Sermons from St. Matthew's Episcopal Church
Sep 25, 2022 |
The Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost
| The Rev. Marissa S. RohrbachThe Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost
On the 16th Sunday after Pentecost, the Gospel of Luke serves up a challenging story about difference. He tells a story about a rich man and a poor man, the differences between them, and how those differences play out in the long run. There is a lot to wrestle with in this text, a lot to be challenged by. What does it have to say to us in this moment in time? What are the questions Jesus would ask us if he were talking to us directly today?
Sep 18, 2022 |
Sunday, September 18, 2022: Soft Hearts
| The Rev. Marissa S. RohrbachSunday, September 18, 2022: Soft Hearts
On this day when we celebrate and remember the story of St. Matthew, Marissa reflects on the first part of our passage from Proverbs. What does it mean to hold God's commandments in our hearts? What does scripture have to say about our hearts? And what does that have to do with St. Matthew and our life together in this new program year?
Sep 11, 2022 |
The Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost.
| The Rev. Marissa S. RohrbachThe Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost.
We all love the image of Jesus, the good shepherd, who comes looking for us in the dark. It's a powerful image. And a true image, of the Savior who loves you so much that he will always come for you, no matter how lost you are, no matter how dark the night. And yet, there's more to this Gospel than just the comfort of that image. What else does Jesus have to say to us? And what can we learn about flock mentality?
Jul 24, 2022 |
The Seventh Sunday after Pentecost.
| The Rev. Marissa S. RohrbachThe Seventh Sunday after Pentecost.
This week we hear one of the most famous parts of scripture, the basis of what we call The Lord's Prayer. These words are familiar to us, hopefully we say them frequently, and yet they have tremendous power within them that we often fly through. What else can we learn about our prayer life and the encouragement Jesus gives us to pray?
Jul 10, 2022 |
The Fifth Sunday after Pentecost.
| The Rev. Marissa S. RohrbachThe Fifth Sunday after Pentecost.
This week the Gospel includes the story of the Good Samaritan. Jesus is doing a lot in this story and this exchange, and it's important for us to have a little historical context if we want to understand. And an awareness of what it means to read and interact with scripture.
Jun 19, 2022 |
The Second Sunday after Pentecost.
| The Rev. Marissa S. RohrbachThe Second Sunday after Pentecost.
We struggle sometimes in our era to understand what the Bible means when it talks about "demons". One way to think about demons in our context is to think about the things (issues, patterns, choices) that keep us from right relationship with God and with each other. Why do we sometimes choose those things instead of health and wholeness?