2023 March

Repeating Repentance

Repeating Repentance

In Galaxy Quest (think the original Star Trek movies with better actors and a better plot), it was the Omega 13 Device, a device that, when activated, went back in time 13 seconds, enabling you to correct one mistake. In Sherman and Mr. Peabody, it was the Way-Back Machine (travel through time to make things right). In note taking, it is the eraser. But it is in golf that we are given a proper name for these U-turns. We call them, mulligans. Interestingly, there are two stories for the origin of this term, both equally dubious. The first revolves around a Canadian golfer in the 1920’s, aptly named David Bernard Mulligan. Apparently, Mulligan had a very jarring trip to his country club and was so rattled by the experience that when he hit his first shot, it went way out of bounds. Without asking, Mulligan re-teed another ball and hit

“Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me?”

“Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me?”

This sermon is based on John 14:1-9. You can also view each week's sermon/worship service on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5ncsq_QNvCv61bIwKUpP5A SERIES OVERVIEW: This is telling: Throughout the Gospels, Jesus asks over 300 questions. That’s a lot of questions! Now, some of them were extremely poignant (questions like, “Who do people say that I am?” and “What do you want me to do for you?”). Some were very challenging (questions like, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” and “Do you still have no faith?”). And some, if we were honest, sound a little strange (“Do you want to be well?” and “Who touched me?”). Nevertheless, all of Jesus’ questions were designed to make the people around him think. That is still the purpose behind his questions. But remember, without a doubt, answers are important, but it’s the questions that are telling. Join us for a

An Atonement Worth Mentioning

An Atonement Worth Mentioning

The other day, our son and daughter dropped by with their new rescue dog, Layla. Now, Layla is adorable, but she is not so sure about other dogs. When Ragna comes close, she growls and shows her teeth and acts like she is going to take a chunk out of Ragna’s ear. Now, Ragna responds like a gentleman. He backs off and finds a safe spot where he can be alone. He also acts out his anxiety by chewing on things. This time, he found a bag of Scrabble tiles and tossed them on the couch. But he only chewed on three of them. He chewed on the “R.” He chewed on the “Q.” And he chewed on the “L.” We figured he was trying to send a message; we are not just sure what it means. It could stand fo,r “Layla, Quit! Ragna.” Or it could be, “Layla quarrels

“You do not want to leave too, do you?”

“You do not want to leave too, do you?”

This sermon is based on John 6:60-69. You can also view each week's sermon/worship service on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5ncsq_QNvCv61bIwKUpP5A SERIES OVERVIEW: This is telling: Throughout the Gospels, Jesus asks over 300 questions. That’s a lot of questions! Now, some of them were extremely poignant (questions like, “Who do people say that I am?” and “What do you want me to do for you?”). Some were very challenging (questions like, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” and “Do you still have no faith?”). And some, if we were honest, sound a little strange (“Do you want to be well?” and “Who touched me?”). Nevertheless, all of Jesus’ questions were designed to make the people around him think. That is still the purpose behind his questions. But remember, without a doubt, answers are important, but it’s the questions that are telling. Join us for a

One Final Dunk

One Final Dunk

Last Sunday, an anonymous person, let’s call him Paul, stopped and asked me about last week’s blog, particularly the question regarding private baptisms. As you recall, I said private baptisms are not allowed. Paul countered that Philip’s baptism of the Ethiopian Eunuch in Acts 8 was a private baptism and that my answer was mistaken. In times like these, I have several options. I can excommunicate Paul and send his membership to a church in the Northern North Alaskan Presbytery (that’s where all inappropriate question mongers go). Or I can demand that Paul read our Book of Church Order five times while standing on his head (chapter 56:2 says it clearly: “Baptism is not to be privately administered, but in the presence of the congregation under the supervision of the session”). Or I can quote from The Blues Brothers where Jake tries to explain to the “Mystery Woman” why he

“Do you realize what I have done for you?”

“Do you realize what I have done for you?”

This sermon is based on John 13:12-17. You can also view each week's sermon/worship service on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5ncsq_QNvCv61bIwKUpP5A SERIES OVERVIEW: This is telling: Throughout the Gospels, Jesus asks over 300 questions. That’s a lot of questions! Now, some of them were extremely poignant (questions like, “Who do people say that I am?” and “What do you want me to do for you?”). Some were very challenging (questions like, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” and “Do you still have no faith?”). And some, if we were honest, sound a little strange (“Do you want to be well?” and “Who touched me?”). Nevertheless, all of Jesus’ questions were designed to make the people around him think. That is still the purpose behind his questions. But remember, without a doubt, answers are important, but it’s the questions that are telling. Join us for a

Questions, Questions and More Questions

Questions, Questions and More Questions

Questions, questions and more questions; all of a trivial variety (since you did so well last time). On average, what is the thing that Americans do 22 times in a day? What is the real name of the Cookie Monster? What animals have fingerprints other than humans? Who sang about being an “eggman” and a “walrus”? Where were fortune cookies invented? What is the name of the vehicle that Scooby-Doo and his friends travel in? Which Italian town is the setting for Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet? In our last two posts we’ve been dealing with some dangling questions that need to be answered before we bring this series to a close. So far, we have asked (and answered) the following five questions: Does baptism save? Is baptism necessary for salvation? What is accomplished in a baptism? Is the efficacy of baptism tied to that specific moment? Should we allow rebaptisms?

“You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

“You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

This sermon is based on Matthew 14:22-23. You can also view each week's sermon/worship service on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5ncsq_QNvCv61bIwKUpP5A SERIES OVERVIEW: This is telling: Throughout the Gospels, Jesus asks over 300 questions. That’s a lot of questions! Now, some of them were extremely poignant (questions like, “Who do people say that I am?” and “What do you want me to do for you?”). Some were very challenging (questions like, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” and “Do you still have no faith?”). And some, if we were honest, sound a little strange (“Do you want to be well?” and “Who touched me?”). Nevertheless, all of Jesus’ questions were designed to make the people around him think. That is still the purpose behind his questions. But remember, without a doubt, answers are important, but it’s the questions that are telling. Join us for a

Questions, Questions

Questions, Questions

Last week, we started wrapping up this series by answering a series of questions. So, let’s begin today by asking a series of questions (who doesn’t like movie trivia?): What was the name of Quint's boat in Jaws? What was the first feature-length animated movie ever? In what movie do we find Robert De Niro’s great line: "You talkin' to me?" In what movie did Marlon Brando say, “I could have been a contender?" What was the song that Tom Cruise lip-synced to in Risky Business? The stage play, Everybody Comes to Rick's,was made into what 1942 movie? What were the dying words of Charles Foster Kane? Here’s the point: Some questions are trivial (see above). Some are not (see below). There are huge theological and pastoral issues at stake in many of our questions about baptism, and we need to approach them as serious matters, even though, at first glance, they seem rather trivial. Last week,