St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York30 August 2026 + The Fourteenth Sunday after PentecostProper 17 / Lectionary 22aMatthew 16:21-28; Romans 12:9-21The Rev. Josh Evans How could Peter have gotten it so rightand then, in the next breath, so wrong? Peter’s stunning confessionand then his spectacular failure in the face of Jesus’ harsh rebukeare actually not …
St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York7 September 2025 + Thirteenth Sunday after PentecostProper 18 / Lectionary 23cLuke 14:25-33The Rev. Josh Evans Did Jesus really just say that? “Whoever…does not hate father and mother,wife and children,brothers and sisters,yes, and even life itself,cannot be my disciple.” Is this really the same Jesuswho heals the sick,mingles with outcasts,and …
St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York15 September 2024 + Lectionary 24bMark 8:27-38Rev. Josh Evans The stage is set, and the debate is ready to begin.Each party has taken their place at the podium,ready to defend their platform,and the moderator asks the first question:“Who do people say that I am?” The disciples, in turn, offer various …
St. John’s Lutheran Church25 February 2024 + Lent 2bMark 8:31-38; Gen. 17:1-7, 15-16Rev. Josh Evans Life is messy … so why would we expect the life of faith to be any different? Abraham, later exalted by Paul as the pinnacle of faith, was far from perfect. From the beginning of his call, when he was …
St. John’s Lutheran Church17 September 2023 + Holy Cross (observed)1 Corinthians 1.18-24Rev. Josh Evans Everyone loves a good underdog story. When Rachel Phelps, who by all appearances couldn’t care less about baseball, inherits the team (now) formerly known as the Cleveland Indians from her late husband, she contrives a plan: The Indians are already terrible, …
St. Philip Lutheran Church12 February 2023 + Lectionary 6a (Epiphany 6)1 Corinthians 3.1-9Rev. Josh Evans To what should be absolutely no one’s surprise, I wasn’t exactly one of the “popular” kids in high school. I was quiet and shy. I didn’t play sports or do theatre. During my senior year, I got to be a …
St. Philip Lutheran Church29 January 2023 + Lectionary 4a (Epiphany 4)Micah 6.1-8; 1 Cor. 1.18-31; Matt. 5.1-12Rev. Josh Evans It reminds me of Good Friday. “O my people, what have I done to you? In what have I wearied you? Answer me!” Micah’s lament is leveled squarely at God’s people. Despite God’s clear instructions for …
St. Philip Lutheran Church14 March 2021 + Lent 4BJohn 3.14-21Rev. Josh Evans, preaching “Why did Jesus have to die?” It was my first week as a chaplain intern. With just one year of seminary under my belt, the hospital handed me a badge and a key card and sent me on my way. Clinical Pastoral …
Unity Lutheran Church + Christ the King Campus19 April 2019 + Good FridayJohn 18.1—19.42Rev. Josh Evans, preaching Video of the full liturgy available here. Homily begins around the 21:00 mark. You don’t quite know the magnitude of something — physically — until you’re standing right up against it. Two years ago, I visited a good …
Preacher's Note: It's been a minute since I posted a new sermon on this site. Between moving, getting ordained, and starting a new call, life's been... hectic. By my count, I have four sermons to catch up on posting, so for the first few days this week, I'll plan to post a sermon a day …
Pastor Josh Evans 