Harrowing Of Hell

Hallelujah!

As we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ tonight, the word that marks this moment is hallelujah. It means praise God, which is sort of odd to say praise God as a way of praising God. The truth is hallelujah is a rather untranslatable word: it is more a guttural affirmation; a mysterious proclamation; a

Jesus’ New Commandment

Good evening Christians, seekers, and friends, I wonder what it would be like for someone who doesn’t really know much about Christianity to come into the Church tonight. At this point, a little over eighty percent of the American populace knows that Easter celebrates Resurrection but what, exactly, this means to those of us who

Hope in a Time of COVID

Merry Christmas. Tonight, I am going to preach about hope, the hope we experience through the birth of Jesus. It is a good time to talk of hope. We are in a moment that feels hopeful, doesn’t it? We are like that dove perched on the widow of Noah’s ark, poised, ready to flap back

God Loves the Small Things

Something very small is about to take place. Something small, yet personally significant, at least to the parents, Mary and Joseph. A baby is going to be born. Certainly, in their hearts, there is a stirring, there is hope.  In their imagination and conversation, they speculate and anticipate. Both have had dreams and visions around

Ready at a Moment’s Notice

The apostle Paul has given us such interesting imagery in his first letter to the Thessalonians today. I love the start, it’s as if he is speaking to you and me, right now. He begins, “Now concerning these times and seasons, brothers and sisters, you do not need anything written to you.” He is looking

God Will Be God

It has been quite an exciting few days (if you want to call it that). For some of us there is hope, for some of us there is consternation. Indeed, we all have a different view of what the future will hold going forward, even if we claim to be part of the same political