U-turns Permitted

James chapter 1 is a summary of the rest of the letter. It introduces most of the topics James handles in the letter. James is writing for his own people in exile, struggling. In today's world many of us struggle and feel exiled.

James begins his letter to people who are enduring hardships of various kinds. He explains to them how hardships can lead to growth, maturity, fullness, which leads to joy. Today we read James 1:2-4.

Today we introduce our sermon series on the Letter of James. A crucial discussion on this book over the last centuries has centered on whether (and how much) James supports the Apostle Paul's emphasis on "salvation by grace alone". But is that the best approach to understanding James? Join us and find out!

"An event has occurred as a result of which the world is a different place, and human beings have the new possibility to become a different kind of people...” This is how N.T. Wright describes the impact of what happened on Easter Sunday, when Jesus rose from the dead. We read selected passages from 1 Corinthians 15.

On this Maundy Thursday we read 1 Corinthians 1:30: On the cross Jesus took upon himself what we are not and gave us what He is: wisdom, justice, purpose and freedom.

Today is Palm Sunday - Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a donkey. This story doesn't happen in a vacuum - all kinds of events immediately precede it. John quotes the prophet Zecharaiah in his commentary on the events of this day, who proclaims that peace will come to the nations. What do you think: does Jesus bring peace?

What do these have to do with Deuteronomy? You might be surprised. Today we finish our series on Deuteronomy by looking at chapter 30, the last part of Moses' sermon to  Israel (the final chapters contain a song, some blessings and the report of Moses' death). What - or who - is our real life?

At the moment of this sermon series, Russia is waging a fierce, aggressive war in Ukraine. In the USA, the "culture wars" are waging. Group is pitted against group, each considering the other the "enemy". Does Deuteronomy offer us a way to respond to these and all wars? We will look at Deuteronomy 20 and ask ourselves that question.

Deuteronomy 15 presents an economy unlike ours. Redistribution of wealth and reparations are imperatives for Israel. What can we learn from that, without saying that we must emulate the Deuteronomic system? Are there echoes of this approach in the New Testament? And where does our final hope lie for our broken world?

Today we look at the blessings and curses that were to be spoken from the mountains Ebal and Gerizim. This ritual was to be done when Israel entered Canaan (and was done - read Joshua 8). The blessings and cursing were a direct result of whether Israel obeyed God or not. Which raises the question: is our relationship with God transactional? If so, doesn't that lead to all kinds of problems? Today we try to present another approach to this text.

In light of the attack on Ukraine by Vladimir Putin and his army, we are using our service time today (Feb. 27, 2022) as a time of prayer and reflection for Ukraine, Russia, Europe and our world. Please join us and dpray along with us.

Deuteronomy contains a number of passages that state that God wanted Israel to engage in "holy war", which some have called genocide of the Canaanite people. What are we to make of that? And how can we deal with the hostility between people in our own time?

Today we read Deuteronomy 6. This chapter includes the command to love God only and to teach our children to love and obey Him. One way to understand this chapter is with the image of being at home - home with God and home with each other. Join us!

Today we read the Ten Commandments from Deuteronomy 5. How can we read them in a way that doesn't strike fear into us or load a burden on us that we cannot bear to carry?

We continue our series on Deuteronomy, looking at Chapter 4: historical recollections give way to urgent exhortation. Moses reflects on God's presence with and care for Israel, and assures the people that his mercy will never fail. And then he asks this question: Has such a great thing as this ever happened with anyone else? 

Today Dan Kim speaks from Luke 7:11-17, the story of the raising of the son of the widow of Nain from the dead. Jesus says a startling thing to the widow as her son is being brought to the graveyard. He says the same thing to us.

Today we look (quickly!) at the first 3 chapters of Deuteronomy. Moses looks back on the last 40 years of history, and relates both the good and the bad of Israel's past. "The more honest we are in telling the stories of our ancestors in the web, the more we will be able to understand ourselves and the possibilities carried in our emotional DNA for our future.” (Diana Butler Bass, Grounded, pg 157). Moving forward into crisis means understanding that we are a part of a "web of belonging", not just individuals, and being willing to be honest about our past.

Today we begin a 12-week sermon series on the Book of Deuteronomy, the 5th and final book of the Pentateuch. Israel stands on the verge of entering Canaan after 40 years of wandering in the wilderness. As Walter Brueggemann says: "Deuteronomy looks both backward to rootage and forward to crisis, and interprets at the precise place where rootage and crisis intersect." That makes Deuteronomy also relevant for our time. Today is the introduction.

Today we read Jeremiah 31:7-14,  together with churches all over the world (a lectionary reading). How do we live when things for which we long so desperately don't happen? When promises don't come true? When it seems like nothing is going well for us?

Today, the day after Christmas, we look at the trip the Magi took to worship the newborn king. Why did they undertake that journey? For what/whom were they longing? Their trip took discipline and commitment over a long period of time. Do we have the same longing for a new world and the same commitment to, as Eugene Peterson put it, a "long obedience in the same direction"?