Category Archives: Sermon

Psalm 98 | Easter 3B

John Michael Gutierrez, PhD A psalm.1 Sing to YHWH a new song,    for he has done miraculous things;    his right hand and his holy arm    have worked his salvation.2 YHWH has made his salvation known    and revealed his righteousness to the nations.3 He has remembered his covenant loyalty    his faithfulness to Israel;    all the ends of the earth have seen    theContinue reading “Psalm 98 | Easter 3B”

Psalm 130 | Easter Vigil Year B

John Michael Gutierrez, PhD 1  Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord;2  Lord, hear my voice.    Let your ears be attentive       to my cry for mercy. 3 If you, Lord, kept a record of sins,    Lord, who could stand?4 But with you there is forgiveness,    so that we can, with reverence, serve you. 5 I wait forContinue reading “Psalm 130 | Easter Vigil Year B”

John 12.20-36 | Lent 5B Passion Sunday

John Michael Gutierrez, PhD Please turn in your Bible or device to John ch. 12. In its narrative context, our lesson is the final event that sets in motion the final week of Jesus’ ministry and life. Until the liturgical renewals of the 1950’s-60’s  this last Sunday of Lent had been identified most often asContinue reading “John 12.20-36 | Lent 5B Passion Sunday”

The Fourth Sunday of Lent – Rose Sunday

The Rev. Steven C. Sterry, M.A./M.B.A. Lessons: Sunday, Holy Day and Commemoration Lectionary — Year BII Chronicles 36:14–23Psalm 122Ephesians 2:1–10John 6:1–15  Psalms 120 through 134 are known as the Psalms of Ascent and were sung by worshipers as they made their journey to the Temple in Jerusalem during the three most important feasts of eachContinue reading “The Fourth Sunday of Lent – Rose Sunday”

Mark 1.9-13 | The First Sunday in Lent B

It was the 1st year of my formal biblical studies and I was a much more assured novice than I am now. I was enrolled in a Gospel’s class. The instructor framed the class around what is called a “harmony of the Gospels”. This is a presentation of the life/ministry of Jesus compressing the four Gospels into a proposed single, chronological/historical biography. Well I’ve always been something of an independent minded fellow. So enter stage right – my prodigal youth in rock’n roll music…

Luke 1.26-38 | Advent 4B The Annunciation

Miriam, Hey, Miriam. there’s someone at the gate. Can you see who it is? I’m starting to fit a plow together. Matthew, a tax collector, you say. Tell him to come back next month. I’ll have finished the roof and stairs in Sepphoris and have some money then. What? not a tax collector. Oh, Matthew, it’s you. Sorry, don’t you know tax collectors, and all that. Please. Sit there while I finish up. There’s some water for your hands and feet…

John 1. 19-28 | Advent 3B

Please find a pen or pencil and a sheet of paper. Y’all knew it was only a matter of time before this moment when I succumbed to the dark side of my teacher-ly instincts. Well here it is. It’s time for a pop quiz. Question 1: fill in the blank: Who did Jesus mean when he said “truly, I say to you, among those born of women, there is not anyone greater than __________?” And Question 2: short answer: write about John the baptizer in less than 200 words…

Advent 2 | Isaiah Chapter 40 As Seen Through the Eyes of Georg Friederich Handel

The Rev. Steven C. Sterry, M.A./M.B.A. PLAY COMFORT YE (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlpl1OpE3qw_) In Handel’s oratorio, the Messiah, 15 of the 53 sections are focused on the prophecies of Isaiah. There are more verses from Isaiah, twenty-one, than from any other Bible book. “Comfort Ye”, is the first sung piece and immediately follows the Overture. These words, as well asContinue reading “Advent 2 | Isaiah Chapter 40 As Seen Through the Eyes of Georg Friederich Handel”

Psalm 95 | Christ the King Sunday Year A

John Michael Gutierrez, PhD 1    Come, let us sing to the LORD;                   Let us shout to the Rock,  our Rescuer.2                 Let us come face to face with a thank offering                   Let us extol Him with song. 3    For the LORD is the great God,                                      the great King aboveContinue reading “Psalm 95 | Christ the King Sunday Year A”