Grace Chicago Church: Recent Episodes
Grace Chicago Church
This Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week. Per our tradition, our children will process with palms early in the service. Please find Kelsey, Director of Grace Kids when you arrive. You are welcome to walk with your little one if that is the encouragement they need!
On Palm Sunday we celebrate Jesus’s entry to Jerusalem at the beginning of Passover. The crowds give him a royal welcome and they are right to do so. He has come to Jerusalem as the rightful heir to David’s throne and he will soon be recognized by all as the Messiah. But how Jesus becomes king will defy human wisdom and religious expectation. He is a king like no other, holding power for the sake of others, for our salvation and for the life of the world.
It is often noted that Transfiguration Sunday, which we celebrated two weeks ago, marks the transition from the Season of Epiphany to the Season of Lent. Culminating with the transfiguration, the Season of Epiphany has revealed the glory and power of Jesus. Lent, culminating with events that lead us to Good Friday, reveals that with Jesus, power and glory are there for our sake and for our salvation. In Jesus, power and glory are not like they are in the world; they come in the shape of the cross.
We hope you can join us this Sunday, The Fifth Sunday in Lent. This Sunday we are addressed by the provocative and mysterious words of Jesus where he says: “when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself”. We look forward to thinking together what Jesus meant when he said this and its overall meaning in the life of the church, then and today.
The Third Sunday in Lent. This Sunday our Scripture readings prompt us to remember that human wisdom does not enable us to grasp how God is at work in the world. For that, we need God’s wisdom revealed in the person of Jesus. We will explore what that means for us in the nitty gritty of daily life.
It is often noted that Transfiguration Sunday, which we celebrated two weeks ago, marks the transition from the Season of Epiphany to the Season of Lent. Culminating with the transfiguration, the Season of Epiphany has revealed the glory and power of Jesus. Lent, culminating with events that lead us to Good Friday, reveals that with Jesus, power and glory are there for our sake and for our salvation. In Jesus, power and glory are not like they are in the world; they come in the shape of the cross.
The First Sunday of Epiphany
January 6th, marks the Feast of the Epiphany on the Christian calendar. We will celebrate Epiphany this Sunday during the worship service. Year after year, for centuries, the church has celebrated on Epiphany the revelation that Jesus’ redemptive love is for all people, the whole world. This marvelous truth is manifested in the visit of the mysterious Gentile pilgrims, the Magi, who travel from a distant country so that they may pay Jesus homage.
Homily Preview:
This Sunday we join churches all over the world in celebrating the Reign of Christ, sometimes referred to as Christ the King Sunday. Click here for a brief overview of how this Sunday fits into the church year. One theme that is common to this special Sunday is the sovereignty of Christ and its implications. We will take that theme up on Sunday and highlight the way in which God's judgment is always ordered towards redemption. We hope to see you on Sunday!
The homily this Sunday, is based on a reading from the Gospel of Mark. The context is the same context we have been working with the last few Sundays. Jesus is in Jerusalem during Passover. He will soon be delivered up to Pilate in a collusion between the corrupt religious leadership and the Roman authorities. Jesus is taking these last few days before the crucifixion to teach the disciples in a very focused way about the Kingdom of God - what it is and what it isn't. One thing that seems to be on Jesus' mind a lot is the importance of paying attention to how God's love is at work in the world and the importance of being aligned to what God is doing. If we heed what Jesus is saying we will live in ways that are uniquely in line with God's kingdom and in important ways not in line with the kingdoms of this world.
Matthew 25:14-30
This Sunday we will be back in the Gospel Matthew. We will hear a parable that Jesus taught about the urgency of paying attention to what God is doing in the world. We will think about its message in its original context and then ponder how to apply it to our setting in our place in time. Jesus’ words about the importance of paying attention to God’s work in the world is a good reminder for us for any time, but especially in our world today. I look forward to what God has to teach us.
Matthew 23:1-12
We return to the Gospel of Matthew this Sunday and continue where we left off last week, contemplating the implications of what it means to wholeheartedly love God and our neighbors.
We are back in Matthew this week for our homily. Last Sunday Leigh Pylman preached a great sermon on the passage where Jesus says: "Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's". If you didn't hear it, I encourage you to listen to it online.
This Sunday I I come along a few verses later in the same general context of Matthew where the religious leaders, the elite who hold power in Jerusalem, are continuing to bait Jesus with insincere questions designed to be traps. But just like all the other times, Jesus gives an answer that further indicates that he is the one in the room who is wise and who represents Yahweh and the Old Testament law truthfully and fully.
The exchange this week revolves around the question: "Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” Jesus answer is simple and profound. "He said to him, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
I look forward to thinking with you all about what this meant in its original context and how we might learn from it in our place in time.
Matthew 22:15-22
This week, Jesus has another peppery encounter with the religious elite in Jerusalem. He is asked about paying taxes to the Roman occupiers. In Jesus fashion, he reframes our questions, categories, and suppositions. He invites us to consider how to give God, what belongs to God - everything! If we live as Jesus followers with this understanding, we can (on our knees!) strive to see the world the way God sees it, and discern the Spirit's guiding as we engage with society today.
This Sunday we will reflect on all three scripture readings from our liturgy. Our Call to Worship is from Psalm 133, a song of unity. Our First Lesson takes up the theme of unity again, as Paul urges two of his co-workers to have the same mind in the Lord. Finally, our Gospel Lesson is from Matthew. It is another parable of Jesus that illustrates God’s broad and scandalous welcome.
This Sunday we look forward to hearing another parable that Jesus taught. Like many of Jesus’ parables, the language and images are meant to jolt us. In the instance of the Parable of the Two Sons (Matthew 21:28-32) we will think together about what a life marked by wholehearted devotion to God looks like. Does it mean being perfect? No, that is not possible. But then what DOES it look like? Looking forward to prayerfully pondering with you Sunday morning!
Last week we heard a parable about mercy. This week we hear a parable about grace. Like last week’s parable, this story is meant to shock us. God’s grace, like his mercy, is unfathomably generous. So generous, that we will always struggle to understand it. As we consider the Parable of the Vineyard Workers (Matthew 20:1-16), we will ponder the depths of God’s grace and the relationship between grace, mercy and justice in God’s economy.
This week we will pick up where we left off last week in the Gospel of Matthew. Peter asks Jesus a question about how many times we should forgive. Jesus' answer is drawn from the very heart of God and its meaning is at the center of how God will redeem the whole world." Please let me know if you need anything else!
Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Romans 13:8-14
A community where love is the reason for everything. This is one way of talking about the new community that the Spirit of Christ has called into existence through the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ. What does it mean for love to be the reason for everything? We don't love perfectly in this world where we still struggle with selfishness, pride, and the like - so what happens when we hurt those around us because of our sins of omission or commission? We are going to ponder these things this Sunday morning when we take up two passages from the New Testament: Matthew 18:5-20 and Romans 13:8-14.
Matthew 16:13-20
Our Seminarian in Residence, Leigh Pylman is preaching.
This week, Jesus asks us the piercing question, "Who do you say that I am?" So simple, and yet, our response to this question will inform our whole worldview. Who do you say that Jesus is? We'll ponder Peter's response to Jesus, and consider how Jesus, as the Messiah and builder of the Church, incorporates you and me into the rich legacy of the Church. At its core, the Church's message doesn't boil down to a catechism or a prescribed list of rules, it centers around a person - Jesus our Messiah.
“A desperate Mother reveals the depth and scope of God's love for all people"
Talking about a passage like this in a short homily is challenging. But in all the commentary and speculation, the takeaways are clear. We can trust in God’s promises, even when God seems silent. Even when what we hope for can’t be seen. We can argue with God. God invites our hurt or questions, our calling to account. This argument might even increase our faith. This story shows the power and possibility inherent in boldly insisting that God be faithful to God’s promises. Abraham does it. David does it. This desperate mother does it. So can you.
This Sunday we welcome Tony Pizarro to the Grace pulpit. Tony is a friend of Grace who attends when his schedule permits and often supports out volunteer efforts with Breakthrough Urban Ministries.
Tony works at North Park University as Assistant Director of the Writing Center and Lecturer. He also serves as a steering committee member for the Illinois Coalition for Higher Education in Prison. Tony is a person with great humility who loves to serve others.
This Sunday’s homily will be a reflection on Jesus’ parable which is often referred to as the Wheat and the Tares. It is a story that encourages us to live faithfully, patiently, hopefully and lovingly in a world where evil things continue to happen. In her homily, Laura Winn, will ponder several important questions, among them this one as framed by New Testament scholar, Klyne Snodgrass: “how can we stop evil without being evil in the process”?
This week our text for our homily is Jesus’ Parable of the Sower from Matthew 13. It is a parable about hearing Jesus’ words in such a way that, as one New Testament scholar puts it: “the whole person is captured”. This parable is a very timely one for 21st Century Christians who, when we are honest, must admit that it is hard to hear Jesus for all the other noise in our culture. How can we help each other hear Jesus loud and clear?
Homily Preview:
We are back in the Gospel of Matthew this Sunday where Jesus assures his disciples that "whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple" will be rewarded. The words come at the end of a discourse about mission and hospitality, a discourse full of dire warnings and triumphant hope. This Sunday we will think about the little ones are in the verse cited above and what it means to demonstrate hospitality in the name of Jesus in our place in time.
Homily Preview: In our homily this Sunday we will talk a bit about compassion. Matthew uses this word to talk about Jesus’ reflexive response to the vast human need he witnesses (Matthew 9:36). We will explore the context in which Matthew makes his remarks and we will use that exploration as the jumping off point to think together about what it looks like to respond in compassion to the great human need we witness every day.
Earlier this week on Trinity Sunday we pondered the mystery that God reveals God's self in three co-equal persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We tapped into the wisdom of the early church and thought together about God's love as the energy and motivation for all God does in creation, redemption, and even in judgment. We will continue to ponder God's triune nature this week in part two of that homily, as we think about the way in which God's unique nature enables him to join with us in our suffering, brining transformative hope to situations that would otherwise be Godforsaken.
As we said last week, the triune nature of God is deep mystery but what it reveals about God's character brings us joy and hope.
I took quite a few Spanish classes in high school and college. At one time I could read a Spanish language newspaper with reasonable comprehension. Sadly, I have lost - for now - much of what I knew. I still make a feeble, yet sincere effort, to say something that might be comprehensible to those I know or meet who speak Spanish as their native tongue. I especially try very hard when I can tell the person doesn’t speak English at all.
What always amazes me is how gracious folks are when I say something to them, however imperfectly, in the language of their birth. Beyond being gracious, I think most folks are genuinely moved by the gesture (something I don’t alway think about). Hearing someone speak to you in the language of one's birth is the phrase that the people use to describe the miracle that occurs while they are listening to Peter preach on the day that we now call Pentecost Sunday.
To be sure, Pentecost is a story of the Spirit’s power in the miraculous event itself. But the way to understand its fullness is by seeing how it fits into Luke’s overall story of a new humanity wherein a diverse group of people retain their diversity while uniting to each other through the gift of the Spirit.
Homily Preview:
Last week we spent some time talking God making his home with us and inviting us to make our home in God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This week we talk about what that looks like on a daily basis as we think about the promise of the Holy Spirit, God's empowering presence in human beings, the church and the world.
In the Christian calendar we are coming up on the end of Eastertide. We will celebrate The Feast of the Ascension on Sunday, May 21st, followed by Pentecost Sunday on the 28th. So, it is fitting that the next two Sundays have us thinking about Jesus' promises to the disciples about what life will be like after the cross, resurrection, ascension and pentecost. This next Sunday and the following Sunday we will be in John 14 as we consider the promises associated with the powerful presence of God's Spirit with the church. While all of this may sound very heady and abstract I assure you that it is not. If we are to act justly in this world, love one another well, and the like it will be because of our reliance upon God's Spirit.
The homily is from John 10. This is the passage where Jesus identifies himself as the good shepherd. The scripture reading before communion is from Acts 2, where the the early church community is described as being one where people organize their lives so that each may be a blessing to the other. We are going to put these two passages together as we think about what sort of community is formed by the good shepherd. We will also ask ourselves what our responsibility looks like as stewards of the community of the good shepherd. Looking forward to our time together.
Homily Preview:
First Sunday after Easter and our gospel reading takes up where last Easter Sunday's reading left off. This week we have more in the way of amazing encounters between the risen Lord Jesus and his followers. This Sunday we meet Thomas, sometimes called doubting Thomas. Jesus accommodates Thomas' doubts, even as he accommodates ours.
Homily Preview: This Easter Sunday, like every Easter Sunday, we will be celebrating the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God. Our focus will be on the way in which the early church understood Jesus's resurrection. His followers, who will found the church of which we are a part two millennia later, had expected to relate to Jesus as a martyr and ponder all of what that might mean for continuing his work. Instead, they are confronted with a resurrected human being who will continue his ministry through them. They had categories for thinking of Jesus as a martyr. They had no categories for thinking of Jesus as the resurrected Son of God. But through God's empowering presence they learn that Jesus's resurrection from the dead is the beginning of a new chapter in God's relationship to the world. The new chapter summons the church to show the world a new way to be human.
Fifth Sunday in Lent
John 11: 1-45
This Sunday we have the opportunity to sit with the incredible story of the raising of Lazarus from the dead. This passage includes a beautiful discourse between Mary of Bethany and Martha of Bethany (Lazarus’ sisters) who come to their Teacher, Jesus, with their grief and their questions. Together, we will ponder Mary and Martha’s grief, and the great grief that Jesus experiences in our text. What a Savior - One who holds our griefs and enters into them as well. This one, familiar with grief, identifies himself to us as the Resurrection and the Life. We will consider what this means for us in our lives. And with this story, we will anticipate the great grief and anguish of the cross yet to come, as well as the other side of that grief - new life and resurrection.
Fourth Sunday in Lent
John 9:1-41
This week is the Fourth Sunday in Lent. In our homily text we are looking at the miracle of healing the man born blind. John’s Gospel is filled with long discourses describing Jesus’s divinity. In here, John 9 gives us a glimpse of the kingdom of God, where creation is redeemed, and opens our eyes to the greater purpose of suffering in life. Jesus corrects His disciples’ misconceptions about sin and suffering, then grants the blind man an ability he has never had before. This will lead to more angry confrontations with local religious leaders as their refuse to see their need of Jesus.
Homily 03/12/2023
We are delighted to had the Rev. Frances Nelson in our pulpit this week. Rev. Frances is a dear friend of Grace Chicago and is part of the City Classis community. We are eager for her to guide us through this remarkable passage of Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well.
Frances graduated from Westminster Theological Seminary with an MA in Counseling. She served at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City as a Director of Fellowship Groups, and at City Church San Francisco as Pastor of Congregational Care. Prior to working as a Church Lady, Frances had a corporate career in Marketing and Communications in New York City - most of it as a single woman.
She is an ordained minister in the Reformed Church in America and a member of the American Association of Christian Counselors.
This week is the Second Sunday in Lent. In our homily text we meet the fascinating Nicodemus. He is captivated by Jesus and his teaching but he doesn’t want to be seen talking to Jesus by others. He comes to see Jesus under the cover of night. He is from the aristocratic class and a religious leader in Israel - he has a lot to lose.
In their brief but intense conversation Jesus challenges Nicodemus to see beyond what he thought he knew about God. Nicodemus fades from this narrative without comment but he comes back two other times in John’s gospel, indicating that he kept following Jesus at a distance. What a great text for Lent!
First Sunday in Lent
Matthew 4:1-11
This Sunday is the First Sunday of Lent. From ancient times the church has set aside the forty days leading up to Easter as a time of reflection, a preparation to meet the risen Lord, During Lent we are encouraged to ask God to enable us to take stock of our lives, to show us the patterns of thinking, feeling and being that oppose God’s work of redemptive love in the nooks and crannies of our lives - to show us those patterns and empower us to turn from them and embrace God’s empowering and renewing forgiveness. A good Lent is a time of self-discovery, wherein we rejoice in finding light where there was darkness, and hope where there was a measure of despair. A good Lent should not be an exercise in self-loathing but a time of refreshing. On the First Sunday of Lent we meet Jesus in the wilderness where he is tempted by the devil for 40 days. As we reflect on Jesus’ temptation we will take heart that his ordeal was because of love and enjoined on our behalf.
Transfiguration Sunday
Matthew 17:1-9
This Sunday during the worship service we will celebrate the Transfiguration of Jesus. Transfiguration Sunday comes right before Lent begins. Lent is the season of the year when, in a very focused way, we ask God to enable us to take an honest look at the darker side of what we are capable of as human beings. It is a time to name those deep-set patterns of feeling, thinking and acting that cause us to resist God’s grace - to name them and to repent. The Transfiguration is an image that we hold on to during Lent, for it gives us courage and hope. In the Transfiguration we see what human beings are meant to be, and who by the mercies and grace of God we will be: those who radiate God’s presence more and more fully in our own flesh and blood lives. It is Jesus’ human flesh that is transfigured and that tells us where we are headed.
This Sunday we continue in Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. There will be a lot to ponder. I would imagine that even if you are hearing this passage for the ten thousandth time that Jesus' words will probably set you on your heels a bit - they do that to me every time. The sermon is meant to stimulate our imagination about what it looks like to live in this world as if we are already living in the next: the Kingdom of God in all of its glory when Christ is all and in all. I look forward to Sunday's worship service, trusting God's empowering presence to be at work as we submit our individual and collective imaginations to God's Spirit.
Last week we took a look at the Beatitudes through a wide angle lens and with particular questions in mind. We thought about things like the importance of recognizing them as being addressed to a community, a group of people who, through Christ’s empowering presence, enact patterns of behavior that are consistent with God’s coming kingdom. Living like this will almost always be counter-cultural and is often opposed by those who have power, wealth, and prestige (according to worldly standards). This week we will pick up on some of this but move forward and talk about what Jesus means when he says that we are the salt of the earth, the light of the world.
Homily Preview: This week we look forward to reflecting together on the Beatitudes during the worship service (Matthew 5:1-11 is our reading right before the homily). The beatitudes are fairly familiar but they are often very misunderstood. Sometimes they are thought of as blessings that are earned - kind of like entry requirements. Other times they are thought of as so idealistic that they only apply to sweet little Sunday School children, while we adults know that the world is too hard to live life according to the beatitudes. We will suggest a different way to think about them. We will suggest that they are gifts given by the king that enable us to bring a taste of the world to come into the communities where we live, work and play.
Homily Preview: The passage in Matthew where Jesus calls Peter, Andrew, James, and John to follow him, to be his disciples. Their vocation is fishing. Jesus calls them to a new vocation, saying that he will teach them to be “fishers of people”. What a phrase! What does Jesus mean by it? What does he not mean by it?
Homily preview: This Sunday we hop over to the gospel of John for one week to consider John’s account of Jesus’ baptism and the calling of the first disciples. There is much for us to ponder together as we continue in this season of Epiphany, contemplating the revealing of Jesus as the Son of God, and what it means that God is human in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. As we ponder this text together, we will consider Christ’s call to the first disciples, and to us: to Abide with him. This is the first call of a disciple - not to have all the answers, but to abide and lodge with God who became human.
Homily Preview: Matthew 25. In the portion we’ll be reading and prayerfully considering during the homily, Jesus tells a story to illustrate how God thinks about the vulnerable and the weak, and what our responsibilities are towards these sisters and brothers. We’re looking forward to the Spirit’s leading as we ponder Jesus’ words and seek to align our lives to the patterns of living that make for our flourishing and for the flourishing of our communities.
Homily Preview:
Advent always begins with a bang. We get apocalyptic language and the like. It is sometimes asked, why does the church calendar begin a season as cozy as Christmas with the jolt of apocalyptic imagery? The answer is that the church has always recognized that the time in which we live is in between two advents, Jesus’ incarnation and the future advent of Christ the King when he will join the world to come to this world, bringing all things and all people under his rule of peace, justice, and love.
But to live between the two advents is to need to be reminded of how to read the present in light of the future, and to ask each other: how would we then live. Cornelius Plantinga puts it this way:
Our task “between the two advents” is simple faithfulness in our work and in our attitudes — the kind of faithfulness that shows we are being drawn forward by the magnet force of the kingdom of God.
We trust God’s Spirit to use this Advent Season to make us more faithful, enabling our flourishing and the flourishing of our communities.
Homily Preview:
Momentous day ends the Liturgical Calendar and our time in Luke. Join us as we reflect on our journeys through Luke culminating in Luke 23 and Christ's crucifixion. There is much for us to consider as we reflect on how the humiliation and rejection of Christ on the cross offers us a picture of the reign of Christ and points us to the upside down kingdom of God.
Gospel of Luke.
The passage before us includes Jesus' prophecy that the Jerusalem Temple would be destroyed. This did come to pass in the year 70. But you are probably wondering how Jesus' words about that historical event can speak to us today? Well, our concerns are different in their particularity than were the disciples when they heard this prophecy. However, if you ever feel afraid or uncertain about the future; if you ever worry that God will not show up in the future; if you worry about "wars and rumors of wars" - and who doesn't!?- then you may find Jesus' words very helpful.
Homily Preview:
We are looking forward to reflecting on another remarkable story from the Gospel of Luke this Sunday. The reading recounts an incident in which some of the more powerful religious leaders of Israel ask Jesus a question that is designed to trick Jesus into giving an answer that in one way or another could be shown to be flawed, thus embarrassing Jesus in front of his followers. Jesus gives an answer that no one expected and it is those asking the questions that are silenced. There is a great deal of material suitable for application in this text.
Homily Preview:
This Sunday we look forward to being back in the Gospel of Luke where we will read a remarkable story about a man named Zacchaeus. He hears that Jesus is going to be passing by so he climbs up into a sycamore tree to make sure he has a good view. Jesus spots him up there and tell him to hurry down. Then, in front of everyone, Jesus says: hey, Zacchaeus, get your guest room ready - I am spending the night in your home. What an unusual encounter! There are many layers to this story. Before we are finished with our reflection we will have thought again about the space that hospitality occupies in Luke's gospel; what it looks like to be generous; plus a few other things.
Bob preaching about we will take a look at yet another of Jesus' parables: Luke 18:9-14. In this parable we learn that God is not impressed with those who are impressed with themselves, even in the slightest. But God does show mercy, without hesitation, to those who know they need it. We will also think together about another dimension of the parable: one cannot be right with God while taking pleasure in excluding others. The meaning of this parable is fairly straightforward, but applying it to ourselves will take a great deal of humility and sanctified imagination. May God grant us ears to hear and eyes to see.
Leigh preaching our lectionary journey through the Gospel of Luke, as Jesus gets closer and closer to Jerusalem.
Homily Preview: Sunday, we continue our lectionary journey through the Gospel of Luke, as Jesus gets closer and closer to Jerusalem. In Luke 18, Jesus tells a parable about a widow seeking justice who does not take "no" for an answer. Despite her powerlessness, she exacts justice - and so invites us to an unexpected picture of Christ's victory on our behalf. This is a wonderful parable, rich with layers of meaning. I am excited to reflect on this passage with you all on Sunday morning, as we contemplate this widow, God's heart for justice, and the life of faith and prayer.
Bob preaching about the text before us recounts the occasion when Jesus healed 10 lepers and only one of them said, "thank you".
Homily Preview: This Sunday we look forward to digging back into the Gospel of Luke for our homily. The text before us recounts the occasion when Jesus healed 10 lepers and only one of them said, "thank you". The one who offered thanks and praise turns out to be a Samaritan. With echoes of the Parable of the Good Samaritan reverberating in our imagination we will think together about what this incident can teach us about how we think about and experience the gospel of Jesus Christ.
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Bob preaches on Themes of Jesus' teaching.
Homily Preview: This Sunday we are back in the Gospel of Luke for our homily. The text before us will invite us to think about some of the themes of Jesus' teaching that Luke has already brought to our attention: namely, faithfulness and generosity. As always, we approach the worship service with complete confidence that God will meet us with a gracious welcome and empower us so that we might flourish and enable the flourishing of our communities.
This Sunday we are looking forward to reflecting on another of Jesus' parables. Like the one from last week, this parable deals with money and the way that a "love of money" is destructive to people and their communities. As we ponder the story of the rich man and Lazarus we will talk about the relationship between grace and judgment, and human flourishing and justice. Like all of Jesus' parables, this story opens our eyes to see the world as God does.
Homily preview:
Bob preaches on the One theme that pops up again and again in Jesus’ parables
One theme that pops up again and again in Jesus’ parables is that people don’t know what time it is. And when I say: “what time it is”, I don’t mean that they don’t know if it is morning, noon, or night. Rather, they don’t understand that with the coming of Jesus and his kingdom, God is doing something new in the world that is meant to bring flourishing and salvation to all people - and in ways that seem too good to be true. We have one of these parables in front of this week: Luke 16:1-13. We look forward to digging into Jesus’ teaching and trust that the Spirit of Christ will help us know what time it is with regard to our relationships with people, material possessions, and indeed, ourselves.
Bob preaches on The Story of the Prodigal Son
Homily Preview:
We are looking forward to taking a fresh look at a story that is familiar to many: "The Story of the Prodigal Son," perhaps better titled, "The Story of Two Lost Brothers and a Father Who Never Gives up on Either of Them." It is a story that offers new grace to us each time we contemplate it. May the Spirit of Christ meet us this Sunday and transform our imagination so that we might come to know the depth of God's love for each of us.
Leigh preaches on the story of the "bent woman" from Luke 13.
Homily Preview:
This Sunday we will reflect on the story of the "bent woman" from Luke 13. There are many layers to this beautiful healing story, as uniquely told by Luke. I'm so eager to ponder with you - the life of this woman, whom Jesus releases from bondage, the mission and ministry of Jesus and how it uniquely plays out in this story, God's heart and intentions for Sabbath, and much more.
In Caleb’s Final homily (for the moment), he reflects on how the Grace Chicago community helped him rediscover and deepen his faith in Jesus.
Caleb preaches on the Good Samaritan from Luke 10. This homily is particularly addressed to the kids in the service.
This homily comes at the first week of lent. The Lenten season begins with the story of Jesus squaring off in the desert with the tempter, Satan. In this story, we see the reversal of Adam and Eve giving in to the lies told by the snake in the garden. For the first time ever in human history a human being is completely faithful to God’s gifts, and refuses to believe the dark fantasy that God is holding something back. Jesus succeeds where Adam, Eve and God’s ancient people Israel, after them, failed. He succeeded where we have all failed. The three temptations that Jesus resists are all at their core temptations to flourish apart from God’s provisions, God’s gifts.
In this homily, from weeks past, Bob dives into the gospel of Luke. Here, Jesus is speaking to the disciples about both being ware and being forgiving. Join us as we explore what it means to forgive as Jesus does and continues to do.
Caleb says that he feels a responsibility to make Christianity seem modest, reasonable, not foolish. He also feels an obligation to retain some of the foolishness of the Christian faith. We are onto our third week of 1 Corinthians 1, where Paul contrasts wisdom and foolishness and embraces the foolishness of the Christian story, particularly the cross. What does it mean to allow our Christian faith to be foolish in today's complicated world? We'll think about this question together in this homily.
In this homily we will be interacting with Paul’s concerns about two issues with which this particular church struggled: the cult of personality and being impressed with form over content with regard to the preaching of the gospel. The culture of the city of Corinth was not unlike ours and the struggles they faced as a church to follow Jesus instead of the spirit of the age are similar to our temptations today.
At the second Sunday after Christmas Caleb wonders that if anyone else has trouble contemplating the significance of the birth of Christ during the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season. John 1 is the text for this homily. This is one of the richest, simplest, and most layered texts in all of scripture. In this homily he wonders the question, “How then shall we live?”.
We are getting nearer and nearer to Christmas! This week, we will hear Matthew's account of Jesus' birth and we will light the fourth Advent candle. The theme running throughout Sunday's service is Emmanuel, God with Us. What does it mean for God to be with us? For Joseph and Mary, this news brought frightening circumstances in the form of an unexpected pregnancy. For the wisemen, it meant falling into the clutches of Herod.
God is with us. Yet this good news is cloaked immediately by a broken world. We'll consider all of this together on Sunday.
This lesson was the the Second Sunday of Advent. The text for the homily is Matthew 3 where we are introduced to John the Baptist. John the Baptist has one main focus: to get people ready to meet Jesus. What does it mean to get ready to meet Jesus then and now? That's what we will ponder during this lesson.
On Christ the King Sunday we celebrate that Jesus is the rightful King of this world and that one day his reign over the world and all people will be realized fully. The image of a sovereign ruling over people is a tough image to get excited about given humankind’s history. However, Jesus’s rule is fundamentally unlike the deeply flawed and downright evil rulers that we have known. Jesus is the King that says: trust me because I have no agenda that is other than your well being. Jesus is never working an angle. We’ll talk about this wonderful and quintessential aspect of the gospel this Sunday with an eye to how it can transform our lives.
On Baptism Sunday churches all over the world celebrate Jesus' baptism. When Jesus comes for baptism, John the Baptist is shocked. He thinks that Jesus should be the one baptizing him. John's is a baptism where people are coming to confess their sins. Jesus is the lamb of God without sin. But Jesus will go into the water along with the mass of broken humanity not because he needs to but because of his oneness with us. In this way, the baptism of Jesus is a continuation of the incarnation: God with us all the way to the bottom of what it means to be a frail human being. In the homily we hear this theme of Jesus's solidarity with us and about how we are implicated in Jesus' baptism. It is all good news, from start to finish.
You choose your friends. You don't choose your family. One of the pillars that we settled on during our branding process was: Grace is committed to cultivating a community that feels like family. But family is hard. Maybe we should just cultivate community that feels like friends? Do we really want to "feel" like family? This week's text from 2 Thessalonians is a complicated one dealing with the complications of living among people who were chosen for you. Together we'll consider what it means to follow Christ in community together.
Each week we confess in the creed that we believe in the world to come. What do we mean when we say that? How does the promise of the world to come inform us in the here and now? We will address these questions as we look at our homily text from Revelation 21.
This week, guest and friend, Rick Hunter explores a text that may be familiar to many. Here we explore the story of Zacchaeus found in the book of Luke and what we can learn from a man who pushed through the opinions of the crowd.
You'd think that summing up this week's short parable from Luke 18 would be as simple as saying, "Be Humble." For better or worse, it isn't. The pharisee is the classic antagonist, looking down on others. The tax collector once again plays the protagonist, humbly praying to God. Unfortunately, we don't fit into either role neatly. And actually, I'm not sure the pharisee and tax collector do either. Let’s explore the simple complexity together.
The text for this homily comes from Luke’s gospel. In the reading from Luke 17, Jesus instructs his disciples about the importance of forgiveness. Here is an excerpt from the text: “... if the same person sins against you seven times a day, and turns back to you seven times and says, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive. ”Forgiving those who have wronged us is perhaps the most powerful way that we can be imitators of God. Arguably, it is also the most powerful demonstration that God is at work in the world.
First and Second Timothy are called pastoral epistles because they are Paul’s letters of instruction to young Timothy, wherein he gives his apprentice in the ministry loads of advice, instruction, and encouragement about how he ought to lead the church. The passage before us includes an exhortation to Timothy to help his flock understand the importance of contentment. When you think of contentment, what comes to mind? One way to think of it is that it is the opposite of insatiable restlessness, a commonplace in the spirit of our age, to which we often fall prey. May God’s Spirit be our teacher.
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The text for this homily is from Luke 16. In this text, Jesus tells a bizarre parable about wealth that ends with the familiar verse, "No slave can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth." This text is about financial wealth, which we will touch on. But its truth gets at something more fundamental. We often feel so divided? How can we live a life singularly focused on the things that truly matter?
The text for this week is from Jeremiah 18. In this passage, the prophet Jeremiah is brought to the studio of a potter where he watches a potter working a piece of clay. It becomes a metaphor for God's people being shaped in the hands of God. It is at once both a frightening image of God's power and control over all people, and an encouraging image of a God who won't give up on any piece of clay. Caleb offers a way to think about how the image of God as a potter and we as clay is both encouraging and challenging.
Keep the faith. This week's homily comes from the 11th chapter of Hebrews. We will be focusing on the second half of chapter 11 where the author names a handful of men and women who have kept the faith before us, leading to the iconic verse: "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off every weight that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles and let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith."
What is faith? What does it feel like to have faith? What is it supposed to feel like? I find that in many conversations, the idea of faith raises more questions than it answers. Here, Caleb will explore how we think about faith, what it looked like for the cloud of witnesses that surrounds us and what it looks like for us in 2019.
In the third chapter of Colossians, Paul sets a fairly lofty bar for the Colossians in terms of what their lives ought to look like. We will think about whether Paul's admonitions are relevant for us and how they translate into our day to day.
From time to time at Grace we have made the point in our teaching and preaching that God loves YOU - the real you and not the idealized version of you that one often imagines one needs to be in order to be lovable. This spectacularly good news is at the heart of the gospel and is simmering just below the surface in these remarkable words that Paul writes to the Colossians about Jesus and us: “.... in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have come to fullness in him.”
Caleb continues in the book of Colossians this week with the book's most well-known passage. This iconic text offers us a beautiful vision of who Christ is and what the impact of Christ's identity is for the entire world. How do the words of Paul in Colossians offer us hope in a broken world? We will carefully consider that question together.
This week we hear Paul's opening words which are intimate and personal, though he had not even met the Colossian church at this point. He longs for them to walk in the light, away from darkness and into the kingdom of the beloved Son. The pastors will lead us to deep dive into Colossians over the next four weeks and walk alongside of the Colossians in that same direction.
Caleb preaches a sermon using Bob's notes on Paul's famous passage from Galatians. What does it mean that social distinctions are leveled by the gospel?
Caleb shares about his trip to Uganda and explores Proverb's definition of wisdom, which is vastly different than our dictionary definition.
Pastor Bob explores the mystery of the ascension and explains why this is a significant Christian holy day...and good news, too!
Pastor Bob reflects on a passage from Ephesians and the constant work that the early church finds itself doing: keeping up with the hospitality of God.
In this homily, Bob ties Psalm 23 to a passage in Acts 9 wherein Tabitha is raised from the dead. Tabitha is a leader in the church. God provides miraculously for the provision of the church by raising her from the dead. God provides a way forward for the community of faith throughout time.
Caleb preaches on Saul's conversion, a story that shows that even when we position ourselves against God, God does not regard us as enemies.
Has Easter really happened? In this homily, Caleb explores the response of the disciples to Jesus and tells a story of resurrection hope.
Bob explores the resurrection by looking at the impact it had on his closest followers. Primarily, Bob notes how the resurrection was the first fruits of God's extravagant love that does not show partiality.
This beautiful story from John's Gospel paints a picture of authentic and honest worship. Bob explores the imagery and the outrage of the disciples.
Caleb picks up in Luke 13 where a man asks, “will only a few be saved?” Jesus answer includes a narrow door and has been quoted and misunderstood by so many.
In this homily, Caleb explores a passage that can't help but be connected to the recent shooting in Christchurch, New Zealand. Do violent events have their source in God's judgement? Jesus discredits this line of thinking and suggests that the crowd is asking the wrong question entirely.
On the first Sunday of Lent, Bob explores the story of Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness.
Luke's beatitudes are a challenge to how we perceive power and privilege. In this homily, Bob shares how Jesus' challenge to his crowd is relevant in the world today. He talks about the temptation to use and abuse power and contribute to problems like toxic masculinity.
What does it mean to believe in the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting? What exactly do we believe about resurrection and does it make any difference for how we live our lives? This sermon is an honest interaction with some of the most basic questions that the church has asked throughout its history.
Guest preacher Fred Harrell joins Grace Chicago from City Church San Francisco. His homily explored the difference between worshipping Jesus and following Jesus and how the latter is more difficult and is what the weary world needs most.
The Magi remind us that while we might expect to find glory, purpose, and honor in the palace, God is actually found in the ordinary, mundane, and routine. This year, may we seek to find God in the ordinary and expect Christ to show up in our routine lives.
Caleb closes with a reflection on New Year's Resolutions.
Mary must be terrified on her journey to Elizabeth's house. How will she explain her situation to her distant aunt? Who would believe her incredible story? Elizabeth, prompted by God's Spirit, sees Mary, acknowledges her, and asks for no explanations. Mary experiences the gracious hospitality and welcome of Elizabeth. We can all follow Elizabeth's witness and imitate the generosity that Elizabeth displays.
In this first Sunday of Advent, we think about Hope. The text from Luke this week is a terrifying description of the end of days. What does all the imagery of Jesus mean? What does it mean in 2018? Bob explores where hope is found, which is not in earthly circumstances. Hope is not bound to what we can see, but is found in what we may not see.
Following the trajectory of our text from Mark, we might ask, what should we not hold onto? What have we trusted in too much, which will inevitably crumble? Jesus challenges some of the disciples most dearly held convictions and urges them to trust in him. He often challenges us in the same way.
Who is my neighbor? In the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus paints a bloody and vivid picture of what neighbor love looks like. He resists the categories that his audience would have expected and wanted. In this homily, Rev. Aaron Kuecker explores the popular parable and suggests that we should perhaps view "neighbor" as a verb rather than a category.
Dr. Volf examines what it means to be called to specific tasks and what it means to be called to our own humanity. What does it mean to be stretched between two worlds? What does it mean to heed the transcendent call in our day to day?
Caleb explores the possibility that the sorrow and grief of the rich young man, after learning that inheriting eternal life will require selling his possessions, is not his rejection of Jesus but rather is his movement toward him. What if our sorrow and grief drew us toward Christ and not away from him?
The disciples have it backwards. They are arguing about who will be the greatest. While we may wag our finger at them, Bob points out that each of us tries to lord power over others. We are called approach power, greatness, and authority in a radically different way.
In James 2, James condemns favoritism. He lumps it in with murder and adultery. What is it about favoritism that is so dangerous? James challenges the church to reflect the kingdom of God and not the culture it is surrounded by.
Jesus asks Peter who he believes Jesus to be. Peter gets the answer correct, but he has no idea what it means and so Jesus tells the disciples not to share with anyone that he is the Messiah. The good news of the gospel is not knowing the answer to a question, it is hearing Christ say who YOU are. It is being forgiven and given the gift of walking in Christ's footsteps.
A gentile woman approaches Jesus, but Jesus doesn't immediately grant her request. It is an unusual encounter, but through it Jesus creates a platform for a woman to teach his disciples.
What does it mean to eat of Christ? What an off-putting way to speak of participating in Christ? What sort of insight is Christ offering us by using this intense language? Pastor Bob explores a tough yet full text.
Jesus is non-anxious. He is not concerned by the fact that the crowds are leaving him. He trusts the Father. In this homily, Pastor Caleb reflects on Jesus' trust and thinks about the idea of God's election or choosing of human beings. Why is it good news that God elects us? He closes the homily with a personal reflection about Heaven.
We continue in John chapter 6 with a passage that explores the claim that Jesus is the bread of life. Bob explores whether Jesus' claim has any concrete practical implications.
This is the only miracle recorded in all four gospels. In John's gospel, however, it is simply the opening vignette in a chapter that will be all about bread. The crowd is hungry, and while the miracle feeds their stomachs, they will be back the next day hungry again. What does it look like to truly feast on the bread of life? Is it possible to never feel hungry again?
In this week's passage from Samuel, David wants to build a temple for God. The prophet Nathan says "Go for it!" but God says "nope." In Ephesians, Paul writes about the community of faith being the house of God.
The beheading of John is a tragic event that is not untypical of what happens when power is used derisively. It challenges us to consider the brokenness of our world. Mark's readers, however, read this story in light of the resurrection. We too, read the suffering and pain of the world through the lens of the cross and resurrection.
Jesus allows himself to be impacted by his hometown's lack of belief. God chooses to be vulnerable, to the point that what we do matters. In turn, God asks his followers to be vulnerable as they bring the good news to the world.
To be in the presence of Jesus is to be touched by God. This brief homily by Pastor Bob focuses on God's heart for the least among us is evident in Mark's gospel.
Mark 4 has two stories you've heard. The parable of the sower and the four soils and the story of Jesus calming the storm. The four soils is about being the right kind of soil for the Word to grow. Jesus calming the storm is about trusting in Jesus' sovereignty over all creation. In between those stories are 8 verses that don't fit. They introduce suspicion and mystery into the made-up minds of the disciples. We will look at those 8 verses and consider our role in the Kingdom of God.
Davin has been leading at Grace Chicago for nearly 15 years. He has been the Director of Music for the last two years. In this conversation with Charlotte Swanson, he shares his views on music in the church, improvisational singing, how music has changed and much more.
The passage for this Sunday (Mark 3:20-35) is full of drama. Jesus’ family is worried that he is “out of his mind”. The religious leaders accuse him of being in league with Satan. But in the midst of all of this distraction Jesus offers a vision of the sort of community that makes for human flourishing. I am looking forward to exploring what Jesus’ words mean for us today: “whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother”.
In the midst of all of the noise in our lives, is there hope to clearly hear from the voice of God? How would you know it was God? Those are questions that arise for me from the passage that calls us to worship (I Samuel 3:1-10). Another question arises form our reading from the Gospel of Mark (2:13-3:6). In this reading, Jesus says, provocatively, that the Sabbath was made for humankind and not humankind for the Sabbath, prompting me to ask: when does religious practice become an obstacle to recognizing God's presence in our midst?
Nicodemus is faced with the prospect of being born again, of starting over. All of his professional accomplishments and accolades will look like rubbish in this rebirth. What Jesus promises in this rebirth is not entirely clear, but Nicodemus makes the decision that it is worth everything. What does it look like for us to be born again this week?
The Ascension is a mysterious story. It opens the book of Acts and is a significant event, as it is referenced through the New Testament. But what does it mean? Why is it significant? Pastor Bob explores what Jesus' ascension means for our own lives (bodies).
Peter is preaching. Cornelius and his crew are listening. But a third thing happens. God's Spirit falls. Sometimes where you don't expect it. Sometimes when you aren't looking for it. We believe that God is always doing a third thing and there is great encouragement that God's Spirit can show up when we might think it unlikely.
John's Gospel begins the resurrection story with the detail that Mary Magdalene goes to the tomb while it is still dark. Caleb suggests that we ought to bring the darkness of our doubts, the darkness of our griefs and of our disappointments with us to Easter. Secondly, he points out that no one recognizes Jesus at first. It is difficult to see the risen Jesus, for the disciples and for us. Until Jesus calls Mary by her name, and Peter by his (three times!), they do not really believe that Easter has changed the world.
Greeks approach Jesus, interested in being a part of his growing movement. Jesus says, "yes, it is time for my glory." But he then goes on to define that glory as requiring death and the cross. In what story does death result in glory? Caleb tells the story of a recent trip he took while in Uganda and encourages us to think about what story we find ourselves in.
This week our text for our homily comes Ephesians, chapter 2:1-10. In this portion of the letter, Paul writes these lines that, through the ages, have been a great comfort to the church: For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.
We reflect on this simple, yet profound, summary of the gospel. Among the questions we ponder: why is it so hard for many of us to accept that we have been so radically accepted?
In this homily, Caleb explores the claim that Jesus is making by comparing his own body to the temple. How does Jesus replace the temple? What might God's Spirit being with us in Jesus' body mean for our own bodies?
In Acts 16, Paul is in prison for telling the story of Jesus. Even in prison he sings and tells the story of Jesus. All of us have a story to tell, and as we tell our own stories about God's faithfulness to us, others are encouraged.
Caleb breaks down the story of Elijah and Elisha into three scenes. The first is of Elijah's personal struggle where we learn that God uses ANYBODY. The second is Elisha's calling, which teaches us that when we are given more than we can handle, God provides people to share the load. The final scene is of Elijah's mantle falling to Elisha. God's Spirit is given to Elisha, to Christ, and to us.
Katherine James book, "Can You See Anything Now" won Christianity Today's award for best fiction. Paula published her first book, "No Relation," in November '17. Grace Chicago had the opportunity to host both authors for a reading and Q&A.
Pastor Bob reflects on a passage from Mark 1 and suggests that "Jesus presence with us draws us out of the shadows...in Christ, our desires to objectify others are crucified with Christ."
Mark 1: 21-29 tells the story of Jesus teaching in the synagogue and being encountered by a man with unclean spirits. The first question we might as is what sort of legitimacy and authority do we give to NT texts about unclean spirits. The better question is whether Jesus still has the same power to heal and command. Mark is eager to impress on his readers that Jesus' authority was unlike any other. Where does Jesus claim to source his authority? How does Jesus use his authority? Pastor Caleb takes up these questions in this homily.
Bob's homily on Mark Chapter 1 makes a simple, perhaps obvious, yet profound point: You can be connected to God, that connection ought to invite others to connect to God. This is a simple, but transformative message.
Engrained in us is a standard way of doing things. For early Christians, the law was engrained in them. Often, the story of Jesus was taken and appropriated into the religion of moralism and law. In fact, at Christmas, God interrupts the engrained patterns of achieving, earning, and striving. In Christ, we can go about our lives, but not simply as if things are business as usual.
In this letter, Pastor Caleb writes about the significance of baptism. He addresses several common questions about baptism. Why do we baptize our children in the reformed tradition? This homily doesn't have all the answers, but it points us to God's promises made visible in baptism.
In this homily, Pastor Caleb looks at a tough passage from Mark 13 about the "day of the Lord." As we prepare for Christmas, Advent encourages us to not only look back at the birth of Christ, but also forward to Christ's coming. Caleb argues on behalf of hope, even when optimism is unlikely.
Matthew 25 is the familiar passage where Jesus tells followers that whenever they show love to the least among them, they are extending love to Him. God's particular love for the poor and marginalized is on display in this text, along with His justice and judgment. Bob suggests that "oracles of judgment" like the one in Matthew 25 are good news that remind us that God is on the side of justice and peace.
I can only answer the question what should I do, if I can answer the previous question, what is the story or stories that I find myself a part of? -Alister Mcintyre "In what story," Dr. Kuecker asked, "does Grace Chicago's mission statement make sense?" The story the Israelites found themselves in, which the New Testament picks up on, is the story of being freed from captivity and led to the Promised Land. What does it mean to be caught up in that story? Kuecker's homily provides some answers and provokes several other questions.
Paul's letter to the Thessalonians is one of the Paul's earliest writings. He refers to himself as a wet nurse, and paints a picture of leadership and authority that causes us to do a double take. In this homily, Bob suggests that the Gospel rearranges the furniture of our minds. It challenges our approach to power and forces us to examine how we love God, others, and live sacrificially in community with one another.
Render to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's. What does this saying mean? Jesus' response to the conniving pharisees puts them on their heels by insisting on the dignity of all people. Christians are called to live in the middle of division, insisting on the dignity of all people as well.
In this homily, Pastor Bob makes this claim: "When we worship with Jesus, he interrupts the stories that we settle for, that diminish our humanity and he reminds us that we are made to be glorious and to do glorious things."
Philippians 2:1-13 is an iconic passage. Much of it is actually a hymn. Paul reminds the Philippians of what is more important and the most important things cannot be spoken, they must be sung. Paul's use of worship reminds us that our "being in one accord" (the word we get symphony from in the Greek) has to do with gathering around the person of Christ, who shapes and forms us at our core.
When God took on flesh, He talked about the Kingdom of Heaven. The community woven together in Christ has their citizenship in an upside down kingdom where the first are last and the last are first. Caleb explores a parable from Matthew 20 about God's priorities regarding profit, fairness, and people.
Pastor Bob explores Romans 13:8-14 and considers Paul's simple command to love one another. It is the final sermon in a series on how our worship as a church ought to form us.
In Romans 12, Paul lists a set of moral imperatives, which at first seem daunting and may even cause anxiety. Pastor Bob makes the argument that these commands are invitations that come from God and can be lived into only as gifts of God. They are Life Giving! In worship, God does the work of making us more Christ-like.
In Romans 12, Paul pivots from the dense theological material of the preceding chapters towards its application. Paul urges us to offer our bodies as living sacrifices, and he suggests that our minds can be transformed. Pastor Bob points out that for Paul, it is our participation in right worship that shapes us. What and how we worship shapes us and we ought to pay close attention therefore to what we are worshipping.
What is the story of Joseph about? There is a lot going on, but what Joseph realizes in the end is that his life is ultimately a story about God thwarting the devastating effects of a famine. This is a tale about how the Jewish God saved Egyptians lives.
Joseph is an oft-idealized character. Some call him the most Christ-like character in the Old Testament. Yet, at the outset of the story, he is a haughty seventeen-year-old. It is not his piety that lands him in the pit, but rather, it is the pit that teaches him the value of true piety.
Pastor Bob looks at passages from Isaiah and Matthew as he explores how the generosity of God's people flows out of God's own heart. While we may see our resources or capacity as scarce, but God's heart is overflowing with love. There is more than enough love to go around!
In this sermon on Romans 8, Pastor Bob explores what kind of joy follows the reality of God's victory over the enemies of human flourishing. The defeat over sin is God's victory. It is out of our hands, and that is great news! Every time we enter into worship we are entering into a celebration that began before the foundation of the earth. The party began a long time ago, and we get to be participants in it!
On July 9th, Pastor Caleb preached on Romans 7 in which Paul talks about the war waging in our hearts between law and grace. Following our July 4th celebrations, what does it mean to be dependent upon Christ while living in a world divided by law and grace? This sermon reflects on the streets of Chicago and how we live as people of grace in the midst of sin and chaos.
In this sermon on Romans 6, Bob considers the power of sin, with a capital S. This sort of Sin convinces us that God is not for us. It leads us to "underestimate what God has done for us in Jesus Christ." The reality is that the one who knows us best is the one who loves us best. Be encouraged!
Abraham and Sarah laugh when God tells them that they will yet have a child. And can you blame them? There is faith in their laughter. There is doubt in their laughter. Pastor Caleb explores the humor of the gospel and a faith that requires laughter.
What does it mean to be created? Were we created? In this homily, Pastor Caleb explores the radical claim of the creation story in the context of ancient Israel and in the context of 2017.
Pastor Bob reflects on Pentecost and how the Spirit of God invites all of creation into the heart of God. God's spirit unites all of creation and magnifies the beauty of its diversity.
What does the Ascension mean? Is it relevant that Jesus is raised into the clouds? Pastor Bob suggests that it points to a reality that deeply impacts us. We too, can be lifted into the mystery of Christ's union with the Father. Pastor Bob explores what that means.