Jesus At 2am - A Humorous, Intelligent Look At The Bible, Church History & The Life Of Faith

Today we arrive at the 6th Commandment: “You shall not murder…”  That, at least, is how the NRSV translates it. But as you’ll see, there is much, much more to the 6th commandment than not murdering someone. (Though not murdering is a darn fine place to start!) The goal, however, is to go much farther than not taking life. Rather we are to honor the sacred gift of humanness and all the beauty that is inherent to human life. That is to say: if we want the abundant life, we begin by honoring humanity - our own and that and of everyone else. In this episode I highly recommend checking out the meditation app Happier. (They are not sponsors, I have no financial stake..., it's just an app I love and think you might, too!) If you'd like to check out the biblical text for this episode, you can find it here: Exodus 20:1-13 (NRSV). If you value the podcast and are able to support the community from which it comes, you can make a tax-deductible  contribution to Canvas Presbyterian Church here! (Thank you!!!) For more ser

The 5th commandment tell us to "Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land the Lord your God is giving you." But what does "honor" truly mean? Is it obedience? Gratitude? Or something even deeper—a call to listen, to remember, and to carry forward the lessons of love and grace?  Our world often teaches us to move fast, to leave the past behind, and to define ourselves solely by individual achievement. But the truth is, none of us walk this journey alone. We are all part of a story much larger than ourselves, one woven together by the people who have come before us and those who will come after us. Today, we’ll reflect on what it means to give weight to the past—not as a burden, but as a gift—and how that can shape the way we build a future rooted in love, connection, and abundance. The text for this sermon can be found here: Exodus 20:12 (NRSV) If you value the podcast and are able to support the community from which it comes, you can make a tax-deductible  contribution to C

Today we arrive at the 4th commandment: "Remember the Sabbath..."  And you get a sermon not from me (which is probably good because – as you might have guessed – I’m not great at Sabbathing!), but from our old friend, Rev. Ian Farrell – who is much better at Sabbath than I am.  In this episode, Ian is going to make the case that Sabbath is not about the particular day we choose for rest, but about the attitude we carry about being a beloved child of God because of who we are, not what we do. It’s a lesson that we probably all understand at a superficial level. But letting our belovedness sink deep into our identity is a whole ‘nother matter…! If you'd like to follow the sermon text, you can find it here: Exodus 20:8-11 (NRSV). As a reminder, if you value the podcast and are able to support the community from which it comes, you can make a tax-deductible  contribution to Canvas Presbyterian Church here! (Thank you!!!) For more sermon series, resources and means of contacting me, simply head to jesusat2am.com 

Today we continue our journey through the Ten Commandments—not as a list of rules, but as a pathway to true freedom and flourishing, arriving at the 3rd commandment: "You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God." For many of us, this commandment has been reduced to a simple rule about avoiding bad words or not using God’s name in vain. But its meaning runs far deeper!  The 3rd commandment is about the profound significance of God’s name, about the power of prayer and and the dangers of distorting faith for personal or political gain.  To call on the name of the Lord wrongly is dangerous business. Whereas calling upon God rightly leads us into a life of deeper intimacy, integrity, and love. The text for this sermon can be found here: Exodus 20:7 (NRSV). If you value the podcast and are able to support the community from which it comes, you can make a tax-deductible  contribution to Canvas Presbyterian Church here! (Thank you!!!) For more sermon series, resources and means of contacting Kirk, simply hea

In this episode we continue our look at what Jesus meant when he said he came to bring "life and life abundantly." It’s a study that has taken us not into the NT so much, but into the Old – specifically into the 10 commandment of all places. Indeed, today we look at the 2nd commandment “You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.” Which at first glance, sounds like a reiteration of the first commandment – have no other gods. But I’m going to argue that this is not the meaning of the 2nd commandment at all! Rather the God of Israel wants no idols of him! And there is a very, very important reason why…and it leads back to Jesus. I’ll let the sermon fill in the gaps... The text for this sermon can be found here: Exodus 20:2-6 (NRSV). If you value the podcast and are able to support the community from which it comes, you can make a tax-deductible  contribution to Canvas Presbyterian Chu

"I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; you shall have no other gods before me." It is the first commandment and it sounds...rather ominous. But if we take a moment to listen more deeply, what we discover is actually a call to radical freedom! In a world of myriad deities, each with a slight power over the necessities of life, the stress of keeping each placated was never-ending (and exhausting!)...perhaps not so unlike our world today... And yet, at Mt. Sinai - after the lived experience of rescue from slavery - the God of Israel declares complete sovereignty over creation; meaning that the endless drive to keep the gods satisifed is entirely unnecessary. And the one God who calls for loyalty is the God who freely saves the objects of his perfect love. Maybe far from ominous, the first commandment is a gift of peace, hope and joy - the very heart of what it means to live life abundantly! The text for this sermon can be found here: Exodus 19:1-6, 20:1

We continue our look at the abundant life by turning - quite unexpectedly! - to the 10 Commandments and consider the possibility that they are not meant to be the burden we so often imagine them to be, but are rather a gift pointing us to health, life and joy. They are, after all, the first instruction of a loving God to his chosen people. Perhaps love is more operative within the commandments than threat...? (Click here to see the 10 Commandments poster referenced in the sermon!) The text for this sermon can be found here: Exodus 19:1-20:21 (NRSV). If you value the podcast and are able to support the community from which it comes, you can make a tax-deductible  contribution to Canvas Presbyterian Church here! (Thank you!!!) If you'd like to go back and find sermons and audio that Kirk presented at Canvas during his long hiaitus, simply head to the Canvas Sermon Archive. For more sermon series, resources and means of contacting me, simply head to jesusat2am.com or send me email here!  

We begin our look at the abundant life in Christ by examining what has gone wrong. Why do we find ourselves so taxed so often? Why does inner peace feel so ellusive, even though I have a genuine faith in God's goodness and love? To answer these questions we turn to the Apostle John and also to the theological work of St. Augustine and his metaphor of the "two cities" in which Christians have our citizenship. (Augustine's "City of God" is one of the great works of literature, bar none!) Join us as we explore both the theologial reasons we find ourselves caught in a world in conflict and the practical steps we can take to reclaim a life of abundance — one filled with love for God, self, and other - rediscovering the fullness of what it means to be human.  It can help to follow along visually, so the text for this sermon can be found here: John 10:1-10 (NRSV). If you'd like to go back and find sermons and audio that Kirk presented at Canvas during his long hiaitus, simply head to the Canvas Sermon Archive. If

Yes, you read that correctly, the podcast is returning!! Returning on Wednesday, March 19, 2025 to be exact. It has been a long two-and-a-half years... a break I never expected. But a pretty bad case of burnout hit me hard and it's taken some time to recover and build some new habits that make podcasting possible once again! New episodes begin this coming Wednesday and each Wednesday thereafter - starting with a series on The Abundant Life, a very unexpected look at the 10 commandments. If you want to catch the end of the series Hope in the Time of COVID, or Jesus and the Revoluion, they are always available in the Canvas sermon archive. There you can also find a (painfully long?) series that covers the entire Book of Acts if that sounds intriguing.  And if you'd like to reach me (and I hope you will), the best ways right now are to send me email directly or come find me on BlueSky where I'm @Jesus-at-2AM.  Thank you for ALL your generous support over the years and I'm excited to be back!

The divine rescue - of which the ministry of Jesus is the decisive act - is not merely to be understood as the securing of a heavenly afterlife for the faithful, but the restoration of a fallen creation. To be "saved" is to be set free, to be healed and to be counted a citizen of the "kingdom of God."  But such freedom recognizes there we are presently captives, subjects of a hostile regime. There is an enemy that must be defeated. But identifying that enemy - the actual enemy - can be quite difficult. In this episode we turn to the story of Jesus's "temptation" in the wilderness as Matthew helps us see that this is Evil's attempt at a negotiated victory. Why not accept some comfort here, some glory there and a whole lot of earthly power? All that is required is to let Evil continue it's work behind the scenes... It's an offer Jesus managed to refuse..., but one we are quite often willing to accept in an instant. And the thing about deals with the devil is...there is never a deal. It can help to follow alon

God's Revolution to Restore All Creation begins with a cry to all Israel to prepare for war. But not the war Israel expected... For decades tensions with Rome had been growing. Various political and religious sects (think Pharisees, Sadducees, et al.) were staking out their positions in the coming conflict. Swords and spears were beginning to be sharpened. And at that time, on the banks of the Jordan (the boundry of the promised land), John the Baptist beckoned God's people to "repent!, because the Kingdom of God (the restoration of God's direct reign in creation) has come near." The battle, the rebellion, is about to begin. It is time to choose a side and pledge allegiance to a leader - to the prophet God will send... It can help to follow along visually, so the text for this sermon can be found here --> Matthew 3:1-17 (NRSV) If you value the podcast and are able to support the community from which it comes, you can make a tax-deductible  contribution to Canvas Presbyterian Church here! (Thank you!!!) For

At the heart of Jesus's ministry is the declaration that "the Kingdom of God has come near!"  This is not merely a call for sinners to secure the afterlife, but the announcement that the fulfillment of the covenant of salvation is at hand! The God of Israel has arrived to depose the powers and principalities of this age and re-establish his reign over all creation. In short, the central proclamation of Jesus is a call to recognize - and join! - THE Revolution! In this new series, we take a detailed look at the Gospel of Matthew to understand the nature of the revolution Jesus has come to lead and what it means to pledge our allegiance to a new king. The text for this sermon is: Matthew 19:16-22 (NRSV) And here is a link to Cotton Mather's quite distressing book: The Negro Christianized: An Essay to Excite and Assist that Good Work, the Instruction of Negro Servants in Christianity. If you value the podcast and are able to support the community from which it comes, you can make a tax-deductible  contribution

The one commandment I disregard without a second thought is the one about resting. The irony, of course, is that I often ignore this divine call to honor the sabbath in what feels like the work of the Kingdom. And it has been more clear in the last two years than in most of my lifetime that there is work to be done. It is easy for good people to become overwhelmed with a sense of responsibility.  Yet, the one with the greatest human responsibility of all, made public display of stopping, of resting... So this episode is a look at Jesus's pesonal need for rest, and the reminder (which my recent life shows I have yet to learn!) that we must stop neglecting the work of resting for the Kingdom. To read along or study further, the biblical text for this conversation can be found here: Mark 6:30-52 (NRSV) And here is how to connect with Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) - the global relief agency of the Presbyterian Church USA. They do amazing work! You can also now share in worship with Canvas from anywher

No, your eyes do not deceive you...the podcast is back! (It never really left, but was definitely on leave of absence for a while...very sorry about that - some of the details are in the intro.) Then it's on to part 18 of our series: Hope in the Time of Covid. In this episode, we take a look at the difficult-yet-essential truth that the road to justice is paved in love. In this time when historic injustices are being revealed with painful clarity, we understand all the more the impulse of the oppressed to seek justice by means of violence. Even those of us who face little oppression can find ourselves shockingly enraged at minor transgressions against "what is right!" And we reflexively assume the person opposing us is the source of the wrong, our "enemy." If we can overcome them, we can achieve "justice." But that's not how true justice is ever established...  And, if you're the type who likes to read along, the biblical text for this conversation can be found here: Ephesians 4:17-5:2 (NRSV) Did you know y

Does the 21st century nation state of Peru play an essential role in salvation history? Short answer: Of course not. God loves Peruvians! But Peru the cultural/political body is not critical to the plan redemption. So why do many American Christians suspect that the US, as a nation (or a cultural dimension of the nation), is a divinely ordained actor on the stage of cosmic salvation? The (mistaken) answer is located deep in both church and American history, and needs to be corrected for the health of both. If you'd like to follow along with the sermon text, the passage is: Genesis 12:1-3 (NRSV) This sermon was preached on July 5, 2020 at Canvas Presbyterian Church (Irvine, CA). If you'd like to share in the whole worship service or find previous sermons, they are available on the Canvas Vimeo page.  Or join us via live stream every Sunday morning at 10:30AM (Pacific Time)! For some very helpful resources, here is a link to Canvas's Continual Learning series on Racial Justice Want more content from Jesu

  For some very helpful resources, here is a link to Canvas's Continual Learning series on Racial Justice How do I, as a white, well-educated, heterosexual, Protestant, cis male, who would never knowingly sanction racism of any sort, reflect on "systemic racism"? For those of us who try hard to so very hard to be good people (defined in no small part by being not-racist!), the phrase can spark a reflexive defensiveness ("Not me!"). Yet the enduring effects of racism in our society are clear on many fronts - from "red lining," to access to education, to criminal sentencing, to... So how do I, as trying-to-be-loving-Jesus-follower, think about my part in the "system"? Might I be an unwitting participant in oppression? Can I even ask myself the question? And what if yes...? For my part, it has helped greatly to shift the focus a bit from the specific wrong of racism, to the larger category of sin. Do I imagine that as a fallen human, sin has the capacity to distort my sense even of myself, and to inspire a sel

Hope is the belief that things can change for the better. And it is the question the gospel persistently sets before us: Are we naive in thinking that meaningful transformation is possible? And more naive still to believe that love is the means by which such transformation truly occurs? These questions of hope, love and change are especially pressing as we face afresh the reality of historic racial injustice and ask if and how we can shape a better tomorrow. Here we look at the story of Nicodemus, a Pharisee confronted with Jesus's insistence that he be "born again from above" - that is to say: to surrender what he thinks he knows, and let God show him what love can do (i.e., radically change a heart!). Here's the link to Canvas's Continual Learning on Racial Justice And if you'd like to follow along with the sermon text, the passage is: John 3:1-21, 7:45-52, 19:38-42 (NRSV) This sermon was preached on June 21, 2020 at Canvas Presbyterian Church (Irvine, CA). If you'd like to share in the whole worship ser

"How does one appease a deity? Gain a favor? Avert a curse?" Such questions stood at the center of Ancient Near Eastern religion (and of many cultures since...). And thus great effort has been dedicated to rituals and ceremonies and strict adherence to divine instructions. So what does the God of Israel want from his people? What are our instructions? (And is our purpose to gain a blessing or escape a punishment??) In this episode we turn to the OT prophet Micah's succinct articulation of God's answer. If you'd like to follow along, the passage is: Micah 6:6-8 (NRSV) This sermon was preached on June 14, 2020 at Canvas Presbyterian Church (Irvine, CA). If you'd like to share in the whole worship service or find previous sermons, they are available on the Canvas Vimeo page.  Or join us via live stream every Sunday morning at 10:30AM (Pacific Time)! Want more content from Jesus at 2AM? Check out the website, where you can also learn more about how to become a patron! Up for connecting??? I'd love to have you

As those called to share in God's project of restoration, justice is at the heart of our work. But what does the Bible mean by "justice"? The term easily conjures feelings and images not shalom (peace), but punishment - that divine justice is defined by the reward of the righteous and the proper condemnation of the wicked. (This is where much of the "law and order" language we hear in connection to politics arises!) But a closer look reveals God's concern is not judgment but compassion. Above all, to be people of divine justice is to be those who ensure the shalom of the least and lowly... The racial justice resources mentioned in the intro can be found here. If you'd like to follow along, the passage is: Luke 11:37-54 (NRSV) This sermon was preached on June 7, 2020 at Canvas Presbyterian Church (Irvine, CA). If you'd like to share in the whole worship service or find previous sermons, they are available on the Canvas Vimeo page.  Or join us via live stream every Sunday morning at 10:30AM (Pacific Time)! W

Essential to the life of faith is recognizing that hope is rooted in reality, in what is actually possible. The gospel has no room for fairy tales or wishful thinking, only for what can be accomplished in this time and place. And thus the work of maturity is to expand our vision for what is possible with God (short answer: healing, peace and restoration). The difference is subtle, but critical. In a world that is hurting deeply (and this sermon was preached during the rapidly growing COVID crisis, only days after the death of George Floyd), the way forward is to see, as best we can, the world through Jesus's eyes - to see with compassion all the brokenness of the human condition and the in-our-midst process by which love is transforming the broken. If you'd like to follow along, the passage is: Luke 5:12-16 (NRSV) This sermon was preached on May 31, 2020 at Canvas Presbyterian Church (Irvine, CA). If you'd like to share in the whole worship service or find previous sermons, they are available on the Canva