Ascension Written Sermons

Crosses and the Other Side Rob Gieselmann, Pent. 18C, Sept. 4, 2016 I remember a poem from years ago – Only I cannot recall the poet or the actual words of the poem – Age seems to have eroded my memory …But the poem left me with an image.   It is winter, and a man is walking through snowy woods late at night. He is walking backwards, away from his cottage, staring at the light shining through the front window of the cottage. As he walks backwards the light disappears from his view. He   stops – then walks back towards the cottage, and the light reappears. He reverses course again, and the light disappears. And he realizes, now, that there exists an invisible line dividing his sight – a perimeter beyond which the light is no longer perceivable. A circle within which he can see. *Jesus is traveling from his home in Galilee towards Jerusalem, through Samaria. Somewhere along the way, he crosses some invisible perimeter – he becomes the man in the ...

Once More: Literal About Grace Rob Gieselmann, Pent. 16C (Aug. 21, 2016) Sometimes it is all about what you see –   and what you don’t see.   The writer to the Hebrews speaks about t wo worlds, two mountains, as though exist simultaneously. First there is the fiery mountain, an image taken from Moses and the ancient Hebrews – The mountain was tempestuous, and portended judgment. Shuddering fear, for even touching the mountain would result in certain death. But there is this second Mountain, Mt. Zion, on which is located the City of God, holy and spiritual Jerusalem. Angels – myriads of them - live there, as does love, absolute love – and you. (Right now) On this mountain every person – you, me, all of us is a first-born child. Each person inherits absolutely everything. My daughter Tilly likes to tell anybody who will listen, My Dad loves me the best. She especially likes to say this within ear-shot of her brother, Tate. In fact, I do love her best. But I lo...