Jesus – Page 2

Cannibal Christians?

By MichaelSermonsBible, Bible Study, Community, Eucharist, God's Purpose, Gods Will, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Miracles, Mystery, Presence of God

From 1978 to 1991, there was an active serial killer in the United States who would eat the body parts of his victims after he had murdered them. Most of you are old enough to remember this being plastered across the news because one of his intended victims escaped, and then the police began to investigate. When the police entered this man’s home, they found human body parts, wrapped up in butcher paper, and neatly stacked in the refrigerator and the freezer, awaiting a future meal.

When asked why he had killed so many people, the man said that he was incredibly lonely. And by killing these people and consuming their flesh, he felt that they would become a part of him. And if they became a part of him, then they would be with him forever.

Now, I can tell by some of your faces that you find this scenario pretty disgusting, and outrageous. Incomprehensible even. For those of us of sane mind and sound body.

I want you to remember this feeling.

Who’s Your Timmy?

By MichaelSermonsComplaining, Control, Doubt, Faith, Faith in Action, Grumbling, Jesus, Judging, Power, Sacrifice

“I remember his parents, and how he got lost in Jerusalem when he was 12! They had to come back and find him!”

“I remember one time he built a table with one short leg, and it used to wobble constantly!”

“Come on now! This cannot be the Messiah! I used to babysit him!”

The Food That Endures

By MichaelSermonsBread of Life, Discipleship, Doubt, Eternal Life, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Miracles, Presence of God, Saints, Self-Examination, Suffering

So, what Jesus is saying to them here is basically, you are not looking for me because you saw the signs and recognized that I am the Messiah. You are only looking for me because of what I did for you, and what you think I can do for you in the future. You’re not concerned about me as God’s Chosen, you’re concerned about me as your meal ticket, your provider of the miraculous, your servant who does what you want.

Who Is This Guy?

By MichaelSermonsFaith, Faith in Action, Fear, Jesus, Miracles

It is interesting to note, in this story of the disciples and Jesus on a boat, crossing a lake, that Jesus asks the question, “Why are you afraid?” He does not tell his disciples that there is nothing to be afraid of.

This world has many things that can terrify us. This world has very real things that can harm us, and things that we really should be frightened of. And then, there are things that we fear that are purely imagined.

Jumping Out of the Nest

By MichaelSermonsDisciples, Discipleship, Faith, Faith in Action, God, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Pentecost

But Pentecost is not only called the Birthday of the Church because so many people were added to the group of believers, but because there was a drastic change in the disciples themselves. And because this change in the disciples changed how the group of believers structured themselves.

That Your Joy May Be Complete

By MichaelSermonsDisciples, Discipleship, Faith in Action, Fear, Gods Plan, Gods Will, Jesus, Judgment, Love, Loving God, Loving Neighbor

So, what God is saying is that our Joy will attain the purpose that God has intended for us, if – and when – we love one another. It’s a very simple commandment, but it is not always easy to implement.

In the sermon on the mount, Jesus had even told his disciples to “Love their enemies,” and to “Pray for those that persecute you.” Very simple commandments, but once again, not at all easy to implement. Love God, Love your neighbor, Love one another, Love even your enemies. Jesus would not have told us – his disciples – to love our enemies unless he knew that the command to love those who didn’t love us would bring us joy.

Children of God

By MichaelSermonsBaptism, Beloved Community, Disciples, Discipleship, Faith in Action, Fear, God, Grace, Hate, Identity, Jesus, Love, Loving Neighbor, Racism

Our New Testament reading today begins with the words, “See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are.” Through our baptism, we have been made a part of a heavenly family: we have been adopted into the family of God. And, as Children of God, we have now inherited all the benefits that are due to those who look to God as a parent, and Christ as a brother. We are no longer just Americans, or Chinese, Brazilian or Latvian, German or Canadian. We are first, and foremost, citizens of the New Jerusalem, citizens of heaven, the Holy City of God. We are children of a family that transcends time and space, race and ethnicity, boundaries and borders.

What Are You Looking For?

By MichaelSermonsCross, Easter, Faith, Fear, God, Gods Will, Jesus, Love, Miracles, Resurrection, Sin, Son of God

Imagine the amount of fear and dread that the disciples would be facing when they realized that Jesus’ body was missing.

Imagine the questions that must have come through their minds at first with the most obvious one being: Did we come to the right tomb?

First they question themselves, and then, in anger, they question others.

While We Were Still Sinners

By MichaelSermonsCross, Faith, God, Jesus, Lent, Love, Palm Sunday, Sacrifice, Self-Examination, Sin

It’s easy for us to look past our own sinfulness and blame those who were there at the time calling for his death, and to see ourselves as innocent.

It’s easy for us to look past our own sinfulness and focus on the resurrection and see only the benefits that Jesus’ death on the cross brings to us.

It’s easy to look past our own sinfulness and see this week of Jesus’ passion as merely an intellectual exercise in theology and the cycles of the church year.

For God So Loved

By MichaelSermonsCulture, Discipleship, Division, Divisions, Evangelism, Faith in Action, God, Hate, Jesus, Love, Loving Neighbor, Others, Politics, Sin

You may see the Rose colored stole this morning. Rather than wearing the typical Lenten purple, this Sunday, called “Laetare” Sunday, we wear a Rose colored stole. This Sunday is supposed to give us a moment when we can step back a bit from our Lenten disciplines and live in the joy of our salvation. The Latin word “Laetare” means “Rejoice!”

The Gospel this morning gives us the reason for our rejoicing. Today we read the much quoted line in scripture that says, “God so loved the world that he sent his only son that people might not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Tag: Jesus