Sermons

Luke 24: 36b-48 * Roger C. Lynn * April 30, 2006

- Click To Listen In MP3 Audio -

Something extraordinary happened! The profound presence of God which people had encountered in the life of Jesus continued even after his death. The exact nature of this experience is not clear. Different writers talk about it in different ways - from Luke's story of Jesus eating fish with the disciples to Paul's account of a blinding light and commanding voice on the road to Damascus. Language seems so limited and inadequate in the face of such an extraordinary experience. In the words of Jonas the shepherd from my Christmas story, "You will get different stories about what happened that night, depending on which of us you ask, but I think that is because it was so overwhelming that none of us could really grasp it all, let alone tell about it later in a way that would make any sense. Suffice it to say that nothing like it had ever happened to any of us before, and it was very, very good." And yet, one thing seems clear - it was very real and very powerful. And in the 2,000 years since then, people continue to find the stories compelling, in part because they resonate with experiences in our own lives. So, we can focus on the outward details of what happened, or we can seek to discover the meaning and the impact it has in the lives of those who have such encounters.
» read more

Acts 4:32-35 & John 20:19-23 * Roger C. Lynn * April 23, 2006

- Click To Listen In MP3 Audio -

Last Sunday we joined with Christians around the world in celebrating Easter. We reflected on the gift of new life which we see revealed in the story of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It was a day for shouting "Hosanna" and praising God.

But after all is said and done, when the Easter clothes are put away, and the number of people in the pews has returned to normal, we are still left with the ultimate theological question - "so what?" Why does it matter? What does it mean? How does it impact our living? If it is only about one man who lived a long time ago in a far off land, then there really isn't very much to celebrate. Even if, as some people claim, it is about "getting us into heaven" (whether selectively or not), then it is of limited interest as long as we are still breathing. But if this new life is about all of life, including every moment of our living, beginning right here and right now, then we start having something to talk about.
» read more

Mark 16: 1-8 * Roger C. Lynn * April 16, 2006 * Easter Sunday

- Click To Listen In MP3 Audio -

The story gets told a lot of different ways. The cast of characters varies. Sometimes there is one woman. Sometimes there are several. Sometimes there is one angel. Sometimes there are two. Sometimes Jesus says, "Don't touch me." Sometimes he sits down and has breakfast. But underneath all of the variations, which are really just different ways of telling the story, the central theme remains constant and strong. Resurrection! New Life! The good news of the Gospel is that God is here, now, in the very midst of us, and wherever God is there is life - abundant, transformed, new!
» read more

The storm clouds were gathering. The writing was on the walls. It was growing darker by the minute. Jesus' message and ministry had put him at odds with the "powers-that-be" and the hammer was poised to come down hard. He could have run away. It would have been an easy thing to slip out of Jerusalem and head back up to Galilee, where he could keep a low profile and quietly live out the rest of his days. All that would have been required would be for him to let go of his passion and abandon his integrity. Oh sure, that would have killed his spirit just as surely as the Roman soldiers killed his body. But at least he would have survived. He could have spared himself all that suffering.
» read more

Mark 11: 1-11 & Mark 15: 1-39 * Roger C. Lynn * April 9, 2006 * Palm / Passion Sunday

- Click To Listen In MP3 Audio -

Today we enter the final week in the season of Lent -- often called "Holy Week." It is a time when the Church pays particular attention to the final days of Jesus' life, from the entry into Jerusalem to the last supper in the upper room, to the praying in the garden, to the arrest, to the execution, to the burial, to the resurrection. From the very beginning, those who have called themselves followers of Christ have sought to find meaning in these events. Each of the four Gospels contained in our New Testament offer their own unique perspective on what meaning can be found here, to say nothing of the countless theologians, scholars and ordinary folk down through the years. There has never been one single consensus on what this all means or even where to put the emphasis. Different people and different communities have lifted up different themes and reached different conclusions. We were reminded of this reality just this past week, with the announcement of the discovery of a third century document known as the Gospel of Judas -- a Gnostic Gospel which portrays Judas as the most faithful of all the disciples. Exploring all of the implications of such a document would require considerably more time than we have available to us this morning. I mention it simply to point out that there a wide variety of ways in which the life of Jesus can be understood. Meaning is not limited to one particular interpretation. Indeed, faith requires a certain degree of humility. I believe it is always healthy to follow up even our most ardent convictions with the admission that "then again, I could be wrong."
» read more

Deuteronomy 14: 22-29 & 2 Corinthians 9: 6-10 * Roger C. Lynn * April 2, 2006 * Stewardship Emphasis (Part 2)

- Click To Listen In MP3 Audio -

There is a long list of things I could say in a stewardship sermon about giving. I could tell you that you should give because the church needs the money. I could tell you that you should give because the Bible says so. I could tell you that you should give because it more blessed to give than to receive. This list could go on and on, and if you have spent very much time in church down through the years then you have probably heard most of them, just like I have. So you will probably be happy to know that I'm not going to go there. I actually think that when it comes to the subject of giving, "should" language isn't very helpful. Even the Apostle Paul recognized the need for some other way of approaching the topic. "Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." (2 Corinthians 9:7) If we are giving because we think we "should," it might raise some funds in the short-term, but we would be a well-funded church without a soul.
» read more