St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York23 November 2025 + The Third Sunday of Advent: Christ the King(Proper 29c / Lectionary 34c)Luke 23:33-43The Rev. Josh Evans “Something has changed within me.Something is not the same.I’m through with playing by the rulesof someone else’s game.” Happy Wicked weekendto all who celebrate.Did I see it immediately on opening …
St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York12 October 2025 + Eighteenth Sunday after PentecostProper 23 / Lectionary 28cLuke 17:11-19The Rev. Josh Evans We don’t like to imagine a racist, xenophobic Jesus –and that’s probably not what’s going on here,though it’s always hard to convey tone in the written word, isn’t it? It’s a challenging question to …
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 York13 July 2025 + Fifth Sunday after PentecostProper 10 / Lectionary 15cLuke 10:25-37The Rev. Josh Evans In nearly seven years of ordained ministry,you might be shocked to learn – as I was –that I have, apparently, never preached on this parable before.This parable of the so-called “Good Samaritan,”as our Bibles …
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 York23 February 2025 + Lectionary 7cGenesis 45:3-11, 15; Luke 6:27-38Rev. Josh Evans “Probably no admonition of Jesus has been more difficult to follow than the command to ‘love your enemies.’ Some [people] have sincerely felt that its actual practice is not possible. It is easy, they say, to love those …
St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York2 February 2025 + Presentation of Our LordLuke 2:22-40; Malachi 3:1-4Rev. Josh Evans They came, as called, according to the Law.Though they were poor and had to keep things simple,They moved in grace, in quietness, in awe,For God was coming with them to his temple.Amidst the outer court’s commercial bustleThey’d …
St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York24 December 2024 + Nativity of Our Lord (Christmas Eve)Luke 2:1-20Rev. Josh Evans This is no time for a child to be born,With the earth betrayed by war & hateAnd a comet slashing the sky to warnThat time runs out & the sun burns late. That was no time for …
St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York20 October 2024 + Lectionary 29bMark 10:35-45Rev. Josh Evans “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” What could go wrong? Even so, Jesus entertains their request:“What is it you want me to do for you?” And without skipping a beat, they name it outright:“Appoint …
St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York13 October 2024 + Lectionary 28bMark 10:17-31Rev. Josh Evans “You know the commandments.”Do you, Jesus?Because you only named six of them.You couldn’t even name all ten of the big ones –let alone the other 603 that are outlined in the law of Moses.Did you forget a few –hoping (as apparently …
Pastor Josh Evans 