[RCL] Genesis 12:1-4a; Psalm 121; Romans 4:1-5, 13-17; John 3:1-17 In 2015 two psychologists reviewed six studies on gift-giving, looking in particular at the kinds of gifts chosen. They divided the gifts into two categories: those based on the interests of the recipient versus those that reflect the giver’s personality or interest. It is probably…

[RCL]: Genesis 12:1-4a; Psalm 121; Romans 4:1-5, 13-17; John 3:1-17 There is a trend among preachers, particularly lectionary preachers, to try and find that elusive “fresh perspective” or “new insight” into the Biblical text. The more familiar the text, the more fever-pitched the effort to say something “new” about it. Enter John chapter three, verse sixteen:…

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” Martin Luther called John 3:16 “the Gospel in a nutshell.” Without a doubt, this is the most famous verse in the New Testament. And yet, as most preachers…

A question that must echo through the centuries is this: Did Nicodemus ever get it? Did this righteous, sober, pious man ever let go of the letter of the law, of seeing and believing only what his eyesight perceived; did he let go of security to plunge into the uncertainty and wonder of mystery? He…

The architecture of Saint David’s Episcopal Church in San Diego, California, is quite intriguing. From the parking lot, a long, winding path leads to the sanctuary, landscaped with trees and plants indigenous to the Holy Land. Walking through the olive trees and fragrant flowers, the first part of the sanctuary seen is a solid, cracked,…

One could summarize the past two Sundays and today with a three-word theme: Transfiguration, Temptation, and Trust. On the last Sunday of Epiphany we went to the mountaintop with Jesus and witnessed the Transfiguration. On the first Sunday in Lent we reflected on his temptation in the wilderness at the start of his public ministry,…

Change reading to “born again!” Honestly — in some ways our lessons today are real jokes. We enter into a humorous story about two old people, Abraham and Sarah, who are sad that they have had no child together; no child to carry on their name and inheritance. But they were realistic about the situation;…

The Pharisee Nicodemus, a member of the Sanhedrin, paid a visit to Jesus cloaked by the secrecy of night. He came alone to probe and to have some questions answered. We might ask, “Why did he come at night?” Was it because he didn’t want anyone to see him in the company of this man,…