Rev. Timothy J. Ensworth
The marks of a great nation (Click on the sermon title for a .pdf copy)
Jeremiah 31:7-14
January 4, 2015
Sing with joy for Israel, the greatest of the nations …
Do you have a problem with that? Do you have a problem with calling Israel the greatest of the nations? Does it seem to you … presumptuous? Chauvinistic? Prideful? Does this claim by a Hebrew prophet about his own nation make you uncomfortable?… Continue reading ...
My servant (Click on the sermon title for a .pdf copy)
Isaiah 52:13
February 22, 2015
I am angry, and I am frightened.
I am frightened by ISIS, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. You know about the horrible scene on the beach in Libya, where members of ISIS beheaded twenty-one Egyptian Christians. It is appalling, revolting, unbearable, unwatchable. I refuse to watch the video and I quickly swipe past every time a story or photo of the event comes up on the news apps on my phone. … Continue reading ...
They will see and understand something they had never known (Click on the sermon title for a .pdf copy)
Isaiah 52:14-15
March 1, 2015
There are people in our world right now, rightly or wrongly, drawing inspiration from their holy texts to do unspeakable violence to fellow human beings and to the fabric of human civilization itself. Rightly or wrongly, they are drawing inspiration from their holy texts. … Continue reading ...
Who could have seen the Lord’s hand in this? (Click on the sermon title for a .pdf copy)
Isaiah 53:1-3
March 8, 2015
We limit not the truth of God to our poor reach of mind,
to notions of our day and place, crude, partial, and confined;
No, let a new and better hope within our hearts be stirred:
O God, grant yet more light and truth to break forth from your Word.… Continue reading ...
It’s not fair (Click on the sermon title for a .pdf copy)
Isaiah 53:6
March 22, 2015
Life isn’t fair.
The University of Northern Iowa Panther men’s basketball team had a better won/loss record than Iowa State, a higher national ranking, and fared equally well against two common opponents, and yet the NCAA selection committee awarded Iowa State a “No. 3” seed and UNI a “No.… Continue reading ...