St. Philip Lutheran Church14 November 2021 + Lect 33b (Pent 25)Mark 13.1-8Rev. Josh Evans Beginning the night of November 9, 1938, violent anti-Jewish protests broke out across Germany and its surrounding territories. Kristallnacht, as it would later come to be known, “the night of broken glass.” Over the next 48 hours, violent mobs, spurred on …
St. Philip Lutheran Church31 October 2021 + Lect 31b (Pent 23 / Reformation)Jer 31.31-34; John 8.31-36; Mark 12.28-34Rev. Josh Evans Before I get to my sermon, I want to offer a second gospel reading. I know… five readings on a Sunday morning, including the psalm, is a bit much, but I think it’s a helpful …
St. Philip Lutheran Church17 October 2021 + Lectionary 29b (Pent. 21)Mark 10.35-45Rev. Josh Evans Have they even been paying attention? Jesus has been trying to teach them all along, with example upon example. When they argue among themselves about who is the greatest, Jesus says: “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all …
St. Philip Lutheran Church10 October 2021 + Lectionary 28b (Pent. 20)Mark 10.17-31Rev. Josh Evans I wonder where he was running from. I wonder what brought him to Jesus. I wonder what would compel a man like him, with such wealth and prestige, to suddenly bring himself to kneel at the feet of a stranger. By …
St. Philip Lutheran Church19 September 2021 + Lectionary 25b (Pent. 17)Mark 9.30-37Rev. Josh Evans If ever there was an early affirmation of my calling to pastoral ministry, it happened in the pews at St. John Vianney Catholic Church in Shelby Township, MI. Growing up bi-denominational as I did, that particular weekend I was attending mass …
St. Philip Lutheran Church5 September 2021 + Lectionary 23b (Pent. 15)Mark 7.24-37Rev. Josh Evans, preaching Think back for a moment to a childhood role model - maybe it’s a parent, a grandparent, a teacher, or even a pastor or religious leader. When was the first time you realized that your role model wasn’t perfect? There …
St. Philip Lutheran Church29 August 2021 + Lectionary 22b (Pent. 14)Mark 7.1-8, 14-15, 21-23Rev. Josh Evans, preaching Most mornings, when I first open Facebook, at the top of my newsfeed is a section called “Memories.” On this day, 1 year ago… 3 years ago… 7 years ago… and it shows me what I posted or …
St. Philip Lutheran Church18 July 2021 + Lectionary 16B (Pent. 8)Mark 6.30-34, 53-56Rev. Josh Evans, preaching How are you? “I’m doing fine.” “I’m good.” Or for the grammatically astute among us: “I’m well.” But imagine if we answered: “Honestly, I’m languishing.” Languishing. It’s the “blah” feeling that psychologist Adam Grant suggests many of us might …
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!” …
Pastor Josh Evans 