Category: Sermons 2025

Matthew 2:13-23 Like many families, in our home we want everything to be beautiful and joyful and satisfying on Christmas. We want everyone to feel comfortable and loved and content. And we do a pretty good job of it, it seems. Yet the real truth of Christmas has the power to come through any shiny veneer we might put on it. In Matthew’s gospel, we hear about the angel who came to Joseph and told him not to be afraid; the one who is responsible for Joseph being there when Mary’s child was born. And we hear about the Magi who followed the star all the way to Bethlehem where they knelt before the child and offered gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Both are beautiful pieces of the story we cherish and retell each year. But no sooner have the Magi left when we hear that an angel has […]

I learned something new this week: Christmas Eve marked 70 years that the North American Aerospace Defense Command has been tracking Santa’s sleigh. According to the story I read, it started in 1955 when a child tried to call a Santa hotline, but accidentally called this defense agency and got Colonel Harry Shoup on the line. Initially the Colonel was confused, but he recovered quickly and realized the opportunity here. From that point on they made it their responsibility to track Santa’s sleigh on Christmas Eve, providing regular updates on the sleigh’s location. Every year, they answer phone calls from children around the world, assuring them that all is well and Santa is on his way. It’s a truly unique way that our military offers protection and assurance to the citizens of the world. A kinder, gentler face of our fighting forces – but apparently all in line with the […]

Isaiah 7:10-16 Matthew 1:18-25 I can still remember some of the things people said to us before our first child, Kira, was born. Everybody had some kind of advice – some good, some not so great. One of the things I remember was you should go out on dates, do adult things, just take advantage of the fact that your time is your own. Because that life is about to end. This is one of the things you sacrifice when you have children. But it’s only one of the things. Lots of things change when you have children no one ever tells you about. You only find out after the fact. They are definitely more expensive than the tax deduction you got, that’s one thing. The last time I slept through the night was over forty years ago, that’s another. You discover ways to worry and sources of frustration that […]

Amos 6:1a,4-7  Luke 16:19-31  Jesus is not finished with the subject of money yet. And we might think that what he he has to say is controversial.  Controversial because he speaks of wealth disparagingly. And this seems to contradict a common belief, based on some of the Hebrew scriptures, that God’s blessings show up in the abundance we receive in this life – abundant property, abundant crops, even an abundance of children all mean that God is smiling on you. And there are great reasons why this is not only appealing to our hearts and minds, but also seems to make sense. Abundance of the things we need in life will give us a sense of well-being and security. Years ago I was talking with some people about what the Bible says about wealth. We had just read a passage from Luke where Jesus says, “Woe to you who are […]

Luke 13:10-17 There is a story by Alice Hoffman called Seventh Heaven. It’s about a suburban community in Long Island, near Levittown. It’s the kind of community that popped up all over America after World War II, like Levittown. Tract homes, affordable for first-time homeowners. Streets that never go straight, winding around in loops to make sure you won’t drive too fast. Sidewalks everywhere for strollers and tricycles, to keep the kids safe. All the houses look alike, so newcomers driving into the neighborhood get confused about where they are. Neighbors can walk into each other’s homes and know just where everything is, because it is exactly the same as their own house. The story takes place at the end of 1959 and the beginning of 1960, a time when the world is on the verge of change. And the people in this community are beginning to feel a little […]

 John14:23-29 Revelation 21:10; 21:22-22:5 There is a question that is often in my mind – a question that I spend much time mulling over and wondering about: What is the place of the church in this nation? We have a long history of understanding our nation to be one that separates religion from government, for the purpose of ensuring freedom of religion for all people. It has, generally speaking, served us quite well. And we have a unique point of view on this matter, because of our history. Wicomico Presbyterian was first established in 1672, and that was well before we were a nation, well before we had a constitution that established freedom of religion. In 1672, when this was a colony ruled by the king of England, we were granted permission to gather at the Wicomico River for Presbyterian worship. And so we did, and Wicomico Presbyterian Church has been […]

John 13:31-35 Revelation 21:1-6 One of my great privileges as a pastor is to walk with those who are making the final leg of their journey on this earth. A sacred journey. And, while there are plenty of things to dislike about a long, drawn-out death, there are sometimes gifts in that process. I will never forget being in a hospice room with a man who was dying, while he was experiencing a vision. He was able to describe it to us; in the moment it was happening. He said, “There is a white picket fence. And there are people on the other side of the fence. There is a church there, too. And the people are talking to me.” He was experiencing a glorious vision, and he very much wanted us to see it too. His description of it was extraordinary, although I have no doubt that it could […]

John 10:22-30 Revelation 7:9-17 Last week at the Vatican the Roman Catholic Church selected a new pope to succeed Francis. This one took the name Leo. The name chosen by a new pope says something about how he might want to frame his ministry. The last Leo was Pope Leo XIII, who sat on the papal throne from 1878 to 1903. Leo XIII is known as the father of Catholic Social Teaching, a doctrine of the church that concerns itself with the common good in society and basic human dignity. It’s worth taking a minute to look at these teachings. It begins with prioritizing the common good. It affirms that every human being is made in the image of God and therefore has worth and dignity. It teaches that we all have the right and responsibility to work together in society for the common good – caring for others and […]

Luke 24:1-12 It is almost always the same. When I attend a funeral as a mourner or lead a funeral as a pastor, I hear all the things people say about the one who has died. They tell stories about how this person changed their lives. They speak about the qualities of this person with emotion – wonder, pride. There is always some humor mixed in with it all, because how can there not be when you are speaking about love? I love listening to the stories, whether it is someone I knew well or very little, at some point I find myself feeling a kind of holy amazement and inspiration. I walk away from there thinking, “What a wonderful life! And then I think, “Goodness gracious – what the heck have I been doing with one precious wonderful life?” When someone dies, there is always grief. But there is […]