Sermons with Reverend Killjoy

Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost, Lectionary Year C Acts 19:1-7 The Holy Spirit is active in our church and in our world, and it's ok if we admit that we don't always recognize the Spirit's work. But when we do see the Spirit moving among us, we have a chance to be a part of God's work.

Tenth Sunday after Pentecost, Lectionary Year C Acts 18:1-11 A week at camp with LCS kids was an opportunity to see the Holy Spirit at work in new and surprising ways. Living Water Ministries' summer theme of "Fearless Faith" proved to be just the right message in a week of challenges and opportunities.

Ninth Sunday after Pentecost, Lectionary Year C Acts 17:16, 22-31 Diving deeply back into Acts this week, we're talking idolatry, in ancient Athens and in our own lives today.

Eighth Sunday after Pentecost, Lectionary Year C Acts 17:1-9 Luke 10:25-37 Back from two weeks of vacation to see that violence and division still rule our world. Who is our neighbor? How does Jesus turn the world upside down?

Fifth Sunday after Pentecost, Lectionary Year C Acts Summer Sermon Series 2016 Week Three Acts 15:12-21 Our Acts series continues with a serious discussion of idolatry, our practice of placing our ultimate trust in that which is not God. As the horrific mass shooting in Orlando reminds us, murder is always idolatry.

Fourth Sunday after Pentecost, Lectionary Year C Acts Sermon Series 2016, Week Two 2 Samuel 11:26--12:10, 13-15 Luke 7:36-- 8:3 Today I abandoned the Acts reading in favor of a more complicated current issue related to our other readings. The sentencing after the Stanford rape case shows that rape culture is alive and well, even as it was when David killed Uriah so he could get Bathsheba as his wi...

Third Sunday after Pentecost, Lectionary Year C Acts Sermon Series 2016 Week 1 Acts 14:8-18 Thus begins a second summer of Acts readings, in which we see how the Holy Spirit transformed the early church. The Holy Spirit does amazing things, even miraculous things, but we don't always notice. What keeps us from recognizing the work of the Holy Spirit around us?

Second Sunday after Pentecost, Lectionary Year C Luke 7:1-10 When even Jesus is surprised, we ought to pay attention.

Holy Trinity Sunday, Lectionary Year C Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31 A baptism on Holy Trinity provides the opportunity to think about God not in lofty theological terms, but in how God relates to us and what God does for us in baptism.

Sunday of Pentecost, Lectionary Year C Romans 8:14-17 Pentecost may be the most exciting day of the church year. It's the day the Holy Spirit transforms the church, expanding the boundaries of what is possible and who is welcome. Today Lutheran Church of the Savior receives our Reconciling in Christ certificate, a proud moment that signals a challenging future.

Seventh Sunday of Easter, Lectionary Year C Revelation 21:10, 22--22:5 The Tree of Life is a powerful biblical image of God's healing presence among God's people. How can this image shape our own congregation's ministry?

Sixth Sunday after Easter, Lectionary Year C John 14:23-29 "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you." Special guest preacher Rev. Sarah Friesen-Carper, Assistant the the Bishop for Congregational and Leadership Excellence of the North/West Lower Michigan Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, is ideally suited to bring us Good News from Jesus' declaration in today's reading fr...

Fifth Sunday after Easter, Lectionary Year C Revelation 21:1-6 Today's reading from Revelation, the vision of the Holy City, is my favorite thing in the entire Bible. What better day to illustrate it than through the lyrics of the fascinating faithful newly-departed saint, Prince Rogers Nelson?

Fourth Sunday of Easter, Lectionary Year C Acts 9:36-43 The story of Tabitha, AKA Dorcas, AKA the only woman in the New Testament explicitly called a "disciple," is a good place to start thinking about all the ways women live out their discipleship today.

Third Sunday of Easter, Lectionary Year C John 21:1-19 "Follow me." With these words Jesus invites Peter, and all of us, into new life. It may not be the life we expected.

Commemoration of Dietrich Bonhoeffer (April 9, transferred) Romans 6:3-11 Not a lot of original thought from me in this one, instead favoring heavy quotations from the apostle Paul, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and Rev. Dr. Robert Saler, all of whom know better than me how to talk about following Jesus in this world.

Second Sunday of Easter, Lectionary Year C Revelation 1:4-8 God's love is more powerful than hunman kings or human cultures or even that most human thing of all, death. Revelation draws us to that love as God's future for us.

Resurrection of Our Lord: Vigil of Easter Luke 24:1-12 The Vigil is a time of fire and water, Word and Sacrament, story and sound and blessed chaos, all surprising us with the good news that Jesus is risen.

Maundy Thursday John 13:1-17, 31b-35 Foot-washing is divisive because it asks us to make ourselves vulnerable to one another.

Sunday of the Passion / Palm Sunday, Lectionary Year C Psalm 31:9-16 A brief reflection on the story of Jesus' death and crucifixion, as seen through our Psalm for today. "For I have heard the whispering of the crowd; fear is all around."

This week I "swapped pulpits" with Rev. Christin Fawcett of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Holland, MI. It was a fun experience, and I'm wondering why I haven't done this sort of thing more often over the years. Fifth Sunday of Lent, Lectionary Year C John 12:1-8 The famous story of Mary washing Jesus' feet with her hair sets up a stark contrast between Judas and Mary, with much more at stake th...

Fourth Sunday of Lent, Lectionary Year C 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 Forgiveness. It's a central part of our faith. We talk about it all the time in church. Still, it can be incredibly difficult to actually forgive. And our society offers a tempting alternative to forgiveness.

Third Sunday of Lent, Lectionary Year C Luke 13:1-9 Jesus used current events to talk about sin and repentance. When we underestimate repentance we fail to recognize the power of God to transform our lives.

Second Sunday of Lent, Lectionary Year C Luke 13:31-35 Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18 To paraphrase Jesus: “America, America, the country that shoots its own people and shouts down those who ask why so many are shot!”

First Sunday of Lent, Lectionary Year C Deuteronomy 26:1-11 Our first lesson from Deuteronomy today is basically "How to Be God's People 101," and we can learn from it even today.