Blessed are the Peacemakers

 

"Blessed are the Peacemakers."  Jesus Christ, Beatitudes in the Gospel of Matthew (5:1-12)

"Blessed are the Peacemakers" is a word of great challenge to us -- peace is not the norm.  What it mean for us to be peacemakers in our lives, in our communities and even in our world?

"Blessed are the Peacemakers" is a word of great promise for us -- peace will be the norm in Kingdom come.  Jesus promise of peace invites us to see the world, not as our eyes see it, as it is, but how it can and one day will be -- reconciled through and to him.

The image is from a basketball game that tells the story of what it might look like when we begin to see what the eyes cannot!

Spiritual Metabolism

 

Jesus hears terrible news:  John the Baptist has been arrested (Matthew 4:12-23).   He is sad for his friend, the world and himself.

Soon afterwards, he is proclaiming good news and healing everyone.  How does Jesus do this, that is, metabolize the hearing of tragedy into the sharing of love?

And, what, if anything, can we do, to metabolize the hard and even hateful news that we hear into love and compassion?

The artworks is a relief "The Arrest of John the Baptist" by Lorenzo Ghiberti

1000 Days

1000 Days -- that is all Jesus gets from the time of his baptism until his ascension.  One might expect and urgency that would mean Jesus is counting and optimizing how he spends each and every moment.

Yet on day 1, Jesus chooses to hang out with a person he hadn't yet met, Andrew, and another future disciple.  He doesn't teach, exhort, impress or anything -- he just spends time with them.

What gives here?  Why is Jesus just spending time with Andrew?  And why might Jesus want to spend time with us?

The image is from "What the Saints did Next" Photography blog.

All Righteousness

 "This [Baptism] is necessary for us to fulfill all righteousness"  Jesus, Matthew's Gospel

As he is baptized, Jesus makes the bold an audacious claim that he intends to fulfill all righteousness.  Pastor Rob explores how big of a promise this is in light of the unrighteousness in our world, our lives and in our hearts,

The second part of the sermon reflects on what this promise means for us who are baptized.  How we live in the face of our own and the world's unrighteousness.

The art work is the "Baptism of Christ, painting by Vladmir Zagltov 

Your Goals in 2026

As we turn the calendar, many of us make lists of goals or even resolutions for the next year.  

Often times, we skip the necessary step of asking ourselves:  Is this goal something that God intends for me? 

Working with the story of the magi visiting Jesus (Matthew 2:1-12), Pastor Rob reflects on how we can discern God's purposes and will in our lives.  It turns out that it isn't about a formula, but more like a recipe for a slow cook sauce, one that has a number of ingredients and takes some time. 

Stink, Stank, Stunk

The Grinch Who Stole Christmas continues to capture the imagination years after its debut.  Might it be that the problem for the grinch -- that is heart is too sizes too small -- is something we fear might happen to us?  Not only might our hearts be smaller, but as humans it is quite hard (impossible?!) to grow our own heart.  We need a love outside of ourselves.

Fear not though, for love has come!  As the Gospel writer Luke tells of the story 

1)  The love our hearts need has come into the world in Jesus Christ.

2)  This love is for the world and also for you!

Joseph: Patron Saint of the Unappreciated

Joseph is, Pastor Rob offers, the Patron Saint of the Unappreciated.

Joseph (Matthew 1:18-25; parts of Matthew 2) is called to play a vital role in the Christmas story.  Pastor Rob offers that each of us has a role to play - a holy calling - in the Christmas story in our lives this year.

Unfortunately, Joseph is not thanked in the Bible (or in some ways, in history) for his efforts.  At the holidays, we can often feel unappreciated as the Christmas story plays out in our lives.

Joseph perhaps offers a way through the bitterness that can come when we are not thanked.  For Joseph's story reminds us that although we have a role, the story is not about us.   This can free us to serve in love, worship in joy and give thanks for those who have gone before us in faith.