A New Name for a New Day

Isaiah 62: 1-5 & 1 Corinthians 12: 1-11

Roger Lynn

September 25, 2016

(click here for the audio for this sermon)

My name is Roger. That’s what people call me. It is how I think of myself. I’m a “Roger.” I can’t really imagine being a “Jeff” or a “Ted” or a “Jim.” For most of us our name is one of our most important possessions. 

And yet, for all the importance we attach to our names, most of the time they still don’t carry the kind of depth of meaning that has been associated with names in other cultures and other times. In the world of the Bible, for example, names were often understood to be a reflection of the essential nature of that to which the name was attached. Names had meaning. Dramatic changes of circumstance or status were often marked with a change of name. Abram and Sarai become Abraham and Sarah. Simon becomes Peter. Saul becomes Paul. Even today we see remnants of this understanding in places like the Catholic Church, where the person who is elected Pope takes on a new name. 

On The Way

Luke 17: 11-19

Roger Lynn

September 18, 2016

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There is an old saying that life is what happens while we’re waiting for something else to come along. God is at work in the midst of us all the time, but if we don’t pay attention we run a very good chance of missing it. The story of Jesus’ encounter with the ten people with leprosy is a great illustration of this truth. It is so rich and textured and multi-layered. And at each step along the way, paying attention (or not) makes all the difference.

Faithfully Waiting for What Comes Next

Acts 1: 6-11

Roger Lynn

September 11, 2016

(click here for the audio for this sermon)

The Church was in a time of transition. What was had come to an end. What would be had not yet taken shape. And so it was that the faithful found themselves gathering together, waiting for what comes next. We know what that feels like. In fact, it is a common human experience. The situation I just described is the first century church from the beginning of the book of Acts but it sounds remarkably fresh and familiar. It can be helpful sometimes to remember that the path upon which we currently find ourselves has been trod by others who have gone before us. We are not alone. We are in good company.

This congregation is also in a time of transition. I’ve been your pastor for a little bit less than a year. We are still getting to know each other, and we are still figuring out what comes next. Unlike those first-century disciples, I don’t think we are experiencing a lot of lost and confused feelings, nor are we particularly sad and overwhelmed, but there certainly is a sense of waiting for what comes next. With that in mind we turn to Luke’s story in Acts to see what we might glean.