Author Archive
March 2, 2014 – Matthew 17:1-9
Matthew 17:1-9 Transformed Glory Transfiguration Sunday – March 2, 2014 First Lutheran Church – Winnipeg, MB The transfiguration on the mountain is one of those once in a lifetime Technicolor events. You have to realize that for the disciples, up until this moment, life with Jesus has been pretty down-to-earth, and a lot of […]
February 23, 2014 – Matthew 5:38-48
Matthew 5:38-48 Grow Up! 7th Sunday after Epiphany – February 23rd, 2014 First Lutheran Church – Winnipeg, MB The Shock Rocker (and, I believe, son of a Lutheran pastor) Alice Cooper, once said: Drinking beer is easy. Trashing your hotel room is easy. But being a Christian, that’s a tough call. That’s rebellion. […]
February 9, 2014 – Matthew 5:13-20
Matthew 5:13-20 Salt for the Whole Earth, Light for the Whole World Fifth Sunday after Epiphany – February 9, 2014 First Lutheran Church – Winnipeg, MB Why do we like salt so much? What is it about salt? When I think about salt, what I think is: salt intensifies the flavour of whatever you […]
February 2, 2014 – Matthew 5:1-12
Matthew 5:1-12 Blessed are You 4th Sunday after Epiphany – February 2, 2014 First Lutheran Church – Winnipeg, MB These opening lines of Jesus’ first sermon in Matthew seem hard to understand. What could Jesus possibly mean? Blessed are the poor in spirit? Blessed are those who mourn? Blessed are those who are persecuted? […]
January 26, 2014 – Matthew 4:12-23
Matthew 4:12-23 The Unexpected Third Sunday after Epiphany – January 26, 2014 First Lutheran Church – Winnipeg, MB If we were coming to this story of Jesus for the first time, what would we expect to happen? The mighty Son of God comes among us to fix a broken world! Wise men from the […]
January 19, 2014 – John 1:29-42
John 1:29-42 The Power of Invitation Second Sunday after Epiphany – January 19, 2014 First Lutheran Church – Winnipeg, MB This is how the ministry of Jesus begins in John’s Gospel. Not with a big whoop but with some simple invitations. This is how the world begins to change according to John: through the power […]
January 12, 2014 (Baptism of Our Lord) Matthew 3:13-17
Matthew 3:13-17 Remember Your Baptism Baptism of Our Lord – January 12, 2014 First Lutheran Church – Winnipeg, MB There’s a dramatic moment in Martin Luther’s life when he was kidnapped by his own friends, and taken to the famous Wartburg Castle for safe-keeping. There was a price on his head and so […]
January 5, 2014 (Second Sunday of Christmas) John 1:1-18
John 1:1-18 John’s Christmas Story – Our Christmas Story – Ruby’s Christmas Story Second Sunday of Christmas – January 5, 2014 First Lutheran Church – Winnipeg, MB John’s Gospel doesn’t know anything about Christmas. Or rather, it doesn’t know about Bethlehem and the stable and the angels and the shepherds and the wise […]
December 29, 2013 (First Sunday of Christmas) Matthew 2:13-23
Matthew 2:13-23 God of Refugees, God of Refuge First Sunday of Christmas – December 29, 2013 First Lutheran Church – Winnipeg, MB This is a hard text to read on the First Sunday of Christmas. And of course this is a hard text to read anytime. The child Jesus and his parents are forced […]
Christmas Eve – December 24, 2013, Luke 2:1-20
Luke 2:1-20 The Church You Can Eat Christmas Eve – December 24, 2013 First Lutheran Church – Winnipeg, MB You’ve come on an amazing day for First Lutheran Church. This is surely the first – and maybe the only time – you will ever see a replica of First Lutheran Church made out […]
