Treasures New and Old: Recent Episodes
Pastor John Guthridge
"Every scribe discipled in the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of storage treasures new and old." -Matthew 13:52
(Text: Hebrews 2:10-18) In the second chapter of Hebrews, the author asserts that Jesus has destroyed the power of death, and therefore has set us free from the fear which enslaves us. How does fear still affect our actions? What might we do if we had no fear?
(Text: Hebrews 4:14-5:10) Perhaps the primary metaphor which the book of Hebrews uses to describe Jesus is that of our "Great High Priest," forever interceding for us. To make his point, the author states that Jesus is a priest forever "according to the order of Melchizedek." Who is this Melchizedek, anyway, and what does he have to do with us?
(Text: Hebrews 1:1-4) In the midst of the suffering and injustice of life in this world, we often find ourselves hopelessly overwhelmed. In her sermon, guest preacher Ann Adams reminds of the comforting promise of this passage, that God is even now speaking to us and sustaining us through Jesus Christ.
(Text: Luke 15:8-10; Psalm 113) In the Psalms, we find poems, songs, and prayers that accompany us through the life of faith, in both good times and bad. Psalm 113 opens and closes with the command, "Hallelujah!" (Praise the Lord!) What is praise? Why do it?
(Text: Acts 2:1-4; Romans 8:14-39) What does the Holy Spirit do, anyway? On this day of Pentecost, we hear about the coming of the Spirit in the early church, and we also hear Paul's teaching about the work of the Spirit in Romans chapter eight.
(Text: Romans 6:1-14) "How can we who have died to sin go on living in it?" This question has haunted the church throughout its history. Paul tells us that through baptism we have died to sin so that we might live a new life, so how do we explain our bad behavior?
(Text: Acts 10:1-20, 34-48) With a pair of visions given to two very different men, God orchestrates the spread of faith in Jesus from the Jewish cities of Judea to the Roman city of Caesarea. Peter and his companions are shocked, for God works outside the Law.
(Text: Matthew 28:16-20) When Jesus gives the mission to disciple, baptize, and teach all the nations, he gives it to a group of disciples who are struggling with doubt. Surely this call is more than they can handle! How can wavering worshipers like us measure up to this "Great Commission?"
(Text: Matthew 28:1-10) At the first Easter Sunday, nothing could keep Jesus in his tomb. Just as Jesus's tomb couldn't hold him, neither can the tomb-like walls we build for ourselves keep God's forgiveness away from our sin.
(Text: Matthew 21:1-17) On the Sunday before Passover, a large crowd gives Jesus a royal welcome as he enters Jerusalem. Clearly the people see Jesus as a potential lord and king, but what kind of Lord is he?
(Text: Matthew 25:31-46) Just two days before he will be stripped, beaten, imprisoned, and handed over to be crucified, Jesus tells of the final judgment of the nations. At that judgment, Jesus reveals a startling truth; whatever you do to the least of these, you do to Jesus. And it is Jesus's verdict that determines your future.
(Text: Matthew 25:1-13) Speaking with his disciples about the coming of his kingdom, Jesus tells several parables about the need to be ready. Today we hear the story of ten bridesmaids waiting for the groom to arrive.
(Text: Matthew 22:1-14) When he is challenged by the chief priests and the leaders of the people, Jesus responds with parables where those who think they are on the inside find themselves cast out. How can we hear these troubling parables today?
(Text: Matthew 20:1-16) In his last teaching stop before coming to Jerusalem, Jesus is asked by his disciples about the sort of reward they can expect, since they have left everything to follow him. In response, Jesus tells a parable of day-laborers with an offensively generous employer.
(Text: Matthew 18:15-35) Nothing is closer to the heart of the Gospel than the forgiveness of sins. But here in this text, Jesus speaks about forgiveness not in terms of the Gospel, but rather by the rules of the Law.
(Text: John 14:15-27) In this Lenten reflection from 2018, Pastor John explores just how it is that Jesus's Last Supper Sermon can be called by Martin Luther "the best and most comforting sermon preached by Christ while on this Earth."
(Matthew 14:13-33) Immediately after participating in the miracle of Jesus feeding 5,000+ people, the disciples find themselves alone in a boat in the middle of a storm. Why is it that trials so often follow times of abundance? Where is God when they come?
(Matthew 7:1-14, 24-29) Here at the end of the sermon on the mount, Jesus holds up two alternatives: the difficult way that leads to life, and the comfortable road which leads to destruction. How do you know which path you are on?
(Luke 2:1-20) In this 2018 Christmas Eve sermon, Pastor John explores the ways God keeps confirming his promises to us, especially when they are hard to trust.
(Text: Matthew 6:7-21) In this reading, Jesus gives his famous instruction about treasures: "Do not store up treasures on Earth, but in Heaven." But how exactly do we do that? How do we get treasures into heaven? And more importantly, how do we withdraw them?
(Text: Matthew 5:1-20) The sermon on the mount has long fascinated Christians. What exactly is Jesus doing here? Is he correcting the old Law? Giving a new one? Or something else entirely?
(Text: Psalm 23, James 5:13-16, Romans 8:26-27) In this funeral sermon, Pastor John focuses on the extraordinary promises God gives us regarding prayer.
(Text: Matthew 3) Malachi 4:5 reads "Lo, I will send you the prophet Elijah before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes." In Matthew 3, we find John the Baptist fulfilling the role of Elijah, preparing the people for the arrival of the Lord. But what will happen when he actually arrives?
(Text: Matthew 2) The second chapter of Matthew is filled with stories of travel. First, the Magi travel from the east to pay homage to Jesus. Then, the holy family run to Egypt as refugees to escape violence. What does that mean for refugees in our world today?
(Text: Matthew 1:1-17) Where do you begin telling the story of Jesus? For Matthew, the answer is a genealogy starting with Abraham, because Jesus is the fulfillment of God's promises across the generations.
(Text: Matthew 1:18-25) When Matthew tells the story of the birth of Jesus, he does it from Joseph's perspective. And in the midst of Joseph's uncertainty, an angel comes to reassure him that this child is from the Holy Spirit, and that he embodies the promise that "God is with us."
(Text: Esther 4:1-17) Guest preacher Bishop Kristen Kuempel shows us how God works through those we would least expect to do his work in the world.
(Text: Habakkuk 1:1-6; 2:1-4; 3:17-19) "The righteous will live by their faith" is one of the most important statements in all of scripture. But what does living by faith actually mean?
(Text: Jeremiah 1:4-10; 7:1-11) In the final years of the kingdom of Judah, the prophet Jeremiah is called to preach an unpopular word.
(Text: Isaiah 36:1--37:7; 2:1-4) Guest preacher Ron Jetter compares the political turmoil and intrigue of the 8th century BC to modern day stories like Game of Thrones.
(Text: Micah 1:2-5; 5:2-5a; 6:6-8) At a time of violent conflict, the prophet Micah preaches against those in Jerusalem who have exploited their power for their own gain. What does God require? To do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with God.
(Text: 2 Kings 5:1-19a) Naaman, the commanders of the armies of Syria, comes to Elisha seeking healing for his leprosy. Though he is an outsider and undeserving, God delivers.
(Text: John 16:4b-15) In this Lenten reflection, Pastor John looks at the role of the Holy Spirit, who "will prove the world wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment."
(Text: 2 Samuel 11:1-6; 11:14--12:6) When King David abuses his power to take a woman he desires, it seems like he will get away with it. But God is not mocked.
(Text: Joshua 24:1-26) As Israel settles in the promised land, Joshua gathers the people together to recommit them to their God. Though the people will not honor their covenant, God remains faithful to them and to us.
(Text: Exodus 19:3-7; 20:1-17) Three months after leaving Egypt, the Israelites arrive at Mount Sinai. Here, God begins to transform them from a collection of enslaved peoples into "a priestly kingdom and a holy nation."
(Text: Exodus 14:5-31) When Israel is oppressed by Pharaoh, the sound of their cry reaches to God, who answers beyond their wildest imaginings. Even when our prayers are unspoken and misguided, God hears us and knows what we need.
(Text: Genesis 39) Joseph, a great-grandson of Abraham, has been sold into slavery by his brothers, and now a false accusation lands him in prison. However, throughout all this we are repeatedly told that "the Lord was with him."
(Text: Genesis 6:5--9:17) In the story of Noah and the flood, we learn something about the depth of human sin and about God's strategy for dealing with sin. What the flood could not accomplish, God in Jesus Christ now promises in baptism.
(Text: Luke 12:17-35) What leads to success? While the usual answer is hard work and wise decisions, with Jesus all this is turned upside down. Our ultimate success comes not from how good we are, but rather from who our shepherd is.
(Text: Mark 10:17-31) When a rich man asks what he must do to inherit God's kingdom, Jesus demands the one thing he cannot do: sell what he owns and give it to the poor. Though it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for the rich to enter the kingdom, with God all things are possible.
(Text: Matthew 6:19-34) When Jesus tells his disciples not to worry, he makes a surprising connection: to worry about our livelihood is to attempt to serve both God and wealth.
(Text: John 6:24-36) After the feeding a great multitude with just a little bread and fish, Jesus does a surprising thing: he withdrawsfrom the crowd, so that they come to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. What does Jesus do with seekers? He brings them to their end.
(Text: John 20:19-23) This sermon was given at an Advent Wednesday service in 2017. We often don't know what to think of the Holy Spirit, but the reality is that the Holy Spirit permeates everything that we do. Forgiveness, resurrection, and even faith itself are all the works of the Holy Spirit in us.
(Text: Acts 15:24-29; Mark 10:13-16) Week 5 of our 6-week study of Ken Callahan's "Twelve Keys to an Effective Church." Our focuses this week were "Solid Decision Process" and "Land, Landscaping, and Parking."
(Text: Ephesians 4:7, 11-13; Mark 2:1-5) Week 4 of our 6-week study of Ken Callahan's "Twelve Keys to an Effective Church." Our focuses this week were "Shepherding Visitation" and "High Visibility."
(Text: Acts 2:42-47, Matthew 6:31-33) We continue our 6-week study of Ken Callahan's "Twelve Keys to an Effective Churh." Our focuses this week were "Significant Relational Groupings" and "Generous Giving."
(Text: Romans 12:1-2, Luke 10:38-42) Today, we begin our study of Ken Callahan's "Twelve Keys to an Effective Church." Our focuses on this day were "Stirring, Helpful Worship" and "One Major Program."
(Text: 1 John 4:7-21) As Christians, we are called to love as Christ loved us: selflessly and recklessly. In practice, however, our feeble love falls short. Real love comes only from God, and we are recipients of this perfect love.
(Text: 1 John 4:1-6) Not every word that claims to be from God can be trusted. Not every spirit that speaks to us is the Holy Spirit. Here we learn the key to discerning which messages are from God and which are not.
(Text: 1 John 1:5--2:2) We often think of confession as "owning up to our wrongs," but this is only half true. When we confess, we reveal that to which our heart clings. With this in mind, 1 John encourages us to have a true confession; one that acknowledges our sin in the light of God's mercy.
(Text: 1 John 1:1-4) In discussing religion, politics, or even medicine, it's common in our culture to base our beliefs on some private inner feeling of what is true. According to 1 John, however, our faith is not some mysterious inner feeling of the heart, but comes through tangible, external things; things we can see and hear and touch.
(Text: John 15:1-17) In this Lenten reflection, Pastor John wrestles with some of the difficult passages of scripture. When evil befalls us, can we trust God to use it for our good? What about when our prayers aren't answered in the way we want? (Sermon preached on March 8, 2018)
(Text: Philippians 1:1-18a) Though he is imprisoned, Paul writes a letter of gratitude and encouragement to the church at Philippi. In his deep expression of love for the Philippian church, and their expression of loving care for his needs in prison, we see how God provides for us through the church.
(Text: Philippians 2:1-13) In this chapter of Philippians, Paul encourages the church in Philippi to work together towards their common goal in Christ. He offers Jesus as an example, who did not seek his own good, but poured himself out for our sake.
(Text: Acts 16:16-34) When Paul casts out a fortune-telling spirit from a slave-girl, he and Silas are imprisoned for taking away her masters' "hope of making money." Paul and Silas, however, have a better hope, one which sustains them in prison, bearing fruit for the gospel.
(Text: Acts 9:1-19a) Saul is on his way to Damascus to arrest any believers in Jesus he can find when suddenly his world is turned upside down by a revelation of Jesus. Grace often works in this apocalyptic fashion, breaking in where it is undeserved and unasked for, and leaving us changed.
(Text: John 20:19-31) Throughout John 20, everyone struggles to believe in Jesus' resurrection until Jesus himself shows up for them. Through the work of the Spirit and the Word of God, Jesus continues to show up for us, so that we who have not seen may yet believe.
(Text: John 20:1-18) Easter Sunday: Even as the evidence mounts, the disciples of Jesus struggle to believe he has been raised from the dead. Finally, Jesus reveals himself to Mary Magdalene and she believes.
(Text: John 18-19) Good Friday: Jesus is indeed a king, though his kingdom is not of this world. By his death on the cross, this King wins the victory over our sin and rejection. By his wounds we are healed.
(Text: John 13:1-17, 31b-35) Maundy Thursday: When Jesus stoops to wash his disciples' feet, he shows them how deep his love for them goes. We, too, are surrounded by the ever-present love of Jesus, who still stoops to serve us in our need.
(Text: John 12:12-19) When Jesus enters Jerusalem the Sunday before his crucifixion, the crowds welcome him as a conquering king. Jesus is indeed a king, though in a very different way than the crowds expect.
(Text: John 16:4b-15) When Jesus goes to the Father, he does not leave us orphaned, but is present through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit speaks to us using ordinary words, and those words do two things; they show the world's error, and declare to us the things of Jesus.
(Text: John 15:1-17) When we hear that the Father removes fruitless branches from the vine, our thoughts tend to go toward how we can become more fruitful. Jesus' answer goes against our inclinations: "Abide in me, as I abide in you."
(Text: John 14:15-27) If we come to John 14-16 looking for clear and rational answers to life's problems, we will be frustrated. Instead, what Jesus gives to his disciples facing hardship and suffering is the assurance of his power to save, and this assurance is what we rely on to weather life's storms.
(Text: John 12:1-11) When Mary pours out an entire jar of very expensive perfume on Jesus's feet, Judas Iscariot objects that this could have been sold to give to the poor. While his motives weren't pure, his objection seems to be a sensible one. When Jesus answers however, Mary is shown to be in the right. How often do we let appearing responsible get in the way of giving God praise?
(Text: John 11:1-44) When Jesus arrives at the village of Bethany, it is too late; Lazarus has already been dead for four days. His sisters, Mary and Martha, both tell Jesus the same thing: "Lord, if you had been there, my brother would not have died." In these days of school shootings, we ask similar questions. How could this happen? Where was God?
(Text: John 10:1-18) On Ash Wednesday, we confront the reality of a world in which evil, sin, and death run rampant. We do this in the security given us by Jesus, our Shepherd, who does not rest until his sheep are safely in the fold.
(Text: John 9:1-41) In the healing of the man born blind, we find a surprising reversal: the one who society has deemed irredeemable is given his sight, and those who think they are somebody are shown to be blind to their own sin and to the depths of God's mercy.
(Text: John 4:1-42) This week’s reading involves social opposites. Jesus is a man, a Jew, and a Rabbi; his conversation partner is a woman, a Samaritan, and a social outcast. Despite their difference, the unnamed woman at the well is a model of relationship with Jesus, and by the end of the story she is transformed from outcast to bearer of the Gospel for her entire town.
(Text: John 3:1-21) In one of the most famous chapters of the Bible, a Pharisee named Nicodemus comes to Jesus looking for answers. Confronted with Jesus' insistence that he must be born again, Nicodemus asks the key question: "How can these things happen?"
"(Text: John 2:13-25) Jesus is causing a disruption at the temple, overturning the tables of the money changers and driving out the animals and those selling them for sacrifices. Since these practices are allowed in the Law of Moses, the people ask Jesus by what authority he does this. His response is startling: “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up!”
(Text: John 2:1-11) John begins his telling of Jesus' ministry with a puzzling miracle: turning water into wine at a wedding. Though this seems relatively unimportant, it is in Jesus's quiet care for his hosts that we see his glory "full of grace and truth."
(Text: Luke 2:1-20) With all of the fancy decorations and cheerful lights, it's easy to forget that Jesus was born without honor in a stable to poor unwed parents. The miracle of Christmas is that even in such a lowly state, God still showed up in Jesus Christ. (This sermon was preached at our late Christmas Eve service.)
(Text: John 1:19-34) John the Baptist is making quite a stir in the wilderness, and so leaders from Jerusalem are coming to him with a question: ‘Who are you?’ John answers not by pointing to his own qualities, but by pointing to Jesus. Similarly, though our culture expects us to build our own identities, it is only in relation to Jesus that we can truly answer the question: ‘Who are you?’
(Text: John 1:1-18) Here at the transition between Advent and Christmas, we hear a transition in God's plan to fix the broken relationship between Creator and creatures. At Christmas, God's creative word becomes a person, and God speaks in a new way to break through our deafness.
(Text: Ezekiel 37:1-14) We hear of a vision given to Ezekiel which involves the resurrection of a whole valley full of bones. These bones, we are told, are the whole house of Israel, and the Spirit of God is able to give them life in the face of exile. We, too, rely on God's enlivening Spirit to make us whole and give us life in a world dominated by death.
(Text: Daniel 3) Daniel 3 brings us the famous story of three Jewish exiles in Babylon refusing to bow down before the king's golden statue. For their resistance, they are sentenced to be burned alive in a fiery furnace. Still they are defiant, trusting in God even against the threat of this powerful king. We, too, are called to trust in God and reject all idols, no matter how attractive they may be.
(Text: Jeremiah 29:1-14) Jeremiah writes a letter from Jerusalem to the recently deported exiles in Babylon. While it is a letter of comfort, it comes with a hard edge: the chosenness of Israel will not prevent Babylon from conquering them. Today, too, Christians are exiles in the world, and the chosenness of our nation will not save us.
(Text: Amos 1:1-2, 5:6-24) Our reading today ends with the famous call to let justice and righteousness “roll down” from heaven. While this is an inspiring message, we often forget that Amos is addressed to those who have neglected justice and righteousness, oppressing the poor and exploiting the needy. When God’s justice does roll down, it is not for them a pleasant shower, but a destructive deluge.
(Text: 1 Kings 19:1-18) When Queen Jezebel threatens Elijah's life, he runs into the wilderness and gives up hope. To his surprise, God sends an angel (or messenger) to him with food and water to sustain him on his journey. In our deserts, too, God sends messengers to sustain us. We give thanks to God for the ordinary saints God uses to sustain us.
(Text: 1 Kings 5:1-5, 8:1-13) Again and again, God's people create for themselves idolatries of glory, and put their trust in impressive structures rather than God's eternal word. And again and again, God's people need prophets to call them back to the center. Whether 3,000 years ago, 500 years ago, or today, the need for reformation stays the same.
(Text: 1 Samuel 16:1-13) When Saul is no longer fit to rule over Israel, God chooses a David, the youngest of his brothers, to be king. God's choice is surprising, because God doesn't choose according to human reckoning, but according to God's own judgment.
(Text: 1 Samuel 3) At a key moment in Israel's history, God's call comes to Samuel, the servant of Eli the priest. At first, Samuel assumes it is Eli calling and goes to him. Finally, after some wise counsel from Eli, God calls Samuel a fourth time, and Samuel receives his call to be a prophet. Like with Samuel, God's call in our lives often comes at times and by means we don't expect. Are you listening for God's call in your life?
(Text: Exodus 2:23--3:15, 4:10-17) Wandering in the wilderness with little to eat, the Israelites wish they had never been set free from Egypt. In our wilderness times of chaos and uncertainty, we also often long for "the good old days" when things were simpler or more comfortable. However, in looking backwards we can easily miss how God provides for us now in the present.
(Text: Exodus 2:23--3:15, 4:10-17) When God reveals the divine name 'Yahweh' to Moses at the burning bush, it isn't some mystery to be solved, but the handle God's people can use to be in relationship with the God of their ancestors. God desires to be in relationship with us, and to do this, God has given us a name we can use to "call on, pray to, praise, and give thanks to God."
(Text: Psalm 32, 1 John 1:8-2:2) While not technically a sacrament, Confession and Absolution is certainly a means of grace. In the practice of confession our sins and hearing God's forgiveness, we are no longer excusers, but forgivers. Rather than making excuses to justify ourselves and others, we rely on the forgiveness of Jesus, who takes away the sin of the world. (Part 4 of a four-part series on sacraments)
(Text: Psalm 46, Acts 2:37-42) In Holy Baptism, we receive the fullness of God in the promise of salvation, love, and the forgiveness of sins. In this self-giving, God becomes for us a refuge in a world of trouble, delivering us from fears of every sort. Though our planet, our nation, and our selves are in an uproar, God’s word of promise holds ever true. (Part 3 of a four-part series on sacraments)
(Text: 1 Samuel 21:1-9, Matthew 12:1-8) One of the things we, as Lutheran Christians, take seriously is our liturgy, or pattern of worship. But for all the beauty and importance of the rules and guides surrounding our worship, it exists only to show forth one jewel: the promise of salvation in Jesus Christ. (Part 2 of a four-part series on sacraments)
(Text: 1 Corinthians 11:17-34) In 1 Corinthians, Paul is writing to a church troubled by divisions, and in our reading, he lays out for them the seriousness of Holy Communion. How should we approach this sacrament properly? Who is really worthy to receive it? (Part 1 of a four-part series on sacraments)
(Text: Matthew 14:13-21) Of all the miracles of Jesus, few are as well-known as his feeding a great multitude using just a few loaves and a couple fish. Even in such a deserted place, Jesus takes the scarce resources the disciples have and transforms them into an abundant meal for all.
(Text: Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52) The parables of Jesus seem simple at first, but the deeper into them you dive, the more confounding they seem. What if Jesus uses parables not so much as teaching illustrations, but as the means by which God transforms you from death to life?
(Text: Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43) Jesus' parable of the separation of the wheat from the weeds is unsettling, especially when he reveals it to be about the judgment at the end of the age. How do we discern between wheat and weeds? How do we know which category we will be in at the time of judgment?
(Text: Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30) One of the scandals of the gospel is that it is hidden at some times only to be revealed at others. What are we to make of a God who seems to hide the gospel from those who need it most? While there is no easy answer to this, we know that God hides not to be malicious, but in order to be revealed at the time and place God chooses. In this is faith, not that we choose God, but that God chooses us.
(Text: Romans 6:12-23) As Americans, we take pride in our freedom, especially with Independence Day just around the corner. However, as Christians, we must think about freedom in a different way. For the Christian, true freedom is not simply having no masters, but rather serving the right master: Jesus Christ. Our enslavement to God in Christ liberates us from the false freedoms of Sin and Death.
(Text: Romans 6:1-11) What difference does baptism make? In our reading today, Paul writes that it changes everything. To be baptized is to die to the old reality of sin and death, and to be raised in the new reality of Christ. The Christian life, then, is lived according to the new baptismal reality in opposition to the sinful reality of the world.
(Text: John 7:37-39) There is no shortage of stories of the decline of the church, and it can make us wonder if God's work among us has dried up. But Jesus promises to change thirsty doubters into believers flowing with living water. (Note: Pastor John misstated statistics of the church of Sweden in this sermon. Membership has declined from 95% of Swedish citizens in 1972 to about 60% today, with attendance between 2% and 5%.)