St. John’s Lutheran Church2 April 2023 + Sunday of the PassionMatthew 21.1-11; 26.14-27.66Rev. Josh Evans Paradox abounds in our liturgy today. We began with a festive palm procession, commemorating Jesus’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem. With the crowds we shout, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of …
St. John’s Lutheran Church26 March 2023 + Lent 5aJohn 11.1-45; Ezekiel 37.1-14Rev. Josh Evans It’s probably the most famous prophecy in the book of Ezekiel: the valley of “dem dry bones.” Truthfully, it’s a bit of a terrifying vision: for these dry bones to suddenly shake and rattle and come together, with sinews and flesh …
St. Philip Lutheran Church26 February 2023 + Lent 1aMatthew 4.1-11Rev. Josh Evans It had to be one of the most difficult and dangerous journeys I ever made. In hindsight, I probably should’ve just canceled. In the winter of 2017, I was in the middle of my year-long seminary internship in Omaha, Nebraska. In February of …
St. Philip Lutheran Church3 April 2022 + Lent 5cJohn 12.1-8Rev. Josh Evans All throughout this season of Lent, our cups have been filled to the brim. At the start of our journey, we walked with Jesus in the desert, tempted to our very limits, and in that desert-place, we remembered and claimed the belovedness that …
St. Philip Lutheran Church27 March 2022 + Lent 4cLuke 15.1-3, 11b-32Rev. Josh Evans You’ve probably heard me speak about my appreciation of the enneagram – as a personality assessment tool helpful for self-realization and growth. You’ve also likely heard me speak at length about my love of the animated musical movie Encanto – which I …
St. Philip Lutheran Church20 March 2022 + Lent 3cLuke 13.1-9Rev. Josh Evans “Bloom where you are planted” … or so the saying goes. It’s well-meaning enough, similar to the equally popular: “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” The apparent wisdom behind these sentiments is to make the best of a less-than-ideal situation. Don’t get …
St. Philip Lutheran Church13 March 2022 + Lent 2cLuke 13.31-35; Genesis 15.1-12, 17-18Rev. Josh Evans The images are staggering and heartbreaking. Amid the blaring of air raid sirens and the persistent sound of gunfire and missile strikes, the Russian invasion of Ukraine has found residents of Kyiv and neighboring cities taking cover… … in bomb …
St. Philip Lutheran Church6 March 2022 + Lent 1cLuke 4.1-13Rev. Josh Evans Don’t tempt me. Written on a page, those words can hold a plethora of meanings. The key, of course, is in the tone. The server comes to your table: “Here’s our dessert menu!” “Don’t tempt me,” you chime back, knowing full well once …
St. Philip Lutheran Church2 March 2022 + Ash WednesdayJoel 2:1-2, 12-17; Psalm 51:1-17; Matt. 6:1-6, 16-21Rev. Josh Evans I had become the very thing I usually crossed the street to avoid. I had become … a street preacher. Well, kind of. It was my first Lent with a new church plant in Chicago, and on …
St. Philip Lutheran Church28 March 2021 + Palm/Passion SundayMark 14.1--15.47Rev. Josh Evans, preaching Reflection/Introduction: “I don’t even know what time means anymore,” admits one pastor in a recent essay for the Christian Century magazine. It’s not just the fact that she’s writing a reflection for a Holy Week issue in the midst of Advent to …
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Pastor Josh Evans 