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Healing (John 4:43-5:9)

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  Healing ( John 4:43-5:9 )   At The Pool of Bethesda Nathan Greene A man told his doctor, “There’s something weird going on with my leg. Put your stethoscope on my thigh.” The doctor listens and hears “You got $20? Give me 20 bucks.” The doctor was amazed! “I’ve never encountered anything like this!” The patient said, “Now listen to my knee!” He listened and heard, “Give $10. You got $10?” The doctor shook his head in amazement. “I don’t know what to tell you.” “Listen to my ankle” the patient said. The doctor listened and heard the ankle say, “I just need $5! I swear, that’s all I need.” The doctor said to the man, “Although this is remarkable, in my years of experience I’d say your leg is broke in three places.”   According to the World Health Organization, “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” Good health means an enjoyable existence. Poor health complicates life. Leading...
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Well (John 4:1-42)

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  Well ( John 4:1-42 )   Whoever drinks some of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again, but the water that I will give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up to eternal life. John 4:14 Why was the condemned well kicked off the debate team? Its argument couldn’t hold water.   Why don’t they ever make movies about wells? They’re always too deep.   What’s the difference between a poorly-built well and a chatty neighbor? One you can easily walk away from.   After the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus, John 3 pivots to John the Baptist. The gospel reaffirms the supremacy of Jesus as the one sent from heaven by the Father. Jesus is the one God sent to speak God’s words. John joyfully humbles himself saying, “Christ must increase, and I must decrease.”   In today’s reading, Jesus speaks God’s words to an outcast among her people. The Samaritan village Sychar (Soo-khawr’) means drunken. It is clo...
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The Dark and The Light (John 3:1-21)

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Sermon for Milledgeville and Whitestown UMC The Dark and The Light ( John 3:1-21 )   Jesus said, "I am the light of the world. The one who follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (John 8:12) Two mice are lost in a maze. They come across a robed mouse meditating in a corner. One of the mice goes over to ask for directions. They came back and said, “He said the true maze is within you. So… not helpful.”   In today’s reading, Jesus is misunderstood. He is approached by a high level religious leader. Nicodemus came under the cover of darkness, presumably because he didn’t want his peers to know he was speaking to the controversial Jesus of Nazareth.   Darkness is an important theme in John’s gospel. In John’s prologue it says, “The light shines on in the darkness, but the darkness has not mastered it.” Other translations say the darkness has not overcome, or apprehended, or comprehended, or extinguished the light. ...
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My Father’s House (John 2:12-25)

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 Sermon for Milledgeville and Whitestown UMC My Father’s House ( John 2:12-25 ) Model of Herod's Temple (1st Century A.D.)   When I was 9 years old, Jesus Christ Superstar was a hit record. As I listened, I visualized the events of Jesus’ final week. One event was Jesus visiting the temple. In the song, The MONEYLENDERS and MERCHANTS call out   Roll on up, for the price is down Come on in for the best in town Take your pick of the finest wine Lay your bets on this bird of mine   Their chant builds to a fever pitch until the piano bangs a long-sustained chord and Jesus shouts,   My temple should be a house of prayer But you have made it a den of thieves! Get out, get out!   I imagined the people running as Jesus hurled his whip in the air. I could almost hear the sound of coins crashing to the floor and envisioned moneychangers crawling after them.   John’s gospel presents this event early in Jesus’ ministry, instead of ...
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What You Crave (John 1:35-51)

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 Sermon for Milledgeville and Whitestown UMC What You Crave ( John 1:35-51 )   A stand up comedian said, I named my kids after their mother's cravings while pregnant with them.   Peanuts and Pickles are great. But Tequila is kind of an idiot   Last Friday I had a craving for nuts, so I spent the whole day with my in-laws.   John was baptizing at the Jordan River when he saw Jesus walking by. He said to his disciples, “Look! The Lamb of God!” Two of John’s disciples immediately followed Jesus. Jesus turned to notice and asked them, “What do you want?”   The Greek is only two words, tis zeteo. We could translate the phrase as “Who seek?” “Why search? Or even “What crave?”   I’m a White Castles fan. When I was in college at Rose Hulman, there weren’t any White Castles in Terre Haute. So we’d pile into a car and drive all the way to Indianapolis for a White Castle run. We’d buy bags full of those bite size burgers and bring them back to the dorm and live ...
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