While I was working on my message for this past weekend, "When Trouble Comes" from James 1:1-18, I was also reading Brian Zahnd's newer book The Wood Between the Worlds: A Poetic Theology of the Cross. Zahnd's description of how Jesus' crucifixion opens us to the presence of Christ with us at all times, even …
“Making Room” – a Christmas message
This past week at Eastbrook, I preached a message entitled "Making Room" as part of our Christmas Eve services. You can find read the preaching manuscript below. Merry Christmas! When I was a child, one of my favorite things at Christmas was going to my grandparents’ house in central Illinois. After celebrating our own family Christmas …
Christmas Joy
Merry Christmas! This is the reason we celebrate. Fra Angelico, The Annunciation; tempera on wood; between 1433 and 1434. Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14) For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on …
“The One Who Restores” – a message from Isaiah 49
This past weekend at Eastbrook, I concluded our Advent preaching series entitled "Who Is He?: Titles of Jesus the Messiah from Isaiah" by looking at Isaiah 49:1-13 with a message entitled "The One Who Restores." This is the second of four texts in the second half of the book of Isaiah that are generally referred …
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Fourth Sunday in Advent: The One Who Restores
In the Sanctuary of Mercy church, in Borja, Spain, a fresco of Jesus entitled Ecce Homo (Behold the Man) has been revered since the Spanish artist, Elías García Martínez, painted it in 1930. While not an artistic landmark or overly valuable, this fresco holds a treasured place within the village and area. Still, everyone could see that the …
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Matthew Erickson 