Hope Springs Eternal

The Sound of Hell Undone | The Great Vigil at St Martin's

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 05 Apr 2026 19:38:58 GMT

All week we have been listening.

A crowd. Water poured out.

A hammer.

And then silence.T

onight the ground shook.

In this Great Vigil of Easter service from St. Martin's Episcopal Church in Keller, Texas, Fr. Alan offers a brief reflection on what the resurrection actually sounds like: not a quiet next chapter, but an earthquake. The sound of a door torn off its hinges from the inside. The sound of death discovering it has been outsmarted.

Hell made its move on Friday. It looked like a victory.

It was not a victory.

And no one has ever said that better than John Chrysostom. Written in the fourth century and never improved upon, his Paschal Homily is one of the great proclamations of the Christian faith. Rather than compete with it, Fr. Alan steps aside and lets Chrysostom preach.

Listen.

The Sounds of Holy Week

St. Martin's Episcopal Church | Keller, Texas

Scripture: Matthew 28:1–10

What Sound Defines Easter?

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 05 Apr 2026 17:27:51 GMT

Easter is not optimism.

The people in this story are not people for whom hope came easy. They watched their friend die. They buried him. They came back to the tomb in the dark because they didn't know where else to go.

Jeremiah wrote to survivors who had lost everything: the people who survived the sword found grace in the wilderness. Not after the wilderness. In it.

That is the world Mary Magdalene is living in when she comes to the tomb before sunrise. She is not coming in hope. She is coming because grief pulls you back to the last place you saw someone.

And then Jesus says her name.

One word. One syllable. The whole resurrection in a single breath.

In this Easter Day sermon from St. Martin's Episcopal Church in Keller, Texas, Fr. Alan explores what resurrection actually sounds like. Not a trumpet blast over easy circumstances.

A name spoken quietly to someone in the wilderness. To someone who came expecting nothing.

Grace does not wait for you on the other side of the wilderness.

It meets you inside it.

He is already ahead of you. Already calling.

The Sounds of Holy Week

St. Martin's Episcopal Church

Keller, Texas

Scripture: John 20:1–18

We Have to Hear This Before Easter Comes

Alan Bentrup — Sat, 04 Apr 2026 23:36:12 GMT

You know this sound.

The hammer comes down. The nail bites in. The sound is blunt and final and it does not apologize for itself.

In this Good Friday sermon from St. Martin's Episcopal Church in Keller, Texas, Fr. Alan sits with that sound and refuses to move past it too quickly. Because before we get to Easter, we have to hear what love actually sounds like when it goes all the way.

It was not only the soldiers swinging the hammer. It was our failures, our denials, our wounds carried and wounds caused, that drew Jesus to the cross. Not to crush us with guilt. But to show us the length he was willing to go.

For us. Because of us. All the way to this.

The silence after the hammer is real. We do not explain it away. We do not rush past it. We just hold, quietly, the possibility that it does not have the last word.

Tomorrow is silence. Sunday is coming.

St. Martin's Episcopal Church | Keller, Texas

Scripture: John 18:1–19:42

Love That Doesn't Stop | Fr. Alan on Maundy Thursday

Alan Bentrup — Fri, 03 Apr 2026 15:44:45 GMT

On the night before his crucifixion, Jesus picked up a basin and poured water.In this Maundy Thursday sermon from St. Martin's Episcopal Church in Keller, Texas, Fr. Alan explores the soundscape of the upper room: the water poured out, Peter's protest, the silence of sleeping disciples, and the kiss of a friend who had already decided to betray him.All of it. And still the water kept pouring.This is not a lesson in servant leadership. It is the sound of a love that does not wait for you to deserve it, does not pause when you resist it, and does not stop when you betray it.St. Martin's Episcopal Church | Keller, TexasScripture: John 13:1–17, 31b–35

What Happens When You're Left All Alone

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 15 Mar 2026 20:40:00 GMT

The healing in John 9 is not the good news. Not for this man.The moment he receives his sight, everything else starts falling apart. His neighbors don’t recognize him. The Pharisees interrogate him twice. His own parents hand him over in the middle of his trial to protect themselves. And by the end of the chapter, he has been thrown out of his community, his synagogue, and every structure that was supposed to hold him.He did nothing wrong. And he ends up completely alone.But then verse 35 arrives, quiet and easy to miss: Jesus heard that they had cast him out. And Jesus goes looking for him.That is the good news of John 9. Not the healing. The finding. Jesus moving deliberately toward the one that everything else moved away from.This sermon is part of our Lenten series Listen to Jesus, preaching through the Gospel of John.📖 John 9:1-41🕊️ Preached at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church | Keller, Texas📅 Lent 4

What Happens When You Are Truly Seen?

Alan Bentrup — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 15:22:46 GMT

She didn’t come to the well at noon by accident. She came because it was the only time no one else would be there. She had arranged her whole life around not being seen.And Jesus was already waiting.In John 4, Jesus crosses every boundary that should have kept him silent — and has the most theologically rich conversation in the Gospel with a Samaritan woman who has known grief, loss, and the weight of surviving in a world that didn’t give her many choices. He sees all of it. He names it. And he doesn’t look away.This is what Lent is actually about. Not sin management. Not spiritual performance. Being seen — fully, honestly, completely — and discovering that grace meets us there.This is the third sermon in our Lenten series Listen to Jesus, preaching through the Gospel of John. If you’re exploring faith, returning to church, or just trying to make it through the week, this one is for you.

Does God Really Love?

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 01 Mar 2026 21:41:39 GMT

In this sermon from St. Martin's Episcopal Church in Keller, Texas, Father Alan explores one of the most honest questions people ask in the dark: Does God really love? Drawing from John 3:1–17 and the story of Nicodemus, this message unpacks the radical scope of John 3:16, what it means that God loved the world, and why that changes everything.

This sermon is part of the Lent series Listen to Jesus at St. Martin's Episcopal Church.

Your Lent Practice Is Useless Without This One Thing

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 22 Feb 2026 21:37:30 GMT

What does Lent really mean? Sometimes it’s not found in grand gestures or perfect spiritual disciplines, but in ordinary interruptions.

In this Ash Wednesday reflection, I share a simple encounter at the gym that completely reframed how I see Lent. An old friend, recovering from surgery and carrying concern for his wife’s upcoming procedure, asked me to pray for him. It happened because my routine had shifted. A different gym. A different time. An unexpected moment.

Lent is a season of disruption. Ash Wednesday reminds us, “Remember that you are dust.” Not to shame us, but to wake us up. To slow us down. To make us interruptible by grace.

In this video, we explore:

The spiritual meaning of Ash Wednesday
Why Lent is about more than giving something up
How routine keeps us on autopilot
What it means to be present to God and others
Finding holy moments in ordinary life

If you are looking for a thoughtful Christian reflection on Lent, spiritual growth, prayer, and everyday faith, this message is for you.

#AshWednesday #LentReflection #ChristianLife #Prayer #FaithInEverydayLife #SpiritualGrowth

This Is Not A Self-Help Sermon

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 22 Feb 2026 21:28:17 GMT

Before you even walk into church on Sunday morning, you have already heard dozens of voices. Kids. Spouses. News alerts. Inner criticism. Expectations. Demands.

In Matthew 4:1–11, Jesus walks into the wilderness and hears a different kind of voice: “If you are the Son of God…”

This sermon begins our Lenten series, Listen to Him. But this is not a self-help message about how to resist temptation better. It is the story of Jesus Christ doing what we have not done, cannot do, and will never do on our own.

From the desert to the cross, the same whisper follows him: “If you are…” And in both places, Jesus refuses to prove himself. He trusts the Father’s voice instead.

Where we fail, he stands firm.

Where we grasp, he trusts.

Where we would come down from the cross, he stays.

This Lent is not about trying harder. It is about listening to the faithful Son who has already won the battle for us.

In the wilderness, many voices speak.

Only one voice leads to life.

Listen to him.

God Shows Us Who Jesus Is So We Can Follow Him When It Gets Dark

Alan Bentrup — Tue, 17 Feb 2026 17:10:02 GMT

On the last Sunday before Lent, we stand between celebration and ashes.At the Transfiguration, Jesus shines with divine glory on the mountain. But the heart of the moment is not just the light. It is the voice from heaven: “This is my Son, the Beloved. Listen to him.”As we move from Jazz Mass joy and Shrove Sunday celebration toward Ash Wednesday and the road of Lent, this sermon invites us to see what God is doing. Before the cross. Before the darkness. Before the ashes.God shows us who Jesus truly is so that we can follow him when the road grows dark.Lent is not about climbing up to God. It is about listening to the One who has already come down to us.This message launches our Lenten theme: Listen to Him.Ashes are coming. But so is the voice of the Beloved Son.And that is the voice we will follow.

Blessed is the Church God is Making

Alan Bentrup — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 16:52:35 GMT

In this sermon, we turn to Matthew 5 and the Beatitudes to ask a simple but brave question: Who are we becoming as a church?Jesus’ Beatitudes are not rules to follow but a vision of the kind of community God is already forming among us. This sermon explores how a Beatitude shaped church becomes authentic, merciful, courageous, and grounded in grace.The question is not whether we can achieve this vision, but whether we trust that God is already at work bringing it to life.Blessed are we, not because we are finished, but because God is not finished with us.

When a Voice is Silenced, Jesus Speaks

Alan Bentrup — Mon, 26 Jan 2026 14:35:00 GMT

What do we do when violence silences a voice and the world feels less safe?

In Matthew 4, Jesus begins his public ministry not in a moment of calm, but after John the Baptist is arrested. This sermon reflects on how Jesus responds to injustice and violence, how lament becomes the soil of God’s work, and what it means to follow Christ when silence would be unfaithful.

Preached in the shadow of real-world violence, this message names grief honestly and holds fast to the hope that when voices are silenced, God still speaks and Jesus still calls people to follow him into the broken places of the world.

Do You Know What I Know?

Alan Bentrup — Mon, 29 Dec 2025 16:05:31 GMT

What does Christmas mean once the carols fade and the candles burn low?

In this sermon on John 1:1-18, we turn to the opening of John’s Gospel, where Christmas is not told through shepherds and mangers, but through mystery and meaning. John pulls the curtain back to the very beginning and shows us who Jesus really is: the eternal Word, the Light that shines in the darkness, and God who has come near in flesh and grace.

This sermon explores what it means to live not just hearing the story of Christmas, but knowing it deeply. Knowing that God is not distant. Knowing that darkness does not win. Knowing that grace keeps coming, again and again.

As we move from Christmas Day into ordinary time, this message invites us to carry the truth of Christmas into everyday life, trusting that God is still with us, still shining light, and still offering grace upon grace.

Do You See What I See?

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 28 Dec 2025 15:32:08 GMT

On Christmas Eve, we asked a question: Do you hear what I hear? We listened for the sounds of good news, hope, and love. On Christmas Day, the question shifts: Do you see what I see?

In this sermon on John 1:1–14, we explore how the Word who spoke creation into being did not remain distant or abstract, but became flesh and moved into our neighborhood. Christmas is not only something we hear sung or proclaimed. It is something we are invited to behold.

This message reflects on how God’s glory is revealed not in power or spectacle, but in grace and truth. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness does not have the final word. For anyone who comes to Christmas weary, grieving, or unsure, this sermon proclaims the good news that God comes close, knowing the risk, and still choosing love.

Christmas Day is not about striving or having it all figured out. It is about receiving. Grace upon grace. God with us.

Do You Hear What I Hear?

Alan Bentrup — Thu, 25 Dec 2025 21:16:40 GMT

On Christmas Eve we hear the same story every year. The same Scripture from Luke 2. The same carols. The same familiar sounds. And yet, we never hear Christmas quite the same way twice.

In this sermon, Do You Hear What I Hear, we explore how Christmas speaks differently to us each year because we come carrying different joys, losses, hopes, and fears. Like bells that all ring but sound different because of what they are made of, the Christmas story rings into our lives in unique ways depending on what this season has been for us.

Luke tells the story of Jesus’ birth through sound. The noise of empire. The quiet vulnerability of a manger. The song of angels. The hurried footsteps of shepherds. The silent pondering of Mary. Everyone hears the same birth, yet each hears it differently.

The good news of Christmas is that Jesus still speaks today. He speaks in the language we most need. The language of hope, forgiveness, healing, belonging, or joy. We may not all hear the same thing, but we all hear it from the same source. The child born in Bethlehem for the love of the world.

Wherever this Christmas finds you, good or bad, happy or sad, easy or hard, God meets you there. The question Christmas Eve invites us to ask is simple and holy.

Do you hear what I hear?

Do You Hear What I Hear (Children's Sermon)

Alan Bentrup — Thu, 25 Dec 2025 14:32:21 GMT

A short children’s sermon from our 3pm Christmas Eve family service built around the theme “Do You Hear What I Hear?” Using the sound of bells, this message invites kids to discover that Jesus speaks to each of us in ways we can understand. Just as one bell can mean different things to different people, the good news of Jesus’ birth was heard differently by the shepherds, Mary, and Joseph. The sermon reminds children that Jesus still speaks today through music, stories, kindness, and moments of peace, and that when we slow down and listen, we can hear the same message of love meant just for us.

We Are Not Worthy

Alan Bentrup — Thu, 27 Nov 2025 15:14:28 GMT

On this Thanksgiving Eve, Father Alan reflects on John 6:25-35 and the honest truth that none of us are ever fully satisfied.He begins with his recent HYROX race, where even after beating his goal he crossed the finish line wanting more. That feeling, he says, is something we all carry. We try to satisfy our restlessness with achievement, success, possessions, or praise, but the hunger always returns.Jesus meets a crowd in John 6 who feel that same hunger. They have just witnessed a miracle, yet they come searching for more. Instead of shaming their need, Jesus invites them to be honest about it. He reminds them of the manna in the wilderness, when God provided enough for one day at a time. Then he makes the central claim: “I am the bread of life.” Jesus does not offer something to fill us. He offers himself.Father Alan reminds us that Thanksgiving is not about pretending we are full. It is about naming our dependence on God, the one who meets us in our hunger with grace we cannot earn. Like the Eucharist, Thanksgiving begins when we bring our empty hands to the God whose property is always to have mercy.Jesus is the one who satisfies the hunger we cannot fill on our own. From that gift, real gratitude begins.

Healing Words in a Sick World

Alan Bentrup — Tue, 21 Oct 2025 12:08:21 GMT

In this sermon, we reflect on Paul’s final words to Timothy, a charge to keep preaching the Gospel in every season.

From an old Boston church that still proclaims the Gospel after centuries of change to Paul’s prison cell awaiting execution, this message reminds us that the world may change, but the Word still works.

We all crave words that make us feel strong or self-sufficient. But Paul warns against “itching ears” that chase comfort instead of truth.

The Gospel is not meant to tickle us. It is meant to heal us. It is the Good News that Jesus sees you, Jesus loves you, and Jesus is for you.

The Stories We Don't Hear

Alan Bentrup — Mon, 13 Oct 2025 15:02:29 GMT

Most sermons on the healing of the ten lepers focus on the one who came back to say thank you. But what about the other nine

In this message, Fr. Alan Bentrup invites us to listen for the stories we don’t hear. The stories of grace that continue beyond the page. Ten people were healed. All ten received God’s mercy.

God’s grace is not earned or repaid. It is given freely, without condition or transaction.What if the nine went home and shared their healing in their own way: feeding neighbors, mentoring kids, paying off debt, making lunches for the hungry, or building a community where others could find life again?Gratitude is not just about returning to say thank you, but about living thankful lives.

Our stewardship, our service, and our giving are not transactions, but responses.

Pride and Humility

Alan Bentrup — Mon, 06 Oct 2025 14:24:34 GMT

We live in a world built on transactions. Do your part, pay your share, and someone owes you something in return. But in Luke 17, Jesus turns that system upside down. He reminds us that God does not owe us anything, and that is exactly what makes grace so amazing.

In this sermon, Fr. Alan explores Jesus’ teaching about mustard seed faith, radical forgiveness, and humble service. The life of faith is not about earning God’s favor but about living in gratitude for a grace that cannot be bought or measured.

Scripture: Luke 17:1–10

Theme: God Owes Us Nothing, and yet in Christ God gives us everything

Preached at: St. Martin in the Fields Episcopal Church, Southlake TX

Jesus Sees You

Alan Bentrup — Mon, 29 Sep 2025 14:54:41 GMT

This week’s gospel reading tells the story of a rich man who feasted every day and a poor man named Lazarus who longed for crumbs at his gate (Luke 16:19–31). The rich man never saw Lazarus as a neighbor. Even in death he only saw him as a servant.But the good news of Jesus is not a morality tale about being nicer. It is the announcement that God sees us. Whether we feel like Lazarus, wounded and invisible, or like the rich man, keeping up appearances but wondering if anyone really knows us, the promise of the gospel is the same. Jesus sees you, and Jesus loves you.In this sermon Father Alan speaks directly to those who have been told that God hates them, and to those who have been told their job is to condemn those they think are sinners.Wherever you are and whatever you have been told, hear this:Jesus sees you. And Jesus loves you.

What Do You Do When You Realize You Screwed Up?

Alan Bentrup — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 13:55:02 GMT

We’ve all been there. The moment you realize you messed up. You squandered the opportunity. You wasted the time. You failed the people who trusted you.In Luke 16, Jesus tells the story of a steward who had blown it completely. And yet, instead of being discarded, he discovers something surprising: grace.In this sermon, Father Alan explores what it means to face our failures honestly, to trust that God does not throw us away, and to find hope that we are still entrusted with God’s work.📖 Scripture: Luke 16:1–13📍 Preached at St. Martin-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church, Southlake, Texas—✝️ Learn more about our church: www.stmartininthefields.org🔔 Subscribe to hear more sermons and join us in discovering God’s love and grace for all people.

A Turning Point

Alan Bentrup — Mon, 15 Sep 2025 14:44:14 GMT

In this sermon, A Turning Point, Father Alan explores 1 Timothy 1:12–17 and Luke 15:1–10, where Paul calls himself the “foremost of sinners” and Jesus tells parables of the lost sheep and lost coin. Both passages point us to a God whose grace is greater than our sin, whose love is relentless, and whose joy erupts when the lost are found.From the humor of a runner dropping their keys into a portapotty, to the heavy grief and division following the assassination of Charlie Kirk, this message names the ways we feel lost and the ways our world writes people off.And yet, the gospel insists that no one is beyond the reach of God’s mercy.The good news is simple and sure: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. And that is a turning point for all of us.

From Slave to Brother

Alan Bentrup — Mon, 08 Sep 2025 16:00:48 GMT

Using Paul’s letter to Philemon, we explore what it means to be made in the image of God...even when we forget it.

Using the story of Onesimus, a runaway slave transformed by the gospel, we see how God never gives up on us, no matter where we’ve been or what we’ve done.

This is grace. This is the gospel. You are not forgotten. You are not lost. You are loved.

Come home.

The Good News of Death Threats

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 17 Aug 2025 21:47:46 GMT

Jesus shocked His followers when He said His coming would bring division, even within families. What could that possibly mean? In this sermon we explore how the love of God sometimes disrupts before it heals.We turn to the prophet Micah, the Parable of the Prodigal Son, and the witness of Jonathan Daniels who gave his life for justice in Selma. We also reflect on our church’s call to host the area’s first Pride festival — an act of radical welcome that feels like joy to some and disruption to others.This sermon reminds us that the gospel is always good news for the hurting, even if it unsettles those who prefer the status quo. Because sometimes love unites. Sometimes love divides. But always, love saves.

What's In Your Backpack?

Alan Bentrup — Mon, 11 Aug 2025 14:15:49 GMT

We all carry backpacks — not just to school, but in life:

💼 pressure to prove yourself

🏋️ performance and appearance expectations

🧳 the weight of possessions and “more, more, more”

These “backpacks” are heavy when our worth depends on what’s inside them.

But Jesus says:

✨ “It is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”

❤️ You are already enough.

💡 You are already chosen.

🙏 You are already loved.

You don’t have to prove, perform, or possess to matter.

📦 Set the backpacks down. Live free in the delight of God.

Dependence Day

Alan Bentrup — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 15:35:24 GMT

This sermon, titled “Dependence Day,” was preached on July 6, 2025, during Independence Day weekend.

While our nation celebrates freedom and self-reliance, this message from Luke 10:1–11, 16–20 calls us to something deeper: a life of dependence...on God and on each other.

In the wake of tragic flooding in Kerrville, where lives were lost and communities shaken, we’re reminded that we were never meant to carry life alone.

Jesus sends his followers not with strength, but with trust. Not with resources, but with peace.

This is a Gospel of grace, not achievement.

Whether you’re grieving, searching, or just tired of trying to do it all yourself, this message is for you.

Watch, reflect, and remember: You are not alone. You never have been.

📖 Scripture: Luke 10:1–11, 16–20

🕊️ Theme: Dependence over independence

⛪ Preached at St. Martin-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church (Keller, Texas)

#DependenceDay #Sermon #Luke10 #ChristianCommunity #GospelOfGrace #NotAlone #Kerrville #FaithAndTrust #episcopal #episcopalchurch #jesusmovement #episcopalevangelism #keller #kellertx #kellertexas #southlake

God's Love Endures Forever (Kid's Sermon)

Alan Bentrup — Mon, 16 Jun 2025 14:38:30 GMT

Today in our children’s message, we talked about Lincoln Logs. These are simple wooden toys that have been around for more than one hundred years. While many toys break or get thrown away, Lincoln Logs are still around and still loved. They remind us that some things are worth coming back to again and again.

We also told the story of three young men in the Bible. Their names were Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They were thrown into a hot fire because they would not worship a golden statue. But God did not leave them. He stayed with them. And something amazing happened. While they were in the fire, they sang.

Their song said things like,

“Sun and moon, bless the Lord.

Fire and frost, bless the Lord.

People everywhere, bless the Lord.”

And they sang this again and again: “Praise God forever.”

The golden statue is gone now. It did not last. But their song is still with us. And God’s love is still with us too.

We learned that God’s love never runs out. It does not fade away when we are sad or afraid. It does not stop when we make a mistake. God’s love is always strong, always near, and always forever.

Just like Lincoln Logs are passed from one generation to the next, God’s love has been passed from long ago to right now.

And it will always be with you.

God's Love Endures Forever

Alan Bentrup — Mon, 16 Jun 2025 14:29:21 GMT

In this week’s sermon, we reflect on what lasts.

We begin with a story about Abraham Lincoln’s cabin. Not the original one, but a recreated version in Kentucky that still draws visitors. Why? Because the story it tells - about humility, strength, and endurance - still matters.

From that same story came something simple but lasting: Lincoln Logs. For over 100 years, children have played with these wooden pieces. They’re not flashy. They’re not high-tech. But we keep returning to them, because they speak to something we trust.

That’s the kind of love we hear about in Canticle 13 — the song sung by Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the middle of the fiery furnace. They were thrown into danger for refusing to worship Nebuchadnezzar’s golden statue, a towering idol built to impress and control.

But while that statue is long gone, their song still echoes:

The contrast is clear: idols fall, empires fade, feelings change. But God’s love endures.

This sermon invites us to stop chasing what won’t last, and return instead to the steady, eternal love of God. A love that was there in the fire, and is still here now.

“Praise him and highly exalt him forever.”

Crazy Water

Alan Bentrup — Mon, 26 May 2025 13:31:23 GMT

In this sermon from our Historical Markers summer series, we explore a story of healing at the Pool of Bethesda, and the surprising grace of Jesus.

Set alongside the history of Mineral Wells, Texas, once known for its “healing waters,” we reflect on how many of us are still striving for healing, wholeness, and purpose.

But what if grace doesn’t meet us in our hustle?

What if Jesus shows up not when we’re scrambling to fix ourselves, but when we stop, sit still, and finally let go?

Drawing from John 5:1–9, we discover a man who had been sick for 38 years, unable to get to the healing waters. And yet, it’s there, in his stillness and surrender, that Jesus comes to him.

This sermon reminds us:

• You don’t have to prove yourself for God to love you.

• Even serving at church can become a way of trying to earn grace.

• God doesn’t need the organist, the ushers—or even the priest—for grace to arrive.

• And if we’re too busy—even doing good things—we might miss the healing standing right in front of us.

Historical Marker + Gospel Marker = A New Invitation to Rest and Receive.

🕊️ Take a breath.

🛑 Stop striving.

🪷 Let grace come to you.

#John5 #Healing #Grace #Sabbath #SpiritualRest #MineralWells #HistoricalMarkers #SermonSeries #JesusHeals #episcopal #episcopalchurch #jesusmovement #episcopalevangelism #keller #kellertx #kellertexas #southlake

Jesus Is Always With Us

Alan Bentrup — Mon, 19 May 2025 15:14:16 GMT

I preach about teachers, students, and remembering that we are loved. The text is John 13:31-35.

Who is Called?

Alan Bentrup — Mon, 12 May 2025 22:08:39 GMT

I preach about main characters, God's call, and how love is shown through everyday people. The text is Acts 9:36-43.

Peace Be With You

Alan Bentrup — Mon, 28 Apr 2025 14:38:57 GMT

I preach about Jesus' presence in the locked rooms of our lives, from John 20:19-31.

Woven Together - Easter Sunday

Alan Bentrup — Mon, 21 Apr 2025 11:41:51 GMT

Alleluia, Christ is risen! The Lord is risen indeed!

Woven Together - Good Friday

Alan Bentrup — Sat, 19 Apr 2025 16:35:56 GMT

I preach on Good Friday, from John 18:1-19:42.

Woven Together - Maundy Thursday

Alan Bentrup — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 14:09:48 GMT

My Maundy Thursday sermon, from John 13:1-17, 31b-35.

Woven Together: Palm Sunday

Alan Bentrup — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 13:55:35 GMT

I kick off our Holy Week series, preaching on Luke 23:1-49 in "Woven Together: Palm Sunday."

What Does Love Smell Like?

Alan Bentrup — Mon, 07 Apr 2025 15:47:54 GMT

The Rev. Alan Bentrup preaches about God's extravagant love in John 12:1-8.

God's Love Runs Out

Alan Bentrup — Mon, 31 Mar 2025 14:39:53 GMT

I preach about God's unrelenting love through the story of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15.

Jesus is a Chicken

Alan Bentrup — Mon, 24 Mar 2025 14:18:03 GMT

My sermon for the Second Sunday of Lent. The scripture for today is:

Genesis 15:1-12,17-18

Philippians 3:17-4:1

Luke 13:31-35

God is Near...Alleluia

Alan Bentrup — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 15:11:40 GMT

God is near, even on the First Sunday of Lent.

Readings for this week:

The Most Honest Day of the Year

Alan Bentrup — Thu, 06 Mar 2025 16:23:46 GMT

My sermon for Ash Wednesday, 2025. The readings are:Joel 2:1-2,12-172 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10Matthew 6:1-6,16-21

Where Do We Put Our Trust?

Alan Bentrup — Mon, 17 Feb 2025 16:45:29 GMT

I preach about trust for the Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany. The readings are:

Jeremiah 17:5-10

1 Corinthians 15:12-20

Luke 6:17-26

Psalm 1

New Year, New You

Alan Bentrup — Mon, 13 Jan 2025 16:16:18 GMT

I preach on the Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord. Today's readings: Isaiah 43:1-7 Acts 8:14-17 Luke 3:15-17, 21-22 Psalm 29

Seeing Jesus

Alan Bentrup — Mon, 18 Nov 2024 16:55:42 GMT

Let's talk about St. Martin, looking at Matthew 25:31-46. Sorry for the quality. We're still replacing our video equipment after our electrical surge and this was shot on a cell phone.

A Culture of Mercy

Alan Bentrup — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 13:43:19 GMT

Alan Bentrup preaches on God's mercy, looking at James 2:1-17 and Mark 7:24-37. It is the second part in our sermon series on James, "A Faith that Works."

God is Love, On Every Page

Alan Bentrup — Tue, 30 Apr 2024 14:11:12 GMT

What do Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch teach us about God's love?

All Things New

Alan Bentrup — Tue, 02 Apr 2024 13:36:05 GMT

Jesus is always out ahead of us, making all things new.

Find Yourself in the Story

Alan Bentrup — Mon, 25 Mar 2024 15:08:55 GMT

Where do we hear ourselves in the story of Jesus' last week?

The Snake and the Cross

Alan Bentrup — Tue, 12 Mar 2024 20:50:23 GMT

Alan Bentrup preaches about snakes, crosses, and idolatry.

Remember the Covenant

Alan Bentrup — Mon, 04 Mar 2024 13:48:32 GMT

The 10 commandments, Jesus cleansing the temple, and how we hold up our end of the bargain.

What Do Christians Think About Lent?

Alan Bentrup — Mon, 19 Feb 2024 13:57:18 GMT

Alan and Gavin tackle the sermon together, looking at Lent, covenant, and what we're doing when we're baptized.

Jesus Loves Y'all

Alan Bentrup — Mon, 29 Jan 2024 15:17:03 GMT

Evil tries to claim it all. And what does Jesus have to say about that?

Now For the Hard Part

Alan Bentrup — Mon, 08 Jan 2024 15:05:38 GMT

Baptism is easy. The Christian life is the hard part.

The Light of Christmas

Alan Bentrup — Mon, 25 Dec 2023 17:58:56 GMT

The Light shines in unexpected places

Hold the Light

Alan Bentrup — Mon, 13 Nov 2023 14:37:27 GMT

Alan preaches on November 12, 2023.

What Does Love Look Like?

Alan Bentrup — Tue, 31 Oct 2023 19:03:08 GMT

What does it mean to love our neighbor?

Growing in Love, Part Two

Alan Bentrup — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 12:45:09 GMT

Father Alan preaches on Sunday, September 10, 2023.

Rooted in Faith, Growing in Love

Alan Bentrup — Tue, 05 Sep 2023 01:37:43 GMT

Father Alan preaches on Sunday, September 3, 2023.

Be Loved

Alan Bentrup — Mon, 14 Aug 2023 14:24:38 GMT

When we focus on God's love, we can do anything.

Kingdom of Heaven

Alan Bentrup — Tue, 01 Aug 2023 16:39:48 GMT

We have to mean it.

Simple Signs

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 02 Jul 2023 14:15:00 GMT

What would your billboard say?

You Rock

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 18 Jun 2023 14:15:00 GMT

A sermon for VBS Sunday

Looking to Heaven

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 21 May 2023 14:10:16 GMT

When we feel alone or scared or like we’re standing at the edge of a gap, God is trusting that we will learn that God is always with us.

A Bigger Table

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 14 May 2023 16:53:12 GMT

God’s table is big enough for diΛerent people. God’s table is big enough for disagreement. God’s table is even big enough for me, and for you.

Love Has the Final Word

Alan Bentrup — Wed, 10 May 2023 14:06:34 GMT

Each one of us is called to go out into the world bearing witness to the Good News that Jesus Christ is raised from the dead, and that grace and mercy and forgiveness and life and love always have the final word.

Love Has the Final Word

Alan Bentrup — Tue, 09 May 2023 12:28:32 GMT

Act Two

Alan Bentrup — Mon, 17 Apr 2023 13:57:13 GMT

Everything changed. So what are we going to do about it?

It's True (a Sermon for Easter Sunday)

Alan Bentrup — Mon, 10 Apr 2023 12:16:32 GMT

Every cross flowers with new life.

Every tomb holds the hope of new birth.

Every darkness is overcome by light.

It’s true. It is absolutely true.

Alleluia! Christ is risen.

The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia!

You Matter, You are Not Alone, You are Loved

Alan Bentrup — Sat, 08 Apr 2023 19:05:14 GMT

A funeral preached at the burial eucharist of Jordan DeClerk.

Death is Hell

Alan Bentrup — Sat, 08 Apr 2023 18:11:29 GMT

That’s the truth of this story.

That’s the Good News of this day.

Death is hell, but Jesus Christ meets us here.

Intimacy, Vulnerability, Silence, Waiting (a sermon for Maundy Thursday, 2023)

Alan Bentrup — Fri, 07 Apr 2023 01:22:08 GMT

Jesus Christ calls us to wait with him. In the intimacy, the vulnerability, and the silence. In the fear and the grief and the despair. We’re called to wait.

Parched

Alan Bentrup — Tue, 14 Mar 2023 15:18:33 GMT

What are the stories we don't want to tell?

Kindred

Alan Bentrup — Mon, 06 Mar 2023 15:45:22 GMT

God loves everyone you hate.

Fully Exposed

Alan Bentrup — Wed, 01 Mar 2023 02:58:08 GMT

Who told you that you were the worst thing you had ever done?

Changes and Chances (A sermon for Last Epiphany A 2023)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 19 Feb 2023 21:23:34 GMT

We’re going to let God speak to us in the midst of the changes of this life. I don’t know what changes you are dealing with. Maybe it's a change in your health or well-being. Maybe it’s a change in your family. Maybe it’s a change in your work. Maybe it’s a dream that didn’t work out, or even a dream that is working out better than you imagined. In the midst of all of these changes, we’re going to listen for God’s voice.

Salt & Light (a sermon for Epiphany 5A, 2023)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 05 Feb 2023 18:17:18 GMT

There are profound implications to being named salt and light. Salt and light transform things. Salt and light reveal things. And we are called to transform human activity in such a way that it reveals God in this world.

The Road Ahead (A Sermon for Epiphany 4A, 2023)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 29 Jan 2023 18:18:17 GMT

Jesus' strategy for facing the road ahead can be found right here in today’s Gospel, in the beatitudes: Blessed are the poor in spirit. Blessed are those who mourn. Blessed are the meek. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. Blessed are the merciful. Blessed are the pure in heart. Blessed are the peacemakers. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake. This is how we face the challenges, the uncertainties, and the opportunities of life. This is how we face the road ahead.

Turning Points (A Sermon for Epiphany 3A)

Alan Bentrup — Wed, 25 Jan 2023 14:37:43 GMT

He only really says two things today: “Repent,” and “Follow me.” At some level they are two sides of the same coin. Repentance is more than just a moral change. It is a life change, a turning point. We look in a diΛerent direction. We travel a new road.

A Firsthand Faith (A Sermon for Epiphany 2A 2023)

Alan Bentrup — Tue, 17 Jan 2023 14:27:25 GMT

Jesus oΛers more than his address. He oΛers an invitation. “Come and see,” he says.

The Poetry of Christmas (A Sermon for Christmas 1, 2022)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 25 Dec 2022 17:25:12 GMT

Luke tells us what happened, John tells us it means. Luke tells the Christmas story with facts, John tells it with poetry.

Tell Me the Story (A Sermon for Christmas Eve, 2022)

Alan Bentrup — Sat, 24 Dec 2022 22:39:09 GMT

Regardless of who we are, regardless of what we’ve done, and regardless of what we’ve been through or going through, God is with us. The Good News of the Incarnation, the great joy of Christmas, is that God is with us

God Knows the Way Out

Alan Bentrup — Mon, 19 Dec 2022 18:29:31 GMT

A sermon for our Blue Christmas service

Viriditas (A Sermon for Advent 3A, 2022)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 11 Dec 2022 18:33:09 GMT

No wasteland is too far gone for God to restore it. No person or situation is so dead that God cannot find life in it. That’s what we’re preparing for this Advent season… for the hope, the joy, and the love of God that is coming to transform this desert world.

Give Thanks (a Sermon for the Eve of Thanksgiving, 2022)

Alan Bentrup — Thu, 24 Nov 2022 03:52:35 GMT

Thank you for believing in the mission of this church, for being companions together in faith, and for being a reminder of the love of God to all you encounter in the world each day. I am grateful for you, for this place, and for the ways God’s dreams are continuing to be revealed in the midst of us.

We Belong (A Sermon for the Feast of All Saints’, 2022)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 06 Nov 2022 18:20:45 GMT

And that’s why we renew our baptismal vows on this day. To remind ourselves that we are loved and chosen and part of God’s kingdom. To remind ourselves that we take our place in the communion of the saints. To remind ourselves that we belong.

Feeling Small

Alan Bentrup — Mon, 31 Oct 2022 21:58:55 GMT

Whatever is going on in your life, whether death or divorce or pain or fear or shame…that’s the place where Jesus stops, looks up with love and acceptance, and calls you back down into a new life.

Enduring Faith

Alan Bentrup — Mon, 24 Oct 2022 15:41:23 GMT

The life of faith is not a race that can be won. It can only be run. It can only be endured.

Enduring Word (a Sermon for Proper 23C, 2022)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 09 Oct 2022 17:10:48 GMT

We can argue over values, or debate worldviews, and even disagree on whether some ancient words on pottery should be read left to right or right to left. But if we focus too much on that, it only leads to division and hatred and ruin. What we are oΛered, and what we are called to oΛer the world, is Jesus Christ. That’s the Gospel. And that’s the Word that endures.

An Enduring Legacy (a Sermon for Proper 22C, 2022)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 02 Oct 2022 17:03:05 GMT

We don’t always get a chance to thank the people who have impacted our lives. And we don’t always know the lives we’ll impact. Who is part of your legacy? Who are the people that shared and showed the love of God to you? Who are the people that made you feel welcome, that made you feel important, and made you feel loved? Who are your Eunice and Lois and Lacy?

Endure: Letters to Timothy (a Sermon for Proper 21C, 2022)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 25 Sep 2022 18:31:34 GMT

These words rang true for Timothy. These words rang true for the Queen. And I pray these words ring true for you and for me… “But as for you, children of God, shun all worldly things… Shun power and riches and fame and control and division and hatred and ego… And pursue good things… pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, gentleness, endurance…. Fight the good ﬁght of the faith; take hold of the eternal life, to which you were called…” (6.11-12)

Seeking the Lost (A Sermon for Proper 19C 2022)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 11 Sep 2022 18:31:50 GMT

I say that every week. Everyone is welcome at God’s table. Everyone. Even me, and even you. Because Jesus found us all. Therefore let us keep the feast.

Historical Markers: All In (A Sermon for Proper 18C 2022)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 04 Sep 2022 17:27:51 GMT

Jesus calls us to get rid of anything and everything that comes between us and God and each other. That is why the picture Jesus draws in today’s Gospel is so vivid. Following Jesus is hard. Following Jesus is costly. Because Jesus calls us to be all in… Are you ready to cross that line?

Historical Markers: Eyes of Humility (a Sermon for Proper 17C)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 28 Aug 2022 18:50:08 GMT

We can no longer just see the people who can do something for us, and instead look for the people the world overlooks. And we need to see that we all are in equal need of grace and mercy in the eyes of God. And we’re all equally loved in the eyes of God. And if we are in equal need of grace, and we’re all equally loved, we can no longer participate in a system that places more value on some people and less value on others? As we accept Christ’s invitation to join him at Table in the Kingdom of God we must admit that we are only there because of God’s grace and mercy and love.

Historical Markers: Reckless Love (a Sermon for Proper 16C, 2022)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 21 Aug 2022 22:50:52 GMT

In a world full of too many rules, too much fear, and too much sadness that tries to convince us otherwise, we are set free from all sorts of bondage. Like the woman in today’s Gospel, we are set free to live in the miracle of new life and second chances and amazing grace and reckless love, every day, in Jesus’ name.

Historical Markers: Expectant Hope (a Sermon for the Feast of St. Mary, 2022)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 14 Aug 2022 19:45:00 GMT

Like Mary singing about what she knows God will do, we carry that same expectant hope of what God in Christ is doing in and through and around us. A hope that sees hate and meets it with love. A hope that sees failure and meets it with opportunity. A hope that sees brokenness and meets it with wholeness. A hope that sees fear and meets it with faith. A hope that sees death and meets it with life. If that isn’t hope, I don’t know what is. And that’s a hope that our schools…our churches…our world is longing for.

Historical Markers: Fearless Faith (a Sermon for Proper 14C, 2022)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 07 Aug 2022 22:19:26 GMT

Fearless faith isn’t a straight line where we decide to follow God and never doubt or question or fail or want to turn back. Fearless faith doesn’t mean we never struggle with our faith. Fearless faith doesn’t mean we never deconstruct our faith. Fearless faith is taking the next step, knowing God is there. Fearless faith means trusting that God is here, with us, even when we don’t feel it. Fearless faith is believing that God continues to be present, even when we lack the certainty of a vision, or the certainty of direction, or the certainty of anything.

Historical Markers: Bold Prayer

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 24 Jul 2022 19:37:15 GMT

Our historical marker this week is BOLD PRAYER. Followers of Jesus are marked by bold prayer. Despite our enslavement to sin and brokenness and pride and shame, we pray boldly. Our circumstances don’t always change when we pray. But we change. Our hearts and our minds change, as we boldly proclaim that God has been, is, and always will be working in and through us.

Historical Markers: Radical Welcome

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 17 Jul 2022 21:11:37 GMT

We practice the radical welcome of Jesus who turns the world upside down. Everyone is welcome in God’s kingdom. And everyone is welcome at St. Martin’s. As Jesus continues on his journey to Jerusalem, he leaves behind him individuals, households, villages, and a whole world that will never be the same. Because they have glimpsed a new vision of God’s radical welcome.

A Harvest of Hope

Alan Bentrup — Tue, 05 Jul 2022 16:41:36 GMT

I have a friend who has the word “hope” tattooed on her arm. It’s a reminder to her of God’s presence and faithfulness in times of gut-wrenching pain and grief. For her, it calls to mind 1 Thessalonians 4:13…”we do not grieve as those who have no hope.”

Even when we don’t feel it, we are people of hope.

Even when we’re all tears and broken hearts, we are people of hope.

Even when it seems like a pinprick of light down a really long hallway, we are people of hope.

The Unbearable Love of God (A Sermon for Trinity Sunday 2022)

Alan Bentrup — Mon, 13 Jun 2022 02:33:28 GMT

The fullness of God is unbearable. The fullness of God is too big, too beautiful, too wild, to be understood, explained, or contained.

Lament & Hope (a sermon for Easter 7C, 2022)

Alan Bentrup — Mon, 30 May 2022 17:12:53 GMT

How long, oh Lord!

We lament. We yell. We grieve.

But we don’t grieve as the world grieves. We don’t grieve as people who have no hope.

Even in the midst of weeks like this…. Even in the midst of heartache like this…

We hope.

We have Easter hope.

Love Makes All Things New (a Sermon for Easter 5C, 2022)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 15 May 2022 23:02:39 GMT

God redeems and restores and renews the whole world, through love. And the world will know that we are his disciples, not by the right opinions or positions or allegiances. The world will know that we are Jesus’ disciples by our love. We as Christians don’t stand on issues. We walk with people, in love. And God loves everyone. Even you. And even me.

We're Just Getting Started (a Sermon for Easter 2C, 2022)

Alan Bentrup — Mon, 25 Apr 2022 15:14:53 GMT

When we walk in faith and love together, your chips and my cracks and your brokenness come together.

When we walk in faith and love together, when our life together is shaped by the cross, we're beautiful.

The Story is Just Getting Started (a Sermon for Easter Sunday, 2022)

Alan Bentrup — Mon, 18 Apr 2022 13:20:24 GMT

God is always out ahead of us, making all things new!

The Story is Good (A Sermon for Good Friday, 2022)

Alan Bentrup — Sat, 16 Apr 2022 01:48:58 GMT

Today, on Good Friday, the cross stands tall and declares that the story isn’t over if the story isn’t good. Jesus, the perfect, sinless man, today is smashed to pieces with us.

The Story Isn’t Over (A Sermon for Maundy Thursday, 2022)

Alan Bentrup — Fri, 15 Apr 2022 02:13:36 GMT

Tonight Jesus washes those chipped and cracked and broken pieces. He’s lovingly preparing these chipped and cracked and broken pieces, because Jesus has something better in store for them. And Jesus is lovingly preparing us, too. Because Jesus has something better in store for us.

The Story Is Broken (A Sermon for Palm Sunday, 2022)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 10 Apr 2022 17:54:50 GMT

I invite you to join us for the triduum, the great three days, as we walk from the upper room to the garden to the cross. You’ll be seeing these bowls again this week. Their brokenness, as a symbol of our brokenness, will be a guide for our Holy Week. I can’t wait to see what God can do with them. And I can’t wait to see what God can do with us. I bet it will be so, so beautiful.

Open Our Hands ( A Sermon for Lent 2C, 2022)

Alan Bentrup — Tue, 15 Mar 2022 23:01:35 GMT

With each step Jesus is saying, “don’t be afraid, I am with you.” With each step Jesus is saying, “you can’t do it all, you need each other.” With each step Jesus is saying, “I will heal you, forgive you, and make you whole.” With each step Jesus is saying, “I will pursue you to the very end even to death and beyond.” With each step Jesus is saying, “I love you.” We just need to open our hands, let go of the stones, and hold on to Jesus.

I Hate Ash Wednesday

Alan Bentrup — Thu, 03 Mar 2022 16:16:11 GMT

Learning to love, and learning what to love…learning what to hold on to and what to let go of…that’s the real work of Lent. That’s when Lent gets through to me. That’s when I stop doing Lent, and when I start letting Lent do it’s work on me.

12 Mighty Orphans ( A Sermon for Epiphany 6C, 2022)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 13 Feb 2022 23:34:02 GMT

Jesus sees you when you are poor and when you are rich. Jesus sees you when you are hungry and when you are well-Ξlled. Jesus sees you when you are weeping and when you are laughing. Jesus sees you when you are excluded and when you are brought in. Jesus sees you. Even on the days when it is hard to look in the mirror…Jesus sees you. There isn’t anything you can do to change that. Nothing you do can make God love you less, and God won’t ever give up on you. God is with us. God is for us. God loves us. God sees us.

God’s Agenda of Love

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 30 Jan 2022 17:52:57 GMT

Jesus has a broad and expansive and abundant vision for his ministry, and the people seem to have a diΛerent, more narrow and scarce vision. They are so caught up in their own agenda they can’t hear, let alone participate in, God’s agenda. What do you think? Does that ever happen in today’s world? In the church? In our own lives?

It’s Time (A Sermon for Epiphany 2C 2022)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 16 Jan 2022 18:08:00 GMT

Will we ask ourselves what Jesus is telling us to do? What is Jesus telling you to do? What is Jesus telling St. Martin’s to do?

Expectations

Alan Bentrup — Mon, 10 Jan 2022 02:07:33 GMT

Where does Jesus meet us in our expectations?

Love Became Flesh (A Sermon for Christmas 1, 2021)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 26 Dec 2021 18:45:06 GMT

“...the Word became Οesh and lived among us.” It did in Jesus. And it did in two Ξshermen from Virginia. It did in the lawn guy with a truck. So, what about you and me?

God Is Here! (A Sermon for Christmas Eve, 2021)

Alan Bentrup — Sat, 25 Dec 2021 03:26:22 GMT

That’s why we gather on this night year after year. To hear once again the story of God’s Hope. God’s Peace. God’s Joy. God’s never-ending, never failing, never-ceasing Love. No matter where you are. No matter what you’re feeling. No matter the burden you’re carrying. Listen to what God is saying to you…open your eyes to what God is showing you…through a little boy born this night… I love you any way you feel, no matter what you do. I love you any way you are, I love you because you’re you!

The Next Right Thing (a sermon for Advent 3C, 2021)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 12 Dec 2021 18:06:46 GMT

It is Advent. We’re waiting for the world to change. We’re waiting for our world to change. And that usually starts by us making a change. So go and do the next right thing.

Our Kingdoms Fall (A Sermon for Christ The King Sunday, Year B 2021)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 21 Nov 2021 17:48:45 GMT

If Christ is our king, then we are free to truly see each other… If Christ is our king, then we are free to truly hear each other… If Christ is our king, then we are free to truly love each other.

A Failure of Imagination (a sermon for the Feast of St. Martin)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 14 Nov 2021 19:02:44 GMT

What does the world need St. Martin’s to be? What does God want St. Martin’s to be? We aren’t the St. Martin’s of Ξfty years ago when those six families got together. We aren’t the St. Martin’s of 21 months ago before COVID. We aren’t even the St. Martin’s of four months ago before I moved here. We can’t be limited by the ideas of who we were, or even who we wanted to be, in those times and in those places. Because we are St. Martin’s, now. This time. This place. And we have to open our imaginations to what new thing Jesus might be calling us to be.

Walking in Love (A Sermon for Proper 26B - 2021)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 31 Oct 2021 17:34:40 GMT

We’re called to love when it’s hard. We’re called to love when it might cost us something. We’re called to love when we don’t know how the journey will look. We’re called to love, period.

Following the Way (A Sermon for Proper 25B - 2021)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 24 Oct 2021 19:51:24 GMT

This blind man could see that following the way of Jesus meant risking ridicule by shouting out. This blind man could see that following the way of Jesus meant giving up any thoughts of power. This blind man could see that following the way Jesus meant leaving behind everything he had.

Giving Up Stewardship

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 10 Oct 2021 18:17:58 GMT

Jesus is inviting the young man to give up relying on himself and instead become a disciple. To become part of something greater than he can imagine. To become part of something that will change the world. And Jesus is asking us to do the same thing.

God Hears Our Voice (a sermon for Proper 21B 2021)

Alan Bentrup — Mon, 27 Sep 2021 12:05:56 GMT

We’re about to baptize two babies. Their parents and Godparents will make some promises, the whole congregation will make some promises, and then these two little babies will be baptized.

They didn’t do anything to deserve it, they don’t even yet know what it means.

But God knows what it means.

It means that they are, today, a child of God. They are, today, a sibling of all of us.

And it means they have everything they need to follow Jesus.

Sure, they’re going to grow and learn and do great things. But nothing they can learn or do will make them any more a part of God’s family. Nothing they can learn or do will ever make their voice more important to God.

Every Step of the Way (a sermon for the Feast of Philander Chase)

Alan Bentrup — Wed, 22 Sep 2021 21:07:28 GMT

Regardless of our career, our call is the same. Sometimes that journey will be scary. Sometimes that journey will be lonely. But we still must go. And like Tommy...like Bishop Chase...we know that Jesus is with us every step of the way.

I Wonder... (A Sermon for Proper 19B)

Alan Bentrup — Wed, 15 Sep 2021 01:25:03 GMT

I wonder if this new story can help us redefine our priorities to be more in line with those of Jesus….

I wonder if this new story can help us better see each other as brothers and sisters and siblings in Christ...

I wonder if this new story can help us take God more seriously than we take ourselves…

Everything we do here, from worship to formation to fellowship to service in the community, the purpose of all of this is to help us learn what it means to be followers of Jesus.

I wonder what Jesus is going to teach us next…?

The Lord is Near (A Sermon for Proper 16B)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 22 Aug 2021 17:10:20 GMT

Scripture doesn’t ever really give us an answer to the question of suffering. Scripture is full of stories of bad things happening to the righteous and the unrighteous, however we’d define those groups. Scripture is full of bad things happening to people that love God.

We’re not promised a life free of suffering. We’re not promised a life free from heartbreak.

But God does promise to draw near.

The Bread of Life (A Sermon for Proper 14B, 2021)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 08 Aug 2021 17:23:12 GMT

When we feast on Jesus, we live differently. When we believe in Jesus, we live differently. When we trust in Jesus, we live differently. When we pattern our lives in the way of Jesus, we live differently.

A Worthy Calling (A Sermon for Proper 13B, 2021)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 01 Aug 2021 19:05:29 GMT

I don’t think it’s a coincidence that this reading from Ephesians popped up today. This reading clearly lays out our job descriptions. What we’re called to do. God has called you all to be the people of St. Martin’s. God...through you...has called me to be your rector. God has called us...all of us...to be the body of Christ in this part of the world. And I’m glad that we get to do this together.

Follow Jesus (a sermon for Proper 9B 2021)

Alan Bentrup — Mon, 05 Jul 2021 01:56:45 GMT

We need to follow Jesus...who calls us to leave our comfortable pews and serve. We need to follow Jesus...who calls us to tell the world the Good News that conquers death. We need to follow Jesus...who calls us to love our neighbor, even when our neighbor is hard to love. We need to follow Jesus, who calls us to dine with tax collectors, beggars, and sinners. We need to follow Jesus, who calls us to reach out to others across the boundaries of race, color, college football team, and anything other dividing wall we try to throw up.

Jesus’ Touch (A Sermon for Proper 8B, 2021)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 27 Jun 2021 16:58:53 GMT

But, when Jesus touches the unclean thing, the power is reversed. This is the power of Jesus’ touch. To make that which the law declares as unclean to be clean. To take that which the world casts out and bring it back in.

Faith and Fear (A Sermon for Proper 7B, 2021)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 20 Jun 2021 20:18:01 GMT

They didn’t know the whole plan. They just knew the next step Jesus was asking them to take: Get on the boat and cross the border that lies between what you know, where your comfort is, and that which is wholly other to you. Theirs was a response of faith, not fear.

More Than You Can See (A Sermon for Proper 6B 2021)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 13 Jun 2021 18:36:49 GMT

In today’s parable, we’re invited to see how God is always at work in our lives, like a seed scattered upon the earth. As a seed does its seed thing, so the kingdom does its kingdom thing. We may not understand it. Outward appearances may even suggest God is absent. It may look like nothing is happening. We sleep and rise. We wait. We trust. We hope. We pray. We go about the ordinary work of life. Yet within that ordinariness, the life of God has already been planted in each one of us. One day it sprouts. It grows. The invisible becomes visible. The full harvest was always there, hidden in the seeds. It may have been invisible but it was never absent. We now see what has always been.

The Family Table (A Sermon for Proper 5B 2021)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 06 Jun 2021 16:05:49 GMT

It’s alright if the world thinks you’re a little weird, because family even loves the weird ones.

For God So Loved... (a sermon for Trinity Sunday 2021)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 30 May 2021 16:51:35 GMT

For God so loves Nicodemus. For God so loves you. For God so loves me. For God so loves the whole world...that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but may have eternal life.

Unlock the Doors (A Sermon for Pentecost)

Alan Bentrup — Mon, 24 May 2021 01:23:14 GMT

Jesus comes to us - behind any locked doors we try to put in the way- and gives us his peace. Then he gives us his power to do the kinds of things that mere humans can’t do, the kind of things that Jesus was doing. Things like defeating our own selΟshness, loving other people, tending to the sick and suΜering, breaking down walls of division, and reconciling the world.

Thresholds (A Sermon for Easter 7B, 2021)

Alan Bentrup — Sat, 22 May 2021 19:44:26 GMT

And what if we took our cue from Jesus? What if we came to the thresholds in our life trusting that Jesus Christ is with us. In the joy and in the sorrow. In the hope and in the despair. In the living and in the dying. Jesus is with us...always with us...at the threshold. And we know that Easter is always on the other side.

There is Only Us (A sermon for Easter 5B, 2021)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 02 May 2021 23:24:48 GMT

God’s love knows no boundary. God’s love knows no division. God’s love knows no “us” and “them.”

The Frightening Message of Easter

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 18 Apr 2021 18:04:33 GMT

What are we willing to risk?

The Story Isn’t Over (A Sermon for Maundy Thursday, 2021)

Alan Bentrup — Mon, 12 Apr 2021 17:08:58 GMT

It’s rather like being on the roller coaster of our salvation story: the joyous wine of the banquet mixed with the bitterness of betrayal; the shame and agony of crucifixion answered with the unbelievable promise of life beyond the grave.

The Way of Jesus (A Sermon for Lent 2B)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 28 Feb 2021 14:53:34 GMT

Jesus chose to give in a world that takes. Jesus chose to love in a world that hates. Jesus chose to heal in a world that injures. Jesus chose peace in a world at war. Jesus chose to give life in a world that kills. Jesus offered mercy when others sought vengeance, forgiveness when others condemned, and compassion when others were indifferent.

Can Anything Good Come Out Of Nazareth?

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 17 Jan 2021 14:13:37 GMT

At the deepest level our Nazareths are about our understanding of God. We just can’t see how anything good can come out of Nazareth. We cannot believe that God can be present, active, and revealed in Nazareth, whether it be another person, a relationship, a situation, or our own life.

Growing Up and Leaving Home

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 03 Jan 2021 17:07:17 GMT

St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church (Columbia, S.C.) Luke 2:31-52

God Is Always With Us (A Sermon for Christmas Day, 2020)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 27 Dec 2020 18:40:57 GMT

Christmas this year has been isolating for many. Maybe it was for you. But the Good News of God in Christ is that the Word has become flesh and dwells among us. The Word isn’t just present in the big fancy church services, or the wonderful family dinners, or the Christmas parties. God is not just with us on the days when our calendars or homes or hearts are full. God is with us in the everyday, mundane, isolated moments. God is with us in the joy and the sorrow. God is with us in the dark and the light. God is with us in death and in life.

Risk and Hope (A Sermon for Proper 27A 2020)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 15 Nov 2020 15:33:34 GMT

What are we willing to risk for the treasure entrusted to us?

This World Is Not About Us (A Sermon for Proper 27A 2020)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 08 Nov 2020 16:12:11 GMT

Sometimes you have to ditch your sermon and just talk about division and reconciliation for 20 minutes...

How Often Should I Forgive? (A Sermon for Proper 19A)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 13 Sep 2020 15:16:10 GMT

How many times must we choose to forgive? Tell me this. How many times have you been hurt and suffered by the actions or words of another? How many times has anger or fear controlled you? How many times has the thought of revenge filled you? How many times have you shuddered at the sight, the name, or the memory of another? How many times have you replayed in your head the argument with another? That’s how many times you choose. “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.”

The Yoke of Christ (A Sermon for Proper 9A, 2020)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 05 Jul 2020 14:56:00 GMT

“Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me,” he says. Let your heart love like Jesus. Let your mind be filled with the same concerns as Jesus. Let your feet walk in step Jesus. Let your hands touch the world like Jesus. Let your eyes see the world like Jesus sees the world. Live a life yoked with Jesus Christ, living and moving and breathing as one, and you will find rest for your soul.

Love Triangles (A Sermon for Proper 7A, 2020)

Alan Bentrup — Mon, 22 Jun 2020 20:15:23 GMT

Loving Jesus first doesn’t mean only loving Jesus. We still love our friends, our families, our communities, and ourselves. But when we love those things first, before or without Jesus at the center, that’s idolatry. When our first love is Jesus, we can love our families best. Even and perhaps especially - when that means calling out and working to heal the sin and brokenness we see in our families. When our first love is Jesus, we can love our country and community best. Even - and perhaps especially - when that means calling out and working to heal the sin and brokenness we see in our country and community. When our first love is Jesus, we can love ourselves best. Even - and perhaps especially - when that means calling out and working to heal the sin and brokenness we see in ourselves.

Together (a sermon for the Seventh Sunday of Easter, 2020)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 24 May 2020 14:22:23 GMT

We’re in different homes, different cities, different places, with our own gifts and abilities. But we’re together, even when we’re apart. (Preached from my back yard for the good folks of Holy Trinity, Clemson)

Listen to him. Get up. Don’t be afraid. (A sermon for Last Epiphany 2020)

Alan Bentrup — Wed, 26 Feb 2020 18:33:59 GMT

What do we do when everything is changing?

We’ll leave the light on for you (a sermon for Epiphany 5C)

Alan Bentrup — Mon, 10 Feb 2020 16:06:50 GMT

How are we the light of the world when the power has gone out?

Show up, look around, and wait. (A sermon for the Feast of the Presentation).

Alan Bentrup — Mon, 10 Feb 2020 15:55:40 GMT

What can we learn from Simeon?

A Life Changing Experience (A Sermon for Epiphany 2A 2020)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 19 Jan 2020 23:00:48 GMT

We can hear all about him, we can read the stories, we can sing the songs, and we know something about Jesus. But, like the beach, like our favorite bands, like the Holy Land, just learning about it doesn’t suffice. You have to encounter it in real life to truly begin to grasp what is. When we truly encounter Jesus Christ, it changes everything.

Children of God (A Sermon for Epiphany 1A 2020)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 19 Jan 2020 00:46:02 GMT

A week late in posting, but my sermon from January 12, 2020, at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Columbia, SC.

Jesus, Remember Me (a sermon for the last Sunday after Pentecost, 2019)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 24 Nov 2019 21:13:43 GMT

We all want to be remembered. It means that we matter, we belong, we exist.

When we are remembered, someone else bears witness to all those things.

When we are remembered it is as if our life is being put back together, because it is. That is exactly what is happening. We are being made whole.

When Temples Fall (a sermon for Proper 28C 2019)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 17 Nov 2019 18:53:34 GMT

When our temples fall, we discover that God has always been with us – in the changes, chances, and chaos of life; in the pain, loss, and disappointment.

Stone by stone, God rebuilds our lives. Stone by stone, God restores the original beauty of our life and world. Stone by stone, a new temple arises from the rubble.

Life Is Hard, Do Not Lose Faith (a sermon for Proper 19, 2019)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 15 Sep 2019 16:03:25 GMT

What did I learn from the night my life changed?

God Found Us

Alan Bentrup — Mon, 09 Sep 2019 18:26:39 GMT

A sermon preached at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Columbia, S.C., on the Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord.

We Are In This Together (a sermon for Heathwood Haol's Convocation)

Alan Bentrup — Wed, 04 Sep 2019 17:33:25 GMT

Through our highs and our lows, our hopes and our fears, our wins and our losses... We are in this together.

There Are No Strangers in Houston Right Now (a sermon for Proper 17C 2019)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 01 Sep 2019 20:22:55 GMT

As I was riding in the back of Ismael’s truck, with my family safe and on the way to meet friends, I texted my mom and sisters. I joked that we hopped in some guys truck to hitch a ride, and my sister replied back saying “You’re not supposed to take rides from strangers :-)”

Here’s what I told her: “Nobody is a stranger in Houston right now. These folks can’t get to their house, but they have a truck so they are helping others.”

That is kingdom hospitality. That is the kingdom of God.

The Divisive Love of God (a Sermon for Proper 15C)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 18 Aug 2019 16:09:02 GMT

But this love, God’s love, just as likely to bring us stress and division rather than peace and harmony. And this is Good News.

Waiting (A Sermon for Proper 14C 2019)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 18 Aug 2019 16:04:00 GMT

One reality of life is waiting; waiting for someone to show up, for something to happen, for things to change.

Language Matters (A Sermon for Proper 13C, 2019)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 04 Aug 2019 16:16:22 GMT

This has to stop. And we have to change the way we speak to and about each other.

Unity, Not Uniformity (A Sermon for Easter 7C 2019)

Alan Bentrup — Tue, 04 Jun 2019 13:03:45 GMT

John 17:20-26

Jesus prayed for his disciples, and then he said. "I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. Father, I desire that those also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory, which you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.

"Righteous Father, the world does not know you, but I know you; and these know that you have sent me. I made your name known to them, and I will make it known, so that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them."

The Scent of Resurrection

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 05 May 2019 16:37:04 GMT

A sermon for Easter 3C, preached at St. Michael & All Angels, Columbia, S.C.

We Have Seen the Risen Christ (A Sermon for for the Feast of the Resurrection - 2019)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 21 Apr 2019 18:18:35 GMT

We Have Seen the Risen Christ (A Sermon for for the Feast of the Resurrection - 2019)
All Saints Episcopal Church (Beech Island, SC)
John 20:1-18
April 21, 2019

We are called to go from this place and tell the world that pain and sorrow and death and despair will never...can never...have the final say.

So go out and share your story. Go out and share the story.

Our Time Has Come (a homily for Monday of Holy Week, 2019)

Alan Bentrup — Mon, 15 Apr 2019 17:07:42 GMT

The waiting is almost over.

On Earth, As It Is In Heaven (A Sermon for Lent 2C, 2019)

Alan Bentrup — Tue, 19 Mar 2019 00:06:11 GMT

These may seem like abstractions, like pie-in-the-sky theology that will never, ever, in a million years become a reality. And yet, as followers of Jesus Christ, we live each day with the expectation that heaven on earth will come to fruition.

And in so doing, we make it more real. We live our heavenly citizenship. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done. We pray this daily because we are people of hope.

Crossing Boundaries for Love (a sermon for Wednesday in the first week of Lent)

Alan Bentrup — Thu, 14 Mar 2019 00:31:58 GMT

he clearest definition I’ve ever heard for the mission of God is this: Crossing boundaries for love.

Bishop Holly did that his whole life. He was a priest and a bishop and a missionary that crossed boundaries, literally and figuratively. That’s why we remember him today.

Philip did that, when he listened to the Spirit’s call to to cross a boundary and engage in conversation with the Ethiopian.

Lent...and this journey to Good Friday and Easter...is a reminder that Jesus crossed crossed the ultimate boundary...between heaven and earth...for love.

So, I ask you? Where do you see boundaries in your community? In your church? In your own life?

And what boundaries are you willing to cross for love?

Who Is My Neighbor? (a Lenten series at St. John's Episcopal Church, Winnsboro, SC)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 10 Mar 2019 22:57:01 GMT

“Who Is My Neighbor ?” is a four-part Lenten Series beginning Sunday, March 10 at 4:00 p.m. sponsored by St. John’s Episcopal Church, 301 W. Liberty St., Winnsboro, SC. Speakers from the Episcopal, Jewish, Muslim and Greek Orthodox faiths will offer insights and observations about their faith and how love is the starting point for interfaith dialogue.

Click here for my initial manuscript (which is never fully what I end up saying...)

The Fasting God Wants (a sermon for the Friday after Ash Wednesday)

Alan Bentrup — Fri, 08 Mar 2019 18:40:18 GMT

Why do we fast?

We Know How This Thing Ends (A sermon for the last Monday after the Epiphany)

Alan Bentrup — Mon, 04 Mar 2019 18:04:23 GMT

When we know the end of the story, it frees us to look at the journey in a new way.

Right Here. Right Now. Today (A Sermon for Epiphany 3C, 2019)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 27 Jan 2019 16:58:15 GMT

Jesus is asking his friends to open their eyes, to see God at work in the world around them, and to look for those ways they might participate in God’s mission. Right here. Right now. Today. In a very real way, the Spirit was upon Jesus. And that same Spirit abides in you, and me, and all of us. Right here. Right now. Today. And by emphasizing the word “today,” Jesus transformed Isaiah's words, Isaiah's prophecy, into a powerful invitation for the whole community to act on behalf of God's dream of justice. Right here. Right now. Today.

Timing is Everything (A Sermon for Epiphany 2C)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 20 Jan 2019 19:40:44 GMT

Timing is everything, and it is time to pray and discern and study the Bible and get to know our neighborhoods, so that we can figure out what particular roles we play in these stories.

What Are We Waiting For? ( A Sermon for Advent 1C 2018)

Alan Bentrup — Mon, 03 Dec 2018 13:42:35 GMT

We don’t just need to wait for the Light to come. We need to be the light in the world.

Sacrificial. Selfless. Reckless. (A Sermon for Proper 27B - 2018)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 11 Nov 2018 18:41:16 GMT

To me, this section of Mark isn’t rocket science. It is about how we are supposed to live. About how we are supposed to love. I don’t know if y’all are in your stewardship season or not, but it’s also about how we’re supposed to give. But above all, it is about how we are supposed to respond to God and relate to one another. Loving...living...giving. Sacrificially...selflessly...recklessly.

Live and Love Like the Saints (a sermon for Proper 26B

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 04 Nov 2018 17:18:03 GMT

What is the greatest commandment?

I Want To See Again (A Sermon for Proper 25B 2018)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 28 Oct 2018 16:42:28 GMT

What do you want me to do for you? I want to see everything as made in God's image.

Four Hard Things (a sermon for the Feast of Ignatius of Antioch)

Alan Bentrup — Wed, 17 Oct 2018 16:42:25 GMT

Pocket Knives and the Kingdom of God

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 14 Oct 2018 14:15:24 GMT

What are we willing to give up to follow Jesus?

Listen Like a Child (A Sermon for Proper 22B)

Alan Bentrup — Mon, 08 Oct 2018 00:39:35 GMT

Jesus is talking about a relationship all right, but perhaps he is using marriage as a metaphor for something bigger. Jesus is talking about brokenness in our lives, and in our relationships...but he is talking about the source of that brokenness. Hard hearts. Unlistening hearts.

The River Is Moving (A Sermon for EDUSC Clergy Conference)

Alan Bentrup — Tue, 25 Sep 2018 20:21:50 GMT

As is the case with any successful institution, the church as we know it today was built with the best social and religious engineering available: as a robust and hardy structure to last. A lot of time, energy, sweat, and money has been invested. Generations of investment. And it served as a bridge for many to move from birth to death. It spanned the river. And that all worked very well when the river was in the right place.

Stand With Christ, Stand With Others (A Sermon for Proper 7B)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 24 Jun 2018 18:45:10 GMT

We stood with one another when we faced a storm 10 months ago. And we are called every day to stand with each other in all the other storms we face in our lives. But that’s the easy part. We’re also called to stand with those that aren’t in this room right now. Jesus and his disciples were going to the other side of the lake when all this happened. They were going to the people that weren’t part of their tribe. They were going to the people on the margins.

Reckless Love of God (A Sermon for Trinity Sunday)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 27 May 2018 18:58:43 GMT

Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God Oh, it chases me down, fights ‘til I’m found, leaves the ninety-nine I couldn’t earn it, I don’t deserve it, still You give Yourself away Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God

This is Our Altar Call (A Sermon for Easter 7B)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 13 May 2018 21:18:01 GMT

In First John, and throughout the Gospel of John, eternal life doesn’t just mean life beyond the grave. Eternal life isn’t just talking about what happens after we die, but instead it is about how we live now - before we die - once we put our faith in Christ. Eternal life is full life, everlasting life, changed life, now and in the world to come.

Bentrup, Germany (A Sermon for Easter 6B)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 06 May 2018 18:39:06 GMT

This is the faith that overcomes the world: God’s love brings healing out of brokenness. God’s love brings light out of darkness. God’s love brings day out of night. God’s love brings life out of death.

Plenty of Work for Love to Do (A Sermon for Easter 5B)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 29 Apr 2018 18:24:58 GMT

We live in a world that is broken, there’s no doubt about that. But that same world is precious to God, is loved by God, and is filled with a great many people called to live out God’s love. Because love is from God. And there is plenty of work for love to do.

You’re Children of God, Now Act Like It! (A Sermon for Easter 3B)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 15 Apr 2018 18:45:15 GMT

You are God’s own beloved child. Become what you already are. Live into your new identity. See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called the children of God! And that is what we are! Now, act like it!

God is (Revealing, Healing, Purifying) Light (A Sermon for Easter 2B)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 08 Apr 2018 19:12:20 GMT

God is light. And walking in that light, being people of that light, will begin to change us. Because the light reveals, heals, and purifies.

Nobody Ever Gets to Stay (A Sermon for for the Feast of the Resurrection - 2018)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 01 Apr 2018 17:23:02 GMT

You can’t stay here, because nobody ever gets to stay. So go out and share your story, share THE story. Shout it into the darkness. Cry out into the emptiness. Tell the world that you have experienced the risen Lord… and he is alive and he has transformed your life… and he is still making all things new. Nobody ever gets to stay. So go.

Nobody Dies Alone (A Sermon for Lent 5B)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 18 Mar 2018 18:55:05 GMT

I suspect the Greeks in today’s gospel didn’t go expecting to talk about death when they showed up to worship. They just wanted to see Jesus. But Jesus talked about death. A lot.

The Hardest Commandment (A Sermon for Lent 3B)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 04 Mar 2018 18:10:57 GMT

Sabbath is taking time for God. It's more than not going to work, not working at home, not sitting at the computer, not working around the house—it's reminding ourselves of God's central place in our lives and being grateful. It’s also reminding ourselves that we aren’t the center of the universe and that work can go on without us.

Luke, Jesus, and the Hebrew Bible

Alan Bentrup — Thu, 01 Mar 2018 15:10:44 GMT

A Lenten presentation for St. Stephen's in Huntsville, Texas, looking at how Luke connects the story of Jesus with the story of Israel.

Resurrection Over Survival (A Sermon for Lent 2B)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 25 Feb 2018 00:00:00 GMT

The way of Christ, self-denial, reminds us that our life is not our own. It belongs to God. It reminds us that we are not in control, God is. Our life is not about us. It is about God There is great freedom in knowing these things. We are free to be fully alive. Through self denial our falling down becomes rising up. Losing is saving. Death is resurrection.

Transforming the Ordinary (A Sermon for Epiphany 3B)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 21 Jan 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Casting and mending are realities of life. They are also the circumstances in which Jesus comes to us, the context in which we hear the call to new life, and the place where we are changed and the ordinary is transformed.

Beloved Children of God (A Sermon for Epiphany 1B, 2018)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 07 Jan 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Take a moment to remember the last baptism you witnessed. Perhaps you can recall the proud parents and godparents, dressed in their Sunday best, standing around the baptismal font. In their arms they hold their young, freshly-bathed child, hoping that she won’t create a fuss. Before them stands the minister or priest, neatly dressed in suit and tie, or robe, or colorful vestments. The font stands ready. The congregation looks on with curiosity and pleasure, wondering how the child will respond to what is about to happen. The atmosphere is peaceful and serene. It is a family occasion, a beautiful moment that will long be remembered.

Just The Beginning (A Sermon for Advent 2A - 2018)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 10 Dec 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Matthew begins with a genealogy linking Jesus back to Abraham. Luke begins with a short address about his research methodology. John begins with a mysterious poem about creation. But Mark just hits the ground running and never looks back. “The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.”

Join the Team (A Sermon for All Saint’s Day)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 05 Nov 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Baseball has the power to unite us across differences that are so often used to divide. That sounds an awful lot like the Christian faith to me, doesn’t it?

Practice Loving Your Neighbor (A Sermon for Proper 25A)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 29 Oct 2017 00:00:00 GMT

So why should we read Leviticus? I believe that underneath all the rules about sacrifice and purity, all the strange regulations about food and clothes, there is a vision of holiness and harmony with God that is life-giving and has the potential to speak a healing word to our fractured and alienated condition.

Minted in Christ (A Sermon for Proper 24A)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 22 Oct 2017 00:00:00 GMT

God’s motive was freedom from bondage and a new opportunity to rebuild the community. Cyrus’ motive was expanding his territory by military might and increasing the kingdom over which he reigned. How could God rely on someone like that to further God’s intention?

Turn and Live (A Sermon for Proper 21A)

Alan Bentrup — Sat, 30 Sep 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Turn and Live (A Sermon for Proper 21A) by Alan Bentrup

Generosity Over Jealousy (A Sermon for Proper 20A)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 24 Sep 2017 00:00:00 GMT

We all know somebody who never earned nor deserved what they got, right? They didn’t really deserve that job, promotion, raise, recognition, happiness, or success. We worked longer or tried harder, but that didn’t make any difference. More often than not, we view the world, ourselves, and others through the lens of fairness rather than grace. We view ourselves in comparison to others. That’s the exact opposite of how God views the world.

How Often Should I Forgive? (A Sermon for Proper 19A)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 17 Sep 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Forgiveness, for Jesus, is not a quantifiable event. It is a quality; a way of being, a way of living, a way of loving, a way of relating, a way of thinking and seeing. It is nothing less than the way of Christ.

Look to the Rock That Will Last

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 27 Aug 2017 00:00:00 GMT

A sermon for Proper 16A August 27, 2017

Mary, Moana, and the Gospel (A Sermon for St. Mary's Day 2017)

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 20 Aug 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Mary, Moana, and the Gospel (A Sermon for St. Mary's Day 2017)

Transformed for a Purpose (A Sermon for the Feast of the Transfiguration)

Alan Bentrup — Sat, 05 Aug 2017 00:00:00 GMT

“Is it real?” That’s one of my boys’ favorite questions. When they encounter something new or different that is what they want to know. Reality for them is something that can be seen, tasted, touched, smelled, and heard. Reality was determined by, and limited to, the five physical senses.

Be Transformed - A Sermon for VBS Sunday

Alan Bentrup — Sun, 23 Jul 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Be Transformed - A Sermon for VBS Sunday by Alan Bentrup