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Time after Pentecost • Lectionary 25—September 24, 2023
Preacher: Pastor Phyllis Hörmann
Lessons: Jonah 3:10—4:11 | Psalm 145:1–8 | Philippians 1:21–30 | Matthew 20:1–16
Summary: Today’s Gospel tells of the land owner who hired workers at different times of the day but paid them all a full-day’s wage. The ways of heaven certainly do not match the way our economy works. We all need God’s mercy and grace, and even though none of us deserve it, we all get what we need. May we all respond in kind with generous love for everyone around us.
Time after Pentecost • Lectionary 24—September 17, 2023
Preacher: Pastor Jeff Lilley
Lessons: Genesis 50:15–21 | Psalm 103:(1–7), 8–13 | Romans 14:1–12 | Matthew 18:21–35
Summary: Especially recently, revenge seems to be the way of the world, but in our first lesson, Joseph forgives his brothers who sold him into slavery; and in the Gospel, Jesus tells us to forgive without limit. Forgiveness does not require forgetting, but it transforms us as we let go of grudges. We are called to forgive because we have already been forgiven through God’s grace. If we in the church could forgive each other, the church would be transformed.
Time after Pentecost • Lectionary 23—September 10, 2023
Preacher: Pastor Jeff Lilley
Lessons: Ezekiel 33:7–11 | Psalm 119:33–40 | Romans 13:8–14 | Matthew 18:15–20
Summary: Looking around we see more and more discord in the world. Even when we talk about the state of the church, we seem to be looking for someone to blame for the decline in church attendance. Here at LCH, I see Christ in the midst of you as you care for each other. The headlines and problems of the world are less important than the love of Christ in us. Our challenge is to hold hands together and be bound together in Christ’s love.
Time after Pentecost • Lectionary 22—September 3, 2023
Preacher: Pastor Jeff Lilley
Lessons: Jeremiah 15:15–21 | Psalm 26:1–8 | Romans 12:9–21 | Matthew 16:21–28
Summary: Today’s Gospel lesson, where Jesus tells the disciples to take up their crosses and follow, really challenges us to think about our lives. The ways of the world make it difficult to follow Christ. We wonder why God doesn’t fix all these problems, but true life is living deeply in love. It may be painful and look to the world like death, but it is truly taking up our crosses and following Jesus.
Time after Pentecost • Lectionary 21—August 27, 2023
Preacher: Pastor Jeff Lilley
Lessons: Isaiah 51:1–6 | Psalm 138 | Romans 12:1–8 | Matthew 16:13–20
Summary: Today’s lessons are about identity—knowing who God is and who Jesus is. Throughout scripture God sees people differently from the way they see themselves. When Jesus asks the disciples who people say he is, Jesus is not looking for validation; he is looking into Peter’s soul. We need to answer the same question for ourselves and not just by repeating what we have been told.
This sermon was not recorded because of technical issues.
Time after Pentecost • Lectionary 20—August 20, 2023
Preacher: Bishop David Nagler
Lessons: Isaiah 56:1, 6–8 | Psalm 67 | Romans 11:1–2a, 29–32 | Matthew 15:10–28
Summary: I like movies with surprise endings—like today’s Gospel. Many other Bible stories have surprise endings, like the story of Joseph and his coat of many colors. The Pharisees forget that love is more important than keeping the rules, and Jesus initially refuses to help the Canaanite woman because she’s not Jewish. But she responds out of love for her child, and Jesus recognizes her faith and heals her. The story shows Jesus’ human side, how he learns and changes. This is good news for us: we are welcome at God’s table, not to be more religious but to be changed for love.
Time after Pentecost • Lectionary 19—August 13, 2023
Preacher: Pastor Jeff Lilley
Lessons: 1 Kings 19:9–18 | Psalm 85:8–13 | Romans 10:5–15 | Matthew 14:22–33
Summary: We usual see today’s Gospel story of Jesus walking on the water from Peter’s point of view. But seen from Jesus’ point of view, his questioning of Peter’s faith may not be about having faith to walk on water but about Peter having faith that Jesus would come to them on the dangerous sea. In our first lesson, Elijah is in despair and looks for God in the powerful wind, fire, and earthquake, but God comes in the silence and shows Elijah the way forward. God is already coming to us; we do not need to reach out. May we lean into the silence and know that God is with us.
Time after Pentecost • Lectionary 18—August 6, 2023
Preacher: Pastor Jeff Lilley
Lessons: Isaiah 55:1–5 | Psalm 145:8–9, 14–21 | Romans 9:1–5 | Matthew 14:13–21
Summary: Today’s Gospel of the feeding of the 5,000 is so important that it appears each year in the lectionary. We often try to find a rational explanation because we cannot imagine such abundance and are caught up in fear and scarcity. During the pandemic we became more isolated and afraid, and the church seems stuck in a desolate place. Jesus pulls people together, as God called the people in our first lesson back to the feast, even though they had sinned. Jesus calls us to a feast of broken bread and leftover wine that is food for the world. At this feast, we can be the church, called and gathered in Christ.