salvation – Storied Grace

You Can’t Do Anything

A sermon for the Fourth Sunday after Pentecost: Proper 9
July 6, 2025, at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Hot Springs, Arkansas

Readings: Galatians 6:(1-6)7-16 ; Luke 10:1-11, 16-20

Why does St. Paul spend so much time talking about circumcision? It is at the very least odd; and honestly, it is a little impolite. But here he is, yet again in Galatians, talking about circumcision. He wants the Galatians to know they do not need to be circumcised–he would even prefer that they were not. And here we are, centuries later, blushing, or at least trying to read quickly through the passage so as not to call attention. There are children present, and maybe even visitors who surely did not come to hear this. “Preacher,” you may be thinking, “move on and talk about the love of God, or forgiveness, or grace. For the sake of politeness, just ignore Paul.” But I can’t, because what St. Paul is talking about has everything to do with the love of God and forgiveness and grace.

Jesus, Remember Us

A sermon for the Sunday of the Passion: Palm Sunday
April 13, 2025, at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Hot Springs AR

Readings: Luke 22:14-23:56

He must be the patron saint of deathbed conversions, of last minute pleas when your back is up against the wall, of foxhole prayers and “Hail, Mary” long shots. He must be, this thief on the cross beside Jesus. At the last minute, just before the end, he makes a request. It sounds like a humble request. “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” The way Luke tells it today, the conversation is serene, almost peaceful at the end, akin to a last request before the hood goes on the head. I think it must have been less so, more of a conversation of groans, sighs, and screams than well strung together words. The thief screams out, pain coursing through his body, regret coursing through his mind, anxiety coursing through his soul: Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.

The Gospel in Costume

A sermon for the 23rd Sunday after Pentecost: Proper 25
October 27, 2024, at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Hot Springs, AR

Readings: Hebrews 7:23-28; Mark 10:46-52

In a few days, my street, Prospect Avenue, will be flooded with trick-or-treaters dressed in costume hoping for a sugar high. The neighbors have already put up their decor. Some have terrifying displays with motion-activated screams. There are spiders and ghosts and goblins. Others have tamer displays. One of my neighbors sets up a projector screen to play “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.” The costumes that visit the neighborhood will have the same divide. Some will be horrifying, blood-covered, windows into darkness. Others will be whimsical, straight out of the latest Disney movie, full of light. I think all of this has something to tell us. I think that it might just be that the gospel will be there, parading up and down my street, hidden in costume.