Lent

Managing Expectations - sermon Palm Sunday 2024

Jesus is brought into Jerusalem by the crowd who is filled with expectations, hopes, and dreams for Jesus to the next King, starter of a revolution. The problem is, that's their idea of Jesus, not what he told them he was. So often we project our expectations onto others, instead of letting them be to us who they are. By Pastor Lars Hammar. Palm Sunday, 2024

Crossing the Deep

The scariest thing to step out and do is often to examine yourself is true honesty. As Peter began to fear when he stepped out of the boat to see Jesus, so we often avoid the deepest connections with Jesus because we're afraid to open up about what we have inside. Second Sunday in Lent. By Pastor Lars Hammar

artwork by @sanctifiedart.org

 

“Lift Off” by Rev. Nicolette Penaranda of sanctifiedart.org

Wilderness Rebirth - sermon March 5, 2023

When we go into the wilderness, both literally and figuratively, we move outside of our areas of expertise, and into a new place where we have to start over, unlearn and relearn, and let go of being the expert. This is what Jesus is talking about when he tells us we need to be reborn in the Spirit - to let go of being the expert about God, and letting God teach us. By Pastor Lars Hammar

Anointing - sermon for April 3, 2022

What would you do if you only had a few days left with a person who had saved your brother's life? Would you throw a party? Do something to show your gratitude? And if you did, would you worry about the cost? A look at the story of Mary anointing Jesus' feet with perfume, and the importance of living generously and graciously. By Pastor Lars Hammar.

John 12:1-8

1Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 2There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. 3Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, 5“Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?” 6(He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) 7Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. 8You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.”

Tragedy and Power - sermon March 20, 2022

When Jesus is asked if the people who got their blood mixed in with some pagan sacrifices made by Pontius Pilate, Jesus understands that the real question is if they can feel smugly confident that their avoidance of the tragedy is proof of their moral superiority. Instead, Jesus flips it back on them and shows that they would be better to examine themselves. By Pastor Lars Hammar. March 20, 2022.

Luke 13:1-9

1At that very time there were some present who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.2[Jesus] asked them, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans?3No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. 4Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them—do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem? 5No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did.”
  6Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. 7So he said to the gardener, ‘See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?’ 8He replied, ‘Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it. 9If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’ ”

Invitation as Radical Act - sermon March 13, 2022

When we receive an invitation from someone, we're being welcomed into their lives, into their homes. To accept that is to say that they are worth the time and the presence. In a world where our personal lives are bounded by social boundaries, invitations and receptions can be an act of affirming others and repudiating artificial boundaries between us. By Pastor Lars Hammar. Based on Luke 14:15-24

Luke 14:15-24

 15 One of the dinner guests, on hearing this, said to him, "Blessed is anyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!" 16 Then Jesus said to him, "Someone gave a great dinner and invited many. 17 At the time for the dinner he sent his slave to say to those who had been invited, 'Come; for everything is ready now.' 18 But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, 'I have bought a piece of land, and I must go out and see it; please accept my regrets.' 19 Another said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to try them out; please accept my regrets.' 20 Another said, 'I have just been married, and therefore I cannot come.' 21 So the slave returned and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and said to his slave, 'Go out at once into the streets and lanes of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.' 22 And the slave said, 'Sir, what you ordered has been done, and there is still room.' 23 Then the master said to the slave, 'Go out into the roads and lanes, and compel people to come in, so that my house may be filled. 24 For I tell you, none of those who were invited will taste my dinner.'"

The Ordinariness of Jesus' Death - Good Friday sermon

Unlike how we see it depicted in movies, Jesus’ death was probably not the grand event that captivated the whole nation and had crowds and crowds out to see. In fact, in the Roman Empire, killing people who were threats to the social order was very common, routine, and done on a daily basis. Pontius Pilate, who had the final say over Jesus’ execution, was a ruthless killer who could take out hundreds or thousands at a time without remorse. What should shock us about the cross is that it is both horrifying in its cruelty, and ordinary in its execution. By Pastor Lars Hammar

What if It Didn't Happen for a Reason?

The crucifixion of Jesus is something we have struggled to find a purpose for, to explain it in a way that makes sense. But maybe we take away from the real meaning of the cross when we try to explain it, instead of allowing the tragedy of it all to be the meaning. The last in the sermon series on the Passion Story in the Gospel of John. By Pastor Lars Hammar.

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Good Guys and Bad Guys

Hollywood makes its movies with conflicts between "good guys" you root for and "bad guys" you can't sympathize with. But in the real world we have mixed motivations, personal histories, and systems of power that don't always make the moral choice easy. In our struggle to find the "bad guy" in the story of Jesus' trial, we miss the larger point about all the actors being both sinners and saints in an unjust world.

Fourth in the sermon series on The Passion Story of Jesus in the Gospel of John. By Pastor Lars Hammar.

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The False Appeal of Barabbas - sermon - March 7

We imagine that if we were in the crowd, and had to choose between Jesus the Messiah and Barabbas the killer, that it would be an easy choice. But the people chose the criminal, and we need to know the appeal of revenge, pride, and getting even that he promised - instead of Jesus' Kingdom of God. By Pastor Lars Hammar. March 7, 2021

Third in the sermon series on The Passion Story in the Gospel of John.

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Talking Back - sermon Feb 28

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If the Gospel message were simply that we should do what we're told and follow the rules and we'll get to go to heaven, the powers would never have tried to kill Jesus. Rediscover the Jesus who challenges authorities and provides a different meaning to "follow your cross". Second in the sermon series on the passion story in the Gospel of John. By Pastor Lars Hammar.

19 Then the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and about his teaching. 20 Jesus answered, "I have spoken openly to the world; I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all the Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret. 21 Why do you ask me? Ask those who heard what I said to them; they know what I said." 22 When he had said this, one of the police standing nearby struck Jesus on the face, saying, "Is that how you answer the high priest?" 23 Jesus answered, "If I have spoken wrongly, testify to the wrong. But if I have spoken rightly, why do you strike me?" 24 Then Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest. - John 18:19-24

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