A Famine Not of Bread

Click here to listen to this sermon. Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! A few years ago (more than 15), we were headed to Gillette, Wyoming for a wedding. My grandson Abbott started fussing, so I just said: “Ten more minutes and then we’ll stop.” Much to my surprise, he quieted down. And in ten minutes, I kept my promise. After a quick diaper change and a bottle of formula he was good to go for another 200 miles. Then he started fussing again. Since it worked the first time, I decided to try the same line again: “Ten more minutes.” It seemed to work so well that I used it over and over again the whole trip. Now as biased as I may be about my grandchildren’s advanced abilities, I realize Abbott didn’t actually understand what I was saying. He was only four months old at the time. But still that voice seemed to reassure him. And the running joke seemed to pass the time more quickly for us adults than a crying baby. At the same time, it was a reminde...

"The Disbelief of St. Thomas" by James Tissot  Click here to listen to this sermon. On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, even so I am sending you.” And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven; if you withhold forgiveness from anyone, it is withheld.” Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into His sid...

Click here for an audio version of this sermon. Another adorable grandchild. The text for today is our Gospel lesson, John 16:16-22, which has already been read. Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! Before I begin, I must issue the following warning: This sermon contains an illustration featuring the exploits of one of my adorable grandchildren.   But then, since I plan on being here for awhile you might as well get used to it.   A few years ago we were in the van headed to Gillette, Wyoming for a wedding.   My grandson Abbott started fussing, so I just said: “Ten more minutes and then we’ll stop.”   Much to my surprise, he quieted down.   And in ten minutes, I kept my promise.   After a quick diaper change and a bottle of formula he was good to go for another 200 miles.   Then he started fussing again.   Since it worked the first time, I decided to try the same line again: “Ten more minutes.” ...