searching for space, grounded in grace
This sermon was preached at Glenwood and Canoe Ridge Lutheran Churches, Decorah, Iowa on December 24, 2018. It’s based on Isaiah 9:2-7; Titus 2:11-14 and Luke 2:1-20. If you’d prefer to listen to it, find it at https://soundcloud.com/stacey-nalean-carlson. Isaiah……
Luke 1:46-55 46And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, 47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;……
Isaiah 40:9-11 9 Get you up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good tidings; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings, lift it up, do not fear; say to the cities of Judah, ‘Here is……
Zephaniah 3:14-20 14 Sing aloud, O daughter Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem! 15 The Lord has taken away the judgements against you, he has turned away your enemies. The king of Israel, the Lord, is……
I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant. —Martin Luther King, Jr. 1 Corinthians 15:55-58 55 “Where, O death, is your victory? Where,……
Isaiah 51:3 For the Lord will comfort Zion; he will comfort all her waste places,and will make her wilderness like Eden, her desert like the garden of the Lord;joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the voice of song. Now let……
Isaiah 11:1 A shoot shall come out from the stock of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. (NRSV) A green Shoot will sprout from Jesse’s stump, from his roots a budding Branch. (The Message) To……
Psalm 23:4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil;for you are with me; your rod and your staff— they comfort me. I wasn’t walking through the darkest valley. I was driving on the darkest……
Revelation 21:1-4 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down……
Ephesians 4:29-5:2 29Let 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. 30And do not grieve the Holy……
