If you are a preacher following the Revised Common Lectionary, here are a few Lenten Sermons for Year A, Lent 2 to get your juices flowing. If you are not a preacher but need a little faith boost, give these sermons a try. They’re some of my personal favorites!

“Night Questions” – Text: Psalm 121 and John 3:1-17

The world is a different place at night.

Celestial bodies that cannot be seen during the day begin to shine and twinkle into visibility at night. Creatures that remain hidden during the light of day creep forth to hunt and feed. City streets begin to quiet down, and the flow of automobiles starts to ebb, replaced by the rumble of an occasional street sweeper and other odd-shaped vehicles that clean sidewalks, and haul trash away, and repair curbs and potholes. Night shift workers punch in, and houses become quiet as parents put their children to bed, and lights go off, and shadows lengthen

The world is a different place at night.

The earth seems to use the time of night to catch it’s breath, and while it does, humanity sleeps and dreams and prays and thinks and ponders questions that can only be asked in the quiet of the night. (Full Sermon)

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“An Uncertain Faith” – Texts: Genesis 12:1-4 and Romans 4:1-5, 13-17

“Leave your country, your people, and your father’s household, and go to the place I will show you.”

We all know the familiar story of Abraham.

What we sometimes don’t know is that it is the story of all our lives.

We were standing in the parking lot at Plymouth State College. All the necessary things had been carried up to our son’s dormitory room, and now we were back at the car, shuffling our feet and making small talk, knowing that it was time to say, “Goodbye.” It was one of those moments when we all had so much to say, but we just couldn’t say it for fear of the emotion spinning out of control. And then, all at once, there was a hug and a kiss, and our son slowly turned and walked away, out of his parent’s household, into the future. His mother and I wept – and worried – as he walked away. I can imagine he did the same.

I was walking down the aisle with my daughter on my arm. The organ was playing a wedding march, but I was hearing that old schmaltzy song that goes, “Where are you going my little one, little one? Where are you going my baby, my own? Turn around and you’re two, turn around and you’re four, turn around and a you’re a young girl, going out the door.”

And then the verse that sings, “Turn around and you’re tiny, turn around and you’re grown, turn around and you’re a young wife, with babes of your own.”

Her mother and I wept – and worried – as she took her husband’s hand and stepped out of her home country, into the future. I can imagine she did the same.

Erica and Nicholas were sitting on either side of their mother in the hospital bed in Boston, holding tightly to her and relishing her touch for they had been unable to have any physical contact for the several weeks of isolation during her bone marrow transplant. She was bald from the chemotherapy, and jaundiced from the failure of the transplant. She was dying… (Full Sermon)

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“To Believe” – Text: John 3:1-17

“I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord; Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead…”

I believe.

“I believe for every drop of rain that falls, a flower grows. I believe that somewhere in the darkest night, a candle glows. Every time I hear a newborn baby cry, or touch a leaf, or see the sky, then I know why I believe.”

I believe.

“I believe,” said W.C. Fields, “I’ll have another drink.”

I believe.

“Papa Marty,” my grandson Ryan said one Christmas, “do you know that some kids don’t believe in Santa?” “No, really?” I replied. “What about you, Ryan?”

“Papa Marty, I believe!”

I believe.

Everybody believes. Everybody believes something about – well – everything… (Full Sermon)