Podcast: FLC Sermons

Hagar and Ishmael face rejection from Abraham and Sarah and yet God meets them in the wilderness and promises them safety and blessings. Jesus declares that his words may bring stark division. Even so, we need not be afraid for God knows the life of every sparrow and even accounts for each hair on our heads. Though…

Abraham and Sarah welcome strangers and are promised a beautiful, surprisingly, outlandish and laughable gift. Jesus sends out the disciples as laborers into the harvest. In baptism we too are anointed for ministry, sharing God’s compassion with our world knowing it might not always be easy. From the Lord’s table we go forth to proclaim…

Though Jesus was a devout Jew who practiced his faith, he was criticized for eating with folks on the margins like tax collectors. Jesus reminds us that mercy is to be at the heart of our religious practices. God continues to be made known in unexpected places and unexpected people. As we gather on Sundays,…

More than a doctrine, the Holy Trinity expresses the heart of our faith: we have experienced the God of creation made known in Jesus Christ and with us always through the Holy Spirit. We celebrate the mystery of the Holy Trinity in word and sacrament and we are sent into the world to bear witness…

In this week’s readings the risen Christ ascends into heaven and his followers are assured that the Spirit will empower them to be witnesses throughout the earth. The disciples were told to not gaze up into heaven to look for Jesus. . . we now find his presence among us as we proclaim the word…

Jesus does not abandon the disciples or us. Through the Holy Spirit, Jesus comes to abide with his disciples of every generation. The Holy Spirit is known to us as many names – Spirit of Truth, Advocate, Helper, Companion, Counselor. We receive this Spirit as a gift in baptism and pray that in our gathering around…

As we continue to celebrate the fifty days of Easter, our gospel includes Jesus’ promise that he goes to prepare a place for us. As 1 Peter reminds us, we are a holy people, living stones, God’s people embraced by mercy. In words and deeds we bear witness to the risen Christ—our way, our truth,…

Today is sometimes called “Good Shepherd Sunday.” All of our texts today point to God’s abundant care and love for us, the “sheep.” God promises to be our shepherd, the one who provides protection, food, rest and beauty. In turn, we are called the sheep – the ones who follow, get lost and need to…

As we continue in this season of Easter, today we meet the disciples on the road. Full of questions and wonderings, they meet a stranger and process all that has conspired the last few days – murder, chaos, resurrection – all they had hoped for that did not happen. It is not until the bread…