Lessons: Numbers 21:4-9 Ephesians 2:1-10 John 3:14-21 Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22 Are there times when a poison is its own cure? Today we hear the story of Moses and the people of Israel meeting snakes in the wilderness. It is an extraordinary story, a weird story, and yet somehow a powerful story. With Moses’ help,ContinueContinue reading “Fourth Sunday in Lent by The Rev. Martin Elfert”
Tag Archives: The Rev. Martin Elfert
Third Sunday in Lent by The Rev. Martin Elfert
Lessons: Exodus 20:1-17 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 John 2:13-22 Psalm 19 One of my theological heroes, the Franciscan priest and author and activist, Richard Rohr, has said that in all of his years of attending church he has never ever heard a sermon on the Tenth Commandment:[1] You shall not covet. You shall not covet yourContinueContinue reading “Third Sunday in Lent by The Rev. Martin Elfert”
First Sunday in Lent by The Rev. Martin Elfert
Lessons: Genesis 9:8-17 1 Peter 3:18-22 Mark 1:9-15 Psalm 25:1-9 This is a Gospel story. It is a Gospel story that takes place in an apartment building. My friend Darcy is a residential property manager. His job takes him all across Canada, to apartment buildings in the North of British Columbia and in the SouthContinueContinue reading “First Sunday in Lent by The Rev. Martin Elfert”
Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany by The Rev. Martin Elfert
Lessons: Isaiah 40:21-31 1 Corinthians 9:16-23 Mark 1:29-39 Psalm 147:1-12, 21c We’re going to begin this morning with a quiz. Take out a piece of paper or open the drawing feature on your mobile device or call up a blank page in your mental notebook. And within the medium of your choice I am goingContinueContinue reading “Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany by The Rev. Martin Elfert”
Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany by The Rev. Martin Elfert
Lessons: Isaiah 40:21-31 1 Corinthians 9:16-23 Mark 1:29-39 Psalm 147:1-12, 21c It’s the Sabbath, Jesus has gone to the Synagogue (as is his habit), and there he is teaching. And the people who are listening to him, Mark tells us in his tantalising brevity, are astonished because he teaches as one having authority.ContinueContinue reading “Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany by The Rev. Martin Elfert”
Second Sunday after the Epiphany by The Rev. Martin Elfert
Lessons: 1 Samuel 3:1-10(11-20) 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 John 1:43-51 Psalm 139:1-5, 12-17
First Sunday after the Epiphany by The Rev. Martin Elfert
Lessons: Genesis 1:1-5 Acts 19:1-7 Mark 1:4-11 Psalm 29 This is the very beginning of the Gospel of Mark – the shortest of the Gospels, the oldest, the one written in the roughest Greek, and the one told with the most urgent excitement. Mark tells us the good news like an out of breath childContinueContinue reading “First Sunday after the Epiphany by The Rev. Martin Elfert”
Fourth Sunday of Advent and Christmas Eve by The Rev. Martin Elfert
Lessons: Isaiah 52:7-10 Hebrews 1:1-12 John 1:1-14 Psalm 98 So. It is the end of 2017. We are in the Pacific Northwest. This is a time and place in which many of us are indifferent to church or ambivalent about church or allergic to church. And yet it is Christmas Eve and we areContinueContinue reading “Fourth Sunday of Advent and Christmas Eve by The Rev. Martin Elfert”
Third Sunday of Advent with Christmas Pageant by The Rev. Martin Elfert
Lessons: Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 John 1:6-8,19-28 Psalm 126 Rejoice always, Pray without ceasing. I grew up in Vancouver, British Columbia, in that part of the world that is sometimes called Cascadia and sometimes called the Pacific Northwest. (The latter name is testament to the gravitational pull that the United States exerts onContinueContinue reading “Third Sunday of Advent with Christmas Pageant by The Rev. Martin Elfert”
Last Sunday after Pentecost: Christ the King by The Rev. Martin Elfert
Lessons: Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24 Psalm 95:1-7a Ephesians 1:15-23 Matthew 25:31-46 We have just heard what Paul Nuechterlein calls “The smallest huge translation mistake in the Bible.” In the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, the one that we read together on Sundays, we hear: All the nations will be gathered before him, and heContinueContinue reading “Last Sunday after Pentecost: Christ the King by The Rev. Martin Elfert”