Sermon podcast from Sunday, 8-8-21 worship service - St. Paul's UCC in Downers Grove, IL. Ephesians 4:25-5:2
Showing posts with label Ephesians 4:25-5:2. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ephesians 4:25-5:2. Show all posts
8/13/2018
Extravagant
Sermon podcast from yesterday at St. Paul's UCC in Downers Grove, IL . Ephesians 4:25-5:2. Live in love. Be imitators of God. If you’re doing one, you’re doing the other. If you’re not doing the first one, you’re doing neither.
Video sermon preview
"Extravagant" podcast
Video sermon preview
"Extravagant" podcast
8/10/2015
Shaping
Last week''s Bible reflection (Imitate) started a small discussion about imitating, impersonating, and living in love as part of yesterday's sermon at St. Paul's UCC in Downers Grove, IL
"Shaping" podcast
"Shaping" podcast
8/03/2015
Imitate
In this week’s Bible reading from Ephesians 4:25-5:2 – There are several plain instructions:
Live in love. Be imitators of God.
- Speak the truth to our neighbors,
- Be angry but do not sin;
- Do not let the sun go down on your anger,
- Do not make room for the devil.
- Thieves must give up stealing; let them labor and work honestly with their own hands.
- Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up
- Do not grieve the Holy Spirit.
- Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander.
- Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another
- Be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love.
Live in love. Be imitators of God.
8/10/2012
Be Kind
This week's Bible reflection (I'm not a ventriloquist) provides some beginning material, but there's less of it in Sunday's sermon at St. Paul's United Church of Christ in Downers Grove, IL
"Be Kind" text
"Be Kind" podcast
"Be Kind" text
"Be Kind" podcast
8/06/2012
I'm Not a Ventriloquist
But I am a puppeteer. I love putting a puppet on one hand and then begin to have a conversation between the puppet and me. It’s a lot of fun to have the conversation as part of a children’s sermon at church or another kind of gathering of younger folks. I love it that the younger ones pay such close attention to the conversation – hopefully learning something in the process. I also have observed on almost every occasion when I’ve presented the puppet/person conversation that adults pay as close or closer attention to what the conversation is about.
I've recently begun a new pastoral call at St. Paul's United Church of Christ in Downers Grove, Illinois. In the 3 months I've been around, I think I've had conversations with 7 different puppets. Overall I think I've operated close to 20 puppets over the years. Sometimes it's difficult to remember which puppet is talking – and when I should talk in my voice and when I should use the puppet voice. I make plenty of mistakes, and my lips move all the time – yet all of it usually adds to the fun.
A favorite conversation is one where one of the puppets shows how adept they are at impersonations. I am sure to act as if I am in complete amazement as this one puppet impersonates all of the other puppets. As a matter of fact, I’m planning to have such an impersonation event with one (and all) of the puppets this Sunday as I introduce the Bible reading from Ephesians 4:25-5:2.
I’ll have to talk about the differences between impersonating someone and imitating them, and as I do that I can start to introduce the concept of imitating God – and living God’s love.
Which puppet is the best impersonator? You'll have to be there this week to find out.
I've recently begun a new pastoral call at St. Paul's United Church of Christ in Downers Grove, Illinois. In the 3 months I've been around, I think I've had conversations with 7 different puppets. Overall I think I've operated close to 20 puppets over the years. Sometimes it's difficult to remember which puppet is talking – and when I should talk in my voice and when I should use the puppet voice. I make plenty of mistakes, and my lips move all the time – yet all of it usually adds to the fun.
A favorite conversation is one where one of the puppets shows how adept they are at impersonations. I am sure to act as if I am in complete amazement as this one puppet impersonates all of the other puppets. As a matter of fact, I’m planning to have such an impersonation event with one (and all) of the puppets this Sunday as I introduce the Bible reading from Ephesians 4:25-5:2.
I’ll have to talk about the differences between impersonating someone and imitating them, and as I do that I can start to introduce the concept of imitating God – and living God’s love.
Which puppet is the best impersonator? You'll have to be there this week to find out.
8/07/2009
Imitators
This week's Bible study blog entry for i.ucc (Puppets) provides some inspiration for Sunday's sermon at Union Congregational United Church of Christ in Somonauk, IL
"Imitators" text
"Imitators" podcast
"Imitators" text
"Imitators" podcast
8/03/2009
Puppets
Here's this week's Bible study blog entry for i.ucc.org:
I’m a puppeteer. I love putting a puppet on one hand and then begin to have a conversation between the puppet and me. It’s a lot of fun to have the conversation as part of a children’s sermon at church or another kind of gathering of younger folks. I love it that the younger ones pay such close attention to the conversation – hopefully learning something in the process. I also have observed on almost every occasion when I’ve presented the puppet/person conversation that adults pay as close or closer attention to what the conversation is about.
At last count, I think I have conversations with 17 different puppets at one time or another. Sometimes it get’s difficult to remember which puppet is talking – and when I should talk in my voice and when I should use the puppet voice. I make plenty of mistakes – yet it usually adds to the fun.
A favorite conversation is one where one of the puppets shows how adept they are at impersonations. I am sure to act as if I am in complete amazement as this one puppet impersonates all of the other puppets. As a matter of fact, I’m planning to have such an impersonation event with one (and all) of the puppets this Sunday as I introduce the Bible reading from Ephesians 4:25-5:2.
I’ll have to talk about the differences between impersonating someone and imitating them, and as I do that I can start to introduce the concept of imitating God – and living God’s love.
How would you move a conversation that starts with impersonation towards imitation and then to God’s love?
I’m a puppeteer. I love putting a puppet on one hand and then begin to have a conversation between the puppet and me. It’s a lot of fun to have the conversation as part of a children’s sermon at church or another kind of gathering of younger folks. I love it that the younger ones pay such close attention to the conversation – hopefully learning something in the process. I also have observed on almost every occasion when I’ve presented the puppet/person conversation that adults pay as close or closer attention to what the conversation is about.
At last count, I think I have conversations with 17 different puppets at one time or another. Sometimes it get’s difficult to remember which puppet is talking – and when I should talk in my voice and when I should use the puppet voice. I make plenty of mistakes – yet it usually adds to the fun.
A favorite conversation is one where one of the puppets shows how adept they are at impersonations. I am sure to act as if I am in complete amazement as this one puppet impersonates all of the other puppets. As a matter of fact, I’m planning to have such an impersonation event with one (and all) of the puppets this Sunday as I introduce the Bible reading from Ephesians 4:25-5:2.
I’ll have to talk about the differences between impersonating someone and imitating them, and as I do that I can start to introduce the concept of imitating God – and living God’s love.
How would you move a conversation that starts with impersonation towards imitation and then to God’s love?
8/07/2006
Fragrant
OK -- yesterday I smelled bad. I was at a baseball game and it got really hot and humid and I smelled like, uh, something bad.
Today it's more of a sweet smell. I think I'm still smelling how great my wife smells when I hug her.
And with that whole smelly thing in my mind, I wrote the most recent "Opening the Bible" blog entry at i.ucc. It's called "Fragrant."
Fragrant
I've been on a number of summer youth trips in my lifetime. Those trips give the word "fragrant" a different kind of connotation than the "fragrant offering" written about in this week's Bible passage.
In Ephesians 4:25-5:2, there's a call for people to be kind to one another. It's the kind of talk I've heard and the kind of thing I've often said when I've been part of a group of youth or adults who seem to be looking for reasons to argue with each other. Sometimes the arguments go further than simple disagreements. Feelings get hurt, tears stream, and people feel wounded for a long time.
I know -- on the trips I've been a part of we don't start kicking, biting, hitting or harming anyone physically. I know that it can be much much worse. I don't think this passage is addressing people who are at war, however. I think it's addressing people who are bickering and fighting and arguing and behaving poorly when it comes to loving one another.
Consider Ephesians 4:29: Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear.
Or how about 4:31-32: Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you.
I've seen people behave poorly when it comes to loving one another in the past. I'm sure I'll see it again. I'm sure I've behave poorly in the past and will again in the future. I've acted " fragrantly" in a way that really stinks.
There is a better way to live, however. It simply makes sense. Be kind to one another and stop putting the anger and hate in front of love.
I think that smells a whole lot sweeter.
Today it's more of a sweet smell. I think I'm still smelling how great my wife smells when I hug her.
And with that whole smelly thing in my mind, I wrote the most recent "Opening the Bible" blog entry at i.ucc. It's called "Fragrant."
Fragrant
I've been on a number of summer youth trips in my lifetime. Those trips give the word "fragrant" a different kind of connotation than the "fragrant offering" written about in this week's Bible passage.
In Ephesians 4:25-5:2, there's a call for people to be kind to one another. It's the kind of talk I've heard and the kind of thing I've often said when I've been part of a group of youth or adults who seem to be looking for reasons to argue with each other. Sometimes the arguments go further than simple disagreements. Feelings get hurt, tears stream, and people feel wounded for a long time.
I know -- on the trips I've been a part of we don't start kicking, biting, hitting or harming anyone physically. I know that it can be much much worse. I don't think this passage is addressing people who are at war, however. I think it's addressing people who are bickering and fighting and arguing and behaving poorly when it comes to loving one another.
Consider Ephesians 4:29: Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear.
Or how about 4:31-32: Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you.
I've seen people behave poorly when it comes to loving one another in the past. I'm sure I'll see it again. I'm sure I've behave poorly in the past and will again in the future. I've acted " fragrantly" in a way that really stinks.
There is a better way to live, however. It simply makes sense. Be kind to one another and stop putting the anger and hate in front of love.
I think that smells a whole lot sweeter.
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