Lutheran Church of the Cross, Arlington Heights 22 July 2018 + Lectionary 16B (Pentecost 9) Mark 6.30-34, 53-56 What gives you rest? Maybe it’s listening to your favorite radio station or podcast on your way home from work. Or coming home to a home-cooked meal (or having a pizza delivered!) and unwinding after a stressful …
Augustana Lutheran Church 25 September 2016 + Lectionary 26C Luke 16.19-31; 1 Timothy 6.6-19 One of my favorite scenes in the film adaptation of the popular rock musical Rent opens on an impoverished-looking apartment complex in Manhattan’s East Village, where we are introduced to two roommates, Mark and Roger, and their former roommate and friend-turned-landlord, …
Continue reading A(nother!) Sermon about Wealth and Chasm-Crossing
Augustana Lutheran Church 11 September 2016 + Lectionary 24C Exodus 32.7-14 Liturgical whiplash. It’s the result of a hearing a bizarre pairing of seemingly disparate lectionary texts. On the one hand, there’s the angry vengeful God ready to smite the Israelites in Exodus—and yet, it’s precisely that kind of rash judgment toward “sinners” that Jesus …
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
This Sunday, I had the opportunity to worship with the people of God at First Lutheran Church, a neighboring ELCA congregation not far from Augustana. You can read more about the ministry FLC is up to in Omaha on their website. First Lutheran Church, Omaha, NE 21 August 2016 + Lectionary 21C Luke 13.10-17 Some …
Continue reading A Sermon about Keeping the Sabbath (and Why It’s So Hard)
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
This is the first sermon preached at my internship site. Click here and here to learn more about the congregation I will be serving for the next year in the city of Omaha, Nebraska. Augustana Lutheran Church 17 July 2016 + Lectionary 16C Luke 10.38-42 It’s been a hard couple of weeks. I’ve found …
Continue reading A Sermon about Listening and What It Means to Be a Disciple
This weekend, I was invited to preach at my home congregation, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Chicago. I also had the unique opportunity to preach alongside my good friend and seminary colleague Analyse Triolo. The video below, courtesy of Analyse, is from Sunday morning's version, though we also preached at the Saturday night liturgy in the …
Continue reading A Sermon about Faith, Community, and Subverting Boundaries
Grace Lutheran Church 3 April 2016 + Second Sunday of Easter (Year C) John 20.(1-18), 19-31 Alleluia! Christ is risen! A reading from Craigslist: “Wednesday afternoon blue line (towards O’Hare)—We made eye contact a few times during the ride. Would love to get to know you better. Let me know what you were wearing/where you …
Continue reading Missed Connections: A Sermon for the Second Sunday of Easter
Sermon for ML 403 Preaching Lab Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago 1 December 2015 Jeremiah 31.31-34 (Reformation Day) [With thanks to fellow ML 403 student Analyse Triolo for the recording!] When I was handed the little slip of paper for my final preaching text, I honestly anticipated what feast or festival I would be …
Continue reading That time I preached about the Reformation during Advent…
Pastor Josh Evans 