St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York15 February 2026 + The Transfiguration of Our LordMatthew 17:1-9The Rev. Josh Evans It begins with a question: “Who do you say that I am?”Which prompts Peter’s bold confession: “You are the Messiah.”Well done, Peter! But when Jesus starts explaining what exactly it meansfor him to be the Messiah –that …
St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York8 February 2026 + The Fifth Sunday after the EpiphanyLectionary 5aMatthew 5:13-20The Rev. Josh Evans Light is a powerful image. Just about a decade ago, I was on internship –the nearly year-long period of full-time field educationrequired as a part of my seminary formation –at Augustana Lutheran Church in Omaha, …
Continue reading A Sermon for ICE Agents (and the Ordinary People Who Protest Them)
St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York18 January 2026 + The Second Sunday after the EpiphanyLectionary 2aJohn 1:29-42The Rev. Josh Evans Who is Jesus? A loaded question if ever there were one.It’s also the question the gospel writer puts before us today.Instead of one, neat answer, though,we get several.And in fact, the entire first chapter of …
St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York11 January 2026 + The Baptism of Our LordMatthew 3:13-17The Rev. Josh Evans Baptism: what’s the point? To do the thing because it’s what we’re “supposed” to do?To check the “salvation” box and make sure we get into heaven?Or to check the “ELCA” box and make sure we get another …
St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York24 December 2025 + The Nativity of Our LordChristmas EveLuke 2:1-20The Rev. Josh Evans Christmas is a good time for poetry. Here’s one – or part of it at least:(If you were here for our Christmas pageant on Sunday,you’ll know where this is going.) “As a kid those Sunday mornings …
St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York14 December 2025 + The Sixth Sunday of Advent(Advent 3a)Luke 1:46b-55 [1 Samuel 2:1-10; Psalm 146:5-10]The Rev. Josh Evans Stories of conception and birth abound,not merely at Advent and Christmas,but throughout the Scriptures.In this way, Jesus‘ conception and birth story appears not out of nowhere,but against the backdrop of a …
St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York7 December 2025 + The Fifth Sunday of Advent(Advent 2a)Matthew 3:1-12; Isaiah 11:1-10The Rev. Josh Evans In the midst of all the holiday preparations this time of year,it’s not difficult to get lost in all the things to be done.So, to make at least one thing easier to prepare,might I …
St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York30 November 2025 + The Fourth Sunday of Advent(Advent 1a)Matthew 24:36-44The Rev. Josh Evans For the second year in a row,we at St. John’s, along with an array of other churches across denominations,have been observing an extended Advent seasonof not just the traditional four weeksbut also the three weeks prior.After …
St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York23 November 2025 + The Third Sunday of Advent: Christ the King(Proper 29c / Lectionary 34c)Luke 23:33-43The Rev. Josh Evans “Something has changed within me.Something is not the same.I’m through with playing by the rulesof someone else’s game.” Happy Wicked weekendto all who celebrate.Did I see it immediately on opening …
St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York16 November 2025 + The Second Sunday of Advent(Proper 28c / Lectionary 33c)Luke 21:5-19The Rev. Josh Evans In biblical studies,when approaching any passage of scripture,we can speak of the three “worlds” of the text. There is the world of the text –the story on the page,what is happening,who is involved,what …
Continue reading A Sermon for When It Feels Like the World Is Ending
Pastor Josh Evans 