Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost Proper 14 (19) 13 August 2023
Sermon: “Fear and Faith as Witness”
Scriptures: Matthew 14:22-33 and Romans 10:5-15
Synopsis: In Matthew, Peter gets out of the boat, gets afraid, begins to sink and Jesus saves him; others proclaim faith after seeing this. Peter’s fear leads to a cry of faith (Lord, save me!), and the salvation Peter receives acts as witness to the others. The passage from Romans teaches how the word of faith is in your mouth and in your heart, and that all who call on the name of the Lord will be saved.
https://desertskiesumc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Ways-of-Witness.jpg7201280Loye Ashtonhttps://desertskiesumc.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/desert-skies-umc_logo_padding.pngLoye Ashton2023-08-13 17:58:262023-08-13 17:58:26Fear and Faith as Witness — 13 August 2023
Tenth Sunday after Pentecost Proper 13 (18) 6 August 2023
Sermon: “Generosity as Witness.”
Scripture: Matthew 14:13-21
Synopsis: When the crowd of people gets hungry and the disciples suggest Jesus send them away, Jesus sees it as an opportunity for the disciples. “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat,” he says. Everyone (maybe especially the disciples!) receives God’s generosity in this story, and perhaps the generosity of one another as well, as the initial sharing of loaves and fishes may have inspired others to share what they had as well.
https://desertskiesumc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Ways-of-Witness.jpg7201280Loye Ashtonhttps://desertskiesumc.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/desert-skies-umc_logo_padding.pngLoye Ashton2023-08-06 16:47:162023-08-06 16:47:16Generosity as Witness — 6 August 2023
Ninth Sunday after Pentecost Proper 12 (17) 30 July 2023
Sermon: Hidden and Mixed In
Scriptures: Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52 (the kingdom of heaven is like…) and Genesis 29:15-28 (Jacob marries Leah instead of Rachel)
Theme: God’s work in the world is often hidden and mixed in
Synopsis: It can be difficult to see and discern God’s work in the world. But once we glimpse that pearl or treasure, it is worth putting all we are into it. Even in the midst of disappointment, underhanded dealings, or even injustice, like in the story of Jacob, Leah, and Rachel, God can still work. (This is NOT to say that we accept injustice because God can work in spite of it.) Let’s be people who look for God’s work in the world, celebrate it and invest in it, and become that regular field where a pearl is hidden beneath the surface.
https://desertskiesumc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Man-hiking-on-a-nature-path-1499613.jpg12801920Loye Ashtonhttps://desertskiesumc.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/desert-skies-umc_logo_padding.pngLoye Ashton2023-07-31 07:51:282023-08-31 23:23:29Hidden and Mixed In — 30 July 2023
Eighth Sunday after Pentecost Proper 11 (16) 23 July 2023
Sermon: Weeds & Wheat, Faith & Flaws
Scriptures: Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 (parable of the weeds and explanation) and Genesis 28:10-19a (Jacob’s ladder dream)
Theme: Nearly all of us have both faith and flaws in our lives and witness
Synopsis: Nearly all of us have both faith and flaws in our lives and witness. Jacob certainly did. That God continued to work in and through him, and he is even a patriarch of the Abrahamic faith traditions, can be encouraging for us, who are aware of both our faith and our flaws. The parable indicates that God allows both our faith and our flaws to exist side-by-side, and God will root out our flaws at the end.
That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. 2 Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. 3 And he told them many things in parables, saying: “Listen! A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell on a path, and the birds came and ate them up. 5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. 6 But when the sun rose, they were scorched, and since they had no root, they withered away. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8 Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 If you have ears,[a] hear!”
“Hear, then, the parable of the sower. 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path. 20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, 21 yet such a person has no root but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away.[a] 22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of this[b] age and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. 23 But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”
Synopsis:
This parable is all about potential. We are the seed sowers! It’s time to re-imagine fruitfulness and then to work for that in the whole ministry of the church. We look for seeds— and we also sow seeds of invitation,–not just at the dirt. We look for potential and not just for limitations or barriers. We move from “if only” to “see what God is doing in our midst!”
https://desertskiesumc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Man-hiking-on-a-nature-path-1499613.jpg12801920Loye Ashtonhttps://desertskiesumc.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/desert-skies-umc_logo_padding.pngLoye Ashton2023-07-16 14:45:042023-07-16 14:45:04Seeds, Sower, and Success — 16 July 2023
Sixth Sunday after Pentecost Proper 9 (14) 9 July 2023
Scripture: Matthew 11:25-30
Theme: His yoke is easy.
Synopsis: The image of a yoke brings to my mind a team of oxen, and a yoke does require relationship and cooperation, even if there’s just one ox and the farmer. We are first yoked to Jesus, who is gentle and good, and also yoked to one another. Houghton and Vail bring a richer experience to each other.
https://desertskiesumc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Man-hiking-on-a-nature-path-1499613.jpg12801920Loye Ashtonhttps://desertskiesumc.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/desert-skies-umc_logo_padding.pngLoye Ashton2023-07-09 18:13:452023-07-16 14:45:36Easy Over - 9 July 2023
Fifth Sunday after Pentecost Proper 8 (13) – 2 July 2023
Scripture: Luke 5:1-11
Synopsis: Here we are on our lake shore. Like Simon, Jesus calls us as we are, and also calls us to something new. Let’s get in the boat together, and head out to deep water with Jesus, sometimes away from our comfort zones, and see what Jesus will do!
https://desertskiesumc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Man-hiking-on-a-nature-path-1499613.jpg12801920Loye Ashtonhttps://desertskiesumc.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/desert-skies-umc_logo_padding.pngLoye Ashton2023-07-02 15:36:452023-07-03 10:25:04(Back) In the Boat - 2 July 2023
…the boat was far out to sea when the wind came up against them and they were battered by the waves. At about four o’clock in the morning, Jesus came toward them walking on the water. They were scared to death. “A ghost!” they said, crying out in terror. But Jesus was quick to comfort them. “Courage, it’s me. Don’t be afraid.” Peter, suddenly bold, said, “Master, if it’s really you, call me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come ahead.” Jumping out of the boat, Peter walked on the water to Jesus. But when he looked down at the waves churning beneath his feet, he lost his nerve and started to sink. He cried, “Master, save me!” Jesus didn’t hesitate. He reached down and grabbed his hand.
Synopsis: It takes courage to change, to break out of whatever narrow paths we might find ourselves in. Just like Peter, if we are going to change, we have to take the first uncertain steps out of the boat onto the water and into the unknown. Luckily, we too have Jesus’ redeeming help and support, his hand reaching out to us, if we start to sink or lose our way.
Step Four for Change: Courage to take the first step
https://desertskiesumc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Snapshot-04-06-2023-1519.jpeg7751263Loye Ashtonhttps://desertskiesumc.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/desert-skies-umc_logo_padding.pngLoye Ashton2023-06-25 18:03:572023-06-25 18:03:57Be En-Couraged – 25 June 2023
“Listen carefully: Unless a grain of wheat is buried in the ground, dead to the world, it is never any more than a grain of wheat. But if it is buried, it sprouts and reproduces itself many times over. In the same way, anyone who holds on to life just as it is destroys that life. But if you let it go, reckless in your love, you’ll have it forever, real and eternal. If any of you wants to serve me, then follow me. Then you’ll be where I am, ready to serve at a moment’s notice. The Holy One, Parent of Us All, will honor and reward anyone who serves me.”
Synopsis: In our scripture today, Jesus asks us to let go of life “as it is” in order to create and multiply the love that is eternal. What feels like the chaos, or recklessness, of change is the breaking-open of possibility and the sprouting of new life. This is what it means to follow the change-maker Jesus and serve his purpose of more love in the world.
Step Three for Change: be willing to let old expectations fall away
https://desertskiesumc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Snapshot-04-06-2023-1519.jpeg7751263Loye Ashtonhttps://desertskiesumc.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/desert-skies-umc_logo_padding.pngLoye Ashton2023-06-20 19:47:152023-06-20 19:47:15Everything Changes – 18 June 2023
John the Baptizer appeared in the wild, preaching a baptism of life-change that leads to forgiveness of sins. People thronged to him from Judea and Jerusalem and, as they confessed their sins, were baptized by him in the Jordan River into a changed life. John wore a camel-hair habit, tied at the waist with a leather belt. He ate locusts and wild field honey. As he preached he said, “The real action comes next: The star in this drama, to whom I’m a mere stagehand, will change your life. I’m baptizing you here in the river, turning your old life in for a kingdom life. His baptism—a holy baptism by the Holy Spirit—will change you from the inside out.”
Synopsis: Our Scripture this week invites us to remember the baptism of Jesus and the message that we, as followers of Jesus, are changed constantly “from the inside out.” Transformation does not start with the action of change itself, but a willingness within our own spirits to “lean into” the life path that is calling to us.
Step Two for Change: start with inner change
https://desertskiesumc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Snapshot-04-06-2023-1519.jpeg7751263Loye Ashtonhttps://desertskiesumc.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/desert-skies-umc_logo_padding.pngLoye Ashton2023-06-11 19:24:572023-06-11 19:24:57Inside Out – June 11, 2023
