Sermons with Reverend Killjoy

In which, after a week of vacation and country-shaking news, I heeded the Holy Spirit's call to listen for God's Word of law and gospel in the voices of others. Thanks to Rozella White, ELCA Director of Young Adult Ministries; Rev. Meghan Johnston Aelabouni; and President Obama. Each brought us a necessary Word this morning.

Second Sunday of Acts Sermon Series Acts 2:42-47 At my recent continuing education event, I learned about generosity, one of the core values of Lutheran Church of the Savior. What is generosity, and how does it flourish among us?

Our sermon series on Acts begins today, with Jesus' final words to his friends before he ascended to heaven and left them to wait for the Holy Spirit.

Romans 8:12-17 The Holy Trinity is complicated, and it reminds us that the Bible gives us many wonderful images of God. Why? Because God wants to relate to us.

Day of Pentecost, Lectionary Year B Acts 2:1-21 Do not let years of hearing this story domesticate it. The Holy Spirit transformed the lives of Jesus' apostles that day, and seeks to transform us today. Here at Lutheran Church of the Savior, we are beginning a two-year period of preparation for the Holy Spirit to transform us as individuals and as a congregation. We will celebrate our 50 years of...

Fifth Sunday after Easter, Lectionary Year B 1 John 4:7-12 After celebrating the death and resurrection of Jesus over Holy Week and Easter, and after recent events in Baltimore sparked by the death of Freddie Gray, we remember this important fact. We don't get to talk about Jesus without talking about state-sponsored violence.

Fourth Sunday of Easter, Lectionary Year B 1st John 3:16-24 Love one another. The First Letter of John (not to be confused with the Gospel of John, similar though they are) is a great resource for understanding this phrase, so central to what it means for us to follow Jesus.

Second Sunday of Easter, Lectionary Year B Acts 4:32-37 How did the first apostles live together, and how can they inspire us to live more fully for God in the light of the death and resurrection of Jesus?

Easter Sunday, Lectionary Year B Mark 16:1-8 Mark's maybe-abbreviated story of Jesus' resurrection may be my favorite version of the story, showing how God's love for us in Jesus transcends the power of sin and death, yes, and also the power of fear. As usual, "Do not be afraid" is the beginning of the Good News.

Maundy Thursday John 13:1-17, 31b-35 "Love one another" is Jesus' most powerful, challenging command to his disciples. He gives this new commandment during his final meal with them. How can we follow such a simple, complicated commandment? In this meal Jesus shows us how to love one another.

Sunday of the Passion / Palm Sunday, Lectionary Year B Philippians 2:5-11 This year, instead of again being annoyed that Palm Sunday and Sunday of the Passion are forced to share a single stage, I decided to embrace the paradox, and remembered the helpful guideline that Jesus is both.

Fifth Sunday of Lent, Lectionary Year B John 12:20-33 "[U]nless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit." Jesus brings the wisdom to those who wish to see him. With cameos from Obi-Wan Kenobi and S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Phil Coulson.

Fourth Sunday of Lent, Lectionary Year B Ephesians 2:1-10 On the day of our big Shots for Shots fundraiser, a basketball event for the ELCA Malaria Campaign, we ran into some adversity. God's grace is greater that this, or any, adversity.

Third Sunday of Lent, Lectionary Year B Exodus 20:1-17 I've long found the Ten Commandments to be quite vexing, especially since learning that Lutherans count the Ten differently than any other Christian or Jewish group. When we talk about God's Law, what are we really talking about?

Peter is a great biblical example of God using failure to accomplish God's intentions. Society teaches us to avoid failure at all costs, but Jesus shows us another way.

Each year on the first Sunday of Lent we hear about Jesus being tempted in the wilderness. Some temptations are not the straightforward ones about money, sex or power, but instead are unexpected and can more easily worm their way into our hearts. Watch out for these temptations that seek to keep us from the reign of God.

Ash Wednesday reminds us that God comes to us through mysteries. The rite of ashes and repentance has a sacramental quality that draws us into deeper relationship with God and into deeper knowledge of ourselves.

Transfiguration of Our Lord, Lectionary Year B Mark 9:2-9 One definition of an epiphany is "a moment in which you suddenly see or understand something in a new or very clear way." Sometimes these moments happen on our worst days, and God is with us in those times.

Fifth Sunday after Epiphany, Lectionary Year B Mark 1:29-39 Jesus frees us to follow him wherever he goes, loving and serving God and our neighbor.

Second Sunday after Epiphany, Lectionary Year B 1 Samuel 3:1-20 Young Samuel heard the voice of God, and Phillip told Nathanael to "come and see" what Jesus was all about. Our Psalm today describes our bodies as marvelously made by God, and Paul's letter to the Corinthians describes our bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit. How do we experience God in our bodies, with our physical senses? And why...

Baptism of Our Lord, Lectionary Year B Mark 1:4-11 Today we remembered Jesus' baptism and our own by hearing that each of us is a child of God. Our sermon today was less a proclamation of the gospel than an explanation of the ritual that would proclaim the message more clearly. And what better way to receive this good news than from a child?

Second Sunday of Christmas, Lectionary Year B Ephesians 1:3-14 The Christmas season offers us so many ways to see and experience the overwhelming grace of God.

Nativity of Our Lord - Christmas Eve Luke 2:1-20 The Christmas narrative in Luke's Gospel is very familiar to us, with Mary and Joseph and the stable and the shepherds and the angels. That familiarity sometimes obscures the many surprises in this story. Mary and Joseph? Why them? A stable? Angels? Shepherds? Every part of this story surprises us when we look with fresh eyes at the amazing tale of...

Fourth Sunday of Advent, Lectionary Year B Luke 1:26-38 As we celebrated another baptism on this Sunday, we remember that God always chooses us, and God's promises are so much greater than our own.

Second Sunday of Advent B Isaiah 40:1-11 God's call of the second prophet Isaiah in today's lesson marks a new beginning in the life of Israel. The exile is over and God's mercy will shape their future. Today's baptism also marks a new beginning shaped by God's promise of love and mercy.