Sermons

Click on any of the dates below to see a transcript of that week’s sermon.

Year C – 2024-2025

Jan. 5, 2025 – Same – A Christmas Sermon on John 1.1-18

Dec. 24, 2024 – Christ Comes in the Messiness – A Christmas Eve Sermon on Luke 2.1-20

Dec. 22, 2024 – God’s Promises Revealed in Each Other – An Advent Sermon on Luke 1.39-45

Dec. 15, 2024 – The Joy of Repentance – An Advent Sermon on Luke 3.7-18

Dec. 8, 2024 – We Get to be Part of God’s Work – An Advent Sermon on Luke 3.1-6, 2024

Year B – 2023-2024

Nov. 24, 2024 – We’re Living in the Kingdom of God – A Christ the King Sermon on John 18.33-37

Nov. 10, 2024 – Listen, Learn, and Act in Love – A Sermon on Ruth 3.1-5, 4.13-17

Oct. 27, 2024 – Job, A Story of Resurrection – A Sermon on Job 42.1-6, 10-17

Oct. 20, 2024 – A Beautiful and Terrible World – A Sermon on Job 38.1-7

Oct. 13, 2024 – Who’s to Blame When Everything Happens – A Sermon on Job 23.1-9, 16-17

Oct. 6, 2024 – There Was a Man in the Land of Uz – A Sermon on Job.1.1, 2.1-10

Sept. 29, 2024 – For Such a Time As This – A Sermon on Esther

Sept. 22, 2024 – People of Valor – A Sermon on Proverbs 31.10-31 and Mark 9.30-37

Sept. 15, 2024 – Wisdom – A Sermon on Proverbs 1.20-33 and Mark 8.27-38

Sept. 8, 2024 – God’s Work Our Hands – A Sermon on Mark 7.24-38

Sept. 1, 2024 – The Most Sublime of Songs – A Sermon on Song of Solmon 2.8-13

Aug. 25, 2024 – The Church is a House for Us to Share – A Sermon on 1 Kings 8.22-30, 41-43

Aug. 18, 2024 – The Very Relatable King Solomon – A Sermon on 1 Kings 2.10-12, 3.3-14

June 9, 2024 – God Keeps God’s End of the Covenant – A Sermon on 1 Samuel 8.4-11, 16-20

June 2, 2024 – Eli’s Legacy – A Sermon on 1 Samuel 3.1-10

May 26, 2024 – Come Join the Dance – A Holy Trinity Sermon on John 3.1-17

May 19, 2024 – The Holy Spirit Shows Us the Next Step – A Pentecost Sermon on John 15.26-27, 16.4b-15 and Acts 2.1-21

May 12, 2024 – Jesus Prays for Us – An Easter Sermon on John 17.6-19

May 5, 2024 – Jesus Loves Us – An Easter Sermon on John 15.9-17, Acts 10.44-48

Apr. 28, 2024 – We Are God’s Favorite Project – A Sermon on Acts 8.26-40 and John 15.1-8

Apr. 7, 2024 – It’s Still Easter – An Easter Sermon on John 20.19-31

Mar. 31, 2024 – Superdisciples or Not, Jesus is Where We Are Going – An Easter Sermon on Mark 16.1-8

Mar. 30, 2024 – This is the Night – An Easter Vigil Sermon on John 20.1-18

Mar. 24, 2024 – Standing on the Edge of Holy Week – A Palm – Passion Sermon on Mark 11.1-11; 14.1-15.47

Mar. 17, 2024 – Jesus Lifts Up the Whole World – A Lent Sermon on John 12.20-33

Mar. 10, 2024 – Poisonous Snakes and the Infallible Love of God – A Lent Sermon on Numbers 21.4-9 and John 3.14-21

Feb. 25, 2024 – Be Pushed in Love – A Lent Sermon on Mark 8.31-38

Feb. 18, 2024 – Bend It Towards Justice – A Lent Sermon on Mark 1.9-15

Feb. 14, 2024 – Stubborn Love – An Ash Wednesday Sermon

Feb. 11, 2024 – Glimpses of Glory – A Transfiguration Sermon on Mark 9.2-9

Feb. 4, 2024 – Created to Serve – A Sermon on Mark 1.29-39

Jan. 28, 2024 – A New Teaching-With Authority – A Sermon on Mark 1.21-28

Jan. 7, 2024 – Our Identity is God’s Beloved – An Epiphany Sermon on Mark 1.4-11

Dec. 24, 2023 – Jesus is Born Into Our Real Lives – A Christmas Eve Sermon on Luke 2.1-20

Dec. 17, 2023 – We are Not the Messiah – An Advent Sermon on John 1.6-8. 19-28

Dec. 10, 2023 – God Keeps God’s Promises – An Advent Sermon on Mark 1.1-8

Dec. 3, 2023 – Christ Comes in the Middle of Everything – An Advent Sermon on Isaiah 64.1-9 and Mark 13.24-37

Year A – 2022-2023

Nov. 26, 2023 – Simple Acts of Transformation – A Christ the King Sermon on Ezekiel 34.11-16, 20-24 and Matthew 25.31-46

Nov. 19, 2023 – Use Your Gifts – A Sermon on Judges 4

Nov. 5, 2023 – It Takes a Village – An All Saints Sermon on Joshua 3.7-17

Oct. 29, 2023 – God Drags Us Along – A Reformation Sermon on Deuteronomy 34.1-12

Oct. 22, 2023 – Seek a Different Way – A Sermon on Exodus 33.12-23 and Matthew 22.15-22

Oct. 8, 2023 – 10 Signs God Loves Us – A Sermon on Exodus 20.1-4, 7-9, 12-20

Oct. 1, 2023 – Cats, Testingville and Complainingburg and the Inexhaustible Love of God – A Sermon on Exodus 17.1-7

Sept. 24, 2023 – What Is It – A Sermon on Exodus 16.2-15

Sept. 17, 2023 – Songs in the Wilderness – A Sermon on Exodus 14.19-31; 15.1b-11, 20-21

Sept. 10, 2023 – God’s Work Our Hands – A Sermon on Exodus 14.1-12

Sept. 3, 2023 – You’ve Seen the Bush – A Sermon on Exodus 3.1-15

Aug. 27, 2023 – A Future Not Our Own – A Sermon on Exodus 1.8-2.10

Aug. 20, 2023 – Change – A Sermon on Genesis 45.1-15 and Matthew 15.10-28

Aug. 13, 2023 – Midianite Traders, Sinking Waves, and a God who is Always There – A Sermon on Genesis 37.1-4,12-28 and Matthew 14.22-33

Aug. 6, 2023 – Wrestling – A Sermon on Genesis 32.22-31 and Matthew 14.13-21

July 16, 2023 – The Parable of the Sower – A Sermon on Genesis 25.19-34 and Matthew 13.1-9, 18-23

July 9, 2023 – A Love Story – A Sermon on Genesis 24.34-38, 42-49, 58-67

July 2, 2023 – God Shows Up – A Sermon on Genesis 22.1-14 and Matthew 10.40-42

June 25, 2023 – Hard Truths – A Sermon on Genesis 21.8-21 and Matthew 10.24-39

June 18, 2023 – Laughter – A Sermon on Genesis 18.1-15, 21.1-7 and Matthew 9.35-10.8

June 11, 2023 – Following – A Sermon on Genesis 12.1-9 and Matthew 9.9-13, 18-26

June 4, 2023 – In the Beginning and To the End of the Age – A Sermon on Genesis 1.1-2.4a and Matthew 28.16-20

May 28, 2023 – Signs of the Spirit – A Pentecost Sermon on Acts 2.1-21 and John 20.19-23

May 14, 2023 – Jesus is Present Part 2 – A Sermon on John 14.15-21

May 7, 2023 – Jesus is Present – A Sermon on John 14.1-14

April 30, 2023 – Consulting the Shepherd – A Sermon on Acts 2.42-47 and John 10.1-10

April 23, 2023 – Emmaus – A Sermon on Luke 24.13-35

April 16, 2023 – A Persistent Jesus Breaks the Fourth Wall – A Sermon on John 20.19-31

April 9, 2023 – Reoriented to Love – An Easter Sermon on Matthew 28.1-11 and Acts 10.34-43

April 6, 2023 – Risk – A Maundy Thursday Reflection on John 13.1-7, 31-35

April 2, 2023 – Palm and Passion Sunday – A Sermon on Matthew 21.1-11 and Matthew 27.11-54

Mar. 19, 2023 – You Are Seen – A Sermon on John 9.1-41

Mar. 12, 2023 – But He Had to Go Through Samaria – A Sermon on John 4.1-42

Mar. 5, 2023 – That All Will be Blessed – A Sermon on Genesis 12.1-4a and John 3.1-17

Feb. 26, 2023 – Suing God – A Sermon on Matthew 4.1-11

Feb. 22, 2023 – An Ash Wednesday Sermon about Socks – An Ash Wednesday Sermon on Matthew 6.1-6, 16-21

Jan. 8, 2023 – Still the People Walking – A Sermon on Matthew 3.13-17

Dec. 24, 2022 – God Among the Shepherds – A Christmas Eve Sermon on Luke 2.1-20

Dec. 18, 2022 – Bathsheba Taught Jesus to Look to the Future – A Sermon on 2 Samuel 11 and Matthew 1.18-25

Dec. 11, 2022 – Ruth Taught Jesus Love ad Loyalty – An Advent Sermon on Ruth and Matthew 11.2-11

Dec, 4, 2022 – Rahab Taught Jesus to Fight for the Underdog – An Advent Sermon on Joshua 2.1-5, 22-24; 6.1-5, 15-17, 20-25 and Matthew 3.1-12

Nov. 27, 2022 – Tamar Taught Jesus to Never Give Up – An Advent Sermon on Genesis 38.11, 13-26 and Matthew 24.36-44

Year C – 2021-2022

Nov. 20, 2022 – This Year, and Every Year, God is For Us – A Christ the King Sermon on Luke 23.33-43

Nov. 6, 2022 – We Live in God – An All Saint’s Day Sermon on Luke 20.27-38

Oct. 30, 2022 – God Stands Firm – A Reformation Sermon on Psalm 46

Oct. 23, 2022 – Pharisees, Tax Collectors, and a God who Loves Us as We Are – A Sermon on Luke 18.9-14

Oct. 16, 2022 – Changed By God – A Sermon on Genesis 32.22-31 and Luke 18.1-8

Oct. 2, 2022 – God Doesn’t Give Participation Trophies – A Sermon on Luke 17.5-10

Sept. 25, 2022 – Another Parable Where God Gives Us No Easy Answers, but Does Give Us Jeremiah – A Sermon on Jeremiah 32,1-3a, 6-15 and Luke 16.19-31

Sept. 18, 2022 – A Parable In Which God Gives Us No Easy Answers – Part 1 – A Sermon on Luke 16.1-13

Sept. 11, 2022 – Carpet Stained Perfection – A Sermon on Luke 15.1-10

Sept. 4, 2022 – God and the Project of Us – A Sermon on Jeremiah 18.1-11 and Luke 14.25-33

Aug. 28, 2022 – This is Not an Ettiquette Lesson – A Sermon on Luke 14.1, 7-14

Aug. 21, 2022 – If Not Now When or Best Sabbath Ever – A Sermon on Luke 13.10-17

July 24, 2022 – God is Vast, and Small – A Sermon on Luke 11.1-13

July 17, 2022 – God’s Not Going Anywhere – A Sermon on Amos 7.7-17, 8.1-12 and Luke 10.38-24

July 10, 2022 – Love Is A Habit – A Sermon on Luke 10.25-37

July 3, 2022 – The Kingdom of God is Here – A Sermon on Luke 10.1-11, 16-20

June 26, 2022 – Picking Up the Mantle – A Sermon on 2 Kings 2.1-2, 6-14 and Luke 9.51-62

June 19, 2022 – Snacks, Naps, Silence, and God’s Endless Patience – A Sermon on 1 Kings 19.1-15

June 12, 2022 – Grace, Forgiveness, and Seven-Year-Olds – A Sermon on Psalm 8 and John 16.12-15

June 5, 2022 – God Speaks All Languages – A Pentecost Sermon on Genesis 11.1-9 and Acts 2.1-21

May 22, 2022 – Numb – A Sermon on Revelation 21.10, 22-22.5 and John 14.23-29

May 15, 2022 – Theology to Blow Peter’s Mind – A Sermon on John 13.31-35 and Acts 11.1-18

May 8, 2022 – Tell Us Plainly – A Sermon on John 10.22-30

May 1, 2022 – ‘Peter’s Buffoonish Enthusiasm’ and Other Reasons Pastor Kjersten Loves Peter – A Sermon on John 21.1-19

Apr. 24, 2022 – Scars – A Sermon on John 20.19-31

Apr. 17, 2022 – Ducks, Imagination, and the Resurrection – A Sermon on Luke 24.1-12

Apr. 15, 2022 – It is Finished – A Good Friday Sermon on John 18.1-19.42

Apr. 10, 2022 – The Stones Explain Palm Sunday – A Sermon on Isaiah 50.4-9a and Luke 19.28-40

Apr. 3, 2022 – Yes, I Perceive It – A Sermon on Isaiah 43.16-21, Philippians 3.4b-14, and John 12.1-8

Mar. 27, 2022 – Distinguished Senators, God’s Messengers, and Reasons for Welcome – A Sermon on Luke 15.1-3, 11b-32

Mar. 20, 2022 – Not Suffering or Success But God – A Sermon on 1 Corinthians 10.1-13 and Luke 13.1-9

Mar. 13, 2022 – Reckon to God Righteousness – A Sermon on Genesis 15.1-12,17-18 and Luke 13.31-35

Mar. 6, 2022 – Full of the Holy Spirit – A Sermon on Luke 4.1-13

Mar. 2, 2022 – Unveiled and Broken – An Ash Wednesday Sermon on 2 Corinthians 3.12-4.2 and Matthew 6.1-6, 16-21

Feb. 27, 2022 – Guinea Pigs and Hope – A Transfiguration Sermon on Luke 9.28-36

Feb. 20, 2022 – Niceness is a Superpower – A Sermon on Luke 6.26-38

Feb. 13, 2022 – Kingdom of Reversal – A Sermon on Luke 6.17-26

Feb. 6, 2022 – Love What You Love – A Sermon on Luke 5.1-11

Jan. 30, 2022 – Why is Everyone So Angry – A Sermon on Luke 4.21-30 and 1 Corinthians 13.1-13

Jan. 23, 2022 – What Would You Do If You Knew You Could Not Fail – A Sermon on Luke 4.14-21

Jan. 9, 2022 – Jesus Drives an Astrovan – A Sermon on Luke 3.15-17, 21-22

Jan. 2, 2022 – Pastor Kjersten’s Academic Love Letter to the Prologue of John’s Gospel – A Sermon on John 1.1-18

Dec. 24, 2021 – We Don’t Get the Angel We Want, We Get the Jesus We Need – A Christmas Eve Sermon on Luke 2.1-20

Dec. 19, 2021 – A Salvation of Reversal – A Sermon on Luke 1.26-56

Dec. 12, 2021 – Start Small, God’s Big – A Sermon on Luke 3.7-18

Dec. 5, 2021 – The Word of the Lord Appeared to Who – A Sermon on Luke 3.1-6

Nov. 28, 2021 – Sacred Darkness – A Sermon on Genesis 1.1-19 and Luke 21.25-36

Year A – 2019-2020

June 28, 2020 – Being Uncomfortable – A Sermon on Matthew 10.40-42

June 21, 2020 – Not Peace But a Sword – A Sermon on Matthew 10.24-39

June 14, 2020 – I Don’t Know How to Do This, but God Does – A Sermon on Genesis 18.1-15, 21.1-7 and Matthew 9.35-10.23

May 31, 2020 – Pastor Kjersten Doesn’t Speak Swedish – A Pentecost Sermon on Acts 2.1-21

May 24, 2020 – Bad Quarantine Puns and the Hard Work of Waiting – A Sermon on Acts 1.6-14 and John 17.1-11

May 17, 2020 – Abandoned Cats and a Very Present God – A Sermon on John 14.15-21

May 10, 2020 – Not Being Troubled in the Midst of Troubled Times – A Sermon on John 14.1-14

May 3, 2020 – Jesus is the Gate – A Sermon on John 10.1-10

Apr. 26, 2020 – Masks, Surprises, and God in our Midst – A Sermon on Luke 24.13-35

Apr. 19, 2020 – On Forgiving and Not Forgetting – A Sermon on John 20.19-31

Apr. 12, 2020 – All the Feels – An Easter Sermon on Matthew 28.1-10

Apr. 5, 2020 – Jesus is Brave – A Palm Sunday Sermon on Matthew 21.1-17

Mar. 29, 2020 – Lazarus, Ezekiel, and the Spirit of God Among Us – A Sermon on Ezekiel 37.1-14 and John 11.1-45

Mar. 22, 2020 – Jesus is Bad at Social Distancing – A Sermon on John 9.1-41

Mar.15, 2020 – Keep Social Distance and Lean In – A Sermon on John 4.5-42

Mar. 1, 2020 – Starting With Jesus – A Sermon on Matthew 4.1-11

Feb. 26, 2020 – Breath, You’re Mortal – An Ash Wednesday Sermon on Matthew 6.1-6, 16-20

Feb. 23, 2020 – Mountains Keep You Safe – A Sermon on Matthew 17.1-9

Feb. 16, 2020 – Make Good Choices – A Sermon on Matthew 5.21-37 and Deuteronomy 30.15-20

Feb. 9, 2020 – Shine On – A Sermon on Matthew 5.13-20 and Isaiah 58.1-12

Feb. 2, 2020 – Justice, Kindness, and Humility – A Sermon on Micah 6.1-8 and Matthew 5.1-12

Jan. 26, 2020 – Darkness and Light – A Sermon on Isaiah 9.1-4 and Matthew 4.12-23

Jan. 19, 2020 – Bearing Witness – A Sermon on Isaiah 49.1-7 and John 1.29-42

Jan. 12, 2019 – A Map of Hope – A Sermon on Isaiah 42.1-9; Matthew 3.13-17; and Acts 10.34-43

Dec. 24, 2019 – The Innkeeper’s Hospitality – A Sermon on Luke 2.1-20

Dec. 22, 2019 – Jesus’ Origin Story – A Sermon on Matthew 1.18-25

Dec. 15, 2019 – Hear and See, Go and Tell – A Sermon on Matthew 11.2-11

Dec. 8, 2019 – God’s Judgment is Better than Santa’s – A Sermon on Matthew 3.1-12

Dec. 1, 2019 – No One Knows – A Sermon on Matthew 24.36-44

Year C – 2018-2019

Oct. 6, 2019 – Faith – A Sermon on Luke 17.5-10

Sept. 29, 2019 – Crossing the Chasm – A Sermon on Luke 16.19-31

Sept. 22, 2019 – How to Be Faithful – A Sermon on Luke 16.1-13

Sept. 15, 2019 – God Can Walk and Chew Gum – A Sermon on Luke 15.1-10

Sept. 8, 2019 – God’s Work. Our Hands. – A Sermon on Luke 14.25-33

Sept. 1, 2019 – Accessibility – A Sermon on Luke 14.1, 7-14

Aug. 18, 2019 – Peace – A Sermon on Luke 12.49-56

Aug. 11, 2019 – Fear and Action – A Sermon on Luke 12.32-40

Aug. 4, 2019 – Not Alone – A Sermon on Luke 12.13-21

July 28, 2019 – Simple – A Sermon on Luke 11.1-13

July 14, 2019 – Bring Life – A Sermon on Luke 10.38-42

July 7, 2019 – The Kingdom of God Has Come Near – A Sermon on 2 Kings 5.1-14 and Luke 10.1-11, 16-20

June 30, 2019 – Elijah, Elisha, and Not Looking Back – A Sermon on a lot of things, but mainly 2 Kings 2.1-2, 6-14 and Luke 9.51-62

June 23, 2019 – The Spiritual Power of a Snack and a Nap – A Sermon on 1 Kings 19.1-15 and Luke 8.26-39

June 16, 2019 – Changeless Changes – A Sermon on John 16.12-15

June 9, 2019 – You Are Loved, Go Love – A Pentecost Sermon on Genesis 11.1-8 and Acts 2.1-21

June 2, 2019 – Muscle Memory – A Sermon on John 17.20-26

May 26, 2019 – We Belong to God – A Sermon on John 14.23-29

May 19, 2019 – Jesus Loves You – A Sermon on John 13.31-35

May 12, 2019 – Jesus Knows Us – A Sermon on John 10.22-30

Apr. 28, 2019 – Peace Be With You – A Sermon on John 20.19-31

Apr. 21, 2019 – Loved to the End – An Easter Sermon on John 20.1-18

Apr. 14, 2019 – Our Story – A Palm Sunday Sermon on Luke 19.28-40 and Luke 22.7-57

Apr. 7, 2019 – You’ve Got Someone in Your Corner – A Sermon on John 12.1-8

Mar. 31, 2019 – You Belong – A Sermon on Luke 15.1-3, 11b-32

Mar. 24, 2019 – Repent and Transform – A Sermon on Luke 13.1-9

Mar. 17, 2019 – Angry, Misdirected Geese – A Sermon on Luke 13.31-35

Mar. 10, 2019 – Self-Discipline – A Sermon on Luke 4.1-13

Mar. 6, 2019 – Like the Hypocrites – An Ash Wednesday Sermon on Matthew 6.1-6, 16-21

Mar. 3, 2019 – O Lord, Our God – A Sermon on Psalm 99 and Luke 9.28-43a

Feb. 24, 2019 – Transformational Love – A Sermon on Luke 6.27-36

Feb. 17, 2019 – A Level Plain – A Sermon on Luke 6.17-26

Feb. 10, 2019 – More Than Forgiveness – A Sermon on Luke 5.1-11

Feb. 3, 2019 – With Interpretation – A Sermon on Luke 4.21-30

Jan. 27, 2019 – Today This Scripture Has Been Fulfilled – A Sermon on Luke 4.14-21

Jan. 20, 2019 – Grace Upon Grace – A Sermon on John 2.1-11 and 1 Corinthians 12.1-11

Jan. 13, 2019 – Unquenchable Fire – A Sermon on Luke 3.15-17, 21-22

Jan. 6, 2019 – No Strings Attached – A Sermon on Matthew 2.1-12

Christmas Pageant 2018 – An Orderly Account from the Gospel of Luke

Dec. 24, 2018 – Expectations – A Christmas Eve Sermon on Luke 2.1-20

Dec. 23, 2018 – Change has Come – A Sermon on Luke 1.57-80

Dec. 16, 2018 – Mary Knew – A Sermon on Luke 1.26-56

Dec. 9, 2018 – New Ways, Old Love – A Sermon on Luke 1.1-25

Dec. 2, 2018 – Sponge Cake – A Sermon on Luke 21.25-36

Year B – 2017-2018

Nov. 25, 2018 – What is Truth – A Sermon on John 18.33-38a

Nov. 18, 2018 – Birth Pangs – A Sermon on Mark 13.1-8

Nov. 11, 2018 – Some Stuff was Voted On – A Sermon on 1 Kings 17.8-16 and Mark 12.38-44

Nov. 4, 2018 – Make Some Noise – An All Saints Day Sermon on Mark 12.28-34

Oct. 28, 2018 – Reformation Boldness – A Sermon on Mark 10.46-52