Bitácora de Pastor Josh

Jesus, I need to touch you.

Sermon – Easter 4
John 10:22-30
March 25, 2010
“ears like a sheep”

I’m a sheep. You are a sheep. We are all sheep. It is Good Shepherd Sunday. We know the metaphor well: The Lord is the Shepherd, and we are the sheep. This would have been a very useful metaphor in Israel at the time, given that it was a pastoral society.
Let’s think about this metaphor…How is the Lord like a Shepherd? The Lord protects us, provides for us (Psalm 23). The Lord seeks out the lost.

Dear people of Trinity,

Grace and peace to you. I am sending you information about the Conference and Synod Assemblies coming up soon.

Sermon – Easter 3
John 21: 1-19
April 18, 2010
“radical conversion”

In the movie American History X, Derek (played by Edward Norton) is a skinhead involved in hate crimes, and he goes to jail for killing. In prison there is a scene of Derek in the laundry room with an African American man named Lamont, at first Derek angrily ignores him. Eventually Lamont says to Derek: “will you chill out, no matter how fast you go through them, they’ll keep bringing them in.” Derek calms down and Lamont says: “there that’s the ticket, now we can ignore each other in peace”

Sermon – Easter 2
John 20:19-31
April 11, 2010
“big stones and locked doors”

In today’s lesson we find the disciples locked in a room, who were they afraid of? They were afraid of those that killed Jesus, that those people might kill them too.
The cross was used to do just this, to instill fear in the people, making a statement that says: this is what will happen to you if you attempt to do what this person did. We’ve seen these fear tactics used by those in power throughout history to repress their people.

Join us for the Community Health Fair at Trinity this Saturday (April 10) from 12-4. There will be:
• Blood Pressure
• Glucose Testing
• BMI, Height & Weight
• Nutrition
• Poison Prevention
• Body Alignment
• Children’s Dental
• Fitness & Wellness
plus live music, free prizes and raffles!

April 6, 2010

Dear members of Trinity,

Joy and hope of Easter be with you. I would like to express my joy and gratitude to all of you for your support and prayers for the new ministries we have launched at Trinity on Saturdays.

Sermon - Easter Sunday
Luke 24:1-12
April 4, 2010
"But…that’s not the end of the story"

When my mother reads a book, she likes to read the end of the story first.
We like to know how the story ends.
Easter is when we get to the end of the story in the gospels, and to the heart of the Gospel (good news) and of our faith; and it is the climax of our Lenten journey.

If you are reading this story for the first time (not knowing the end of the story) —at the end of the 23rd chapter in Luke, Jesus’ suffering and death, it looks as if that’s the end of the story.

Sermon - Palm/Passion Sunday
Luke 19:28-40; Luke 23:1-49
March 28, 2010
"palm crosses"

Today is Palm Sunday. We begin with a procession with palms in hand. This is the procession is of the “triumphal entry” of Jesus into Jerusalem.
Jesus is lifted onto a colt and Jesus rides into Jerusalem hailed "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven!" Which echoes what the angelic choir (Luke 2:14) proclaims to the shepherds when Christ was born.

MARCH 23, 2010

Dear people of Trinity,

Grace and peace to you in the name of Jesus. I am writing you to reflect on this sacred time of Holy Week, and to invite you to the various worship services we will have here at Trinity. Holy Week is the culmination of our 40 day Lenten pilgrimage of fasting, prayer, renewal and preparation, and commemorates the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the heart of our faith and salvation.