It’s Not About the Water…OR the Wine. It’s About the Sign!”
Reading: John 2.1-12 NRSV
We come to church to get close to God…or hope to. We come seeking self-esteem, or peace of mind or some help with the things coming up this week or coming at us from all directions. And all that may happen here. But it’s not the main event. The main event is that when we come hoping to be met God…God meets us.
“Take Heart: On Letting John in the Door”
Reading: Luke 3,1-22 NLT
Who is this John the Baptist? Another handsome, caring Baptist sent to prepare the people for the coming of Christ? Far from it! Not remotely friendly. Yet all still asked John “What then should we do?” He told them in essence to be nice. It is very much like the classic book “Everything I need to know I learned in kindergarten”. If you haven’t read the book listen in and hear a taste of the books essence. If you have, listen in anyway. You’ll still be touched.
The Onondaga Hill Presbyterian Church will be closed on December 26th, 2021. The Synod of the North East has provided a wonderful service for us. This worship service includes choirs and musicians from across the Synod and a special message from our Transitional Synod Leaders. The best part is that you can enjoy this from the comfort of your homes. Hoping you all had a Blessed Holiday.
In case you’re wondering what the Synod is, I’ll share a brief synopsis of their function.
[tab name=”December 24th”]Have you ever thought about the Inn Keeper? Well, you won’t find him/her in the Bible. But he/she must have been there right? Was he/she mean for directing Mary and Joseph to the stable? Or being creative and finding a place of warmth to spend the night. Albeit with the animals. What do “you” think? Take a listen and listen to Pastor Bob’s perspective.[/tab]
The Inn—Housing the Holy “Christmas Eve Service” sermon for December 24, 2021
Have you ever thought about the Inn Keeper? Well, you won’t find him/her in the Bible. But he/she must have been there right? Was he/she mean for directing Mary and Joseph to the stable? Or being creative and finding a place of warmth to spend the night. Albeit with the animals. What do “you” think? Take a listen and listen to Pastor Bob’s perspective.
Week Four in the Series: The Inn: Housing the Holy
A Room with a View (Love)
There seems to be a lot of gloom and doom in the world today that is of course intensified but the pandemic. In this new Advent sermon series that will take us up through Christmas Eve, we will try to be focused on how God’s story is playing out in the midst of all that is harsh. And it is a story that points to an ending where everything has become new. The scriptures in this series point us to what is right and good and how we are to be in community together…caring with and for one another, especially the poor and will make us think about what it means to house the Holy.
Scripture Reading: Luke 1: 39-55 (CEB)
Readings
First Reading Isaiah 12: 2-6 (CEB) God is indeed my salvation;
I will trust and won’t be afraid. Yah, the Lord, is my strength and my shield; he has become my salvation.” You will draw water with joy from the springs of salvation.
And you will say on that day: “Thank the Lord; call on God’s name; proclaim God’s deeds among the peoples; declare that God’s name is exalted. Sing to the Lord, who has done glorious things; proclaim this throughout all the earth.” Shout and sing for joy, city of Zion, because the holy one of Israel is great among you.
Second Reading Luke 3: 7-18 (CEB)
Then John said to the crowds who came to be baptized by him, “You children of snakes! Who warned you to escape from the angry judgment that is coming soon? Produce fruit that shows you have changed your hearts and lives. And don’t even think about saying to yourselves, Abraham is our father. I tell you that God is able to raise up Abraham’s children from these stones. The ax is already at the root of the trees. Therefore, every
tree that doesn’t’ produce good fruit will be chopped down and tossed into the fire.”
The crowds asked him, “What then should we do?” He answered, “Whoever has two shirts must share with the one who has none, and whoever has food must do the same.” Even tax collectors came to be baptized. They said to him, “Teacher, what should we do?” He replied, “Collect no more than you are authorized to collect.” Soldiers asked, “What about us? What should we do?” He answered, “Don’t cheat or harass anyone, and be satisfied with your pay.” The people were filled with expectation, and everyone wondered whether John might be the Christ. John replied to them all, “I baptize you with water, but the one who is more powerful than me is coming. I’m not worthy to loosen the strap of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. The shovel he uses to sift the wheat from the husks is in his hands. He will clean out his threshing area and bring the wheat into
his barn. But he will burn the husks with a fire that can’t be put out.” With many other words John appealed to them, proclaiming good news to the people.
Week Three in the Series: The Inn: Housing the Holy
How Much is Enough (Joy)
There seems to be a lot of gloom and doom in the world today that is of course intensified but the pandemic. In this new Advent sermon series that will take us up through Christmas Eve, we will try to be focused on how God’s story is playing out in the midst of all that is harsh. And it is a story that points to an ending where everything has become new. The scriptures in this series point us to what is right and good and how we are to be in community together…caring with and for one another, especially the poor and will make us think about what it means to house the Holy.
Sermon December 5th, 2021
The Inn—Housing the Holy “A Place at the Table (Peace)”
First Reading
Baruch 5: 1-5 (CEB)
Take off your mourning clothes and oppression, Jerusalem! Dress yourself in the dignity of God’s glory forever. Wrap the justice that comes from God around yourself like a robe.
Place the eternal one’s glory on your head like a crown. God will show your brilliance everywhere under heaven. God will give you this name by which to be called forever:
The Peace that Comes from Justice The Honor that Comes from Reverence for God!
Get up, Jerusalem! Stand on the high place, and look around to the east! See your children gathered from the west to the east by the holy one’s word, as they rejoice that God has remembered them.
Second Reading
Philippians 1:9-11 (CEB)
This is my prayer: that your love might become even more and more rich with knowledge and all kinds of insight. I pray this so that you will be able to decide what really matters and so you will be sincere and blameless on the day of Christ. I pray that you will then be filled with the fruit of righteousness, which comes from Jesus Christ, in order to give glory and praise to God.
Week Two in the Series: The Inn: Housing the Holy
A Place at the Table (Peace)
There seems to be a lot of gloom and doom in the world today that is of course intensified but the pandemic. In this new Advent sermon series that will take us up through Christmas Eve, we will try to be focused on how God’s story is playing out in the midst of all that is harsh. And it is a story that points to an ending where everything has become new. The scriptures in this series point us to what is right and good and how we are to be in community together…caring with and for one another, especially the poor and will make us think about what it means to house the Holy.
Sermon for Sunday, November 28, 2021
The Inn: Housing the Holy: Making Room (Hope)
Week One in the Series: The Inn: Housing the Holy
Making Room (Hope)
There seems to be a lot of gloom and doom in the world today that is of course intensified but the pandemic. In this new Advent sermon series that will take us up through Christmas Eve, we will try to be focused on how God’s story is playing out in the midst of all that is harsh. And it is a story that points to an ending where everything has become new. The scriptures in this series point us to what is right and good and how we are to be in community together…caring with and for one another, especially the poor and will make us think about what it means to house the Holy.
Week Four in the Series: The Inn: Housing the Holy
A Room with a View (Love)
There seems to be a lot of gloom and doom in the world today that is of course intensified but the pandemic. In this new Advent sermon series that will take us up through Christmas Eve, we will try to be focused on how God’s story is playing out in the midst of all that is harsh. And it is a story that points to an ending where everything has become new. The scriptures in this series point us to what is right and good and how we are to be in community together…caring with and for one another, especially the poor and will make us think about what it means to house the Holy.
Readings
First Reading Isaiah 12: 2-6 (CEB) God is indeed my salvation;
I will trust and won’t be afraid. Yah, the Lord, is my strength and my shield; he has become my salvation.” You will draw water with joy from the springs of salvation.
And you will say on that day: “Thank the Lord; call on God’s name; proclaim God’s deeds among the peoples; declare that God’s name is exalted. Sing to the Lord, who has done glorious things; proclaim this throughout all the earth.” Shout and sing for joy, city of Zion, because the holy one of Israel is great among you.
Second Reading Luke 3: 7-18 (CEB)
Then John said to the crowds who came to be baptized by him, “You children of snakes! Who warned you to escape from the angry judgment that is coming soon? Produce fruit that shows you have changed your hearts and lives. And don’t even think about saying to yourselves, Abraham is our father. I tell you that God is able to raise up Abraham’s children from these stones. The ax is already at the root of the trees. Therefore, every
tree that doesn’t’ produce good fruit will be chopped down and tossed into the fire.”
The crowds asked him, “What then should we do?” He answered, “Whoever has two shirts must share with the one who has none, and whoever has food must do the same.” Even tax collectors came to be baptized. They said to him, “Teacher, what should we do?” He replied, “Collect no more than you are authorized to collect.” Soldiers asked, “What about us? What should we do?” He answered, “Don’t cheat or harass anyone, and be satisfied with your pay.” The people were filled with expectation, and everyone wondered whether John might be the Christ. John replied to them all, “I baptize you with water, but the one who is more powerful than me is coming. I’m not worthy to loosen the strap of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. The shovel he uses to sift the wheat from the husks is in his hands. He will clean out his threshing area and bring the wheat into
his barn. But he will burn the husks with a fire that can’t be put out.” With many other words John appealed to them, proclaiming good news to the people.
Week Three in the Series: The Inn: Housing the Holy
How Much is Enough (Joy)
There seems to be a lot of gloom and doom in the world today that is of course intensified but the pandemic. In this new Advent sermon series that will take us up through Christmas Eve, we will try to be focused on how God’s story is playing out in the midst of all that is harsh. And it is a story that points to an ending where everything has become new. The scriptures in this series point us to what is right and good and how we are to be in community together…caring with and for one another, especially the poor and will make us think about what it means to house the Holy.
Sermon December 5th, 2021
The Inn—Housing the Holy “A Place at the Table (Peace)”
First Reading
Baruch 5: 1-5 (CEB)
Take off your mourning clothes and oppression, Jerusalem! Dress yourself in the dignity of God’s glory forever. Wrap the justice that comes from God around yourself like a robe.
Place the eternal one’s glory on your head like a crown. God will show your brilliance everywhere under heaven. God will give you this name by which to be called forever:
The Peace that Comes from Justice The Honor that Comes from Reverence for God!
Get up, Jerusalem! Stand on the high place, and look around to the east! See your children gathered from the west to the east by the holy one’s word, as they rejoice that God has remembered them.
Second Reading
Philippians 1:9-11 (CEB)
This is my prayer: that your love might become even more and more rich with knowledge and all kinds of insight. I pray this so that you will be able to decide what really matters and so you will be sincere and blameless on the day of Christ. I pray that you will then be filled with the fruit of righteousness, which comes from Jesus Christ, in order to give glory and praise to God.
Week Two in the Series: The Inn: Housing the Holy
A Place at the Table (Peace)
There seems to be a lot of gloom and doom in the world today that is of course intensified but the pandemic. In this new Advent sermon series that will take us up through Christmas Eve, we will try to be focused on how God’s story is playing out in the midst of all that is harsh. And it is a story that points to an ending where everything has become new. The scriptures in this series point us to what is right and good and how we are to be in community together…caring with and for one another, especially the poor and will make us think about what it means to house the Holy.
Sermon for Sunday, November 28, 2021
The Inn: Housing the Holy: Making Room (Hope)
Week One in the Series: The Inn: Housing the Holy
Making Room (Hope)
There seems to be a lot of gloom and doom in the world today that is of course intensified but the pandemic. In this new Advent sermon series that will take us up through Christmas Eve, we will try to be focused on how God’s story is playing out in the midst of all that is harsh. And it is a story that points to an ending where everything has become new. The scriptures in this series point us to what is right and good and how we are to be in community together…caring with and for one another, especially the poor and will make us think about what it means to house the Holy.
Revelation 4B – 8
The British theologian David Ford has called our age this. He says we have been exposed, largely thanks to Media, to so much tragedy, Heartbreak, and despair that we are overwhelmed. I think he’s right and yet, when you think about the context of John’s writing the book of Revelation in HIS overwhelmedness he begins with shouts of praise. What is that all about?
