A Famine Not of Bread

"Pashur Smiting Jeremiah in the Temple" by Leonart Bramer Click here to listen to this sermon. The text for today is our Old Testament reading, Jeremiah 20:7-13. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! Pashhur is a priest who oversees Jerusalem’s temple. His job description is simple: Make sure nothing changes. Pashhur’s mantra? “This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord” (Jeremiah 7:4). As chief of temple security, Pashhur polices the place and dispenses with all false prophets, placing a gag order on everyone critiquing the present arrangement of power. In walks Jeremiah. He’s not afraid to call ‘em as he sees ‘em. The prophet’s preaching is a threat to Pashhur’s livelihood. It’s hardly surprising that people give Jeremiah the name Magor-misabib . It means “terror on every side.” The nickname summarizes the prophet’s frequent message. When people see Jeremiah in the marketplace or walking in their neig...

Click here to listen to this sermon. “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die … [God] has made everything beautiful in its time” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-2a, 11). Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! The words of Ecclesiastes 3 are among the most famous in the Bible, often quoted, reproduced on various wall hangings, and inscribed on plaques. Adding just a few words, folk artist Pete Seeger turned the first eight verses of Ecclesiastes 3 into a hit song best known as it was recorded by “The Byrds.” But as familiar as this passage is, there is confusion about its meaning. Some contend that Solomon here teaches that “it is wisdom to do the right thing at the right time,” suggesting that with the right timing and knowledge a person can make the most of his opportunities and lead a successful life. But as appealing as such an interpretation is in our humanistic age, it simply does not s...

"Vocation of the Disciples" by Domenico Ghirlandaio Click here to listen to this sermon. When [Jesus] saw the crowds, He had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest’” (Matthew 9:36–38). Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! In his book, Loved and Sent , Jeff Cloeter tells this story about a young woman and man who meet in a café. Ava begins by identifying herself. “I am a lesbian atheist.” As she speaks, her eyes watch for a reaction from the Christian man on the other side of the table. What will he say? How will he respond? Ava and Jacob are acquaintances. They share mutual friends but don’t know each other well. Jacob was confused when she asked to have coffee with him. Is this a date? he wondered. Now, he kno...

Click here to listen to this sermon. The text for today is our Gospel lesson, Matthew 9:9-13, which has already been read. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! Most parents have felt the disappointment of having a carefully chosen gift spurned. You give a gift you hope will bond you together or re-create a particular joy of your own childhood—the thrill of your first fishing rod or the warm feeling you got from your Cabbage Patch doll—only to have the gift barely glanced at and quickly tossed aside. In such cases, even a polite “thank you” brings little comfort. On the other hand, few things delight parents as much as having a child so excited and thrilled with a particular gift that he abandons the remaining unopened gifts to start playing with it. I remember the year that Andersen got his first combine. The joy in his face and whole body said it all. No formal “thank you” was necessary. The gratitude was evident in the joy and excitement. So, ...

Click here to listen to this sermon. "Be content with such things as ye have; for He hath said, ‘I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee’” (Hebrews 13:5 KJV). Jo, Cindy, Steve, Tim, other family members and friends of Howard, members of Trinity congregation: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! Reading his obituary, I learned a few things about Howard. I guess that’s to be expected. I’ve only been his pastor for a little over six years, so there were more than 80 of his more active years to catch up on. Except for a few stories that would slip out once in a while, I didn’t know the younger, more adventurous man who played football, broke horses, or rode motorcycles. Or the dashing young biker who swept Jo off her feet. The builder who could accurately tell you a board was 6 and 7/8 inches wide just by looking at it. The boss who would walk the rafters and go up in the bucket to shingle the steeple. The father who made sure his children grew...