Category: Sermons

Under the Gourd Vine
Art, Narrative Lectionary Year 3, Reflections

Under the Gourd Vine

The open question at the end of the book is “Will Jonah actually change?” The book doesn’t tie things up in a nice tidy bow, but leaves things hanging with a question that must be answered by both Jonah and also ourselves. God asks us, “And should I not be concerned about Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also many animals?” Continue reading Under the Gourd Vine

An Unlikely Saint: The Widow of Zarephath ( I Kings 17: 8-24)
Narrative Lectionary Year 3, Sermons

An Unlikely Saint: The Widow of Zarephath ( I Kings 17: 8-24)

Today is All Saints Day, a day to remember those women and men who have set us an example of faithfulness and trust. Our scripture lesson this morning introduces us to one such faithful saint, the widow of Zarephath. You might be interested to know that in his very first sermon, delivered in his hometown of Nazareth, Jesus singles her out as a woman of faith who was chosen and blessed by God. If Jesus has such a high regard for her, perhaps we should learn more about her and her faith, for she is one of those saints that we celebrate on this day. Continue reading An Unlikely Saint: The Widow of Zarephath ( I Kings 17: 8-24)

Hannah’s Story: A Sermon on I Samuel 1:1-20
Narrative Lectionary Year 3, Sermons

Hannah’s Story: A Sermon on I Samuel 1:1-20

The dreams we have for ourselves are never big enough. God’s dreams for us are always bigger than we can imagine. We saw this about a month ago when we were studying Joseph. Do you remember? Joseph’s dream for himself was a dream of superiority. He dreamed that his whole family would bow down to him as if he were a king. But God’s dream for Joseph was one of servanthood.

The same is true of Hannah. Her dream was to have son who would remove the grief and shame she felt from being barren. But she also realized that God had a bigger dream. Continue reading Hannah’s Story: A Sermon on I Samuel 1:1-20