St. Luke's Blogs

I’ve always admired Diana.  She’s the oldest of my 20+ cousins and has dedicated her life to caring for others.  When I was young, she lived next door to our family, and was always so much fun!  She knew lots of card games and always had great snacks.  My siblings and I spent many happy evenings playing games or watching movies with her.

Diana was married to a church pastor, and she took her role as the pastor’s wife seriously, lovingly caring for those in their family of faith.  Both of her parents had health issues as they aged, and Diana was their caregiver, taking them to doctor appointments and making sure they were comfortable.  After both passed, Diana’s husband became ill, and she cared for him until he passed away.  Then her brother became ill, and she moved into his home to care for him until he died.  Because of her selfless care, all of them were able to remain at home almost the entire time they were ill.

Recently, Diana suffered another loss in the untimely death of her nephew, Allen, who visited her every day…

The Music Man is a bright and happy musical written by Meredith Wilson.  The show centers around Professor Harold Hill.  He claims to sell music instruments and establish marching bands.  The show begins as Professor Hill arrives in River City, Iowa, a town full of stubborn and self-sufficient people who are not welcoming to strangers, especially traveling salesmen. Professor Hill is neither a music teacher nor a salesman.  He is a con man.  The people of River City have good reason to not trust him, but love helps to overcome all the obstacles in this wonderful musical.  Eventually, Professor Hill falls in love with Marian Paroo, the local librarian and piano teacher.  It is a wonderful show with a happy ending.

The show first opened on Broadway in 1957.  It featured Robert Preston as Professor Harold Hill and Barbara Cook as Marian Paroo.  The show has been performed in theatres around the world.  It has won multiple Tony awards and has even been made into a movie, twice.  Just this past year, The Music Man was revived on Broadway.  This time Professor Harold Hill is played by Hugh Jackman and Marian Paroo is played by Sutton Foster…

And Jacob was left alone; and a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and Jacob’s thigh was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. Then he said, “Let me go, for the day is breaking.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go, unless you bless me.” And he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” Then he said, “Your name shall no more be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.”

Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord;
   Lord, hear my voice.
Let your ears be attentive
    to my cry for mercy.

If you, Lord, kept a record of sins,
    Lord, who could stand?
But with you there is forgiveness,
    so that we can, with reverence, serve you.

I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits,
    and in his word I put my hope.
I wait for the Lord
    more than watchmen wait for the morning,
    more than watchmen wait for the morning.

Israel, put your hope in the Lord,
    for with the Lord is unfailing love
    and with him is full redemption.
He himself will redeem Israel
    from all their sins.

I love the St. Luke’s on Broadway sermon series because I love music and the theatre. The first time I remember hearing music from a Broadway show was when I was in elementary school.  I was not in a theatre; I saw it on TV.  It was the Music Man, starring Robert Preston and Shirley Jones. I eventually recorded it on VHS and watched it over and over.  I can’t remember how many times I watched this classic musical. As I grew older, I began listening to the Broadway greats. I loved hearing Michael Crawford singing in the lead role of the Phantom of the Opera. I was mesmerized by the cast of A Chorus Line. And, of course, my favorite musical is Les Miserable, with the amazing Com Wilkinson playing the role of Jean Valjean.

As I grew older, and was able to be part of musical theatre, I quickly learned that musicals were far more than just the few popular names I knew…

John records the story of Jesus healing a man who was blind from birth. It is a powerful story of Jesus showing that he truly has power to bring healing and life to the world. However, the healing is not the main point of the story. It is the conversation around the healing that John is concerned about recounting.

I can’t imagine what it would be like to receive such a miracle. This had to be the greatest day of his life. It was a day worthy of celebration and a moment fit for rejoicing. However, the people around him could not celebrate, because they were only focused on themselves, their questions, and their concerns about Jesus…

Can you imagine what it must have been like to witness Jesus perform a miracle? How amazing would it have been to see Jesus defy the laws of nature? What was it like to see a prayer answered right before your eyes?

Matthew records the story of Jesus healing a paralyzed man. It is a beautiful story of a group of men who bring a paralyzed friend to Jesus. Jesus and his disciples had crossed over the Sea of Galilee. When they arrived on the shore, these men met Jesus with the hope that this man, who spent his days lying on a mat, would be healed. When Jesus witnessed this beautiful scene, he noted the faith of the men and extended mercy…

She had been sick for over a decade. The scriptures tell us that she had seen many doctors, but her condition only got worse. She had done all she could to be made well, but she was sick and desperate. She heard there was a man named Jesus who was healing people as he went from village to village. She allowed herself to hope and she went to seek Jesus.

Jesus had been teaching on the other side of the lake, but he made his way across the lake and a large crowd gathered. The woman did not allow herself to be deterred. She made her way through the gathering, reached out and touched Jesus… she was healed.

Jesus confronted her. He asked, “Who touched me?”

One of the most stunning and powerful moments in the Bible involves the prophet, Ezekiel. In the book of Ezekiel, the readers encounter the powerful visions of the prophet as the people of Judah experience deportation after Jerusalem falls to the powerful Babylonians. It was a time when hope was lost, and no one knew what the future would hold for God’s people, their families, or even their own lives.

Ezekiel experiences a moment where he is seemingly transported by God to a valley filled with bones. It is a sad picture, filled with death. Ezekiel walks all around and all he finds is dry bones, everywhere. As he surveys the valley, God questions Ezekiel, “Mortal, can these bones live?”

He was praying in a certain place, and when he ceased, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” And he said to them, “When you pray, say:

“Father, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread; and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive every one who is indebted to us; and lead us not into temptation.”

What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”