(Acts 8:26-40) In today’s reading from Acts, we meet a couple of great characters, Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch. This is the third time Philip has made an appearance in the book of Acts. He was one of the Hellenist followers of Jesus in Acts 6, chosen to take over the distribution of food from…
(Psalm 23) Medical diagnoses and prescriptions tell us that on any given day, about 25 percent of us are struggling with situational, seasonal, or chronic depression. Twenty-five percent. And that is pre-pandemic. Evidence seems to indicate that there will be a significant jump in those numbers from 2020 through the next few years. And, of…
(Luke 24:36b-48) Here are the disciples, gathered together in a home in Jerusalem, trying to make sense of their world, which has been turned upside down. Jesus, their dear friend, Lord, and leader has been tried, publicly mocked, and brutally crucified. Because of their cowardice, they have watched Him die from a distance and now…
(John 20:19-31) I ended last week’s message with the confession that I do not fully understand the resurrection and I never will. Jesus’ resurrection from the dead defies all reason. No matter how hard we try, there is no logical explanation for what happened on that first Easter morning. I also boldly pronounced that you…
(John 20:1-18) This morning I want to ask you this: do you recall, do you remember the moment when you chose to be part of this church, First Presbyterian in Fairfield? Do you remember? I wonder what compelled you to chose this church – why did it seem like the right place for you and…
(Mark 14:27-31) On Monday, March 22, Ahmed Al Aliwi Alissa, 21, walked into a Boulder, Colorado grocery store and began shooting. Witnesses say that he never spoke a word and that he didn’t spray rounds into the store but took measured shots. He murdered 10 people that afternoon including an officer of the Boulder police…
(Mark 11:1-11) Our Gospel lesson this week places us in the middle of a really odd scene. Jesus, who throughout His entire ministry rejected even the appearance of being a person of power and honor (He tells His disciples not even to call Him Rabbi) willingly rides into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey,…
(John 12:20-33) A father is asked by his friend, “Has your son decided what he wants to be when he grows up?” “Yes, he wants to be a garbage collector,” replied the boy’s father. His friend thought for a moment and responded, “That’s a rather strange ambition to have for a career.” “Well,” said the…
(John 3:14-21) Except for perhaps Psalm 23, today’s passage is the most well-known portion of Scripture in the world, containing Jesus’ declaration of God’s unconditional love for the world manifest through Jesus. But following Jesus’ famous declaration, the author of the Gospel adds some penetrating commentary about human nature and the power of the light…
(John 2:13-22) In this famous passage of Scripture, we see Jesus engaging in a number of symbolic, activist efforts. Entering the temple courts and overturning tables, He was showing at once a profound lack of respect for the powers that controlled the operations of the temple, both political and religious, as well as a profound…