In this sermon we talk about judgment. It’s a word that comes with a lot of baggage, but still very important when looked at in a particular way. We talk about judgment in terms of restoration and God putting the world to rights; about refining fires; about heaven and hell in terms of God’s love and how love can hurt when we are not ready to receive it; and about cancel culture and the next move after someone gets a pie in their face. 

In this sermon we look at what it means to conspire with God. We talk about an old Latin word, God’s name, and what a Japanese scientist taught me about the power of words to shape the world.

In this sermon we consider what it means to say that the Spirit leads us downwards in the way of Jesus who emptied himself for us. We name the false story of upwards mobility as money, power, and sex appeal in order to embrace a life in solidarity with the poor and oppressed.

In this sermon we talk about perfection, not as never making our mistakes, but as being pointed towards our end in God even in the midst of our mistakes.

In this sermon we consider what it means for our lives not to be determined any single moment, but of a bigger picture of God. We talk about joy in the trials, about maturity, the designation and the journey, having a single focus, an ancient Chinese parable, and why butterflies have to struggle

In this sermon we consider how Jesus’ teaching that to love God is to love your neighbor as yourself was something he had on repeat in everything he said throughout his ministry. We complicate the notion of love by considering the call to love even our enemies. We link this to Pentecost as the Spirit moves to join people from across boundaries, overcoming tribalism and fear for a new kind of joining together. We talk about what it means to be living sacrifices of this love as we pursue justice and mercy. 

In this sermon we consider what it means to be drawn to God, to know God, and to be transformed by God. We look at Paul’s imagery of putting off the old self for the sake of the new. We talk about the oldest tree in the world as a symbol of the spiritual journey of staying put before God. We talk about the different terrains we face as put off the old self. We talk about compassion as what it means to know God and that the spiritual disciplines are there in order for us to become compassionate people in the way of Jesus.

In this sermon, with the help of the high lonesome sound, a story about my cousin’s wetsuit, and a couple of movies, we reflect on Paul’s notion of groaning both as we await our adoption and redemption, as well as how the Spirit groans with us.

In this sermon we look at the ascension of Jesus, the question of power, and the importance of the one who presides over all things. We challenge some assumptions that the ascension of Jesus is about some kind of departure of the material world. Instead we argue for his ascension as him coming close to us in creation. In this we are challenged with the question of what the Lordship of Christ means for us today.

In this sermon we look at the future of inclusion and an ever-expanding “we” that God wants for us.