Author: Chris Kelly

Really Jesus

Chris Kelly – March 24, 2013

Text: Luke 22:14–23:56
Other texts: Luke 19:28–40

In the next few days we will hear, read, sing about, and tell each other the essential story of Christianity: Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem and his subsequent trial, death, and resurrection. The story dominates the Gospels, taking up about a third of each. It is a story that we retell every Sunday. We recap it in the Eucharistic prayer. We summarize it in the creed. These tiny, brief reminders—the whole story in a phrase: suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried—refer our hearts back to the complete version of this Holy Week story.

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Risky Love

Chris Kelly – March 17, 2013

Text: John 12:1-8

This story we just heard in John appears in all four Gospels, which is unusual. There are variations, of course. But the plot is mostly the same.

In all four, a woman—Mary in our case—anoints Jesus. She uses a jar—alabaster, except in John—of very expensive perfume. She pours the whole thing on Jesus—his head according to Mark and Matthew, his feet according to Luke and John. In all versions, there is someone in the crowd who finds the whole thing offensive and complains to Jesus. And in every case, Jesus defends what the woman has done.

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Not Fair

Chris Kelly – March 10, 2013

Text: Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

It is easy to see ourselves in this story in Luke, which we commonly call the story of the prodigal son.

We have all been stupid as the younger son was, or nearly so, from time to time. All of us have done things which we have regretted, hurt ourselves and hurt others, and have needed to be and have wished to be forgiven. One reason the mural up here draws our attention is that we know in our hearts what it is like to be lost and to have someone come find us, to hope that God will come find us, to bring us home even when we have messed up.

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All by Myself

Chris Kelly – February 23, 2013

Text: Luke 13:31-35
Other texts: Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18

There used to be a children’s book called All By Myself. It taught children how to manipulate the fasteners of everyday life. The pages inside contained zippers and buttons and snaps and laces. Children could play with these things and develop small motor skills. The point of the book, implied by the title, was to build confidence and independence. That is part of growing up. Eventually, sometimes to the dismay of parents, children can do more and more all by themselves, and need their parents less and less.

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A Likely Story

Chris Kelly – February 17, 2013

Text: Luke 4:1-13

We are forgetful and easily distracted creatures. For this reason, we tell ourselves stories. Old family stories. Stories about growing up, falling in and out of love. About school and career. We tell stories around the dinner table, passing them on from one generation to the next. We tell them in courtship. These stories remind us who we are. We need these daily reminders so that we remain complete.

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What a Stupid Post

Chris Kelly – February 3, 2013

Text: 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

It turns out that impolite comments left on blog posts substantially affect the way people judge the authenticity of the posts and how much they like the author. Maybe this does not surprise you. People’s opinions, even those of strangers, seem to matter to us. Words can cause harm. What is surprising is the way the comments affect readers’ perceptions. Comments that include cursing, insults, and angry talk for some readers diminish the value of the post. But the same comments for other readers enhance its value. In other words, rude comments polarize the audience and create or widen division within the community. This might remind you of the U.S. Congress or the nations of the world.

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Believing Jesus and Justice

Chris Kelly – January 27, 2013

Text: Luke 4:1-11
Other texts: Portions of Isaiah

For people and for nations, suffering reveals in them deep and cold theological questions. For faithful people, and especially people who, like Israel, had been chosen and named as God’s people, the question is not whether God exists. God does. The question in the darkest times is whether God cares. Does God care for them? And if God does care, is God good? And if God cares and is good, is this caring, good, God stronger than evil?

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A Motley Crew

Chris Kelly – January 21, 2013

Text: 1 Corinthians 12:1-11

Martin Luther was against the practice of serving the Lord’s Supper in private. Wealthy parishioners would ask the priest to come to their homes so that they could eat the body and blood of Christ without have to journey to the church, or to take the time, and without having to associate with the riffraff. Luther wrote that the essence of Holy Communion was not just in the words of institution—this is my body, this is my blood—but in the gathering of the people who come to hear those words and to share the meal together in one place. When Jesus said “do this,” he did not just mean say some words, as if they were magic; he meant the whole event of the Last Supper at which he spoke: the assembly of the people, called together, hearing the Word of God together, reflecting and praying together, and eating together.

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What Shall We Call Today?

Chris Kelly – January 13, 2013

Text: Luke 3:15-17, 21-22
Other texts: Isaiah 43:1-7

Today, as you can see, is called the Baptism of Our Lord. But perhaps we should call it something else.

There is a lot of ink in the scholarly press about the baptism of Jesus. There is a lot of theological theorizing and worrying about it. Preachers are advised to preach today about the meaning of baptism, and of the relationship between baptism and the sinful life.

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Light in Darkness

Chris Kelly – January 6, 2013

Text: Readings for Epiphany

A generation that has been traumatized by an event of human or natural suffering and destruction can sometimes only be healed by the next generation to come. The Israel that Isaiah describes was torn from its land and was exiled to Babylon. But later Persia freed the Israelites and allowed them to go home. The passage we heard from Isaiah comes from this period. It describes a time when the sons and daughters of Israel come home and comfort their parents with a joyful vision of what is to be.

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