St. Philip Lutheran Church22 November 2020 + Christ the KingMatthew 25.31-46Rev. Josh Evans, preaching Think about the names of churches for a moment - particularly those with names related to Jesus. Immanuel. Lord of Love. Resurrection. Redeemer. Cross of Life. Or perhaps most appropriately for today, Christ the King. What do you notice? They’re all …
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 Church1 November 2020 + All Saints DayMatthew 5.1-12Rev. Josh Evans, preaching Eric Garner.Mike Brown.Tamir Rice.Freddie Gray.George Floyd. Most of us have probably heard those names before. You might even be able to link them to a particular city. These are the names of just a few of the black men who have …
Continue reading Saying Their Names – A Sermon for All Saints
St. Philip Lutheran Church25 October 2020 + Reformation SundayJeremiah 31.31-34; Psalm 46; John 8.31-36Rev. Josh Evans, preaching Reformation Sunday strikes me a bit differently this year. Every year, we get the same texts for this day, and every year, I’m drawn to this beautiful passage from Jeremiah - a new covenant, a God who lovingly …
Continue reading A Sermon for Reformation Sunday in Times of Uncertainty
St. Philip Lutheran Church18 October 2020 + Lectionary 29AMatthew 22.15-22Rev. Josh Evans, preaching Maybe you’ve had an experience like this recently… I set out on a walk through my neighborhood to go get a coffee at Starbucks - with my mask on, of course. I get to Starbucks, place my order, pull out my phone …
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)
St. Philip Lutheran Church4 October 2020 + Lectionary 27AMatthew 21.33-46Rev. Josh Evans, preaching Living in an apartment has its downsides: loud neighbors, no backyard, smaller space. But it also has its advantages: Plumbing issue? Call the landlord! Heat doesn’t work? Call the landlord! Dishwasher broken? Call the landlord! At the end of the day, the …
St. Philip Lutheran Church27 September 2020 + Lectionary 26AMatthew 21.23-32; Ezekiel 18.1-4, 25-32Rev. Josh Evans, preaching So you think you’ve got it all figured out? Think again. The proverb that stands at the beginning of our reading from Ezekiel was a common understanding of justice: The children will pay for the sins of their parents, …
St. Philip Lutheran Church13 September 2020 + Lectionary 24AMatthew 18.21-35Rev. Josh Evans, preaching A life of restless political ambition pushes Alexander Hamilton to the point of self-absorption. An affair drives a deep political scandal among the public and a wedge between him and his wife. And now his son, Philip, has died tragically and unexpectedly …
St. Philip Lutheran Church6 September 2020 + Lectionary 23AMatthew 18.15-20; Ezekiel 33.7-11; Romans 13.8-14Rev. Josh Evans, preaching We need to talk. Anyone who has ever been in any kind of relationship with any other human being knows what that means. Something uncomfortable - but necessary - is coming. Therein lies the problem, though: It feels …
