This is the fourth sermon in our series on the Revelation of John. We ended last week at the end of chapter 8 with four of seven trumpets having been blown bringing about the destruction of 1/3 of the earth and sky after the last of seven seals were broken. Chapter nine begins with theContinue reading “5 Easter 2022”
Author Archives: mtrbev11
4 Easter 2022
For those of you who might have missed the last couple of weeks, I have been preaching from the Revelation of John. This will be the third sermon in this series. We will be reading from the Revelation as our second reading throughout the Easter season, but we only get snippets of the book andContinue reading “4 Easter 2022”
3 Easter 2022
Today I want to begin by talking about the letter seven in Biblical texts. In Hebrew the root of many words, especially verbs are made up of three consonants and not until the 6th century AD were vowel points added to aid in the reading of text. The word “seven” in Hebrew has the exactContinue reading “3 Easter 2022”
2 Easter 2022
Between now and Pentecost, our second reading each Sunday will be from the Revelation of John. I have received a few questions concerning this book, so I though it might be a good opportunity to offer a sermon series on this topic. To begin with, I am going to ask you to forget the commonContinue reading “2 Easter 2022”
Easter 2022
For most of Jerusalem, Sunday arrived like every other Sunday. The sun came up, the merchants went to their stores and began bringing out their baked goods and fresh fruit, fish and fowl, woven goods and exotic spices. The sounds and smells of the shops mingled with the clattering of the hooves of Roman horsesContinue reading “Easter 2022”
Good Friday 2022
I don’t need to try to explain to you what hard times, fear and death are like. We are in the middle of them at the moment. It is tangible, you can almost smell it. We have been fortunate. For most of us here, the danger and the death is out there. Close, lurking, butContinue reading “Good Friday 2022”
Maundy Thursday 2022
I’ve never lived in a war zone. I have lived through category 5 hurricanes. We watched with anxious anticipation as we gathered our most precious belongings, our medications, our computers and phones, our pets. My congregations united to ensure that no one got left behind when we had to evacuate. Those who live alone, thoseContinue reading “Maundy Thursday 2022”
Palm Sunday 2022
From triumph to disaster in a span of 6 days. What happened and why? We began with a simple enough phrase “ After telling a parable to the crowd at Jericho, Jesus went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem” (Luke 19:28) The parable referred to is Luke’s version of the Parable of the Ten Talents. Continue reading “Palm Sunday 2022”
5 Lent 2022
The Gospel of John speaks of “the disciple whom Jesus loved” and we all assume it is John the apostle. Popular literary works and the musical Jesus Christ Superstar would have us believe that Mary of Magdala was Jesus’ most devoted disciple, and she certainly was faithful in her devotion, but for me, I haveContinue reading “5 Lent 2022”
4 Lent 2022
Parables are wonderful because no matter where we are spiritually, there is usually a character in the story with whom we can connect, but to be true to the story we need to put it in context. Imagine for a moment Jesus has been teaching for several months near the Sea of Galilee and largeContinue reading “4 Lent 2022”
The Rev. Beverly Patterson 