Sermons from April 2020

Third Sunday of Easter

On Easter Sunday afternoon two followers of Jesus, walking to a town called Emmaus, meet Jesus alive, risen from the dead. (To see the words of the gospel, click here.)  It is a lovely story.  So let me tell the story and then give you some ideas. It is Easter Sunday afternoon. Remember:  Before, on Friday Jesus suffered awfully dying on the cross.  All his friends and followers were very sad, depressed; all hope was lost.  Then early on Sunday…

Second Sunday of Easter

Today the story of Jesus visiting his followers on the first Easter Sunday is in the Gospel of John 20:19-31. (To see the words of the Gospel, click here.) It is the first day, Easter Sunday; the whole world has changed.  Look at the close followers of Jesus. What are they doing? They are hiding and thinking and worrying, why?  On Good Friday they all ran away. They left Jesus to suffer and die an awful death; nailing to a…

Easter Sunday

Easter Sunday, the story of the resurrection of Jesus is in the Gospel of John 20: 1 – 9.  The story gives some interesting ideas about the first Easter. The first person coming to the tomb is who? Mary of Magdala. Why?  She saw Jesus die on the cross. She saw the men take his body down from the cross. She saw them wrap the body in a white cloth. She saw them carry the body and put the body…

Good Friday

On Good Friday the story of Jesus’s suffering and death is the Gospel of John 18:1 -19:42. Notice one very important thing in this story: Jesus is controlling it always.  Everything that happens to him, Jesus allows and influences how it happens. There are many important ideas in this story; let me pick a few ideas and talk about them. The story begins in the garden. The soldiers come in and look for Jesus and he says, “I am.” A…

Holy Thursday

Holy Thursday is the special day we remember all the wonderful gifts Jesus gave us.  Jesus comes together with his friends, why? To celebrate Passover. (The Gospel is from John 13: 1 – 15.) Passover remembers the time the people of Israel were slaves in Egypt, and the Egyptians made them suffer very much. God wanted to save them; how did He begin to save them? With a special meal, the Passover.  Every year the Jewish people celebrate Passover to…

Palm Sunday A (April 5)

Palm Sunday A Today we see the suffering of Jesus from Matthew’s Gospel. Each Gospel is a little different.  Today we follow Matthew. The full Gospel story can be found in Matthew 26:14 – 27:66. Focus on one thing:  the story is about Jesus giving. Jesus giving, why? He loves us. A person shows love by giving. Jesus copies his Father in heaven. God the Father gives too. Use your imagination: God the Father looks down at the world, all…