Sermons
Weekly professional powerhouse sermons by Leonard Sweet.
Holy Discontent
Holy Discontent Lectionary 16 August 2015 12th Sunday After Pentecost 1 Kings 2:10-12, 3:3-14 Psalm 111 Ephesians 5:15-20 John 6:51-58 Text to Life Last week was an official “opening season.” Not the opening season on hunting or fishing or any particular form of wildlife—like deer, elk, salmon, or shellfish.…
Love Life
Love Life Lectionary 9 August 2015 11th Sunday After Pentecost 2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33 Psalm 130 Ephesians 4:25-5:2 John 6:35, 41-51 Text to Life The big news this last week? Russell Wilson, the quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks, signed a new contract and recommitted himself to the…
Leave a Trail of Breadcrumbs
Leave a Trail of Breadcrumbs Lectionary 2 August 2015 10th Sunday After Pentecost 2 Samuel 11:26-12:13a Psalm 51 Ephesians 4:1-16 John 6:24-35 Text to Life In August everyone is an agriculturalist. The bounty of summer crops are all around us. The gift of all that is fresh and growing…
Whistling in the Dark
Whistling in the Dark Lectionary 26 July 2015 Ninth Sunday After Pentecost 2 Samuel 11:1-15 Psalm 14 Ephesians 3:14-21 John 6:1-21 Text to Life There are three kinds of people in the world. There are “the glass is half full” people. These are the optimists who always look for…
The Art of Stilling
The Art of Stilling Lectionary 19 July 2015 8th Sunday After Pentecost 2 Samuel 7:1-14a Psalm 89:20-37 Ephesians 2:11-22 Mark 6:30-34, 53-56 Text to Life July and August are “vacation time.” Blink you might miss it. We in the US take the shortest, most abbreviated vacations among…
Keeping Your Head in a World that Wants to Take Your Head Off
Keeping Your Head in a World that Wants to Take Your Head Off Lectionary 12 July 2015 7th Sunday After Pentecost 2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19 Psalm 24 Ephesians 1:3-14 Mark 6:14-29 Exegesis You will find a semiotic exegesis and other resources for the story of the beheading of…
“Laus Deo” –Praise Be To God!
“Laus Deo”—-Praise Be To God! Lectionary 5 July 2015 Sixth Sunday After Pentecost 2 Samuel 5:1-5, 9-10 Psalm 48 2 Corinthians 12:2-10 Mark 6:1-13 Prayer “Almighty God; We make our earnest prayer that Thou wilt keep the United States in Thy holy protection; that Thou wilt incline the hearts…
Do Good Always in All Ways, Anyway
Do Good Always in All Ways, Anyway Lectionary 28 June 2015 Fifth Sunday After Pentecost 2 Samuel 1;1, 17-27 Psalm 130 2 Corinthians 8:7-15 Mark 5:21-43 Text to Life Nothing helps children learn faster than praise. Nothing helps children grow better than praise. Praise, and the love that…
The Two Legs of the One Truth
The Two Legs of the One Truth Lectionary 21 June 2015 Fourth Sunday After Pentecost Father’s Day 1 Samuel 17(1a,4-11,19-23), 32-49 Psalm 9:9-20 2 Corinthians 6:1-13 Mark 4:35-41 Text to Life Yogi Berra (b. 1925) is the beloved, berated Yankee catcher, manager, coach, and accidental philosopher. When you…
Actions Create Actualities
Actions Create Actualities Lectionary 14 June 2015 Third Sunday After Pentecost 1 Samuel 15:34-16:13 Psalm 20 2 Corinthians 5:6-10 (11-13), 14-17 Mark 4:26-34 Text to Life It’s the rare child who makes it to adulthood without having to participate in some kind of “science project.” Do you remember…