Rev. Zach

First Presbyterian in Lafayette, Louisiana November 24, 2010 – Advent 1 Isaiah 2:1-5 Romans 13:11-14 Matthew 24:36-44 Today is the beginning of something new, or at least it could be.   Today is the beginning of Advent, the Season of preparation leading up to the celebration of the birth of Jesus, the Christ.   Of course the average person on the street or even in the pews of most congregations does not usually think about or talk about Advent except for when we light the candles on the wreath.   Think about it.   When was the last time you said, “Happy Advent!” Then again, is that even appropriate?   Advent is a time of getting ready, anticipation, and stress.   That’s not necessarily a bad thing.   Stress can be a good thing.   It indicates how important an activity is to you.   It reminds you what you care about.   Maybe we should say, “Anxious Advent!” just to see who is paying attention. I can recall those days of reta...

First Presbyterian in Lafayette, Louisianna November 14, 2010: Christ the King, Year C Jeremiah 23:1-6 Colossians 1:11-20 Luke 23:33-43 Today is Christ the King Sunday! I have to admit that I’m not sure what to do with that. Maybe there are some obvious things. We call Jesus Lord all the time, but I have been wondering about that lately. I’ve been wondering how we, the products of the most amazing social experiment in human history, can truly call Jesus – or anyone for that matter – King. I was talking to a member of the PJC of the Synod of the Sun about governance this weekend during a Presbytery Council retreat. He mentioned being in Belgium during one of the elections and being startled by the way they were speculating about how much longer it would be before the Joint Chiefs enacted a coup or the Speaker of the House would rise up against the President. They couldn’t figure out how and why the checks and balances really worked. But here we are, 200 years into this ...

First Presbyterian in Lafayette, Louisiana November 14, 2010 – Commitment Sunday – Ordinary 33 C Isaiah 65:17-25 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13 Luke 21:5-19 Well, it’s that time of year. All the shops are putting up their Christmas decorations, asking for the pledge of your commitment for their goods and services. Some have been asking since before Halloween. Advertisers are hitting us from every angle they can, and the church seems every bit as hungry for the almighty dollar. On this Sunday, as we make our commitment to the church, we have to ask ourselves, “Why is our commitment to the church any different than our participation in the economy of this nation?” Maybe that seems like an odd comparison to you, but a lot of people (from inside and out) treat the church as a purveyor of goods and services. We all have assumptions about the church, whether we admit it or not. We have feelings connected to the bricks and mortar. We have expectations and hopes for the results of our i...

Saints and Ain’ts First Presbyterian of Lafayette, Loisiana November 7, 2010 – All Saints Day (Year C) Daniel 7:1-3, 15-18 Ephesians 1:11-23 Luke 6:20-31 I believe God’s word is contextual. It comes from a particular time and place, and we receive it in a particular time and place. The past few weeks I have taken advantage of the free internet and ambiance of C.C.’s Coffee Shop to receive and consider God’s word. Daniel Hixon, the Campus Minister we support at U.L., joined me for a portion of my study time, and then met with a college student who did not believe in God. I’m not saying I was eavesdropping, but I can tell you that our support of Daniel is well placed. He was curious without demanding, assuring without condemning, and inviting without expecting. Daniel was a model for what I believe the scriptures call saints and a testimony to the faith handed down through others. This faith, as we have received it, surrounds us and comforts us like a warm blanket on a co...

First Presbyterian in Lafayette, Louisiana October 31, 2010 – Stewardship Sunday; OC 31 Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:1-4 Psalm 119:131-133; 140-144 (with Cantor) 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12 Luke 19:1-10 Today is the day of the ubiquitous and unavoidable stewardship sermon. That means that there are certain things you probably expect me to say, and usually there is a joke to make us all feel better about it. So, does anyone know why church membership is more like bacon than eggs? Well, the chicken is involved in the process of providing breakfast but the pig is committed to it. Now, I do not mean to make light of the stewardship campaign or the reality of God’s calling to redistribute our wealth. In fact, this being my first official stewardship sermon in 10 years of ministry, it’s a pretty big deal to me. My hope is to offer something you do not expect to hear and to find a way to affirm the calling we share as stewards of God’s good creation. Typically we entertain ideas about...