Sermons from 2024 (Page 3)
Can You Handle the Truth?
Pentecost is upon us! We remember the day when the Holy Spirit came upon the people. The Holy Spirit is part of the Triune God and is, at times, often neglected. If we took the space to truly learn who to learn who the Holy Spirit is, if we would be able to handle the truth it would have us face. SCRIPTURE: John 15:26-27; John 16:4-15 (NRSVUE) 26 “But I will send you the Advocate[a]—the Spirit of truth. He will come…
A Legacy of Faith
Mother’s Day is when we honor all the mother figures in our lives. When we look at the letter of 2 Timothy, we see the Apostle Paul mentioning two of Timothy’s family members: his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice. I wonder what can we learn from their story? We will explore the letter of 2 Timothy at the base camp of our church community, near and far. We will explore spiritual practices, keep the gift of the Sabbath, learn…
Lay Down
“Love” is a four-letter word that may sound simple, but it holds great depth. In the book of 1 John, the apostle John emphasizes how love should be demonstrated through our actions towards each other, and even towards ourselves. If we were to operate from a place of love genuinely, how different would our lives be? SCRIPTURE: 1 John 3:16-24 (CEB) 16 This is how we know love: Jesus laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down…
Who Are You Following?
According to Dictionary.com, the term “pure” refers to being untainted by evil, innocent, and ceremonially clean. It also means being free from guilt. While Jesus Christ is the only person known to be pure, as followers of Christ, what does it mean for us to strive for purity? How does it reflect in our daily lives? SCRIPTURE: 1 John 3:1-7 (NLT) 3 See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we…
Be Honest
We have just celebrated the resurrection, but what comes next? It’s time for us to take a step back and truly understand what it means to follow Christ. We need to take the time to learn what it means that God is love and to reflect on ourselves. SCRIPTURE: 1 John 1:1-2:2 1 We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning,[a] whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our…
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…