St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York3 May 2026 + The Fifth Sunday of EasterJohn 14:1-14The Rev. Josh Evans “Oh! The places you’ll go!You’ll be on your way up!You’ll be seeing great sights!You’ll join the high flierswho soar to high heights… “Wherever you fly, you’ll be best of the best.Wherever you go, you will top all …
St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York26 April 2026 + The Fourth Sunday of EasterJohn 10:1-10The Rev. Josh Evans Once again,it’s the Fourth Sunday of Easter –Good Shepherd Sunday –except…there’s no Good Shepherd to be found.That’s next year. This year,we get…a gate –a rather unremarkableand perhaps a little confusingpassage on its own,but one with depths of …
St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York19 April 2026 + The Third Sunday of EasterLuke 24:13-35The Rev. Josh Evans “Are you the only stranger in Jerusalemwho does not know the thingsthat have taken place there in these days?” Probably not.Probably not even close. Crucifixion happened. A lot.It wasn’t exactly a remarkable or noteworthy occurrence.Even if word …
St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York5 April 2026 + The Resurrection of Our Lord: Easter DayMatthew 28:1-10The Rev. Josh Evans Why bother? Why bother with all of this?Not just today.Not just Easter.But all of this. Why bothertelling the storyof the triumphal entry into Jerusalem,waving our palm branches with acclamation? Why bothergoing to Last Supperwhen we …
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 …
Pastor Josh Evans 