Sermons from 2022
Claim, Name, and Provide a Frame for Christ
The familiar Christmas story gives two examples of how people may relate to Christ. Mary knows Christ intimately within her body. Joseph must take a leap of faith to choose to be in relationship with Christ. When life or the world in general seems so filled with trouble, we may learn the most from Joseph as he takes the leap and claims Christ as his own, names Christ for himself, and provides a frame so that Christ can be shared…
For Just Such a Time as This
In Chapter 4, Queen Esther chooses to risk her life to save her people. In the process she calls on her people to be united in solidarity. We may not face the level of crisis she did, but we are always being called to take everything that has brought us to this day, and use those experiences to respond faithfully and courageously for just such a time as this.
Some Things Are Too Important to Forget
What’s so important that you can’t forget it? On this first Sunday in Advent, Pastor Billy preached on the prophet Habakkuk’s dual reminders: who God is and who we are called to be.
Celebrating and Transforming Heritage
As we celebrate Heritage Sunday at Govans, Pastor Tom will reflect on how Isaiah envisions a day when we stand before the mountain of God as nations. Isaiah’s vision is not of individuals coming before God, but groups of people with the ethnic, cultural and even national diversity intact. Yet, Isaiah does not stop there and calls on those gathered nations to transform the harmful parts of their heritage into something new as they beat their swords into ploughshares.
Unmiraculous Miracles
What makes a miracle, well, miraculous? And how might God be inviting us to be part of the miracles in our lives and neighborhoods? In this sermon, we continue our reading through the major leaders and prophets of the Hebrew Bible with the story of Elisha and Naaman from 2 Kings 5. Pastor Billy preaches on the seemingly mundane miracles that can transform the world around us even today.
Are You With Them?
Are we saints? How can we be sure? Is that even the right question to ask? We explore what it might mean to be model Christians as we discuss the story of Peter’s denial of Jesus from the Gospel of Luke. – Pastor Billy’s sermon from November 6, 2022
Commitments vs. Callings
When King Solomon was offered anything from God, he asked for a discerning mind. We are called to discern how we are called by God to engage with the world. We are called to discern when we are called to move from hearing a calling to making a commitment.
Stewardships of Virtue and Goodness
We often think about being stewards of material things like money, stuff, or the earth. We also think about being stewards of our time and talent. But, can we also be stewards of goodness and virtue? Pastor Tom uses David’s prayer of repentance as a jumping off point to explore this question.
The Ten Commandments Explained by the Animals
How would the animals explain the Ten Commandments to humans? It seems like humans don’t do a great job following the commandments, so maybe we need to hear them from a different perspective.
Doing Hard Things Together Through Faith
The Crossing of the Red Sea is an archetypal story of communal rebirth. It is a story of a people acting on faith together and being transformed as a result. We can draw strength from this story as we face challenges that we haven’t chosen. We can also be inspired to choose to do hard things together so that we are stronger as a community when larger challenges arrive.
100% Responsibility: What It Is and What It Is Not
In our story today, Joseph is faced with almost impossible choices. He has no good options. Yet, in each situation he makes the best choice he can. Each time he takes 100% responsibility for his decisions, never blaming the unfairness of the situation. What does it mean for us to take 100% responsibility for our choices? And just as important, what does it not mean?
Bad News, Good News, and Finding the Blessing
What are we willing to lose to serve God and our neighbor? In this sermon, we continue discussing the stories of early leaders in our faith as we turn toward Abram/Abraham and Sarai/Sarh in Genesis 12:1-9. We talk about all of God’s promises to Abram, as well as the many things God challenges Abram to let go of.