Sermons

Known By God

1/17/2021

Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18; John 1: 43-51
Our two readings seem very different, but they have a unifying feature; they are about being known by God. In John's gospel, Jesus somehow knew Nathanael before ever meeting him. This so impressed Nathanael that he immediately replied, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God!”
Psalm 139 speaks even more strongly of our being known by God. Now I haven't taken Hebrew but references are available for anyone to look up word sources. The word translated “know” is the Hebrew word “yada”. Now I don't know about you, but I read that and my mind went...where? Seinfeld and their use of “yada, yada, yada”. But I'd need a whole different sermon to discuss Seinfeld. By the way, what would that sermon be about? Nothing, of course?
The root word Yada, occurs 5 times in our reading. It is most often translated as “know”, but in verse two it is “discern”. I don't want to get too deep in translations, but the idea that God is intimately involved in our lives goes back thousands of years in our scriptures. God knowing us is the basis for the relationship between us humans and the divine.

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Faithful Disciples

1/10/2021

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Acts 19:1-7; Mark 1: 4-11 January 10, 2021
There are some questions that defy easy answers. Like why do they lock gas station toilets, are they afraid someone will break in and clean them? If a turtle doesn't have a shell, is it homeless or naked? And why do they put braille on the drive-through bank machines?
On a more serious note, in today's epistle reading there are a couple questions that made me wonder. First, Paul asks some disciples in Ephesus, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?” And when they said “No.” he asked, “Into what then were you baptized?”
It seems they didn't know anything about the Holy Spirit, but they did know about their baptism. They told Paul they were baptized, “Into John’s baptism.”

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Travels of the Magi

1/3/2021

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Matthew 2: 1-12
January 3, 2021

Have you ever wondered what would have happened if it had been three Wise Women instead of three Wise Men? At least two things would have been different. One, they would have asked for directions sooner so they wouldn't end up in Jerusalem. And they would have brought practical gifts like diapers and food; maybe a hotdish. That's an old joke, but as we celebrate the arrival of these foreigners come to worship a Jewish King, we need to consider the whys and the results of this visit.
We really don't know a lot about these magi/wisemen/astronomers/kings. All Matthew tells us is, “ wise men from the East.” No country, not titles other than wise men. He does have them tell why they came, looking “for the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.” As we consider their tale, I want to move back and forth between them and their quest for the new king and the official King of the Jews, Herod.

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Sorrows and Blessings, Falling and Rising

12/27/2020

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Galatians 3:23-25; 4:4-7; Luke 2: 22-40 December 27. 2020

I think everyone here knows the story of Ebenezer Scrooge. His life was spent living in squalor despite the fact that he was very rich. He found no pleasure in life and cared nothing about human suffering, until his Christmas revelation.
Do you know the story of Pollyanna? Pollyanna was a young girl who lost her parents and moves in with her aunt, a strong, intimidating woman. The town is divided and unhappy and bitter. Pollyanna saw the good in everything and by the end of the movie, she has transformed the community with her positive outlook and optimism.

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Known By God

Faithful Disciples

Travels of the Magi

Sorrows and Blessings, Falling and Rising

Pastor Gordy

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