You are an adult when you pay for things you can’t see. This is the newest marker of adulthood. Yet, sometimes it seems to be easier to understand why we should pay the electric bill than to believe in a risen God. Pastor Kate explores these ideas alongside the “Doubting Thomas” story.
Accompanying Scripture:
John 20:19-31
Accompanying Scripture:
John 20:1-18
Image : North mosaic 02 – Resurrection Chapel – National Cathedral – DC
Photo credit: Tim Evanson, License: CC BY-SA 2.0
Jesus’ arrival in Bethany must have been agonizing for Mary and Martha, especially when Jesus arrives a day too late for there to be any hope of bringing their brother, Lazarus, back from the dead.
Sometimes waiting for God to show up in our lives is agonizing. God just doesn’t seem to show up when we want or expect. Pastor Kate explores these themes and the story of the raising of Lazarus.
Accompanying Scripture:
Accompanying scripture:
Ephesians 5:8-14
John 9:1-41
If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. At least that’s the mentality we tend to live by. But the woman at the well in John 4 found something in Jesus she could trust – even when nobody else trusted her. God comes to us not as a con-man, but as one who fully sees us and loves us anyway.
Accompanying Scripture:
John 4:5-42
I (Pastor Kate) have a very vivid memory of screaming, “I hate you,” at my mom. I think it only happened once, but it was enough to hurt my mom. But it’s also something I’m sure I’ve communicated to God more than once either through my actions or lack thereof – and I’m sure it doesn’t hurt God any less than it hurt my mom. Turns out God loves us in spite of our hate – that’s precisely the point of John 3:16-17.
Accompanying scripture:
John 3:1-17
Temptation comes in the ordinariness of our lives and makes us forget who we are and what we are called to do. It causes us to doubt the truth: that we are God’s beloved children.
Accompanying scripture:
Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7
Matthew 4:1-11
In the strange moment of Jesus’ transfiguration on the mountaintop, Peter, James, and John fell to the ground, afraid. But Jesus did not leave them overwhelmed by their fear, in the face of the glory and mystery of God, and he did not leave them overwhelmed by fear when he went down the mountain and faced the growing conflict and darkness in his time. Jesus will not leave us overwhelmed by fear. In the darkness of our times, as we seek to follow along Jesus’ way, let our eyes be open to see the light of Christ, like a lamp shining in a dark place. And may God’s light shine through us to be a lamp shining for others who are afraid.
Scriptural Reference:
Matthew 17:1-9
Paintings Referenced:
Rubens’ Transfiguration
Rafael’s Transfiguration
“Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
It seems like a daunting task. Jesus’ admonition to be perfect just as God is – especially when it seems nothing is ever good enough.
Except that our understanding of perfect may not be the best way to understand this text. Maybe a better way is to think of it like how Gary Potter describes trying to get Happy Gilmore to putt a golf ball.
But you’ll just have to listen to the sermon to find out what that means.
703.525.9283 (Church)
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9 am Contemporary Worship
11 am Blended Traditional Worship with Livestream
We invite you to join us this Sunday.
