St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York1 June 2025 + Easter 7cRevelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21The Rev. Josh Evans There’s a danger in hearing only what we want to hear,seeing only what we want to see,believing only what we want to believe. We live in a world that makes it increasingly more possible,even appealing,to live in our …
St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York25 May 2025 + Easter 6cRevelation 21:10, 22—22:5The Rev. Josh Evans Revelation brings us at last through the great cosmic battle.The empire has fallen.Our Lamb has conquered. Revelation brings us at last to the new Jerusalem,a new heaven and a new earth. Except … did you notice?We don’t go to …
St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York18 May 2025 + Easter 5cRevelation 21:1-6The Rev. Josh Evans So, last week, I lied.Well, sort of. It is true that Revelation is a message of hope.Incredible hope, in fact. And…it is also true that maybe Revelation is a little scary…or maybe a lot scary. There are some undeniably terrifying …
St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York11 May 2025 + Easter 4cRevelation 7:9-17The Rev. Josh Evans Old news.Same difference.Seriously funny.Historical fiction. Each of them – and many more examples –an oxymoron,which is itself an oxymoron,derived from two Greek words meaning “sharp” and “dull.” Far from an exercise in contradictions,oxymorons often exist to reveal a paradox and …
St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York20 April 2025 + Resurrection of Our LordLuke 24:1-12The Rev. Josh Evans Maybe you remember my Christmas Eve sermon,which I began by quoting Madeleine L’Engle’s well-known poem,“The Risk of Birth.” “This is no time for a child to be born…” she begins. Four months and three liturgical seasons later,I’m stuck …
St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York21 July 2024 + Mary Magdalene, ApostleJohn 20:1-2, 11-18Rev. Josh Evans If Jesus is “the reason for the [Christmas] season,”then Mary Magdalene is the reason for the Easter season. Mary Magdalene,witness to the resurrection,apostle to the apostles –without whom no good news would have been proclaimed. “Woman, weeping in the …
St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York12 May 2024 + Seventh Sunday of EasterJohn 17:6-19Rev. Josh Evans After attending the final funeral together, Carolyn Goodman, Fannie Lee Chaney, and Anne Schwerner stand alone in a New York City apartment. Inspired by a photograph captured of the three women in August of 1964, playwright Ajene D. Washington …
St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York28 April 2024 + Fifth Sunday of EasterActs 8:26-40; John 15:1-8Rev. Josh Evans He doesn’t even get a name, and yet he gives us one of the most profound stories of belonging in all of Scripture. “As they were going along the road, they came to some water; and the …
St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York21 April 2024 + Fourth Sunday of EasterJohn 10:11-18Rev. Josh Evans Here are two words I never thought I’d hear together: “Swift scholar.” As in: a scholar – not of 18th century Anglo-Irish priest and satire author Jonathan Swift – but of 21st century singer-songwriter Taylor Swift … … who, …
St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York7 April 2024 + Second Sunday of EasterJohn 20:19-31Rev. Josh Evans If the villains of Holy Week are Judas and Peter, then the villain of Eastertide is Thomas. Doubting. Thomas. Who earns his infamous title not even for anything particularly egregious that he does … but solely for being absent …
Pastor Josh Evans 