Sermons from the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer

"There are political implications to the words that we read, the things that we say we believe, the prayers that we pray, the songs that we sing, and the stories that we hear. They all point to a reality that is here and now, and present in this world. And, if Jesus is Lord, he is not Lord of just a couple things or a few parts of us. Jesus is Lord of all."

Matthew 2:1-12

"Grace permeates our scripture. Grace can seem so huge, so dramatic, and yet we can see it in simpler ways in our daily lives: the grace of a parent or teacher dealing with patience and love in a trying situation, the grace of a warm greeting to a friend or to a stranger, choosing forgiveness as a response when anger and vengeance might be more expected, having the courage to walk as Jesus did among those less accepted, among those in greater need, to touch the untouchable with Jesus's compassion."

John 1:1-18

"We are hoping to have a Christmas where the roast turns out okay, and that people probably don't kill each other at the dinner table. Jesus is working on a Christmas where our hearts are transformed for love and we are drawn into deeper relationship with the people around us - where we are drawn into a reality where we recognize how beautiful this world is and where we recognize how beautiful we are.

Luke 2:1-14(15-20)

"It's really easy to get wrapped up in the season, and to sing the carols, to decorate and to shop, and to know that we're getting ready to celebrate the birth of God. But, it's harder to really believe that God became a human being."

Luke 1:39-45, (46-55)

"You are given so much power in this world - power to speak blessing into being, power to recognize God's presence, and a power to love others in a way that will make them sing... that will make them prophets. God is working miracles of love in this world and God is giving you voices to speak about those miracles, and eyes to see the miracles happening in each person's life. Mary is not the only one full of grace. The grace with which Mary is filled fills all of us this season, in this time. We are filled with the love of God."

Luke 1:39-45, (46-55)

"For he has made us to take care of the pandas, and the snakes, and the oceans, and the seas, and all of the animals. [...] And that's not just how far it goes, it doesn't just go to all of these crazy cool animals. It goes to humans. Humans are destroying humans."

"It's going to require something of you if you're really interested in justice... if you're really interested in peace. If you really want to know love, you're going to have to give love in a way you never have. If you're going to want to know blessing you're going to have to bless this world in a way that it has never been blessed before. If you're going to want to understand forgiveness you are going to have to forgive people."

Luke 3:7-18

"We all have them - hills and valleys that surround our hearts. They're there, and they're real, and they're deep and wide and high. And, John the Baptist says to us today, 'level 'em.' Level the hills and valleys and make a clear way so that God can enter in."

Luke 3:1-6

"I think there's an inherent contradiction in the words 'prepare the way' because it's almost a call to action. And yet, so much of what we need to do to prepare the way is to let go. Let go of expectation, let go of fear, let go of those things that we put in place that get in the way of being open, open to Christ in our lives."

Luke 3:1-6

"Rejoice because your redemption is at hand. When this kind of power comes into the world, we're not going to be destroyed we're going to be liberated. We're going to be freed from all the sinfulness, death, and evil in the world. And, it may seem scary, but it is our liberation."

Luke 21:25-36