St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York15 December 2024 + Advent 6 (Advent 3c)Philippians 4:4-7; Luke 3:7-18Rev. Josh Evans Rejoice in the Lord always!Again, I say: Rejoice!Don’t be anxious about anything … just… pray. With all due respect to St. Paul,that’s a lot easier said than done. If peace sometimes feels like the hardest candle to …
St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York8 December 2024 + Advent 5 (Advent 2c)Luke 3:1-6Rev. Josh Evans Over the past four weeks of our extended Advent observance,we have lit our candles… The candle of care –reminding us of our calling to extend to othersthe care of a God who cares for us. The candle of faith …
St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York1 December 2024 + Advent 4 (Advent 1c)Luke 21:25-36Rev. Josh Evans Hope. We throw that word around a lot, don’t we?“I hope it snows!” (“I hope it doesn’t!”)“I hope we have pizza for dinner!”“I hope the Bills win!” That kind of hope, while indeed expressing a real desire for something, …
St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York17 November 2024 + Advent 2 (Lectionary 33b)Mark 13:1-8Rev. Josh Evans “There is one sin which I have come to fear above all others.Certainty.Certainty is the great enemy of unity.Certainty is the deadly enemy of tolerance.Even Christ was not certain at the end.[‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken …
St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York10 November 2024 + Advent 1 (Lectionary 32b)1 Kings 17:8-16Rev. Josh Evans Sometimes, there are no words… Sometimes, there are so many words.Over the past years and months and weeks,there have been a lot of words,and debates, and posts, and signs. Over the last week, I’ve seen a lot of …
St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York3 November 2024 + All SaintsJohn 11:32-44Rev. Josh Evans It’s a well-known story,often summarized with the title “The Raising of Lazarus”without a second thought. Start reading the actual story,and you’ll quickly realize: This isn’t so much about the raising of Lazarus –which only takes up two short verses at the …
St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York27 October 2024 + Lectionary 30b (Reformation)Mark 10:46-52Rev. Josh Evans I can’t help but wonderhow long he had been sitting there. I can’t help but wonderwhat stories, or news, or town gossip he had heard,just sitting there –ignored and out of sight…but certainly not out of earshot. This beggar,this nobody,except …
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 …
St. John’s Lutheran ChurchAlbany, New York6 October 2024 + Lectionary 27bGenesis 2:18-24; Mark 10:2-16Rev. Josh Evans We almost know the story by heart:When God began to create the heavens and the earth… Over the course of the six days of creation,God speaks something into existence,and so it appears:Let there be light.And there was light. Let …
Pastor Josh Evans 