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Ash Wednesday: A Lenten Journey Becomes a Life Journey

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Today I gave an Ash Wednesday message before our first Lenten Luncheon this year. I focus on the assigned texts for today from Isaiah and Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount in Matthew’s Gospel. A Lenten Journey Becomes a Life Journey Grace and peace to you in the name of Christ our Lord and Savior. So good to see you and have you with us today. In many churches, Lent begins with a smudge of ash on one’s forehead. It’s a reminder that we are all dust and to dust we will return, and yet we are dust that is beloved of God. Ash Wednesday ushers us into a season of holy honesty, inviting us to name our brokenness, our limits, and our longing for renewal. It is not a journey of shame, but of grace—a time when we turn again toward the God who meets us in our mortality and leads us toward life. Lent calls us to slow down, to repent, to realign our hearts with the way of Christ, trusting that every step taken in humility opens us up more fully to the transforming love that prepares for Easter’...
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Grace Greater than Our Sin

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Today we consider the epistle lesson for this coming Sunday (Lent 1a). It is Romans 5:12-19 . Martin Luther referred to the Epistle to the Romans as the “purest gospel” and the “clearest gospel of them all” in his “ Preface to the Epistle to the Romans ” (1522). Of course, Luther is using the word gospel in the sense of the Good News and the message of salvation. Grace Greater than Our Sin Romans 5 can feel a bit heavy. Paul draws a direct line from Adam to the reality of sin and death in the world. He argues that “sin came into the world through one man, and death came through sin” (v. 12). This is not meant as a history lesson; it is a diagnosis. Paul is describing the spiritual atmosphere we are born breathing. In the Wesleyan tradition, we often talk about this as “original sin.” We don’t mean that we are personally guilty of eating a piece of forbidden fruit thousands of years ago. Rather, we mean that we are born into a condition of separation and brokenness. We are born w...
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Blessed Are the Unburdened: A Lenten Reflection on Psalm 32

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We are coming up on the first Sunday in Lent. As we approach Sunday I am looking at the lectionary texts for the day. Yesterday I took a look at the Old Testament lesson (Gen. 2:15-17; 3:1-7). Today I look at the psalter (Psalm 32) which we use as a liturgical response to the first lesson. Blessed Are the Unburdened: A Lenten Reflection on Psalm 32 Lent has a way of slowing us down long enough to hear the truth we often spend most of the year avoiding. This Sunday our psalter is Psalm 32. This psalm meets us in that vulnerable space. It is an invitation to honesty—honesty about our sin, our self-deception, and the quiet relief that comes when we finally stop pretending. The psalm opens with a declaration that sounds almost like a sigh of relief: 1 Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven,     whose sin is covered. 2 Happy are those to whom the Lord imputes no iniquity     and in whose spirit there is no de...
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Looking to Sunday: The Garden and the Choice

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(Reflecting on Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7) This Lent, we journey into the wilderness, seeking repentance and renewal. Yet, to understand our need for a Savior, we must return to the very beginning, to a garden where humanity’s relationship with God took a tragic turn. Genesis 2:15-17 and 3:1-7 offer profound insights into the human condition we still grapple with today. God’s Good Design and Gracious Boundary (Gen 2:15-17) “The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, ‘You may freely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die.’“ (NRSVue) Notice the abundance! God places humanity in a paradise of provision, entrusting us with purposeful work (“till and keep”). Within this goodness, God establishes one clear boundary. This wasn’t arbitrary restriction, but a loving safeguard, defining the space for trust ...
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Listen to Him: A Holiness That Engages the World

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In this message, I invite you to explore the Transfiguration of Our Lord, a profound event that reveals God’s radiant glory and challenges us to follow Christ into the heart of our daily lives. Drawing from my own memories of a confirmation retreat in State College, Pennsylvania, under the mentorship of Dr. Nelson Frank, I reflect on the Celtic concept of “thin places”—those sacred moments where the boundary between heaven and earth becomes porous and the divine presence feels especially near. By examining the experiences of Moses on Mount Sinai and the eyewitness testimony of Peter, we see how these mountaintop revelations are not meant for us to hide away in “shelters,” but to transform and equip us for the journeys through the valleys. Ultimately, I want to emphasize that our spiritual life hinges on the Father’s singular command to “Listen to him,” a call that requires us to pay attention to Jesus’ teachings and find direction in His Word even when the world feels chaotic. The Tran...
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The Heart of True Religion

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Today’s scriptures show us the Heart of True Religion. The prophet Micah presents a courtroom scene where God lays out his case against Israel. The people respond by asking what kind of sacrifice would please him—thousands of rams, rivers of oil, or even their firstborn. But the answer is surprising because God has already shown us what is good and what he requires: to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.  The Heart of True Religion Sermon Date:  January 18, 2026 Speaker:  Alan Swartz Scripture Lessons:   Micah 6:1-8; Psalm 15; 1 Corinthians 1:18-31;Matthew 5:1-20 The Illusory Measure of Success How do you measure success? How do you measure blessing? In our modern culture, the definition of a “blessed life” stands in direct opposition to the biblical narrative. We are surrounded by a world that prizes wealth, influence, and an unwavering sense of self-sufficiency. This creates a profound tension for us, as the values of the kingdom of God ...
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We Celebrate the Light of Christ: Epiphany 3a

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Since we are not gathering in person to worship I am sharing the notes that I would normally carry into the pulpit with me. Normally, what I post here is the manuscript of the sermon after it has been preached. Let us pray… God of light and truth, as we prepare to hear your word proclaimed, open our ears to hear, our minds to understand, and our hearts to receive what you would say to us this day. Send your Holy Spirit to illumine the Scriptures and speak through your servant. By your Spirit, give us wisdom to discern your will, courage to obey your call, and grace to live as your faithful people. Help us not merely to hear words, but to encounter the living Word, Jesus Christ. May your truth penetrate the darkness within us and guide us in the way we should go. In Christ's name we pray. Amen. Light (a sermon for Epiphany 3a) Isaiah 9:1-4; Psalm 27:1,4-9; 1 Corinthians 1:10-18; Matthew 4:12-23 When Darkness Meets the Light We don’t have to look far to see the dark shado...
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