Sermons on Lent and Easter
The Samaritan Woman at the Well
Hello, Beloved of PPUMC! This Sunday, I am on vacation. UCC Pastor Oby Ballinger will be filling in, and I think you’ll find him delightful and be interested in the work he is doing. Because of the work he’s doing, we will be taking a little detour from Luke. Though things will certainly connect as two Sundays ago we looked at the context of the Parable of the Good Samaritan, and this week Oby will dive into the story from…
The Parable of the Prodigal Son
SCRIPTURE: Luke 15:1-2,11-32 (NRSVUE) 15 Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. 2 And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.” 11 Then Jesus said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the wealth that will belong to me.’ So he divided his assets between them. 13 A few days later the younger son gathered all…
Selfless Love
This Sunday we get kind of an odd collection of scripture passages, where in, as one person said in our Wednesday Bible study, Jesus seems “exasperated”. We’ll see how and if I pull this thing together! -Pastor Paul SCRIPTURE: Luke 13:1-9, 31-35 13 At that very time there were some present who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 He asked them, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners…
Fearless Love
This week we are looking at a very familiar, though I think misunderstood, story: It’s the Parable of the Good Samaritan. There’s a lot going on in it, and I’m excited to unpack it with you all. -Pastor Paul SCRIPTURE: Luke 10:25-37 25 An expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he said, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the law? What do you read there?” 27 He answered, “You shall love…
What Are You Looking At?
This is a BIG Sunday in our Journey through Luke. It is Transfiguration Sunday, which is the last Sunday before Lent starts! Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, but as already communicated we will not hold an Ash Wednesday service this year. With that in mind, we are going to use the Ash Wednesday text this Sunday, and have a sort of “Ash Sunday”. Fear not, there will not be ash on your foreheads, but we will incorporate ashes into Communion.…
Go and Tell It
“He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!” After Jesus was crucified, many people thought this was the end, but his resurrection proved that death couldn’t hold him down. We all know that Jesus has risen, but how can we experience the hope, power, and new life that his resurrection brings? In the base camp of our church community, near and far, we will wrap up our time in the Gospel of Mark. We will explore spiritual practices, keep the gift…
You Matter
“Holy Week,” aka “Passion Week,” is upon us! We come into this week shouting, “Hosanna, blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!”. The shouts of Hosanna go to “Crucify Him” and then to “He is Risen!” As we enter this Holy Week, we hear the story of a woman who took her alabaster box and anointed Jesus’ body. What can we take from her story as we go into this week? SCRIPTURE: Mark 14:3-9 (NLT)…
Get Ready
In Mark 13, Jesus explained to the disciples the signs of the end of time and the destruction of the temple. From the Left Behind series to movies about the apocalypse, people have been wondering when the end times will happen. How does this connect to Lent? What can we learn from this passage? In the base camp of our church community, near and far, we will continue our series on the Gospel of Mark. We will explore spiritual practices,…
Love Talk
The greatest commandments are to love God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength and to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. Let us be honest: This is easier said than done. Jesus is calling you and me to embody and live out what it means to be a beloved community, but how can we make this a reality, given this country’s history? Due to the history of harm that has been done? In the base camp of…
The Verdict Is In: Finding Grace in Accountability
Jesus is renowned for his use of parables, one of which involves a vineyard owner sending servants to collect profits, only to have them mistreated. Eventually, the owner sends his son, hoping for respect, but the workers treat him similarly. What lessons can we draw from this parable and others like it? How does it relate to our lives? In the base camp of our church community, near and far, we will continue our series diving into the Gospel of…