Sermons on Luke (Page 4)
Humble Beginnings
December 19, 2021……….Rev. Patrick Mecham………4th Sunday of Advent Micah 5: 2-5a; Luke 1: 39-45 I suspect that many of you grew up in a small town, as I did. And when you went out into the bigger, wider world, you may have been thought of as a “small-town girl” or a “small-town boy”—at least, when compared to those raised in a bigger city. I remember that, when I was young, we looked down on kids from outlying communities that didn’t quite…
Getting Ready
December 5, 2021……….Rev. Patrick Mecham………2nd Sunday of Advent Malachi 3: 1-4; Philippians 1: 3-11; Luke 3: 1-6 I would like you to imagine that you have something wonderful to give to someone you love. This is a something that is almost too delightful for words, something that will enrich their lives beyond measure. There is only one problem: their hands are full already, so they are not able to receive your gift! You say, “Empty your hands. I have something…
While We Wait
While We Wait 7th Sunday of Easter Acts 1:1-11 ———- May 16, 2021 ———– Luke 24:44-53 Last week, I shared an excerpt from one of the Chronicles of Narnia, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. This week, I will share some snippets from the book that kicked off the whole series, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. The author was an Oxford professor named C. S. Lewis. Although the book was written for children, adults responded to it in…
A Peek into the Kingdom
A Peek into the Kingdom ————- 3rd Sunday of Easter ———— April 18, 2021 Acts 3: 12-19 ———— Luke 24: 36b-48 Today, I am starting a series of sermons in which I use a story written by one of my favorite authors—folks like George MacDonald, C. S. Lewis, and Leo Tolstoy. (We’ll see who else shows up as we move along!) I am choosing stories that will come alongside the Scriptures for the day, illustrating the point, and perhaps making…
He Broke the Yoke
Isaiah 9:2-7 December 24, 2020 Luke 2:1-20 Do you remember that old TV show, “Laverne and Shirley”? There were two funny characters in their apartment building—Lenny and Squiggy—and their moronic voices added a lot to the show. When one of them would tell the other to do something, the response would be, “I’m not your SLAVE!” That was actually a very accurate rendering of a phrase that was popular in the 60’s—and I can clearly hear my sister saying the…
Greetings, Favored One!
Greetings, Favored One! 4th Advent Romans 16:25-27 December 20, 2020 Luke 1:26-38 Don’t you just love Christmas Pageants?! Over the years, I have seen some doozeys! Like the year Joseph picked up the Baby Jesus and the doll’s head fell off and rolled across the floor—or like the year the innkeeper got all choked up and offered Mary and Joseph his own room, rather than sending them to a stable! But the one that came to mind this week depicted…
As the World Awaits in Hopefulness
Isaiah 7:14; Isaiah 11:1-5; Luke 1:26-38
Beginning a New Chapter
Beginning a New Chapter 3rd Easter Acts 2:14a, 36-41 Luke 24:13-35 During this time of quarantine, I have read a lot of comments saying something to the effect of, “When this is over, I’m going to be living differently from what I was before.” Instead of just “getting back to normal,” many folks are going to be intentional about taking what they’ve learned and using it from now on! Yes, we can step into a new way of living! I was reminded of…
A Sign for YOU
A Sign for YOU Christmas Eve Isaiah 9:2-7 Luke 2:1-20 Have you ever felt “unwelcome” anywhere? Have you ever said to yourself, “Oh. I don’t belong here”? It’s something we begin to learn at a young age—there are certain places where we are welcome to go, and other places that are off limits. I’m not just thinking about places marked “authorized personnel only” or restrooms that are marked with another gender—I’m really thinking of those times when we get the feeling,…
Enduring to the Rescue
Enduring to the Rescue Christ the King Colossians 1:11-20 Luke 23:33-43 Do you remember Rubik’s Cubes? Years ago, I was using a Rubik’s Cube for a children’s sermon. The guy I borrowed it from had aligned all the sides so that they were the same color, and I made just 3 twists to kind of “mess it up.” I thought I could make it perfect again by just reversing these twists, and my talk was going to go something like this: “See…
An Eye for God’s Work
Isaiah 65:17-25 Luke 21:5-19 How many of you can wink? Would you turn to your neighbors on each side and give them a wink? Thanks! A wink is a special thing. I didn’t learn how to do it until I was in college—AFTER a disastrous loss in a ping-pong tournament. I was facing a pretty blonde who winked at me just before she served the ball—and I was unable to return her serves! So, I set myself to learn how to wink,…
A Snapshot of Heaven
A Snapshot of Heaven 22nd Pentecost Psalm 145:1-5, 17-21 Luke 20:27-38 I know that many of you are already familiar with the story of little Colton Burpo. When he almost died in surgery, he reportedly took a little trip to heaven and got a glimpse of what awaits us! He was so little, the memories of his experience came out in brief snippets over a period of many months. He says that, while in heaven, he met members of his family…