Category Archives: Sermons

Lent 4A 2026

2 Replies

Somewhere in my sermon archives, there should be a message based on John 9:1-41, the healing of the man born blind. But there isn’t. For whatever reason, whenever this passage came up in the lectionary cycle during my preaching years, I didn’t preach on it. Sometimes there was a guest preacher that Sunday. Sometimes I preached on Psalm 23, God With Us. I have sermons on Blind Bartimeus in Mark’s gospel. But nothing on the man born blind from John’s gospel. I guess you could call it a “blind spot” in my sermon planning.

So if you are looking for sermon help this week, I’m sorry to disappoint you. Here’s what I can offer: some questions to get you thinking. For example,

  1. In John’s gospel, Jesus doesn’t perform miracles; he gives “signs.” Signs are guideposts for those who see them. Ponder the irony in this particular “sign.” Who gets to see God at work in this story, and who remains blind to God’s grace? (What’s wrong with this picture?)
  2. Jesus often uses blindness or darkness as a metaphor for spiritual lack of understanding about the Kingdom of God. How do we miss what Jesus wants us to see as we follow him?
  3. There’s a lot of repetition in this story. The no-longer-blind man (who never gets named) has to repeat himself several times, to different authorities. He even gets a little cheeky (“I’ve already told you! Do you want to become this man’s disciples, too?”) Look at the words and phrases that keep showing up. What important message do you see here?
  4. If you don’t sing “Amazing Grace” this Sunday in worship, be sure to sing it to yourself as you ponder this text, which brings me to …
  5. This would be a great way to introduce a congregation to the spiritual disciplines of Lectio Divina and Visio Divina, spiritual reading and spiritual pondering of visual art – such as painting, sculpture, or stained glass windows.

God be with you on your Lenten Journey!

Preaching in Eastertide – Year B

Leave a reply

I’m a lectionary preacher, but that doesn’t mean I preach the same text every three years. The sermon getting the most hits this week for the Second Sunday in Easter comes from a series I preached on 1 John back in 2015. You can find “Living in the Light” here.

If you are more interested in a sermon from the Gospel of John for this Sunday, here’s the link to “Without A Doubt” originally from 2014, but an updated (and better, in my humble opinion) version of that same message for 2017 is “So You Might Believe”.

This year, I will be preaching a series on the readings from Acts, which replace the Old Testament readings during Eastertide. I developed this series specifically for interim ministry, to help churches in transition “get their acts together” as they move forward into a new season. I will be updating each sermon in the week before I preach it, so the links below will get you to the most recent version of each message.

Whichever lectionary strand you choose, I hope God’s Word is illuminated by what you read here, and your own walk with Jesus is enriched. Blessings on your Eastertide!

Getting Our Acts Together: All Things In Common (Acts 4:32-35 for Easter 2B)

Getting Our Acts Together: Why Do You Wonder? (Acts 3:12-19 for Easter 3B)

Getting Our Acts Together: Cornerstone (Acts 4:5-12 for Easter 4B)

Getting Our Acts Together: Four Questions (Acts 8:26-40 for Easter 5B)

Getting Our Acts Together: Astounded by Grace (Acts 10:44-48 for Easter 6B)

Getting Our Acts Together: Right Here, Right Now (Acts 1:1-11 for Easter 7B/Ascension)

Measure for Measure – Sermon on Matthew 7:1-6

4 Replies

Preached at Hilltop UMC Mankato, June 25, 2023

Let’s start with a Pop Quiz! This one is called, “Who Said It?” These are all quotes by famous theologians, on the topic of judging others. Ready? Here we go!
Question number one:

Continue reading →

Fourth Sunday after Pentecost, Year A

Leave a reply

Dear Lectionary Preachers,

I’m sorry but I can’t help you with the Gospel this Sunday. There is nothing in my archives. In 2014 I preached the Epistle passage from Romans. In 2017, I was taking the vacation I would otherwise lose. In 2020, I was between appointments. So the files are empty for Matthew 10:24-39. And that’s a shame, because it’s a great text. Maybe someday I will get to preach it.

In the meantime, I will be posting a sermon later this week on Matthew 7:1-6, where Jesus says “Don’t be so judgy!” And the Saturday Prayer will be up as usual. God be with you as you prepare to share the Good News!

In Christ’s Peace,

Jo Anne

Trouble Enough – Sermon on Matthew 6:24-34

Leave a reply

When you lie awake at night, what is it you worry about?
Your children?
Your parents?
Your ever-growing “To Do” list?
The bills you need to pay?
Whether you have enough to feed and clothe your family, buy gas, pay your taxes, make your car payment, pay the rent or the mortgage? Save for retirement?

We are often preoccupied with the basic question: Do I have enough? And if not, how can I get more, so I will have enough? A recent study shows that most of us worry about money. A lot.

Continue reading →

Growing Pains: A Sermon from the Book of Acts

Leave a reply

This sermon was preached for Winthrop Evangelical Covenant Church on October 23, 2022, as part of a series on Understanding the New Testament. A video of this message is available here.

Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ. It’s an honor to be with you today, as you continue your journey through scripture to discover God’s great plan of redemption. God is on a mission to redeem the world, and God is fulfilling that mission through the church, in the power of the Holy Spirit.

So, to recap the last few weeks, or bring you up to date if you are joining us now for the first time, we know that:

Continue reading →

Rocky Road – Wednesday of Holy Week

1 Reply

Read Psalm 70 and John 13:21-32

The farmer from North Dakota shook his head as he looked out the bus window. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many rocks,” he said. We were in the middle of day three of our pilgrimage to the Holy Land, and I realized a farmer from North Dakota probably had a unique view of the landscape of Israel.

Rocks mean work. Rocks must be cleared before plowing and planting can happen. And the farmer was right: rocks were everywhere we looked. In the Parable of the Sower, Jesus talked about seed landing on rocky soil. Here was clear evidence that Jesus used common experience to get through to his listeners. They would have known exactly what he meant by “rocky soil.” Rocks dotted every green hillside, every lush valley. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many rocks.

The season of Lent is nearing its end. We often describe the season of Lent as a journey toward the Cross, a path we follow to become more faithful disciples of Jesus Christ.

But that path can be a rocky one. Judas had a hard time keeping up, because Jesus wasn’t going the direction Judas thought he should. Judas stumbled over his own ideas about what Messiah should be. In the end, it cost him everything.

The roads Jesus walked were not always smoothly paved. When we choose to follow Jesus, we accept the challenge of walking where we might not otherwise want to go. The season of Lent gives us an opportunity to examine our hearts, and to recommit ourselves to the Way of the Cross. This Way is often steep and difficult to follow. It may be littered with rocks that can trip us up if we aren’t careful. But Jesus leads us on, giving us sure footing if we look to him.

Will you join the journey to the Cross, and learn what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ?

“Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.” – Matthew 11:6

Original artwork by Rev. Chris Suerdieck, used with permission.

Welcome to Holy Week 2022 – Palm Sunday

Leave a reply

Read Luke 19:29-44.

Luke’s gospel doesn’t include waving palms or shouts of “Hosanna!” in the story of Christ’s entry into Jerusalem. I mentioned in the Palm Sunday sermon that the story we know can make it hard for us to accept the story we hear. But what about the other stories that are happening at the same time?

For example, it might be important for us to know there were two parades into Jerusalem that day. While Jesus entered Jerusalem from the east, approaching the Temple from the Mount of Olives, Herod entered the city from the west, demonstrating his military strength and allegiance to Rome.

Throughout this coming week, you will need to make some choices. Which parade will you join? Which leader will you follow? Each day this week, I will post a scripture passage to read, a short devotional, and original artwork generously shared by Methodist pastor Chris Suerdieck. May your Holy Week devotions bring you nearer to Christ.

Art by Rev. Chris Suerdieck, used with permission.

Unbinding Your Heart: A Converted Community – sermon on Acts 2:14, 32-39

Leave a reply

March 13, 2022 – Lent 2C
Video

The story of Pentecost boggles our minds to this day. In Acts 2, we read about how the Holy Spirit comes and touches all of the disciples. They suddenly are able to speak in different languages. Many people, 3000 the text says, get baptized and start following Jesus that day.

The miraculous stuff of this story steals the show. It’s usually what we focus on when we think of Pentecost. But there’s something more ordinary going on that we need to see. In the midst of all the hubbub, in the middle of the bold signs of God’s presence, something is quietly happening that is essential to the story.

Continue reading →

Remember you are baptized! Reflection on Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

1 Reply

January 9, 2022
Video

Look! The wise men have arrived at the manger. It just so happens that this service is being recorded on the Day of Epiphany! (practice saying it) An epiphany is a moment when something is revealed to you. It’s an “Aha!” moment when you recognize something that didn’t make sense before. We celebrate the day of Epiphany on January 6th, as an “Aha!” moment when people realized Jesus was God’s own Son. Specifically, Jesus was revealed to people who weren’t Jews – Gentiles like us. But today, we are celebrating TWO things – not only Jesus giving the wise men their “Aha!” moment, but also Jesus being baptized, and revealed as God’s Son by the Holy Spirit.

Do you know your purpose in life? Do you have a clear idea of why God made you, and what you are supposed to do with this one precious life you’ve been given?

Jesus did. He understood that his primary purpose was to bring us humans into right relationship with God. That was the whole reason he came into the world – God With Us, Emmanuel – not to condemn the world (John 3:17), but to save it. To accomplish that, he had to become one of us.

The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Messiah. John answered them all,
“I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” And with many other words John exhorted the people and proclaimed the good news to them.

When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

The first thing Luke wants us to know is that John the Baptist isn’t Jesus. That may seem like a no-brainer to us, but at the time these events take place, people weren’t so sure. People think maybe he IS Messiah. But John compares what he is doing to what Messiah will do in terms of the elements. “I can get you wet,” he says, “But Messiah will do much more than that.”

John’s emphasis is on action – what Messiah will do. John may bathe you with water to symbolize the washing away of your sins, but the One who is coming will breathe Holy Spirit into you and burn away all the chaff.

Jesus is not only immersed in water,  he is immersed in the light of God’s presence, and the breath of Holy Spirit. His baptism is not for the forgiveness of sins, like all those other people coming to be baptized. Jesus is baptized into his mission, the mission the Father has given him – to redeem the world, to save us from our sins.

And God is pleased with him. “This is my son, whom I love, and with whom I am well pleased.”

When we allow ourselves to become fully immersed in God’s mission to make right what is wrong, to heal what is hurt, to save what is headed for destruction, we can know God’s pleasure just as surely as Jesus did there on the banks of the Jordan river.

When we commit ourselves completely to following Jesus – not only in baptism, but in every aspect of living, we can experience the full depth of God’s love for us.

See what love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God – and that is what we are! (1 John 3:1)

Let’s pray.

Almighty and loving Father, we want to dive in, but we aren’t sure how deep the water is. We want to submerge ourselves in your life-giving floods, but we are afraid of drowning, Lord. Help us to know the peace that comes with trusting in you. Give us the courage to dive into your promises and help us submit our wills to your will. Make us your own. Fill us with the life-giving breath of your Holy Spirit. Let your fire burn in our hearts, we pray in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

I invite you, if you have some water at home with you – a bowl, a pitcher or a glass of water – to dip your fingers in it and remember your own baptism. And be thankful!

Now, on this Baptism of our Lord Sunday, I am going to try to get you wet… because I want everyone to feel the water, and to know that God loves us so much, he washes away our sins in the act of baptism, and makes us his very own. So, remember that you are baptized! And be thankful! (asperges).