St. Philip Lutheran Church20 December 2020 + Advent 4BLuke 1.26-38, 46b-55Rev. Josh Evans, preaching It seemed impossible. That the angel should come to her. Someone so young, so seemingly insignificant and easily cast aside. An apparent nobody. And pregnant?! Is that what angel said? Well, that can’t possibly be… Impossible. It seemed just as impossible …
St. Philip Lutheran Church13 December 2020 + Advent 3BJohn 1.6-8, 19-28Rev. Josh Evans, preaching I admit it: I’m one of those people who puts up their Christmas decorations as soon as the last trick-or-treater leaves my front door. Christmas lights especially may be one of the things I love most about this time of year. …
St. Philip Lutheran Church6 December 2020 + Advent 2BIsaiah 40.1-11; Mark 1.1-8Rev. Josh Evans, preaching Punctuation matters. Maybe you’ve seen an image with these or similar words online:Let’s eat, Grandma!Let’s eat Grandma! The difference a comma makes! Meanwhile, in Isaiah 40, open one translation of the bible and read:A voice cries out: “In the wilderness …
St. Philip Lutheran Church22 November 2020 + Christ the KingMatthew 25.31-46Rev. Josh Evans, preaching Think about the names of churches for a moment - particularly those with names related to Jesus. Immanuel. Lord of Love. Resurrection. Redeemer. Cross of Life. Or perhaps most appropriately for today, Christ the King. What do you notice? They’re all …
St. Philip Lutheran Church15 November 2020 + Lectionary 33AMatthew 25.14-30Rev. Josh Evans, preaching #2020. It’s become a bit of a trope for the past year. Something bad happens? Pin it on 2020. The year that always makes us wonder, “What will happen next?” 2020 has certainly kept us on our toes, hasn’t it? Maybe 2020 …
St. Philip Lutheran Church1 November 2020 + All Saints DayMatthew 5.1-12Rev. Josh Evans, preaching Eric Garner.Mike Brown.Tamir Rice.Freddie Gray.George Floyd. Most of us have probably heard those names before. You might even be able to link them to a particular city. These are the names of just a few of the black men who have …
Continue reading Saying Their Names – A Sermon for All Saints
St. Philip Lutheran Church25 October 2020 + Reformation SundayJeremiah 31.31-34; Psalm 46; John 8.31-36Rev. Josh Evans, preaching Reformation Sunday strikes me a bit differently this year. Every year, we get the same texts for this day, and every year, I’m drawn to this beautiful passage from Jeremiah - a new covenant, a God who lovingly …
Continue reading A Sermon for Reformation Sunday in Times of Uncertainty
St. Philip Lutheran Church18 October 2020 + Lectionary 29AMatthew 22.15-22Rev. Josh Evans, preaching Maybe you’ve had an experience like this recently… I set out on a walk through my neighborhood to go get a coffee at Starbucks - with my mask on, of course. I get to Starbucks, place my order, pull out my phone …
St. Philip Lutheran Church11 October 2020 + Lectionary 28AMatthew 22.1-14Rev. Josh Evans, preaching During sophomore year at Lutheran High School North, part of our curriculum included a New Testament class. When it came to parables, we would be taught how to “interpret” them - which meant, more or less, assigning real-life roles to the various …
Continue reading A Sermon about Being Cast Out (and Where God Is)
St. Philip Lutheran Church4 October 2020 + Lectionary 27AMatthew 21.33-46Rev. Josh Evans, preaching Living in an apartment has its downsides: loud neighbors, no backyard, smaller space. But it also has its advantages: Plumbing issue? Call the landlord! Heat doesn’t work? Call the landlord! Dishwasher broken? Call the landlord! At the end of the day, the …
Pastor Josh Evans 