Holy Textures

John 15:26-27 and 16:4b-15

"Whereas Chapter 15 began with a beautiful description of Jesus' relationship with his followers - and of their relationship to one another - this text shifts to describe how it will be for his followers to be "in the world" without Jesus."

Year B, Season of Easter 
Pentecost Sunday 
Last Sunday After Easter

Read the passage: The Message   or   The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).

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Sigh. The "job" of testifying / proclaiming / preaching would be a lot easier if only John were a little more linear and a lot less associative in his testimony about Jesus.

Chapters 13 to 17 have emotional intensity and forcefulness because of the direct, personal, immediate language. No where else does Jesus speak so directly of himself as "I." No where else does Jesus speak so directly to his followers as "you." And we the readers - even at this distance in time and place - hear that "you" as "me / us."

When The Spirit Comes, Pentecost Sunday, Year A, B, and C

Pentecost Sunday Sermon

Acts 2:1-21
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I want to begin my reflection today by asking you to recall the first time you saw a movie with special effects. … I’m old enough to remember seeing Cecil B. DeMille's, "Ten Commandments," when it was first released. Sitting in the darkened theatre as a child, watching Charlton Heston lead the people between the walls of raging water as they crossed the Red Sea. It was pretty amazing back then. But it was pretty primitive and hokey by today’s standards. Back then we could see the seam where the two images were glued together. Today, special effects must be seamless; must be an integrated aspect of the story.

Acts 2:1-21

"The 'problem' with life is never just a technical one - if only we could all just speak the same language, we'd all get along. The problem is always, "What does this mean?" And that, in a nut shell is what the last 2,000 years have been about."

Year C
Season of Easter
Pentecost Sunday

Read the lesson: Acts 2:1-21, The Message;   or   Acts 2:1-21, The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).

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Sermon by the Rev. Dr. George Hermanson, "All You Need Is Love."  

This text stands as a book end to the story of Babel (Genesis 11:1-9). In Babel, the story begins with one language and a common understanding and purpose, but ends with many languages, confusion and scattering. In Acts the story begins with many languages, and ends with many languages, but contains in the middle a common hearing about God's deeds of power (verse 11).

Unfortunately, unlike the story of Babel, this story does not contain within it any cautionary tale against human hubris. It is absolutely crucial in reading this text aright to truly pause and ponder the question asked in Verse 12:
            What does this mean?

John 17:6-19, Year B, Easter 7

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It might be helpful to preface the reading of this text with an introductory comment that these words are part of Jesus' prayer that concludes his last meal with his followers before his arrest. In a way, these words are Jesus' last will and testament.

We are concluding the Easter Season with Jesus' concluding prayer.

John 15:9-17, Year B, Easter 6

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To my mind, verses 9-11 should be read with last week's passage since they continue elaborating on the relationship between Jesus and his disciples.

However, a dramatic shift takes place in verse 12.

Jesus shifts the focus to the relationship the disciples are to have with each other.

Jesus commands them to love one another as he has loved them.

John 15:1-8, Year B, Easter 5

Read the passage: The Message   or   The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).

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As much as I find myself often arguing against or puzzled by what John is writing, Chapter 15 of the Gospel according to John is currently one of my personal favourites.

In this passage, we learn a lot about:

• the kind of relationship we are to have with Jesus -
     I am the Vine you are the branches;
     
• how we must maintain that relationship -
     abiding in Jesus and following his commandments; and,
     
• what will result from that relationship -
     bearing fruit and experiencing joy.

John 10:11-18, Year B, Easter 4

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This reflection is drawn from a sermon which also reflects on Psalm 23.
Read the passage: The Message   or   The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).

The 23rd Psalm is perhaps the best known and most loved passages in the whole Bible.

Even though they had given up asking us to memorize Bible verses when I went to Sunday School, I can still almost recall the whole of this Psalm from heart – and using the original language of the Bible – the King James:

The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want, ...

I wonder how old David was when he wrote this Psalm?

Luke 24:36b-48, Year B, Easter 3

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Sometimes, modern day sophisticates talk about folks in the Bible as if they were merely uneducated, gullible, bumpkins who unquestioningly accepted any super-natural hocus pocus.

But listen to their reactions to the resurrection events as interpreted by various translations (and note how the translators sometimes struggle to capture the full sense of the underlying Greek):

John 20:19-31

"John doesn't care that we see what is seen with our eyeballs. He wants us to SEE who Jesus really is. That is why he has written these signs for us. That in SEEing, we might believe; and in believing, we might have the life that is in Jesus."

Year C
Season of Easter
Second Sunday of Easter

Read the lesson: John 20:19-31, The Message;   or   John 20:19-31, The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).

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To begin with the end ...

Verses 30-31 (NRSV) state the purpose for which John has written this Gospel.

Note the direct address to YOU, the reader.

But these are written so that YOU ...

John is not writing an abstract treatise for whoever may happen to come upon it. He is writing with a very specific audience in mind. Namely, those second and third generation believers who are under-going severe persecution at the hands of the current Roman Emperor. (And, now, also to you and me.)

Mark 15:1-47, Jesus' Last Week - Friday

Jesus Before Pilate, His Crucifixion, Death, and Burial

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My red-letter edition of the Bible goes mostly black in Chapter 15 of Mark. Jesus responds briefly to a question from Pilate, and cries out from the cross.

It strikes me as odd, how at this point in the story of Jesus, we often make a subtle - but mistaken - shift.

Up till now, we have read the story as Jesus freely meeting and interacting with others - and of their chosen responses to Jesus.

But at this point, we often read the story as though it were the script of a play. Instead of real people making real choices, we read it as though everyone is on a stage - actors who are merely reading pre-written lines, and going through pre-scripted motions to a foregone conclusion.

Jesus Before Pilate, His Crucifixion, Death, and Burial

Read the passage: The Message   or   The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).

Click here for an easy to print or email Adobe PDF version of this note.

My red-letter edition of the Bible goes mostly black in Chapter 15 of Mark. Jesus responds briefly to a question from Pilate, and cries out from the cross.

It strikes me as odd, how at this point in the story of Jesus, we often make a subtle - but mistaken - shift.

Up till now, we have read the story as Jesus freely meeting and interacting with others - and of their chosen responses to Jesus.

But at this point, we often read the story as though it were the script of a play. Instead of real people making real choices, we read it as though everyone is on a stage - actors who are merely reading pre-written lines, and going through pre-scripted motions to a foregone conclusion.