Archive for category: Sermons

Scripture: John 11: 1-45 

When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” (John 11: 43)

Most of us tend to think of the second half of life as largely about getting old, dealing with health issues, and letting go of our physical life, but instead, we discover Jesus calling us, like he did Lazarus, to “come out.” We discover ways of living life to its fullest, embracing all its nuances, ups and downs. We join Lazarus on our second journey in life…after dying to self, we are raised to follow Christ.

Scripture: Exodus 17:1-7

But the people thirsted there for water; and the people complained against Moses and said, “Why did you bring us out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and livestock with thirst?” So Moses cried out to the LORD, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me.” (Exodus 17: 3-4)

St. Irenaeus once wrote, “God wanted to give human beings their fullness right from the beginning, but they were incapable of receiving it, because they were still little children.” Like the children of Israel, we, too, suffer from a giant case of amnesia, where our identity as children of God is often hidden from us because we have not been trained to look in the right places. It is religion’s job to teach us about our true identity…so we go on that journey together.

The Hero and Heroine’s Journey – March 2, 2020

Scripture: Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7 ; Matthew 4:1-11

The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, “You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die.” (Genesis 2: 15-17)

All of us are on a journey, and the aging process is an important part of that journey. When we look at ourselves on the hero/heroine’s journey, we begin to see, as we grow older, that we are being awakened to deep, simple, and mysterious things we simply could not see when we were younger. We need not be afraid of that journey, nor of the temptations that come our way.

 

Quick-Draw in the Parched Places: Agreeing to Disagree – February 16, 2020

Scripture: Isaiah 58:1-12

Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up quickly; your vindicator shall go before you, the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard. (Isaiah 58.8)

John Wesley coined the term “agree to disagree.”Numerous times, Wesley engaged in heated theological disputes with another renowned preacher named George Whitefield. Though they both debated intensely, Wesley reflected on their contrast in beliefs in a memorial sermon for Whitefield by saying:  “There are many doctrines of a less essential nature. … In these, we may think and let think; we may ‘agree to disagree.’ But, meantime, let us hold fast the essentials. …” This appears to be the first documented use of the phrase. It was an indication of Wesley’s manner of sticking to his convictions while remaining in connection with those with whom he disagreed. What a gift we can bring to the table today.

 

Scripture: Micah 6: 1-8

He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8)

A balance of personal piety with acts of justice and mercy marks Methodism from its earliest days. From class meetings of old to the Walk to Emmaus currently, methods of accountability for our spiritual walk have been an important element of letting our light shine for the world. Many United Methodist churches today are reclaiming this heritage as paths of discipleship are laid out before us in tangible ways.