Christ Lutheran Church Harrisburg

Words are Powerful

Words can be helpful and healing, or they can cause harm.  A Tweet this past week made unfounded claims that will have a negative impact on people.  Speeches by leaders in the past have brought healing and new life.  In our Gospel reading, Jesus brings healing and new life through the word, in literal ways.  How has Jesus spoken into our lives and communities with healing, hope, and new life?  How is Jesus calling on us to use words to bring healing and new life around us?  The sermon is based on Luke 7:1-17.

Order vs. Humanity

Does humanity exist to serve law and order, or do these things exist to serve humanity?  Humanity has struggled with this forever.  Religious groups have been so concerned with upholding the law, that they are willing to kill in order to maintain a preferred order.  Jesus rejected the ends justify the means.  He extends grace, even when it upsets the established order.  The sermon is based on Luke 6:1-16.

Something stinks!

Jesus calls his first disciples, fishermen.  They stunk.  But it wasn't because of their odor.  It was the ways of the society around them that stunk on them.  He calls on them to fish for people.  That goes beyond inviting people to church.  We're called to cast a net of love on people.  The Gospel smells different - like the aroma of mercy.  The sermon is based on Luke 5:1-11.

Jesus' unpopular sermon

Jesus preached an unpopular sermon.  The crowd wanted to throw him off a cliff.  Why?  Because he had the audacity to declare that their barriers, boundaries and such were not what God was about.  The message still applies today.  Jesus calls us to break down barriers in our time and place as well.  The sermon is based on Luke 4:14-30.

What Should We Do?

What should we do?  That's the question that gets asked so very often in light of so many horrible things that go on in our world.  It's the question the crowd asked John.  The answer is Good News.  The sermon is based on Luke 3:1-22.

Fear and Joy

We celebrated Epiphany.  The story of Epiphany from Matthew 2:1-12 is full of fear and joy.  Fear leads to violent actions, while joy leads to outward expression of giving.  The world is full of fear, and Jesus doesn't pretend there isn't fear.  But Jesus brings joy in the midst of fear.  

Cruelty vs. Hope

In the first week of Advent, the Narrative Lectionary presents a story that contrasts cruelty with hope.  For many in power, the cruelty is the point.  But for God, the hope is the point.  The sermon is based on Daniel 6:6-27.  

Christ is King

This past Sunday was Christ the King Sunday - a day we are reminded that we follow Jesus and not ideologies.  Christ's kingdom is far different than the world's.  Christ's kingdom is founded on peace, invitation, grace, and mercy.  The world's kingdoms use force, violence, oppression, and imposing on others.  We are called to live into Christ's kingdom in the midst of the world's kingdom.  Pastor Matthew's sermon is based on Jeremiah 36:1-8, 21-23, 27-28, then 31:31-34.

Callings

The Narrative Lectionary shares Isaiah's call.  We are all called.  It's just a matter of what we are called to do and to be.  How is God calling you.  The sermon is based on Isaiah 6:1-13.

Jonah's story is our story too

Jonah is a parable about a resistant prophet who doesn't want what's best for this enemies.  He tries running away.  Nothing works.  But in spite of it all, Jonah is faithful.  He knows that God is merciful.  Sometimes we are Jonah, sometimes we are the people of Nineveh, and sometimes we are the king of Nineveh.  Pastor Matthew's Sermon is based on Jonah 1:1-17; 3:1-10; 4:1-11.