The Greatest Need in our Lives is to See our Need: Going from Slavery to Freedom. Well, this is quite the July 4th weekend very few if any could anticipate. Pandemic still raging, civil unrest unsettling…and here we are, July 4. I’ve been thinking a great deal about slavery and freedom, both within my own…
We are always looking for ways to enhance our lives, ways to be happier, more peaceful, and more content. The self-help industry is a multi-billion dollar industry. In the gospels we see that Jesus also has our flourishing in mind, and invites people to abundant and eternal life. However oftentimes going to church, praying, and…
Happy Fathers Day! When I say fathers I mean our biological fathers as well as all father figures and mentors. For there is one thing all have in common: In the spirit of Proverbs 4, the fatherly call to live the three P’s. As we think of the CoronaVirus and the three P’s of the…
In the throes of rampaging viruses and in a nation aflame with violence and rage, we are faced with many questions, but few simple answers. What is the solution? What is the antidote? What can we do to make things better? What is God saying to His church? In a clandestine, nighttime meeting with one…
A Sermon Duet with the Rev. Anthony Thompson Welcome back! How good it is to simply be under one roof together! Yet, who knew our first day back would be in a time of such civil unrest. Today’s service is to help us uniquely respond to the tragedies of the past week. From the readings,…
Imagine Ernie without Bert, Batman without Robin, (I was going to say Tom Brady without Bill Bellichek..)…hard to imagine isn’t it! Yet it’s similar to believing we can be a disciple of Jesus Christ without the Holy Spirit! Of course the analogy breaks down because the Holy Spirit is our fuel, our water source, our change agent in faith. Today we celebrate…
Today a good old fashioned fishing story from the Sea of Galilee. Simon Peter discovers that using traditional fishing methods is getting him nowhere, and further discovers that making a key pivot changes everything. This story has everything to do with us as the church going through this pandemic and realizing that key pivots through the power of the Holy Spirit are…
Do you remember that Ken-L Ration’s popular advertising jingle from the 60s? I can still hear the two children singing, “My dog’s better than your dog, my dog is better than yours.” It was a fun competition, but not all competition is fun. Unfortunately, at times, within the body of believers we too find competition…
Mother’s Day is here! As beautiful as Mother’s day is, it is fraught with danger for the preacher. Motherhood is complicated for so many different reasons that will be explained today. Yet…Proverbs 31 details the very secret of motherhood, a secret that isn’t revealed until the end of the chapter. A beautiful secret unveiled and…
In the 1800’s, Nathaniel Hawthorne was known for his morbid curiosity of human behavior. His short story Dr. Heidegger’s Experiment is no exception, as a science experiment is eagerly tested on four of Dr. Heidegger’s closest friends from year’s past. Dr. Heidegger’s question: If humans had the opportunity to go back in time and…
In this time of Quarantine, are you: 1) Fighting Time? 2) Killing Time? 3) Empowering time? Do you see this quarantine as a gift or a curse? Today we get a very raw visual of Mary and Joseph experiencing a very unique time of their own. They had misplaced Jesus in Jerusalem and time…
Waiting is hard. Especially in a pandemic. When will this thing end? When will our lives get back to normal? When will they find a cure? When will I go back to work? When will the kids go back to school? When will my loved one get home from the hospital? Waiting is hard. This…
Imagine travelling from Charleston to Hawaii with a layover in Atlanta, but you get so comfortable during your layover you make your home in the Atlanta airport! That’s our human danger. We can get so consumed with our earthly layover we forget our final destination will be much more glorious than anything here! Easter is God’s megaphone to say look up, and…
Good Friday. It’s the day we remember “that” day when Jesus willingly suffered and died for the world. A day Jesus paid the penalty of sin for you and for me. And it’s important for us to reflect on His work, His atoning work on the Cross. In a world of over 7 billion people…
When Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two convinced record producer Sam Phillips to hear their music, the Sun Records producer was not impressed. He is noted as telling Cash that Gospel Music wouldn’t sell, and to play something real and from the heart. Phillip’s asked: “If you were to play one song before leaving this…
When we’re in a crisis like the Coronavirus and feeling overwhelmed, it often feels like the walls are closing in, like the light is growing dim, like there’s no way out. In today’s passages from Isaiah and Luke, this is the condition people find themselves in – darkness, confusion, and bondage. Fortunately though, for God’s…
The storm is raging, people are glued to their phones for the latest news alerts, anxiety is as high as it ever has been. Last week during our Theology Over Coffee study, we discussed the following question: “Can you imagine a culture that was as wary of the consequence of unchecked sin as it was…
We are familiar with wars and rumors of wars being the birth pains of the last days, with blood moons and falling stars heralding the end. But in the very last verses of the Old Testament, the prophet Malachi offers one surprising and encouraging prophesy about the end times. It is exceedingly practical and has everything to do with family dynamics. This…
Is guilt always bad? As we enter week two of Nehemiah, the broken walls around Jerusalem had been repaired, but then came the work of rebuilding the hearts of the Jews. This rebuilding of the souls happened when the reading of Scripture was taught and applied for their lives. The result? The people wept. Why? They realized how far they were from…
Disillusionment and abandoned dreams make the heart sick. We see this in Nehemiah as he hears of a ravaged Jerusalem. However, the Lord opens a surprising door to hope and restoration. Today, offer the Lord your own disappointments and hear of the grace he offers to the downhearted. This sermon was given on Sunday, March…
Have you ever felt like God just seems absent in your life? I often think how the exiled Jews in Esther’s time felt. These were the Jews who stayed after many other Jews returned to Jerusalem and the lands of their forefathers. Does that mean that God is done with these people? Many of them…
Zechariah’s remarkable prophecy of a triumphant king mounted on a donkey has become so familiar that we can forget just how radical of an image this was. It would have been nearly unprecedented in the ancient world. And yet, it is just one of countless examples of the radical grace that makes the gospel unparalleled…
We live in such an exhausting world, don’t we? Some have even called our phones “Massive weapons of mass distraction.” News is coming at us from all angles and breaking news seems to come at us every 30 seconds! Where do we find true rest for our souls? Zechariah and Matthew give us a recipe…
This Sunday we’ll see how God’s promise of His presence is a primary motivator for our lives and becomes our natural response to the presence of God. It’s the presence of God in the rebuilding of the temple that the returning Jew’s were seeking. But where is the presence of God? Join us this Sunday…
The Rev. Max Wilkins served as a pastor in Florida and Hawaii for 30 years prior to becoming president and CEO of TMS Global. He has led small and large local churches, planted satellite campuses, and helped to launch more than 100 church plants during that time. Max has been personally engaged in cross-cultural mission…
In 1982, Keith Wheeler committed his life to follow Jesus. In 1985, as Keith was praying one night, he felt that God spoke to his heart, “I want you to make a cross and begin carrying it through the streets of Tulsa on Good Friday.” He thought this surely couldn’t be God, but felt these words…
Dr. Steve Dodson has been the senior pastor of the Cumming (GA) First United Methodist Church since June 2018. He is a Georgia native and fourth generation Methodist preacher. He has also led churches in Peachtree City, Memphis, Augusta, Lawrenceville, Cartersville and Marietta. Dr. Dodson earned degrees from Wofford College, Emory University and Asbury Theological Seminary. In addition, Dodson has studied…
Today, the Prophet Daniel provides hope to a discouraged population. The promises found in our reading are just as comforting in the present as they were to the suffering Jews in Babylonian exile. Join us as we dig into this “fourth beast” of Daniel’s vision to find God’s plan for His creation. May the Lord…
Today, the Prophet Daniel provides hope to a discouraged population. The promises found in our reading are just as comforting in the present as they were to the suffering Jews in Babylonian exile. Join us as we dig into this “fourth beast” of Daniel’s vision to find God’s plan for His creation. May the Lord…
Today we once again celebrate Sanctity of Life Sunday. This is a Sunday where we look beyond our hysterical culture wars to what God himself says about human life – its beginning, its meaning, and its end. This morning we will explore the challenges of life when it is not easy to live, and where…
In 1953, cartoonist Chuck Jones first aired his animated classic ‘Ralph Wolf and Sam Sheepdog’. With each episode, Ralph and Sam clock-in and clock-out as if working at a plant. Ralph is always scheming to trick Sam with different disguises in order to steal a sheep. But at the end of each episode, Sam is…
How long have you ever waited for a gift? Throughout our Gospel Project journey we’ve heard God’s promises throughout the Old Testament and recently through his prophets. Promises to restore humanity through the Messiah from the line of David. Join us this Sunday as we jump over 500 years from where we’ve been in the…
Ezekiel 37 records one of the most dramatic prophetic visions in all of the Bible, a valley full of human bones. Flowing from this vision it also records a remarkably challenging and incisive question from God, ‘Can these bones live?’ Today we will explore why God asks this unusual question, and what it means for…
And did the one you choose make all the difference? The poet Robert Frost describes his traveler as one of patience who gives this decision careful thought. It’s a blessing that we also meet two additional ‘travelers’ in today’s readings, both of whom chose the road less traveled by, and that has made all the…
Have you struggled to comprehend the ways of God? In the midst of all the wickedness, strife and oppression in the world, how do we rest in our faith? The prophet Habakkuk lived in a time when evil was seen everywhere in the Southern Kingdom of Judah. By faith, he trusted God’s promise that God…
Epiphany is a Christian feast day that celebrates the revelation of God incarnate as Jesus Christ. A time for us to commemorate the visit of the Magi, and Jesus’ physical manifestation to the Gentiles. It is sometimes called Three Kings’ Day. But what was it that got those three kings thinking and motivated them to…
Words are significant. They are part of what makes us human. They enable our thinking and thus allow ideas and realities from outside us to be birthed within us. Yet talk can be cheap, too. The words “I love you” mean little without some tangible correspondent to make an abstract concept concrete. St Paul wrote…
When Alexandre Dumas wrote “The Count of Monte Cristo,” the setting included an island that ultimately would be the focal point of the novel. Chateau d’if served as an island prison for those who held a truth that, if revealed, would bring a light into the darkness. The Prophet Isaiah reminds us of the coming…
Do you remember the day you were engaged to be married? Who was there? What was said? When I think of engagement my mind goes back to Scotland, on the Isle of Skye where I knelt down and proposed to my bride. Christmas Eve however is even more important than our own engagements. Christmas Eve…
So, how many Christmas parties have you attended so far this season? At each party could you identify what or whom was being celebrated? Did you ever ask yourself, “Why am I really here?” If that’s you, the readings from Micah and Mary’s Magnificat will center you again on the “why” of all we do.…
It was the call that no one wants to receive. Suffice it to say I realized in receiving it, my life may never be the same again, as a blanket of hopelessness washed over me. Ezekiel knew that Hopelessness as he looked over the vast sea of dry dead bones. Mary knew that hopelessness as…
Can you imagine how hard it was for the Prodigal Son to “come to himself” out there with the pigs and realize that he needed to start the long, painful journey home to his Father? The shame, embarrassment, humiliation, and arduous nature of the journey faced him, but he did turn around the head for home.…
For the last three weeks, I’ve been writing and re-writing teachings and sermons on planes, trains and automobiles in some of the remotest parts of India. As I look back on mission 2019 to that amazing, wild and colorful nation I’m left realizing again that God is a boomerang God! His will always prevails even…
Despite having God’s law, God’s people remain sinful in their hearts. The prophet Jeremiah prophesied about a coming-day when God would write His law on His people’s hearts and provide lasting forgiveness of sin. This prophecy points to God’s provision of Jesus. Through Jesus, God offers us forgiveness, and through the Holy Spirit, God enables…
What does true repentance actually look like? Not theoretically, not theologically, but practically? The 1970 movie ‘Love Story’ offers a possible answer in its famous line, ‘Love means never having to say you’re sorry.’ If only it were so! Today we will explore God’s own recipe for making things right, looking to 2 Chronicles 34,…
The timeless song by Bob Dylan will forever be linked to the movie “Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid.” I am reminded that, like the Sheriff in the movie, when we come before God in prayer we can’t hide from Him what the world is unable to see. And the blessing is that God loves…
“Repent and believe.” It’s been the cry of preachers ever since the time of Jesus. Simply defined, repentance is turning away from sin and self to Christ for forgiveness and salvation. And yet, in our lives, it’s often not just that simple. This is where Josiah steps in to help us to understand that repentance…
Did you know there is a natural peace and a supernatural peace? A natural peace often comes when things are going really well in our lives and our anxiety is low. Supernatural peace is a gift of the Holy Spirit through the power of Jesus Christ and manifests itself in our life no matter the…
Why do bad things happen to good people? There’s often a mystery, but sometimes there’s not. Idolatry is one of the chief ways we demolish our lives and the lives of our loved ones. Tragically, we often don’t even realize what we’re doing. Today we will examine the ‘idol factory’ that is the human heart,…
“Idolatry isn’t just one of many sins, it’s the one great sin that all others come from.” This thought from the Rev. Kyle Idleman reminds us that idolatry didn’t stop in the Old Testament with the Kings and Israelites! Idolatry is alive and well today and can be defined as “anything or anyone who has…
The story of the prophet Jonah is much more than a fish story. This account continues to reveal the love of God for all people. No matter who you are, God pursues you and delights in calling you for His purposes — it’s about our faithfulness and it’s seen in our joyful stewardship of all…
Today, the fascinating prophet Hosea. Hosea is married believe it or not to a woman named Gomer. Gomer represents for all of us the tendency to wander from God, and not just wander from God, but go against His very will. But God never gives up on us and sends (in a most beautiful way)…
The prophet Jonah is a fascinating case study. With a flair for the dramatic he boldly says and does things that we often do only subtly and with some embarrassment. Today’s chapter is a case in point: Jonah stridently voices his displeasure with God’s grace, and in so doing reveals a common condition of the…
This week we find ourselves in the ministry of Elisha. Elijah has been taken away in a whirlwind on a fiery chariot to heaven, and Elisha now stands in his place. Join us this Sunday to hear about a young man who has lost his edge, and how the question from Elisha, “where did you…
It was Billy Graham who said: “The Christian life is not a constant high. I have my moments of deep discouragement, I have to go to God in prayer with tears in my eyes and say: O God, forgive me, help me.” Discouragement was good enough for Billy Graham and it was certainly good enough…
The devil is real! He is not the little red creature with a long tail, horns and a pitchfork that was created by Hollywood. The devil was known as Lucifer, meaning “light bearer, shining one”, morning star. He was a PERFECT anointed Cherubim of GOD. He was the most beautiful powerful, and likely the highest…
The Rt. Rev. Probal Dutta and his wife Rita visited St. Michael’s on Sunday, September 22, 2019. The Bishop gave this sermon at the 8:00 am and 10:30 am services. He is the Bishop of Grace Trust in West Bengal, India.
1 Kings 11 is one of the greatest whiplash chapters in the Bible. It goes from the high point of Solomon’s majestic reign (quite possibly the high point in all of the Old Testament),to the beginning of the end of the kingdom of Israel. What happens? Today we will look at the slippery slope that…
Seven years…that’s all it took. King Solomon (son of King David) builds a temple for God that had to be seen to be believed! Three stories high, thirty-foot high columns, cedar ceilings, cypress floors, olivewood doors, and more gold than Fort Knox! How did Solomon accomplish this? 1st Answer: The Power of God. 2nd answer:…
What is the purpose of our Labor on this Labor Day weekend? Do we work to live or live to work? Today, let’s reclaim a Biblical view of labor as we move from Ecclesiastes 2 to Matthew 11. Jesus cares about the work we do because He has gifted each of us for different kinds…
If I had a nickel for every time….well, you know the rest. I believe one of the marks of a maturing faith is the freedom to ask questions with the intent of growing a deeper relationship with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. It’s this deeper relationship that’s at the heart…
I recently listened to a pre-season interview with an NFL receiver. Everyday he asks himself the same question: Does it matter that I am here? When the young King Solomon was asked by God for anything, Solomon asked for wisdom. Do the questions we ask ourselves draw us closer to God, and how do we…
Images of the carnage in El Paso Texas, Dayton Ohio, Mother Emanuel…The dark violence seems never ending. When David wrote Psalm 23, he had his own images of pain and darkness, which is why he writes: “Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.” How can…
Have you ever been betrayed? Today we will preach on one of the most powerful stories of betrayal in Scripture, David’s great sin of adultery. Yes, it’s a story of sin, lies and cover-ups, but essentially it’s a story of betrayal. In one fell swoop, David betrays at least two humans, plus his nation, and…
Have you ever chosen to give someone what they needed instead of what they deserved? If so, you have given the gift of grace. Now, you may never have heard of the guy at the center of today’s sermon (this is what I love about the Gospel Project sermon series, where we are taken to…
You never quite knew when the Bishop would come breezing through the Dubose Conference Center on Monteagle Mountain, Tennessee. I worked there on “permanent staff” for three of my college summers. The sermon title was his typical greeting when he saw me. I remember it (now) with affection and a smile. Mephibosheth was the last…
King David finds rest from his enemies and desires to build a temple for God. God denies David’s plan to build the temple and instead promises to give David, and Israel, blessings that would extend beyond this life into the next. Have you ever been denied something you really wanted? Join us to hear more…
The relationship between King Saul and David reads like a modern day “Law and Order” television episode. David’s display of integrity is breathtaking. Jesus goes on to authentic David’s integrity by giving the Matthew 5 command: Love your enemies. But how? Stay tuned. This sermon was preached on Sunday, July 21, 2019.
The consequences of the people’s foolishness in demanding a king did not take long to manifest under King Saul. Now, in David we begin to see the kind of King that God desires while also catching a glimpse of the future King of kings that God would one day provide. Join us today as we…
Do you remember your favorite story from childhood? The characters are forever memorable, and the lessons learned are universal. Today we see David living out the words of the Psalmist, and reminding us that a wolf is no match for three little pigs: “God has no pleasure in the strength of a horse; neither does…
The Israelites now want a king like the other nations to judge and lead them. They believed a human king would do than Samuel and his sons;, but, in rejecting the leadership of Samuel, they were rejecting the kingship of the Lord. Join us to hear more concerning God’s Permissive Will that allows people to…
Provision! It is certainly on the heart of every man on this Fathers Day. The pressure of providing for families can be overwhelming. But just what is the most important thing that all fathers and father figures could provide? Money? Food on the table? First things first, let’s glean from the story of Boaz and…
Empowered to Empower. Today we celebrate the power of Pentecost, that 50th day after Easter where the disciples receive the “empowerment” of the Holy Spirit. Yet, if we read carefully back in the Old Testament book of Judges, we realize that Samson had also been empowered by the Holy Spirit. What’s the difference and what…
Honoring our mothers is a commandment, and it’s one that comes with a promise of blessing. But what does that really mean? What does God promise to those who keep this commandment? Joshua gives us insight to the key discipline that leads to God’s blessing. Join us this Sunday as we explore this discipline and…
All Christian women are mothers whether you have biological children or not, for the simple reason that all the children of our church need biological and spiritual mothers! The enterprise of motherhood is an exhausting one, full of something called “Decision Fatigue.” Motherhood can wear you out! Yet we learn in Joshua there is one key discipline…
We all need victories in our lives, victories in our relationships, faith journey, and jobs to name a few! Joshua in today’s reading experiences an epic win over Jericho, and in doing so, reveals four anchors we need for victory. These happen to be the same anchors propelling Jesus as victor and light of the…
Every hour, 6,316 people Americans die of one thing or another. It’s the one thing we all have in common, we will all one day stop breathing on earth. Easter is powerfully relevant because through the Resurrection of Jesus, it means that believers in Christ have the cure for death! Yes, Easter is the profound…
If you have ever run track and field, you know that Pole Vaulting is one of the most visually dramatic events of them all. People pole vaulting over the great sand pit. In our spiritual lives, it’s easy to Pole Vault right over the things we find difficult and painful. We can pole vault right…
“Fear nothing and never be afraid; … Man cannot commit a sin so great as to exhaust the infinite love of God… If you are penitent, you love. And if you love you are of God.” – Father Zossima from the Brothers Karamazov by Dostoevsky “For the glory of God is a living human being” – St. Irenaeus (tr. John Behr) This sermon was…
On one end of the spectrum from the book of Numbers we have Balaam, a famous pagan “hired gun” soothsayer. Business card: Have blessings and curses…will travel. On the other end from the final verses of Luke’s Gospel we have the account of the Ascension of Jesus before the eyes of his disciples. Why in…
Fear is a Liar! The fruits of fear are: anxiety, condemnation, impatience, anger, angst, bitterness and the list goes on. This is the fearful life the Jews are living as we catch up with them in Numbers 21. It’s also a similar fear that Nicodemus has in John 3. To both, God has a very…
We all have giants in our lives, formidable challenges that seem insurmountable. What challenges are you too scared to confront? What obstacles leave you a’trembling? And yet, when we resign ourselves to the fear and make peace with the status quo, we miss out on the promised land the Lord is calling us to, the…
We will never comprehend the richness and saving power of the New Testament unless we understand the Old Testament. While we don’t often preach out of Leviticus, today’s ancient Levitical text reveals the power of what Jesus has done for us! You will never be the same after today. This sermon was preached on…
We will never comprehend the richness and saving power of the New Testament unless we understand the Old Testament. While we don’t often preach out of Leviticus, today’s ancient Levitical text reveals the power of what Jesus has done for us! You will never be the same after today. This sermon was preached on Sunday,…
When was the last time you got real with God? When was the last time you truly repented, with the desire to change? Ash Wednesday, and indeed the season of Lent is all about cleaning the human heart. Use today and this powerful season to move into a more intimate relationship with Jesus. This sermon…
Chelsea Hamshaw was the featured speaker at this year’s Women of St Michael’s Retreat at St Christopher Camp and Conference Center, held February 15 – 17, 2019.
Chelsea Hamshaw was the featured speaker at this year’s Women of St Michael’s Retreat at St Christopher Camp and Conference Center, held February 15 – 17, 2019.
Chelsea Hamshaw was the featured speaker at this year’s Women of St Michael’s Retreat at St Christopher Camp and Conference Center, held February 15 – 17, 2019.
Chelsea Hamshaw was the featured speaker at this year’s Women of St Michael’s Retreat at St Christopher Camp and Conference Center, held February 15 – 17, 2019.
Let’s get this straight. The Jews under Moses are rescued by God from slavery and abuse, rescued by God from the plagues, rescued by God from the Egyptians through the sea, given food and drink daily by God…YET the Jews continually grumble and THEN while Moses retreats to be with God for a time, they…
The Rev. Rob Sturdy, Chaplain of St. Alban’s Chapel at The Citadel, was our guest preacher at 10:30 Chapel and 6 pm on Sunday, February 17, 2019, the closing Sunday of our Global Impact Celebration. Rob is a graduate of The Citadel, class of 2003. It was at The Citadel, in the fall of…
The Very Rev. Dr. Henry L. (Laurie) Thompson, Dean & President of Trinity School for Ministry, was our guest speaker at 8 am and 10:30 am on the closing Sunday of our Global Impact Celebration on February 17. Laurie Thompson grew up in Toledo, Ohio. He has always loved leadership responsibility. At the age of…
The Rev. Justin Hare was our guest preacher at the Chapel and 6 pm services on the opening Sunday of our Global Impact Celebration on Sunday, February 10. Justin Hare was born and raised as a member of St. Michael’s Church, where he was baptized, confirmed and was an active member of the youth group,…
The Rev. Max Wilkins, President and CEO of TMS Global, was our guest preacher at 8am and 10:30 am for the opening Sunday of our Global Impact Celebration on February 10. ROLE AT TMS GLOBAL Max served as a pastor in Florida and Hawaii for 30 years prior to becoming president and CEO of TMS…
Can you imagine being Moses? You just led 600,000 Jews out of Egypt through the biggest miracle ever seen…yes, your people are delivered! But unbelievably, these same ‘rescued’ people want your head because they can’t find water. Let the whining begin! Moses has had it! Martha in a similar way is despairing over the…
This sermon given on Sunday, January 27, 2019
There are certain traditions in life with profound meaning, that if we’re not careful can become empty and meaningless over time. Two quick examples…the tradition of churches with red doors, and that one word: Passover. If we don’t engage the deeper meaning of these two traditions, we will never understand Jesus and the miracle of…
After the wise men leave Bethlehem, we come to one of the most tragic episodes in scripture, Herod’s massacre of the children. It is an unthinkable scene, one we might want to skip over, and yet it shapes our Lord’s early years in a dramatic way, driving the holy family into Egypt. Furthermore, it also…
Join us this Sunday to hear how God reveals His name, His promises, and His purposes to Moses at the burning bush. We’ll even see the angel of the LORD acting and speaking in a manner that suggests he is more than simply an angel or messenger. Could this be the pre-incarnate Jesus? See how…
In 1994 this guy was working as a $5.50 an hour grocery bagger. Several years later, he would take the St. Louis Rams to the Superbowl twice, winning once. His name was Kurt Warner, plucked from an Iowa grocery store to put on shoulder pads and play on football’s largest stage. The Old Testament version…