Numbers 21:4-9 Ephesians 2:1-10 John 3:14-21 Jeff Davidson The comedian Norm MacDonald has a shaggy dog story that he sometimes tells. I’m going to do a very, very shortened version of it here. A moth visits a podiatrist’s office. The podiatrist says, “What can I do for you today?” The moth says, “Doc, my life…
Tag: life
NO CROSS, NO CROWN
Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16; Romans 4:13-25, Mark 8:31-38 Micah Bales When I first read through the scripture readings for this Sunday, it wasn’t immediately clear to me how our gospel reading relates to the passage from Genesis. The story of Abraham and Sarah seems to be all about God bestowing unconditional blessing and abundance on…
EVERYONE, COME TO THE FASTING PARTY!
Joel 2:1-2, 12-17, Mark 1:9-15, Luke 18:9-14 Jennifer Hosler A Plant Geek Last week, I was talking with someone about the plants I have in my garden. I mentioned the different herbs that I grow and how my bay leaf tree has survived several years, even though it is not technically zoned for our city….
UP AND DOWN
Mark 9:2-9 Jeff Davidson What was the best day of your life? Was it the day you got that puppy or kitten for Christmas? Was it the day you graduated from high school, or from college? Was it the day you got married? The day your first child was born? The day you got the…
IF I PROCLAIM
Isaiah 40:21-31, 1 Corinthians 9:16-23, Mark 1:29-39 Nathan Hosler Directly before our passage is Paul’s discussion of meat sacrificed to idols. Though there is freedom to eat, this freedom is qualified by the higher priority of the spiritual well-being of others. Jenn preached on this last week. In this the Apostle considers food sacrificed to…
JESUS, MEAT, AND VEGGIES
Deut. 18:15-20; Mark 1:21-28; 1 Cor. 8:1-13 Jennifer Hosler How do we show love? Sometimes, it’s by holding back on the meat. Across the US, traditionally, meat and potatoes or meat and some other starch, are ubiquitous on the table. Many of our folks in this congregation come from places like Missouri or central Pennsylvania—traditionally…
STARTLING, UNEXPECTED, STRANGE
Luke 1:26-38; Luke 1:46b-55 Jennifer Hosler The fourth Sunday in Advent Last year at this time, our nephew was acting in a stage production of It’s a Wonderful Life. The theatre version was not a typical re-enactment – but was re-framed as a live, 1940s radio production, complete with sound effects created by Foley artists….
JUSTICE IS COMING (IT IS JESUS)
Human Rights Sunday 2 Peter 3:8-15a, Isaiah 40:1-11 Nate Hosler The second Sunday in Advent Anticipation. Waiting. Agonizing? Uncertain. Advent—waiting for the promised One. On Thursday we rose early for our 3-4 hour drive and hit the road. Rutted. Through dry, mostly flat land with low trees except for the palms. Security checkpoints with men with…
TANGIBLE FAITH (OIL, SONG, AND PRAYER)
James 5:13-20; John 9:1-12 Jennifer Hosler This is the tenth and final sermon in our sermon series on the book of James. Since it is Thanksgiving weekend, it would be rather appropriate to start my sermon with some gratitude. I’m thankful for many things but one which came to mind is my fantastic and caring…
YOU ARE MISTY
James 4:13-5:6, Job 38:4-21 Nate Hosler This is the eighth sermon in our sermon series on the book of James. Due to technical difficulties, there is currently no audio for this sermon. Writing this, I was sitting on the Mount of Beatitudes overlooking the Sea of Galilee. Below me closer to the water on my…
Washington City Church of the Brethren 