LCH Sermons—Time after Pentecost (October and November) 2019 (Year C)

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Christ the King: Last Sunday after Pentecost—November 24, 2019

Preacher: Pastor Jeff Lilley
Lessons: Jeremiah 23:1–6 | Psalm 46 | Colossians 1:11–20 | Luke 23:33–43
Summary: TBA

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Time after Pentecost • Lectionary 33—November 17, 2019

Preacher: Pastor Jeff Lilley
Lessons: Malachi 4:1–2a | Psalm 98 | 2 Thessalonians 3:6–13 | Luke 21:5–19
Summary: In today’s Gospel, the disciples are fascinated with the grand temple buildings, and Jesus tells them they will all be destroyed. However, rather then focusing on the end times, Jesus is concerned with what happens to real people. Jesus tells us that God’s coming age is opening up now. We don’t need to help it along; we are called to make our lives a refection of God’s vision of justice, peace, and love. God’s kingdom comes not with destruction but with us becoming part of God’s body given away for the world.

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Time after Pentecost • Lectionary 32—November 10, 2019

Preacher: Pastor Jeff Lilley
Lessons: Job 19:23–27a | Psalm 17:1–9 | 2 Thessalonians 2:1–5, 13–17 | Luke 20:27–38
Summary: In our first lesson, Job in the midst of his suffering says that he knows that his redeemer lives and will stand with him. This is a powerful witness to us in troubled time. In the Gospel, Jesus reminds us that God remains with us through life and death.

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All Saints Sunday—November 3, 2019

Preacher: Pastor Jeff Lilley
Lessons: Daniel 7:1–3, 15–18 | Psalm 149 | Ephesians 1:11–23 | Luke 6:20–31
Summary: We tend to think of sainthood as a venerated ideal and only found in dead people, but among us are those who show us who God is. Our Gospel tells us that the poor and those who mourn are blessed right now (in the present tense). God has poured limitless grace and love, but we do not see it. When our eyes are open to God’s blessings, we can live in solidarity with others.

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Reformation Sunday—October 27, 2019

Preacher: Pastor Jeff Lilley
Lessons: Jeremiah 31:31–34 | Psalm 46 | Romans 3:19–28 | John 8:31–36
Summary: Luther’s reformation sought to reform the church. That reform was rooted in God’s limitless grace and love for God’s people. 500 years later, how will we continue to live out God’s radical love and grace in our daily lives and in our church?

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Time after Pentecost • Lectionary 29—October 20, 2019

Preacher: Pastor David Kieffer
Lessons: Genesis 32:22-31 | Psalm 121 | 2 Timothy 3:14—4:5 | Luke 18:1–8
Summary: The theme for today’s lessons is wrestling. Even before today’s first lesson, Jacob is wresting with the events of his life. As he wrestles with God, Jacob is changed; he receives a blessing and a new name. In the midst of the struggle of life, we too see God and are changed. Sometimes the struggle seems to overwhelm us, but like the woman in our Gospel, when we persist—when we keep on praying and do not lose heart—we see the face of God in the people we help.

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Time after Pentecost • Lectionary 28—October 13, 2019

Preacher: Pastor Jeff Lilley
Lessons: 2 Kings 5:1-3, 7-15c | Psalm 111 | 2 Timothy 2:8–15 | Luke 17:11–19
Summary: In today’s Gospel, Luke concentrates on the joyful thanks of one leper healed. In his gratitude, this “foreigner” prostrates himself before Jesus and praises God. God’s people are called to life and theology of gratitude. Even when life is difficult, God stands with us and all of God’s people. Our lives become a proclamation of praise for all God is and does for us.

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Time after Pentecost • Lectionary 27 / Blessing of the Pets—October 6, 2019

Preacher: Pastor Jeff Lilley
Lessons: Psalm 148:7–14 | Psalm 8 | Galatians 6:14–18 | Matthew 11:25–30
Summary: When I was a child, I loved to watch Wild Kingdom and learn about animals and habitats, but now many of those animals and their habitats are gone. In the past our theology centered on the idea that God gave humans dominion over the word in Genesis; but that theology does not serve us, creation, or God well. St. Francis understood that God made us stewards and caretakers of creation. In the lesson from Galatians, Paul tells us that God is making a new creation, and we are called to participate in that process. We in the church are called to understand ourselves as part of creation and take on Christ’s easy yoke and do our part so that creation may live.

This sermon was not recorded for technical reasons.