The Space Between

(The following sermon was preached on May 5, 2013, the Sixth Sunday of Easter at Messiah Lutheran Church , Knoxville TN on the occasion of Messiah's first SERVE day experience. On SERVE day, Messiah's members gathered for one worship service, instead of two, and then left in teams, directly from worship, to go out into the community to participate in service projects. The text for this sermon is a modified version of the RCL pericope of the day,  Acts 16:(6-8) 9-15 . ) Those were the days, those long, lazy, carefree days of summer. Back then, my childhood friend and I would strike out on our bikes, unencumbered by time or fear or parental restriction. No helmets or fancy camelback water bottles. Just our bikes and a free and easygoing wanderlust. Me on my three speed Murray bike. My friend on his single speed Schwinn. Turning the pedals over we’d journey over suburban lanes, narrow dirt roads and grass covered fields. Whatever we desired; wherever we wanted; we would go,...

(This sermon was preached at Messiah Lutheran Church , Knoxville, TN on the Fifth Sunday in Lent, March 17, 2013. The sermon is based on the gospel text or the day, John 12:1-8 )  My first pastoral call was with a small family-size parish named Mt. Zion - St. Luke Lutheran Church. The small southwest Georgia towns of Oglethorpe and Montezuma -  separated only by the dirty brown water of the lazy Flint River - and the surrounding farm lands made up this mostly agriculture parish. In such an earthy place, so near the land, you couldn’t help but have your senses awakened by the smells and sounds, images and textures that surrounded you. Known mostly for its vast cotton fields and “pee-can” orchards, this land is also home to chicken farms and paper mills. Which, for any of you who have experienced the like, you know, chicken farms and paper mills produce THE...most...offensive...odor . Especially when those odors mix together on a hot, humid day. Depending on which wa...

Sermon for January 27, 2013. Epiphany 3. Pastor Eric Murray. Luke 4:14-21. Jesus claims the words of the prophet Isaiah as his mission program.