Two Sermons: "Lord, Save Us From Our Exile!" and "Lord, Save Us From Our Excess!"

It's a sign of how busy this season gets for pastors that I didn't get to post my 12/11 sermon last week, so this week I'm posting the last two sermons in our Advent series focusing on Lamentations. Also note that I'm including the Advent Wreath readings for these two weeks; they give us a message of hope after the sermon points out our need for a savior.

"Lord, Save Us From Our Exile!"
Reading: Lamentations 3:1-24; Isaiah 9:1-7
Click here to view a manuscript of this sermon (.pdf).
Click here to download a recording of this sermon.
Click here to view the Advent reading accompanying this sermon (.pdf).
Preached on December 11, 2011 at PLWC.


"Lord, Save Us From Our Excess!"
Reading: Lamentations 4:1-22, 5:19-22; Isaiah 60:1-5, 10-11
Click here to view a manuscript of this sermon (.pdf).
Click here to download a recording of this sermon.
Click here to view the Advent reading accompanying this sermon (.pdf).
Preached on December 18, 2011 at PLWC.

Lord, Save Us From Our Enemy!

Reading: Lamentations 2; Isaiah 40:1-11

This is the second sermon in our Advent series using the book of Lamentations to call us to examine our need for a savior. I for one find it a little shocking how Jeremiah speaks of God as the people's enemy in Lamentations 2, but it's certainly a powerful statement on the effects of sin in our lives.

Also, note that I've added a link below for the Advent reading that accompanies this sermon.

Click here to view a manuscript of this sermon (.pdf).
Click here to download a recording of this sermon.
Click here to view the Advent reading accompanying this sermon (.pdf).

Preached on December 4, 2011 at PLWC.

Two sermons: "Healing We Don't Deserve" and "Lord, Save Us From Our Desolation!"

I'm posting two sermons here since I didn't post anything during the week of Thanksgiving. We'll start with the oldest first, the sermon for Christ the King Sunday which concluded our series on healing. One of the most potent demonstrations of the Lordship of Jesus Christ is found in this shocking call to love our enemies.

Reading: Genesis 16:1-13; Luke 6:17-38
Click here to view a manuscript of this sermon (.pdf).
Click here to download a recording of this sermon.
Preached on November 20, 2011 at PLWC.

This first week of Advent begins a new and somewhat unconventional series for us. Advent is a season of expectation and preparation, and so this year we'll be drawing our theme from the book of Lamentations, in which the people of Israel lament the destruction and exile that resulted from their sin. Their need for a savior was literally right in front of their faces, and so we'll be entering ourselves into their story during Advent to recognize our own sin and need for a savior. Note that each sermon during this series will be accompanied by an Advent reading; the sermon calls us to repentance and confronts us with our sin, while the Advent reading proclaims the promise of a coming savior.


Reading: Lamentations 1, Isaiah 54:1-10
Click here to view a manuscript of this sermon (.pdf).
Click here to download a recording of this sermon.
Click here to view the Advent reading accompanying this sermon (.pdf).
Preached on November 27, 2011 at PLWC.

Holy Week Sermons: "How Did We Come to This?" and "There is Joy Here"

I preached two sermons last week, since we had the privilege of hosting the churches of the ecumenical council for this year's Good Friday service. The first is, of course, the Good Friday sermon, followed by our Easter sermon.

"How Did We Come to This?"

Preached on Friday, April 22 at the Ecumenical Good Friday service at PLWC.

Reading: John 18-19

Click here to view a manuscript of this sermon (.pdf).

Click here to download a recording of this sermon.

"There is Joy Here"

Preached on Sunday, April 24 at PWLC.

Reading: Luke 24:1-35

Click here to view a manuscript of this sermon (.pdf).

Click here to download a recording of this sermon.

Church Words: Sin

Reading: Romans 3:9-26

Our next "church word" is a pretty important one, and one that too many people laugh at: sin.

Click here to view a manuscript of this sermon.

Preached on July 18, 2010 at PLWC.

God With US

Reading: Genesis 4:1-16

This week, the week of Christmas, I preached on one of the least Christmasy stories I could think of, mostly because it's the sort of story we've got to understand if we're going to understand Christmas.

Click here to view a manuscript of this sermon.

Preached on December 20, 2009 at PLWC.

Human Characters

Reading: Judges 4:1-7, 5:28-31

This was the last Sunday I'll be preaching before Advent -- Carey and I will be on vacation next week -- and since Advent is supposed to be about waiting for the Messiah, this sermon got us ready by reminding us of our need for a Messiah. The lectionary gave us a text from the book of Judges, and if Judges teaches us anything, it's how screwed up things can get apart from God.

Click here to view a manuscript of this sermon.

Preached on November 16, 2008 at PLWC.