Irreverently Reverend

  Sermon for a service of consecrating new licensed local pastors Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian; he led his flock beyond the wilderness and came to Mount Horeb, the mountain of God.  2  There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush; he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed.  3  Then Moses said, “I must turn aside and look at this great sight and see why the bush is not burned up.”  4  When the Lord saw that he had turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.”  5  Then he said, “Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.”  6  He said further, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.   ...

  Fifth Sunday of Ordinary Time in the seventh month, on the twenty-first day of the month, the word of the Lord came by the prophet Haggai, saying:  2  “Speak now to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, and say:  3  Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Is it not in your sight as nothing?  4  Yet now take courage, O Zerubbabel, says the Lord; take courage, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest ; take courage, all you people of the land, says the Lord; work, for I am with you, says the Lord of hosts,  5  according to the promise that I made you when you came out of Egypt. My spirit abides among you; do not fear.  6  For thus says the Lord of hosts: Once again, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry la...

  Good Friday It was about noon on the Preparation Day for the Passover. Pilate said to the Jewish leaders, "Here's your king."   15 The Jewish leaders cried out, "Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!" Pilate responded, "What? Do you want me to crucify your king?" "We have no king except the emperor," the chief priests answered.   Then Pilate handed Jesus over to be crucified. 16 The soldiers took Jesus prisoner.   17 Carrying his cross by himself, he went out to a place called Skull Place (in Aramaic, Golgotha).   18 That's where they crucified him—and two others with him, one on each side and Jesus in the middle. 19 Pilate had a public notice written and posted on the cross. It read "Jesus the Nazarene, the king of the Jews."   20 Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city and it was written in Aramaic, Latin, and Greek.   21 Therefore, the Jewish chief priests complain...

  Third Sunday of Easter Then I looked, and I heard the sound of many angels surrounding the throne, the living creatures, and the elders. They numbered in the millions—thousands upon thousands.  12  They said in a loud voice, “Worthy is the slaughtered Lamb         to receive power, wealth, wisdom, and might,         and honor, glory, and blessing.” 13  And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea —I heard everything everywhere say, “Blessing, honor, glory, and power belong to the one seated on the throne     and to the Lamb         forever and always.” 14  Then the four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshipped.   (CEB)             Christ is risen!   Christ is risen indeed! ...