Sermon Archives

On this Palm Sunday, we stand with the crowd and begin the journey from the triumph of Jesus’ entry to his passion and death on Good Friday. We will mourn his death, but also rejoice in his life, his example, and his work of liberation. The full Christian life accepts both palms and passion, celebration […]

The story of Jeus sin the wilderness teaches us that Jesus overcame the devil – he won the battle – for us, and for our world. In the wilderness, and on the cross, and everywhere in between, Jesus resisted the devil’s temptations. He didn’t listen to Peter, who tried to convince him to stay away […]

While we may have no desire to rule all the kingdoms of the world, this appeal can also be understood as a temptation toward possessions, materialism, glory, and power. Every time we value personal possessions, achievement, or power more than God – we have succumbed to this temptation. We are worshipers by design. The question […]

This will be a completely new economy, far different than any we have ever known! But here’s the thing: it already exists! Jesus spent much of his energy proclaiming that the reign of God is not something that exists in the far-off, distant future, in the “sweet by and by,” but is already breaking into […]

Where we see “needs” and feel tempted to sin to get what we feel we must have, the Bible reminds us that in Christ we have already been given “incomparable riches of grace” (Ephesians 2:7) and that God’s grace is sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:9). Jesus offers us strength to endure and gives us the promise […]

There is a third option, the intuitive one: step back from the ledge and hand the situation over to God and leave it there. Paul’s words in Philippians 3:17-4:1 remind us that navigating our faith life is (or should be) intuitive. It should not be hard to live out our faith in practical and intuitive […]

When we become conscious of our identity as God’s beloved sons and daughters it begins to affect our daily living: it propels us into mission. Our identity and our mission become the embodiment of Jesus to the world. To be Christ-like, loving and caring as he did, is our identity. To live like Jesus did; […]

The people of Edom chose to stand against Judah and to rejoice in their defeat. They chose to increase the burdens on Judah when they could have helped. They chose to side with evil, even when they knew what was right. They chose to inflict “damage-joy” when they could have offered peace. Edom chose poorly, […]