St. John’s Lutheran Church15 October 2023 + Lect. 28a (20 Pentecost)Matthew 22.1-14Rev. Josh Evans It’s been a difficult week. Because of an act of terror by an extremist group. Because of the resulting humanitarian crisis. And because of the way the present conflict has given rise to a renewed hostility and divisiveness, feeding into an …
Continue reading A Limitless Love and a Persistent Invitation
St. John’s Lutheran Church23 July 2023 + Lectionary 16a (8 Pentecost)Matthew 13.24-30, 36-43Rev. Josh Evans As you already know from last week, I am not, by any stretch of the imagination, a “country person.” I don’t know the first thing about farming, I can’t keep a houseplant alive, and – I can’t overstate this enough …
St. John’s Lutheran Church16 July 2023 + Lectionary 15a (7 Pentecost)Matthew 13.1-9, 18-23Rev. Josh Evans I am, by all accounts and evidence, a city person. I have never lived, nor do I have any desire to live, on a farm. Really, I don’t even like camping. Don’t get me wrong: That’s no diss to country …
St. Philip Lutheran Church18 September 2022 + Lect. 25c (Pentecost 15)Luke 16.1-13Rev. Josh Evans After a money laundering scheme for a Mexican drug cartel goes wrong, the Byrde family suddenly finds their lives uprooted – as they relocate from their comfortable home in Chicago to a new life in the Lake of the Ozarks. By …
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 Church15 November 2020 + Lectionary 33AMatthew 25.14-30Rev. Josh Evans, preaching #2020. It’s become a bit of a trope for the past year. Something bad happens? Pin it on 2020. The year that always makes us wonder, “What will happen next?” 2020 has certainly kept us on our toes, hasn’t it? Maybe 2020 …
St. Philip Lutheran Church11 October 2020 + Lectionary 28AMatthew 22.1-14Rev. Josh Evans, preaching During sophomore year at Lutheran High School North, part of our curriculum included a New Testament class. When it came to parables, we would be taught how to “interpret” them - which meant, more or less, assigning real-life roles to the various …
Continue reading A Sermon about Being Cast Out (and Where God Is)
Unity Lutheran Church + Cross of Life Campus1 September 2019 + Lectionary 22CLuke 14.1, 7-14Rev. Josh Evans, preaching “A place for everything, and everything in its place.” It’s so simple, so proverb-like, so beautiful of a sentiment. Words to live by. It’s no secret that I like things in order. In my office, books are …
Augustana Lutheran Church 28 August 2016 + Lectionary 22C Luke 14.1, 7-14 Wash your hands. Pray before you eat. Don’t chew with your mouth open. Keep your elbows off the table. All phrases that I imagine each of us has heard as children that teach us table manners. And the fancier the meal, these table …
Continue reading A Sermon for Those Who Have Been Told to Take the Lowest Place
Augustana Lutheran Church 31 July 2016 + Lectionary 18C Luke 12.13-21 [22-34] It’s all a little bit overwhelming, isn’t it? This election season, that is. We’ve certainly witnessed a mix of exciting and interesting moments. One moment in particular caught my attention this past Tuesday as delegates at the Democratic National Convention cast their votes, …
Continue reading Overwhelmed: A Sermon for Lectionary 18C / Pentecost 11C
