Wicker Park Lutheran Church Sermons artwork

Wicker Park Lutheran Church Sermons

105 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 1 month ago - ★★★★★ - 4 ratings

These are sermons preached at Wicker Park Lutheran Church in Chicago, IL. WPLC is a diverse, ELCA Christian community in Chicago focused on expansive theology. Sunday service at 10 a.m. www.wickerparklutheran.org

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Episodes

Fifth Sunday in Lent

March 17, 2024 19:03 - 26.8 MB

Today’s gospel reading jumped the gun in terms of the chronology leading up to Holy Week. You see, next week we’ll gather outside to process with palms as we recall Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem before his betrayal, sham trial, and execution. But today’s reading falls after Jesus’ triumphal entry and before his betrayal. Today we focus on Jesus’ final public discourse. The content of this discourse (and arguably the entire gospel of John) is summarized by a short, one sentence metaph...

Fourth Sunday in Lent

March 10, 2024 20:05

Ah! This gospel text is so lovely. It contains, I think, the most famous verse of our scripture – John 3:16, “for God so loved the world…” If you never read the rest of the Bible, I think that one verse would be enough... The post Fourth Sunday in Lent appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

Second Sunday in lent

February 25, 2024 19:51 - 18.2 MB

The passage we just read is from Mark chapter 8. This is the last time we’re going to hear from Mark until Holy Week, so I think we should take stock of where we are and where we’ve been in this gospel, so that we can locate ourselves in our story today... The post Second Sunday in lent appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

First Sunday in Lent

February 18, 2024 19:13 - 23.5 MB

Today we are in a new season of the church year. This is the first Sunday of Lent! And there is something really special about Lent in the year of Mark, something you might not notice unless you pay very close attention. For each of the five Sundays of Lent, every reading from the Hebrew Bible will be about one of the five covenants that God has made with us. And every one of those covenants is about God’s everlasting love for us, and for the world. Each one came to our ancestors at pivotal ...

Fifth Sunday after Epiphany

February 04, 2024 19:53 - 19.8 MB

This is the Year of Mark. And something you gotta know about Mark is that he loves the word “immediately.” It’s a little hard to tell that sometimes in English, because translators have taken that word out in some places to make the text sound better to our modern ears, but if you were to read Mark in Greek, it’s just like a rapid-fire, go-go-go-go kinda story. Something is always happening, something is always changing, something is always moving. I think poor Mark would be rolling in his g...

Reconciling in Christ Sunday

January 28, 2024 19:14 - 22 MB

Today our first reading came from the book of Deuteronomy, which is the last book of the Torah. And Deuteronomy is a very special book, although it can be a little hard to understand sometimes. But we know this book and its stories are very important to God, because Jesus quotes Deuteronomy more than he quotes any other part of scripture, and it’s by far the book that Paul and his contemporaries reference the most often. So let’s see what treasures it has for us today... The post Reconcilin...

Baptism of Our Lord

January 14, 2024 20:12 - 22.4 MB

Listen to Sunday's sermon here! The post Baptism of Our Lord appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

Epiphany Sunday

January 07, 2024 20:47 - 22.5 MB

Wicker Park Lutheran Church Rev. Jason S. Glombicki January 7, 2024 On this last Sunday of the Christmas season, I’m thinking back to Christmas Eve. On that night, we first gathered for a children’s service and told Luke’s Christmas story. Every year as we share that story, a child will want to put the shepherds and the magi together at Jesus’ birth. And I understand why. After all, many of our devotional manger scenes do show everyone there all at […] The post Epiphany Sunday appeared firs...

First Sunday of Christmas

December 31, 2023 19:04 - 22.7 MB

For months we have been hearing Christmas music in stores. For months we have been buying presents and booking flights and scheduling holiday parties and looking forward to seeing loved ones. For months we have been thinking, planning, stressing, hoping... The post First Sunday of Christmas appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

First Sunday of Advent

November 12, 2023 21:03 - 19.3 MB

Please pray with me, may the Holy Spirit guide these words from my mouth and may they be received with open hearts, according to your will, Lord Jesus. Amen... The post First Sunday of Advent appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

All Saints Sunday

November 05, 2023 21:01 - 20.5 MB

Today is one of the heavier liturgical days of the year. Not as heavy as Ash Wednesday or Good Friday, but it does raise varied emotions. Today, we name aloud those who have died. No longer is their memory only in our heads and hearts during worship, but we are conjuring up their image, their gifts, and their presence among us in this service... The post All Saints Sunday appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

Eighteenth Sunday After Pentecost

October 01, 2023 20:14 - 28.8 MB

Listen to Pastor Chrisida's sermon here! The post Eighteenth Sunday After Pentecost appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

SevenTeenth Sunday After Pentecost

September 24, 2023 20:09 - 15.7 MB

Today is a very good day, because today, instead of an ordinary reading from the Gospel of Matthew, we have a parable... The post SevenTeenth Sunday After Pentecost appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost

August 20, 2023 18:02 - 406 MB

Today’s gospel reading is a tough one. We heard that Jesus was in a foreign land with his disciples when a foreign woman interrupted. Now, the rest of the interaction baffles most scholars. Ok, maybe it doesn’t baffle as much as the interpretations diverge... The post Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

The Feast of Mary, Mother of Our Lord

August 13, 2023 18:16 - 324 MB

Sometimes I think we, as modern day Lutherans, are scared of Mary. Maybe not scared in the “creature lurking in the shadows to ambush us” type of scared. But more…I think we often don’t know what to do with her, we’re not really sure what the “correct” way to feel about her is and that uncertainty makes us anxious and so we cover that anxiety by…kind of trying to say as little about her as possible, outside of Christmastime... The post The Feast of Mary, Mother of Our Lord appeared first on...

Maundy Thursday

April 07, 2023 22:45 - 292 MB

Wicker Park Lutheran Church Rev. Jason S. Glombicki 4/6/2023 Tonight’s readings are iconic. First, we heard of Passover­ as a meal of liberation and salvation. Next, we heard of a similar meal that Jesus had with his disciples – a meal that we partake in at this table. And finally, the gospel reading recalled Jesus’ command to the disciples during another meal. The meal in the gospel was not the Passover seder. Nevertheless, much like the Passover lamb is slaughtered, […] The post Maundy Th...

Fifth Sunday of Lent

March 29, 2023 20:49 - 467 MB

“Lazarus, come out!” – it’s a memorable line in today’s gospel reading. Not only was it an emotional and relational climax to the story, it’s also an important turning point in the gospel. Up to this point in the gospel, Rev. Dr. Jennifer Garcia Bashaw, describes Jesus as aloof and minimally impacted by those around him. But here, Jesus is deeply moved, and he even weeps. From this story onward, Jesus will become increasingly more relational and affectionate, like when […] The post Fifth Su...

The Fourth Sunday of Lent

March 20, 2023 21:30 - 401 MB

Wicker Park Lutheran Church Vicar Vicky Carthanassis March 19, 2023 I am not a violent person. Whoever worked on translating this chapter of John for the NRSV (the translation of the bible we generally use here) I’d kind of like to brawl them over it.  The translations decisions they made in just two little verses has given rise to some really terrible life destroying theology. To the extent that I decided I wouldn’t even use their version of them and […] The post The Fourth Sunday of Lent ...

The Third Sunday of Lent

March 13, 2023 16:40 - 329 MB

Rev. Chrisida Anandan Wicker Park Lutheran Church March 12, 2023 In our Old Testament text today, we read about the Israelites who are facing lack of water when they camped at a place called Rephidim. In the Gospel text, We meet Jesus who was thirsty while sitting near a well and encounters with the Samaritan woman. Water scarcity is not uncommon all over the world. UNICEF reports that “almost… two thirds of the world’s population experience severe water scarcity for […] The post The Third ...

Second Sunday of Lent

March 06, 2023 21:46 - 409 MB

Wicker Park Lutheran Church Rev. Jason S. Glombicki March 5, 2023 Today’s gospel can be a little confusing. Part of what makes it confusing is that the original Greek has a handful of puns and double entendres. John uses these literary devices throughout the Gospel, and unfortunately, they don’t translate well. But, John isn’t alone in using these literary devices. In fact, classical Greek literature along with the Tanakh or the Hebrew Bible use them all the time. For example, […] The post ...

First Sunday of Lent

February 26, 2023 20:33 - 412 MB

Wicker Park Lutheran Church Rev. Jason S. Glombicki February 26, 2023 The first Sunday of Lent always tells the story of Jesus’s temptation. In Mark’s gospel, we read that Jesus was in the wilderness for 40 days and was tempted, but we don’t get any details. In today’s reading from Matthew along with Luke’s version, we heard details about Jesus’s temptation. Now, since Jesus was likely alone and temptation is essentially a personal, inner experience, today’s reading is likely a […] The post...

Transfiguration of our lord

February 19, 2023 20:49 - 257 MB

Wicker Park Lutheran Church Vicar Vicky Carathanassis February 19, 2023 I feel like this is quite often a week where we take a look at the gospel reading and then start bashing Peter a bit. And maybe there’s some expectation in the room that I’m going to start in on him too. “Shame on Peter! He took this beautiful and wild and holy moment and tried to cover and compartmentalize it. He wants to take this moment where Jesus is […] The post Transfiguration of our lord appeared first on Wicker ...

Sixth Sunday AFter Epiphany

February 16, 2023 15:56 - 437 MB

Wicker Park Lutheran Church Rev. Jason S. Glombicki February 12, 2023 It’s Super Bowl Sunday and the weekend before Valentine’s Day, but today’s gospel reading doesn’t pair well with chips, wings, and chocolates. Instead, we heard Jesus talk about murder, adultery, divorce, and empty promises. The gospel is a continuation from last week when Jesus began his Sermon on the Mount. This setting and the audience help us best understand how to receive Jesus’ teachings. Scholars note that Matthew’s...

Name of Jesus

January 02, 2023 03:20

So I sat down to do my sermon prep and was super pumped. “I’m going to preach this on New Year’s Day! Starting off the new year doing church-y stuff, how neat! Don’t really know what the readings are, but Name of Jesus sounds cool.” And even though it was still 2022 at that time, I was really carrying a lot of “new year, new me” energy. This year I’m going to get in the habit of managing my time wisely, so I’m not going to procrastinate till the very last minute! Let’s leave those past habit...

Christmas Eve

December 25, 2022 18:14

Tonight, we hear the familiar Christmas story. But, for me, the story feels different. The obvious reason is that we’re physically in the same place this year for Christmas–we’re singing together, we’re praying together, and we can see each other’s faces. But I think it’s… the poinsettias that make it feel different for me this year... The post Christmas Eve appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

Nativity of Our Lord

December 25, 2022 18:02

Well, I hope that you weren’t looking for the familiar Christmas Eve story this morning. Today’s gospel is not the Lukan version with Jesus, the angels, and the shepherds. Rather, today is John’s gospel. Unlike Luke and Matthew, John does not write of Jesus’s conception or birth. John doesn’t care about Joseph or Mary as a part of Jesus’s human origins. Instead, Jesus’ beginnings are described in cosmological terms with an emphasis on Jesus as God’s son... The post Nativity of Our Lord appe...

Seventh Sunday of Advent

December 18, 2022 20:59

Well we may still be a week out from Christmas, but today we read the entire Nativity story in the gospel of Matthew! It’s ok if you missed it, it went real fast, just a single verse and not even a whole sentence long. “But he, Joseph, had no marital relations with her, Mary, until she had given birth to a son, and he named him Jesus.” That’s it! That’s the whole story! There’s no away in the mangers, no “no room in the inn for travelers weary” no “certain poor shepherds in fields as they la...

Sixth Sunday of Advent

December 11, 2022 20:54 - 22.1 MB

Now I could understand a knee jerk reaction to this reading being something like “really, more John the Baptist?  We did that last week!”  And we did, but last week we talked about him baptizing people in the Jordan River, declaring the kingdom of God to be at hand, that the one more powerful than him who will baptize them all with the Holy Spirit is coming, so get ready!  And today we skip about 1/3 of the gospel of Matthew just to continue journeying with John... The post Sixth Sunday of ...

Fifth Sunday of Advent

December 04, 2022 20:48 - 20.2 MB

We live in a world of endless voices. We are directed by the voice of our supervisor. We hear politicians speak very different things. The media, researchers, doctors, therapists, and advertisers urge us to listen to their voice. Some of the voices we hear grate. Others are shrill. Yet, today, there is one voice that rings out in the wilderness... The post Fifth Sunday of Advent appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

Fourth Sunday of Advent

November 28, 2022 16:04 - 16.2 MB

Wicker Park Lutheran Church Rev. Chrisida Anandan November 27, 2022 Grace and Peace to you all in the name of our Christ Jesus! Keep awake, and be ready are the watchwords that we hear from our gospel reading today. This week, especially the week right after thanksgiving with so much cooking, eating, traveling, and hosting families, we may be exhausted. Unlike the Lutheran churches in the US as far as I have seen, the sermons in my church back in […] The post Fourth Sunday of Advent appeare...

Third Sunday of Advent

November 20, 2022 20:49 - 21.5 MB

So I’d already made up my mind I was going to preach on the Jerimiah reading, and I opened it up and started reading and instantly felt super guilty because…last time I preached I told you all that “woe” means like yikes. And…that continues to be true, when it’s a New Testament reading and the word is being translated from Greek. But Jerimiah’s in the Hebrew Bible, the Old Testament so we’re translating that word from Hebrew. And when it’s coming from Hebrew it’s more…an audible sigh, dismay...

Second Sunday of Advent

November 13, 2022 20:45 - 27.2 MB

Today’s gospel has an apocalyptic tilt to it that seems to tell of the end of the world. We heard of wars, insurrections, earthquakes, famines, and plagues. We might easily relate with that vision as we watch Russia slaughter innocent people in Ukraine, and as we relive our collective trauma during the investigation of the January 6 insurrection. So too, we continue to live with the medical plagues of COVID and RSV along the social plagues of racism and sexism. As inflation grips the globe a...

All Saints Sunday/Advent 1

November 06, 2022 19:33 - 18.5 MB

One aspect of the gospels that brings me particular delight is how accounts kind of differ between the gospel writers. And there’s a lot of reasons for that but usually it’s because they were all written for different audiences during different time periods and so the focus shifts depending on the specific social and political context. And sometimes the variation is barely even noticeable, but then for some other it’s like ooh yeah that story does hit a little differently when you put it tha...

Reformation Sunday

October 31, 2022 16:48 - 22.1 MB

Looking at all of today’s texts, Jeremiah is pulling at me in the most. It doesn’t happen often that a reading from the Hebrew Scriptures grabs me more than the gospel reading. After all, Jesus is kind of a big deal in Christianity. But, I think it’s the reformational aspect and the covenantal language that draws me to its wisdom... The post Reformation Sunday appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost

October 23, 2022 19:49 - 23.5 MB

Before we get too deep into this gospel reading, I’m wondering who has heard this parable before? Well, let me first give the sermon I usually hear on this text. It goes like this… We have two people. One is a Pharisee, a Jewish leader who is exceedingly righteous and judgmental, and the other is a tax collector, a traitor of his people, who is humble and contrite. While you might think the righteous one following God’s rules has the best relationship with God, it is the tax collector who is...

Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost

October 16, 2022 19:31 - 17.3 MB

I led my first protest when I was 10. Grandpa had some stressful paperwork he was doing, and we were, allegedly, pestering him about getting ice cream, and he lost his temper, something he never did, and yelled. I felt this was unacceptable behavior and we should have ice cream.  I discussed this with my little sister, and we felt there were a variety of other issues too. They keep saying we’ll go to the amusement park this summer, but when?... The post Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost app...

Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost

October 09, 2022 19:23 - 19.8 MB

There are some people who love their commute, but I’m not one of them. I’m the person who sees driving from one place to another as, generally, a waste of time and an inconvenience. If I’m honest, driving is probably the place where I commit most of my sins–not in a road rage kind of way, but more so as a passionate fan watching a football game on TV. I vocalize to myself that the car in front of me needs to go faster, or I start shaking my head a someone running a red light, or I think some...

Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi

October 03, 2022 20:35 - 17.8 MB

Alright, I’m no fool, there’s animals in church, maybe you’re in charge of one of them, maybe one is actively trying to convince you to go pet them right now, like I’ve got to work to keep your attention this morning.  Why are there animals here today, Vicar? What a great question! Today we celebrate the Feast of St Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of merchants, needleworkers, families, and peace, as well as protection against fire, and dying alone. He is the joint patron St of Italy, alo...

Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost

September 25, 2022 19:40 - 20.4 MB

I need to confess that I don’t like today’s parable. It’s been a thorn in my side all week, and you’re probably getting the fourth rewrite of this sermon, but honestly, I stopped counting on Friday, so I don’t know. What makes me most uncomfortable is that I cannot seem to find the “gospel.” And when I say “gospel” I mean it in the Lutheran sense–the good news, that reminder of God’s grace, the recounting of God’s love, the thing that picks me up when the world kicks me down.  Instead, this ...

Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost

September 18, 2022 19:20 - 21 MB

I’m the kind of person who loves a good plot twist in a book or a tv show or video game or whatever. You think the writer is setting the story to go one way and then BAM we ended up going somewhere else entirely. When it’s done well, well then you’ve got my full attention! Which is ironic because I also have this terrible habit when I’m at home of being like “yep, I know where my husband is going with this conversation about like all the yard work we need to do, I only need to half listen he...

Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost

September 11, 2022 19:14 - 24.9 MB

In today’s gospel, we heard the Pharisees complaining about Jesus’s leadership style. Remember, the Pharisees were religious leaders that had devoted themselves to a literal, conservative, and unchanging view of the Jewish Laws. They worked to follow over 600 Jewish laws, and these laws shaped their understanding of God and the world. From their perspective, they were doing God’s work by following these rules. So, when Jesus started fraternizing with those who didn’t follow these Jewish laws...

Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost

September 04, 2022 19:46 - 24.4 MB

The Jesus in today’s gospel is not my favorite. When I first read the text, I thought I should have stayed on sabbatical one more week and given this to Pastor Tom. Nevertheless, Jesus’ discussion of discipleship really struck a chord with me. It made the whole discipleship thing sound scary, intense, and it was off-putting... The post Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost

August 21, 2022 19:10 - 24.8 MB

May these words of my mouth and this meditation of all our hearts be acceptable to you O Lord, our tradition and our imagination. Amen... The post Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

Feast of Mary, Mother of Jesus

August 14, 2022 18:48 - 21.4 MB

May these words of my mouth and this meditation of all our hearts be acceptable to you O Lord, our savior and our supplier. Amen... The post Feast of Mary, Mother of Jesus appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

Ninth Sunday after Pentecost

August 08, 2022 18:50 - 21.2 MB

May these words of my mouth and this meditation of all our hearts be acceptable to you O Lord, our Faith and our Hope. Amen... The post Ninth Sunday after Pentecost appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

Third Sunday after Epiphany

January 23, 2022 18:51 - 22.7 MB

First and foremost, I want to congratulate you. You made an excellent choice coming to worship today. You have an advantage over everyone else in the year ahead. Not only are you making a commitment to self-care by caring for your spiritual life, but you’re also getting a key insight into everything else that is to come... The post Third Sunday after Epiphany appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost

October 24, 2021 18:57 - 24 MB

One thing Jesus is most known for in his ministry is healing. In Mark’s gospel, Jesus healed demon possessed individuals, a girl who was dead, and a hemorrhaging woman. Today, we met a man who was blind. Before we get too far into the reading, there is an important word of caution. With all the talk about Jesus healing the deaf, the blind, and the lame, it’s easy for us to assume that Jesus prefers people who do not live with a disability. Religious people have used such assumptions to terro...

Twenty First Sunday after Pentecost

October 17, 2021 19:10 - 22.5 MB

Grace to you and peace from God, our Creator, and our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen. I wonder if I were to ask you today, “Who are you,” how you would respond to me. Well, first, you’d probably give me a name, right? After that though, if I wanted to know more about you, who you are, what would you tell me?... The post Twenty First Sunday after Pentecost appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

The Feast of Saint Francis

October 03, 2021 19:37 - 20.6 MB

In today’s gospel, Jesus said, “do not worry about tomorrow.” For some of us, that’s easier said than done. After all, there is so much to worry about: Climate change. COVID. Where our career path or family life might take us. We wonder if we’ll ever meet the partner we yearn for. If we’ll have enough money for retirement. If the treatment will work. Or, what the test results might say... The post The Feast of Saint Francis appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.

Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost

September 20, 2021 17:51

When Jesus put a child among the disciples in today’s gospel reading, I could not help but think of the stain glass window here in our space. What that window depicts is not today’s story. But, the window and the story both emphasize a theme we see throughout Mark’s gospel. You see, in Jesus’s time, children were the most subservient humans in ancient society... The post Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost appeared first on Wicker Park Lutheran Church.