Talking About the Passion: Sermons from Holy Cross Lutheran Church

YES, of course Jesus rejects legalism, which is always about self-justification. But Jesus is not aiming at freedom for its own sake. Jesus is seeking to RETURN TO a way of observing the sabbath that has GOD at its center. Sabbath forms us and shapes us into a people who know deep in our bones that we are not the ones who control the world. God is. Support the Show.

Just as Nicodemus sought clear answers from Jesus, we often desire control and predictability in our lives, but Jesus invites us into a lifelong journey of faith full of mystery and transformation. Support the Show.

Only God's Spirit, the divine breath of life, can truly bring resurrection and hope amidst devastation.Support the Show.

After Jesus' ascension, the disciples are initially confused! Like them, we want to take matters into our own hands instead of waiting on God to act. But God is faithful and will act to give us all we need.Support the Show.

 In a world shaped by conquest and dominance, the rule of Jesus is marked by mercy and compassion. The gospel challenges Christians to redefine success according to the measure of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection, living in  ways characterized by love and compassion for one another.Support the Show.

Though we may FEEL more free today than in the past, the shift from traditional moralism to the internalized pressure of self-authenticity, takes a huge toll on individuals. In contrast to the culture of achievement and performance, the gospel assures us of God's love through the sacrificial work of Jesus Christ.Support the Show.

Jesus the Good Shepherd demonstrates for us what it means to love in truth and in deed, and not just in word. Support the Show.

Our relationship with God is made visible and manifest in our authentic relationships with one another.Support the Show.

Jesus taking on flesh is a picture, an image of what it looks like to be fully alive, to live a fully human life-- it means to live for others.Support the Show.

In his account of the resurrection, John sees faith in Jesus as a gradual unfolding, not a one-time act. We are called to patiently embrace the sometimes-slow unfolding of God's work in our lives.Support the show

God provides abundant water for all who thirst.Support the show

Our story from the book of Numbers today shows us that God's judgment is not merely punitive but serves as a revelation of what happens when we turn away from the good gifts that God offers. The Christian understanding of repentance offers us a redemptive pathway to transformation and new life. Support the show

God invites us to share life with himselfSupport the show

Grounded in the Exodus narrative, the Ten Commandments are not mere abstract rules but a vital part of a larger story of liberation and covenantal relationship between God and humanity. The Ten Commandments  are gifts from God designed to lead humanity toward flourishing and abundant life; guides for living in alignment with God's covenant of grace, fostering faithful and courageous living.Support the show

In scripture-- and in our everyday lives-- names reflect identity and purpose. Abraham, originally named Abram, is promised by God to be the ancestor of a multitude of nations, with his name changed to reflect this new identity.Despite Abraham's moments of doubt and wavering faith, God's steadfast love and promise remain unchanged. Abraham's journey of faith is a model for believers today, even in the midst of struggles and uncertainties that accompany the Christian walk.Through Abraham's story, we are reminded that God's faithful action secures our future, allowing us to live confidently and responsibly in response to God's promiseSupport the show

God's covenant with Noah and all creation is grounded in a unilateral promise: a commitment to never again destroy the earth with a flood. Through the symbol of the rainbow, God demonstrates vulnerability and a willingness to risk all for love.Love demands sacrifices and risks, whether it's enduring sleepless nights for a sick child or intervening in a friend's destructive behavior. Just as God takes risks in his covenant with humanity, humans are called to sacrificial love, dying to themselves daily in the flood-like waters of baptism.Support the show

Paul's message to the Corinthians emphasizes the importance of embracing the present moment. There are real obstacles to a deeper life with God, both obvious and subtle. This Lenten season is a time to simplify, focus, and make room for Jesus and the transformative power of his presence. Support the show

Jesus not only provides for physical needs but also sees and responds to the deeper desires of our hearts. Jesus' ministry is about far more than mere provision for our needs, but about giving us extravagant joy and fulfillment beyond all our expectations.Support the show

Mark tells us that Jesus taught as one with authority...even though we do not actually hear the CONTENT of his teaching. That's because Jesus' authority comes not from somewhere else, but is rooted in his own identity. Our call as disciples is to move beyond mere recognition of Jesus' authority to a transformative recognition of his power and goodness.Support the show

Samuel's journey, like ours, involves navigating the mystery of God's work in our lives.Support the show

Mark narrates the furious energy of Jesus' ministry, from right out of the gates. Support the show

John the Baptizer demonstrates the posture we ought to adopt as witnesses to Jesus. Support the show

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When the world as we know it ends...God has new beginnings in store.Support the show

The story we tell ourselves about the world shapes the way that we live. Far from extolling the Protestant work ethic in the parable he tells in our gospel lesson, Jesus calls us to imagine what it would look like for each of us to live  out of God's rich abundance. To step out boldly, trusting that our gracious God will support us  and give us everything we need. Support the show

People in our era often give gifts in a calculated way,  to organizations that promise not to deepen human solidarity, or to grow in our relationship with God, but to remake the world according to a certain ideology. People often give, in other words, to exert control. And paradoxically, their giving is actually not a gift at all because it always has strings attached. By contrast, in the Old Testament, giving is a means to build solidarity in the human community and to honor the Lord, who loves his whole creation. In similar fashion, if you look at Jesus' instructions and the early church practices on giving away wealth, it's all about putting one's whole trust in the Lord. We give as a way of declaring our ultimate trust in God, and our desire to deepen our relationships with one another.Support the show

What does it mean to be of one mind? Does it mean to have no thoughts and ideas of our own? To submit to tyranny? For Paul, it means to live in such a way that we demonstrate the reality that God has made himself known to us in community-- a Bonhoeffer pithy puts it, that "Jesus Christ exists as community." Support the show

Today's parable isn't trying to give us a  lesson about increasing workplace productivity. Instead, it's trying to teach us about the logic of the kingdom of heaven. What is it like being a part of God's kingdom?Support the show

Though we often feel like justice and mercy are at odds with each other, mercy and forgiveness are means by which we pursue the justice that only God can bring. Support the show

What do we do when, faithfully answering God's call on our lives, we suffer and face resistance? Jeremiah gives us a realistic picture of what that suffering looks like. But he also presents us a portrait of what it looks like to remain connected to the Lord in an abiding friendship rooted in love and delight.Support the show

Our status as "children of God" is not ours by nature. It is a free act of God for us. We are initiated into a new story, given every good gift, brought into a new story that is larger than what we could imagine or create for ourselves!Support the show

Jesus' resurrection frees us to live in the power and love of God. Not just in the future, but NOW.Jesus' resurrection is icon & testament to God's power at work in our present world, infected as it may be with sin and death. That power is enacted in OUR lives through the work of the Holy Spirit.Support the show

Paul sees sin as a powerful cosmic force that has enslaved all of creation. But it's not simply external to us. And the conflict between God and the forces of sin plays out WITHIN each one of us. Sin distorts our vision, warps our will, and like a malfunctioning steering wheel, pulls us constantly off course.What are we to do? Support the show

It's breathtaking— even OFFENSIVE to us— that Paul insists that, like slaves, our identity, our purpose in life, our goals, our success, our very bodies, as baptized Christians, are dependent upon someone who is our master.But all the same. Here it is. In scripture. And despite the challenge and the offense, this image is good news for us. Because, ultimately, it's only our TOTAL belonging to God, body & soul. It's only our complete service to the Lord. That makes it possible for us to  be free from a life of sin. Free to serve as messengers of Jesus' love.Support the show

The apostle Paul reminds us that we are participants in a cosmic drama that has eternal significance for all creation. Through our baptism, God has joined each one of us to the death of Jesus Christ, so that we in turn can share in the resurrection life of Jesus. Support the show

Jesus is never nearer to us than when we are desperately in need of him.Support the show

Today our church celebrates the feast of the Ascension, which is, believe it or not, one of the high holy days for Christians. And on this day, in particular, we remember that the resurrected Jesus, never again to die, now reigns over the universe at the right hand of God the Father. The ascension not about Jesus going away. But the mode of his presence with us changing. So that he can be present with us—and for us— in a more intimate and powerful way. Support the show

The message of the gospel. The good news that God has spoken— and continues to speak to us— through a human person is scandalous and offensive to our innate religious sensibilities.I don't know about you, but I tend to think that communion with the capital “D” Divine means shaking off this mortal coil, leaving behind the ordinary, everyday matters of life:Climbing the mountain, going on pilgrimage, being a different person.But the incarnation of God, in Mary's boy, born under scandalous circumstances, to a couple in conflict, in a world situation about as far from ideal as has ever been in human history.This is how God comes to us. And the message of the gospel for you and me today is this: God comes to us today in the ordinary beauty of our lives.Support the show

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Our call as God's people is to cultivate a vision of life transformed by the Lord. Where are the dead and barren places in our lives, and how is God at work bringing new life to these places? What will creation transformed look like? How can we cultivate hope through a holy imagination?Support the show

Second in a series titled "Loving Jesus"Support the show

God won't stop at anything less than complete transformation of the world, putting things back to the way he intended them to be from the very beginning. And we see a vision of this transformation in the poetry of Isaiah—lambs lying down with wolves and babies playing with snakes. Support the show

First in a series titled "Loving Jesus"Support the show

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Everyone has something to contribute to the life of the Christian community! This isn't an argument grounded in arguments about economics, politics, or philosophy about human nature. It's an argument rooted in the person & work of Jesus Christ. Each baptized person has something to give, and in giving, the powerful love of Jesus is made known to the world.Support the show

In Christ, there is always enough for you and for me.The promise of Zaccheus is that ANYONE who desires it will see Jesus and be transformed!Support the show

Paul is confident and joyful in the face of death, not because he's done anything so great. But because he sees his life as a gift given for the life of the world. God wants us to see our lives in like fashion-- as gifts to be poured out for others.Support the show

Jeremiah pronounces a promise of hope: God's promise not just to tweak this sinful world or to make minor adjustments to our attitudes, or to change our minds about some important facts. No. God promises remake us from the inside out. Support the show

Today's lesson is not a lesson on manners. It's a call to see Jesus for who he really is. When we do see him, we will want to draw near to him. And we'll be unable to do anything but give thanks to him for all he's done, is doing, and promises yet to do!Support the show

Jesus is telling  you and me today: “Be more like the crooked bookkeeper. Sense the urgency of the times. Be energetic and creative with your resources—not for your own interests but for the purpose of God's reign!”Support the show

We have much to do, individually and corporately: jobs, caring for our families, a broken & sin sick world to reach with Jesus' love and healing. The earliest disciples of Jesus had much to do, too: Sick people to heal.  Despondent to reach with the life-giving power of the gospel. Lost people to search out.  Like us, these disciples felt the pressure  of all those heavy tasks.  And they frequently screwed up, failed, fell short of their call.  But for all my searching, I have yet to find an instance in the gospels  where the Lord Jesus chides them  for not doing enough.  The task to which he call and re-calls them, again and again. Is faith. Trust.  Belief in his life giving power and divine direction.  He reminds the disciples over & over,  and he is reminding us today that we need not fear being lost  when our hearts find their rest in him.Support the show