Sermons of Pastor Rob Myallis

If your town is like our town, we had a big celebration this weekend (in spite of the weather!).  Everyone had a good time, but the weekend forced us as Christians to ask ourselves, what do we make our nation's 250th? Truthfully, Christians, like many others in our country, come to the 250th anniversary of our nation with many emotions - pride, frustration and hunger for togetherness.  P...

"Anyone who gives a cup of cold water to the least of these will be no means lose their reward..." You've likely heard of the "Great Commission", where Jesus tells the disciples to go to all the world; but in today's Gospel (Matthew 10:42), we hear the "Least Commission", where Jesus tells us to do small things -- such as giving a cup of cold water -- for the least of these. Pastor Rob explores ho...

  What will we be like in eternity?  Turns out we should anticipate a complete transformation, not simply of body, but of the soul!  Saint Paul promises us that in our Baptisms, the sin in us is put to death and we are raised up to new life in Jesus Christ.  Those promises are inspiring, but what does this look like for us who are still firmly planted with two feet on the groun...

Out of his compassion, Jesus heals people.   Out of his compassion, Jesus sends out people to heal others. This ministry of compassion continues, as Jesus sends out healers.  Pastor Rob offers that although we may not all be medical professionals, Jesus invites all of us into a ministry of healing, namely listening.   An exploration of the connection between healing and li...

  "...baptizing in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit." The name of God reveals much about who God is, including the fact that God is always in relationship and that God is always surprising us. Sounds great, but it turns out though, in real life, relationships often have a great deal of friction.  People often surprise us ... with disappointment.  So much friction exists i...

  This a weekend for wearing red. Red for memorial day, when many pin red poppies to the clothes in memory of soldiers who have died, inspired by the poem "In Flanders Field" Red for Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came down on the disciples, and rested on them as tongues of fire.  Inspired, the disciples preached Christ crucified and risen and gave birth to the church. A reflection on h...

"You shall be my witnesses"  Jesus - book of Acts Witnessing to Jesus sounds good, at least at first.  But many of us have bad experiences with people who do witness either in our lives and on our screens. Yet we are not given permission to abandon this task of witnessing to Jesus.  What might this look like?  Pastor Rob focuses on the hands that Jesus raises to bless his disci...

"I zoo, and therefore you will too"  Jesus, Gospel of John (14:19) When Jesus tells his disciples they will "live" the word in Greek is "zoo."  A reminder that our life in Jesus is wild! Pastor Rob reflects on the wild and crazy life that Jesus brings us, a life that we don't dictate or control! This wild life does have a shape though, a shape found in the command to love, the community...

"I have come that they might have life and have it abundantly," Jesus Christ, Gospel of John (10:10) Abundance does not necessarily mean "more."  In fact, there is a deception of "more", that comes whenever we are told that "IF we do "more" of X, Y or Z, then we will have "more" of happiness, security and joy - the fundamental goods of life." The reason why it is the deception of "more" is be...

The dinner table is the cradle of faith. After walking with them on the road to Emmaus, Jesus is invited into the homes of his disciples, even though they don't recognize him (yet!).  While they break bread together for the evening meal. Jesus reveals himself.  While a surprise to them, it is not a surprise to us because the resurrected Jesus routinely appears to his disciples over meals...

We live in a throwaway culture, in which things are discarded, ideas canceled, and people ghosted.  The story of Jesus returning from the grave to meet the fearful disciples and then again to meet Thomas (John 20:19-31) shows that God is interested neither in ghosting us, nor canceling us nor discarding us.  God doesn't ghost. The forgiveness of sins and the resurrection of the body proc...

The women walked away from the tomb with fear AND great joy.  (Matthew 28:8) Life is often lived to the crossroads of fear and joy.  Graduations, new jobs, diagnoses, pregnancies all give rise to both fears and joy.  Easter as well brings both joy... but also comes with some fears too. It is tough to live at this crossroads because our culture constantly pummels us with messages of...

  "God talk" in public, whether on screens, in businesses or in politics, has become common again.   The Palm Sunday story of people pouring out into the streets to shout "Hosanna" reminds us that "God talk" in public is biblical.  We should not confine our praise to our homes and churches but it should flow into all aspects of our lives.  The Palm Sunday gospel, as told b...

We cannot grieve alone!  In the gospel of John (chapter 11), we hear of Jesus meeting Mary and Martha, two sisters who are grieving.  Turns out they are not grieving alone, but they are part of a community that is supporting them.  Likewise in our grief, Jesus blesses us with community, giving us people who console us. However, as we reflect more deeply on the interactions of Jesus...

Once again (John 9), the pharisees are the "bad guys", the people who cannot see the goodness of God because they are fixated on the sinfulness in the world. Before we look down on them though, Pastor Rob explores how easy it is for all of us to succumb to the same type of spiritual blindness, where we cannot see God's goodness because we are focused on human sin and the problems of the world. Jus...

  What well is Jesus calling you to visit? Jesus lived in a world that was filled with division, including division that was often violent. His response to this is very curious; he meets a woman at a well.  Here he begins to build a bridge with somebody who is totally other than himself (John 4).  Jesus is content to play the long, slow game of stitching back the frame fabric of hum...

  Who has been a great teacher in your life? On this Sunday when we’re celebrating the ministry of St Paul's Christian Early Learning Center (CELC), Jesus shows us what a great teacher looks like.  As he interacts with Nicodemus, Jesus reveals himself as the one who - Knows us better than we know ourselves - Tells us what we need to hear and not what we want to hear  - Has patience...

After fasting for 40 days and nights  in the wilderness,  Jesus is tempted by the devil.  (Matthew 4:1-11) Is this time in the wilderness a test or a trial?   (... and what might the difference be?) A test is something that assesses what we've learned and whether we are ready to advanced to the next stage. A trial is something that is designed to teach us what is necessary...

You are the salt of the earth (Jesus, Gospel of Matthew, Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5:13) This winter has been all about snow, cold and SALT! When Jesus declares that we are the salt of the earth, this is a word of Gospel:  We are valued.  It is also a word of challenge:  we are called to work hard for others. So far, so good. But wait, Jesus also says salt might lose its flavor.&...

  "Blessed are the Peacemakers."  Jesus Christ, Beatitudes in the Gospel of Matthew (5:1-12) "Blessed are the Peacemakers" is a word of great challenge to us -- peace is not the norm.  What it mean for us to be peacemakers in our lives, in our communities and even in our world? "Blessed are the Peacemakers" is a word of great promise for us -- peace will be the norm in Kingdom come....

  Jesus hears terrible news:  John the Baptist has been arrested (Matthew 4:12-23).   He is sad for his friend, the world and himself. Soon afterwards, he is proclaiming good news and healing everyone.  How does Jesus do this, that is, metabolize the hearing of tragedy into the sharing of love? And, what, if anything, can we do, to metabolize the hard and even hateful news...

1000 Days -- that is all Jesus gets from the time of his baptism until his ascension.  One might expect and urgency that would mean Jesus is counting and optimizing how he spends each and every moment. Yet on day 1, Jesus chooses to hang out with a person he hadn't yet met, Andrew, and another future disciple.  He doesn't teach, exhort, impress or anything -- he just spends time with the...

As we turn the calendar, many of us make lists of goals or even resolutions for the next year.   Often times, we skip the necessary step of asking ourselves:  Is this goal something that God intends for me?  Working with the story of the magi visiting Jesus (Matthew 2:1-12), Pastor Rob reflects on how we can discern God's purposes and will in our lives.  It turns out that...