the promise, Zechariah’s speech is restored. Everyone is filled with awe. How often do you allow yourself to be amazed? Wonder is all around us—can we recognize it? As we learn how to rejoice in a...

Advent 2: In community, our joy expands. When we can’t rejoice, we can carry each other’s joy. That is what Elizabeth and Mary do for each other. The good news begins to take shape in Elizabeth’s womb, but scripture tells us that she stays secluded, hiding her pregnancy from others—that is, until Mary arrives at her door, also pregnant. Perhaps Mary’s arrival is the inbreaking that changes everyth...

As Advent begins, we start by acknowledging the weariness, grief, rage, and hopelessness we carry—and we also affirm that we are made for joy. Joy is designed to live in a full house of other emotions. We start the season with Zechariah and Elizabeth; they have battled infertility and have lived many years steadfast in their faith. Perhaps they feel the weight of hopes and dreams unattained. The a...

The poor were not invisible in the villages of Jesus’ day — as they too often are for too many of us because of where we live. Our idea of mission often involves financial contributions from afar. But in the communities of ancient Judea and Galilee, the rich and the poor knew each other. Jesus seems more interested in a  personal response to the needs around us.

Matthew 25:1-13 We’re happy to see wrongdoers punished. It’s why we watch “instant karma” videos where, for example, a car speeds recklessly down the road and gets pulled over just as we’re thinking, “Where’s a cop when you need one?” In the text, five bridesmaids took precautions to avoid humiliation; five others did not and suffered their own version of instant karma.

Matthew 5:1-12 Some college course numbering systems began in the early 1900s. Basic courses were identified and followed by the number 101. More advanced classes were tagged with a different number, like 201 or 301. Today’s text, The Beatitudes, offers a basic course in the principles of Christianity.

Director/actor Woody Allen is known for a lot of quotes. But maybe his most famous quote is this one. Anyone want to guess what it is? “Ninety percent of life is just showing up.” Jesus tells a parable about a wedding banquet. But one guy just shows up and then gets tossed out? Why?

They lure you in with low rent only to insist you live in dangerously low standards. They're not landlords, they're slumlords, and New York City has a website to crack down on the worst of the worst. Like New York City, the Kingdom of God has a similar problem. Only in this case, the problem isn't a bad, neglectful owner. God is no slum Lord. We're simply terrible tenants.

Matthew 21:23-32 "Winners never quit and quitters never win." Vince Lombardi of football immortality may have been referring to the importance of perseverance. On the face of it, however, he had it wrong. Sometimes, the right thing to do is quit.

Matthew 18:21-35 What can a short-lived insect teach us about practicing forgiveness? Jesus knew the answer. Forgiveness is at the heart of Christianity. Like the endangered mayfly and its important role in nature, forgiveness supports an ecosystem of faith. But it’s in increasingly short supply as we let self-righteousness and revenge replace our capacity for grace.

Matthew 16:21-28 Want to get rich quick? Want to play a wicked guitar? You might need to make a deal with the devil. If you don't know how, just look up articles on the subject.  It's a notion that has a rich literary tradition and has given us the expression "Faustian bargain."  We then move to Matthew to discuss Jesus' ominous retort to Peter following his apparently innocent comment about Jesus...

Matthew 16:13-20 Hundreds of languages are invented every year. So what kind of language was used when Peter confessed that Jesus was the Christ?