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 York9 February 2025 + Lectionary 5cIsaiah 6:1-13; Psalm 138; 1 Corinthians 15:1-11; Luke 5:1-11Rev. Josh Evans It’s been over a decade now,but I remember it like it was yesterday: I was at a small group leaders’ retreat for Urban Village Church in Chicago, where I had been attending during the …
St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York7 July 2024 + Lectionary 14bMark 6:1-13Rev. Josh Evans It’s not always easy, this life of being a disciple. Take nothing. No bread, no bag, no money. Nothing but your staff, the clothes on your back, and the sandals on your feet. Take nothing. Utterly rely on the providence of …
St. John’s Lutheran Church21 January 2024 + Epiphany 3bMark 1:14-20Rev. Josh Evans What was he thinking? Inviting fishermen to follow him? Not exactly the upper echelon of society – but smelly, day-laboring fishermen without any formal education or social standing. People the world would just as easily cast aside. It’s almost as absurd as God’s …
St. Philip Lutheran Church6 February 2022 + Lect. 5c (Epiphany 5)Luke 5.1-11Rev. Josh Evans It was a risky venture. Sure, they had always done things together in the past. They collaborated on summer projects and even sat in on each other’s regular weekly gatherings. But something as big and ambitious as this … a merger? …
St. Philip Lutheran Church11 July 2021 + Lectionary 15B (Pent. 7)Amos 7.7-15; Mark 6.14-29Rev. Josh Evans, preaching Let’s talk about Amos. By the time the book that bears his name opens, the status of the monarchy of ancient Israel isn’t great. The once unified kingdom has split into two, with Israel to the north and …
Continue reading A Sermon about How Flawed Disciples Are Still Disciples
St. Philip Lutheran Church4 July 2021 + Lectionary 14B (Pent. 6)Mark 6.1-13Rev. Josh Evans, preaching “Can I bring anything?” … is usually the first question out of my mouth whenever I’m invited to someone else’s house for a meal. Maybe it’s the Midwestern politeness in me, but it doesn’t feel like “nothing” or “just yourself!” …
St. Philip Lutheran Church24 January 2021 + Epiphany 3BJonah 3.1-5, 10; Mark 1.14-20Rev. Josh Evans, preaching Fishing is dangerous work. I’m not talking about hazardous weather conditions at sea for people who make their living catching fish. No, I’m talking about when I was little, and my grandpa taught me how to fish in the …
St. Philip Lutheran Church17 January 2021 + Epiphany 2B1 Samuel 3.1-20; John 1.35-51Rev. Josh Evans, preaching The truth can hurt. We know the feeling. Hearing words we don’t want to hear but very much need to hear for our best interest in the long run: Stay at home, save lives. Online church until further notice. …
Unity Lutheran Church + Christ the King Campus26 January 2020 + Epiphany 3 / Lectionary 3AMatthew 4.12-25; 1 Corinthians 1.10-18Rev. Josh Evans, preaching Imagine walking into an interview for a job you never applied for. There’s no job description or even a title. The interviewer asks no questions but just gives you the job. It …
Pastor Josh Evans 