Taking the Sermon Home

March 9, 2014

On this first Sunday of Lent, we read Matthew’s account of Jesus being tempted in the wilderness.

· The gospel writer reports that the Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness.  What do you think was the purpose of Jesus being tempted?

· What images come to your mind when you think of the wilderness?  Are they inviting, ominous, or both?  

· When have you had a “wilderness” period in your life?  What led you there, and what was the outcome?

Taking the Sermon Home

This is Transfiguration Sunday, the final Sunday before Lent.   The gospel text is from Matthew 17.
The day is set aside to remember a revelatory experience of Jesus and the disciples.

Through the Transfiguration, the disciples received insight regarding the nature of Jesus. What did they
learn?
When have you had an intense experience of God’s presence and power in your life?

In what ways did it change your perception of God?

Taking the Sermon Home

February 23, 2014--sermon title Perfect Timing
Our tour of The Sermon on the Mount ends this morning with Matthew 5:38-38, as Jesus offers yet more examples of “kingdom behaviors.” In today’s passage, the focus is on anger and vengeance.

What is the impact of vengeance--on the perpetrator and the recipient?
How is seeking vengeance different from allowing for consequences to occur?
Is it possible to “love an enemy” without “liking” him/her? How?
In the context of the gospel reading, being "perfect" relates to being mature, or fully grown into your intended purpose.  What keeps you from a fuller, more mature relationship with God?

Taking the Sermon Home

February 16, 2014
Sermon text: Matthew 5:21-37
Our tour of The Sermon on the Mount continues, as Jesus compels his followers to look deeper than the letter of the law, and into its spirit. Only then, he suggests, can we be honest about faithfulness and discipleship.

In what ways do we “hide” our true selves behind the law?

Jesus offers different examples of right behaviors in today’s teachings, but the underlying message is
consistent. What is that message?

What attitude(s) are needed in order to follow the law as Jesus suggests this morning?

Taking the Sermon Home

February 9, 2014

Sermon text: Matthew 5:13-20        Look What Love Can Do

Our tour of The Sermon on the Mount continues, as Jesus encourages his followers to be salt of the earth, and light of the world.

· How can you be both “salt” and “light?”  What different attributes do these two words convey?

· According to the reading, what is the purpose of good works?  What should be our motivation for performing them?

· As Lutherans, we understand salvation to come through God’s grace rather than through works. How do you understand Jesus’ emphasis in this passage on keeping God’s commandments, in light of the promises of grace?

Taking the Sermon Home

Today we begin a four week tour of passages from The Sermon on the Mount which is found in Matthew 5 through 7.  Today’s gospel is the beautiful and familiar “Beatitudes” in Matthew 5:1-12.

· Notice how the reading begins: Jesus sees crowds, yet he addresses “the disciples.”  Why do you think he speaks primarily to this subgroup?

· What seems radical or revolutionary to you about The Beatitudes?

· Picture a world in which the precepts of this gospel reading were lived out.  What image comes to your mind?  Where do you see “glimpses” of it in your day-to-day life?

Taking the Sermon Home

The sermon title for Sunday was Solids, Stripes or Plaids as we both celebrated the annual "Scottish Sunday" tradition at Christ the King, and considered the appointed readings for the day:

1 Corinthians 1:10-18

Matthew 4:12-23

The readings tell us about the way in which the call to ministry unfolds.  In the gospel, we learn that Jesus’ call to the disciples was so compelling, that they dropped everything and immediately left their nets to follow.  Then in First Corinthians, Paul reminds us that we are to be united in mind and purpose as followers of the Lord.

What does the total devotion that the original disciples displayed “look like” in today’s world? 

What does one need to leave behind to follow?

What are some of the impediments to Christian community in churches today, and how can the same mind and purpose be fostered?