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Children’s sermon for 8/16:
Jesus says that it is not what goes into your mouth that harms you, but what comes out of your mouth that harms you. This means that if your heart is full of kindness, then kindness will come out from you, however, if your heart is full of anger and frustration, then anger and frustration will come out from you, and that will harm you and your friends. What comes out of your mouth matters.
Sermon:
Johnny Cash had been one of the more spiritual writers of his day, and one of his songs was titled “Help me.” This song speaks of a person down on their luck, begging for help from God. Pastors often do their best to try to walk alongside others because we all need a form of help.
In today’s Bible reading, the Pharisees on the one hand are questioning Jesus, while on the other hand, the Canaanite woman is begging for help. Overall, this passage is about ritual purity; what did the Canaanite woman have that the Pharisees did not have? She had a large amount of humility; she had a willingness to let go of pride, as well as to let go of questioning whether or not she would be accepted. Therefore, she had thrown herself at Jesus’ feet for He is the One who heals.
Those who have the faith of a dog: love unconditionally, are eager to please and to stand by their Master’s feet. This Bible lesson is directed towards those who are often seen as outcasts, as well as to those who are spiritually poor. It is not about purity, it is about our need for a greater power than ourselves and to confess it. Lord help me. We fall short everyday of our lives. We must strive to be humble servants to the world, filled with good infinite mercy, grace and love. His presence guides us if we lean on God.
Sermons on 8-23-26
Children’s Sermon:
If we are not united in one body of Christ, then the tower will become unstable and fall; it takes us all. We need all people to care for the good in the long run, or else it will come crashing down.
Sermon:
Who do you say that the Son of man is? Challenge yourself to strike up a conversation with someone who is not a family member, and discuss what people say Jesus is to them. Share and reach out through the word of God. What are some of the things that we say: He is life everlasting, He is with you always, nothing can stop God’s work on this earth, Jesus was a good teacher, He was a moral example for us all, He was revolutionary, He cured the broken, and others respected His wisdom, while others rejected Him. His Disciples had given many answers; respectful answers, but they were incomplete. Who do you say that I am? We often forget where God is at within our lives. There are powerful words in today’s Gospel reading, especially in verse 16. Jesus had died for us on the cross. According to Peter, Jesus had not merely been a teacher or a prophet, but he had come to restore us. Faith is more than collecting information from Jesus. It is the ability to respond to that truth. Everyday, a new soul is presented to us with new needs. Some of us may feel that our faith is incomplete, and we may have questions. It is not about what Jesus expects of us, but rather He invites us to follow him, meaning continuing to read scripture, and continuing our relationship with God. Church is built on the truth of who Jesus is. We are all of different ages, backgrounds, etc., but we are all united with the conversation that Jesus Christ is our Lord. We are not called to hide away from darkness, rather we are called to stand out. The people of God are meant to move forward. When Jesus asks, who do you say that I am? Do not answer only with your lips, but with life as well. Worship him with your whole heart. Share grace with everyone, especially those who need help in finding their way.
Sunday, September 13
Children’s Sermon:
Let’s talk about something important: forgiveness. As I’m drawing here, does this look like a face? Well, yes, it is round. What do you do when you make a mistake? Yes, you use the pencil eraser to erase it, but it’s not erasing very well, is it? Now, have you ever seen this before? Yes, it’s called a white board. Now, we have the eyes already made with the magnets here, and now it’s time to add the smile. This thing erases it, and it goes away. It’s pretty cool because now it’s gone. Now, is your face round or oval? I’ve been trying and trying to clean it up, and make it as pretty as possible. We are going to read in our text today about how good forgiveness is. When we forgive someone around us, sometimes, our anger doesn’t leave us completely, but when we are with God, we can completely clean what we had erased, rather than leave behind a faded line. This shows how gracious and wonderful our God is. Jesus sacrificed himself on the cross so we can always be free from sin.
Sermon:
Forgiveness, we think we do it, we think we try to do it, but really, how good do we do it? There are fewer things more difficult than offering forgiveness. Sometimes we say that we forgive, but often, we still have anger in our hearts. We replay the situation in our mind, and hold onto that hurt. In today’s readings from Jesus and Paul, they speak about how we should treat others. Paul writes about our convictions being different from others, and Jesus speaks about forgiveness. It is important to extend mercy rather than judgement. In the text, 7 times feels more than enough to forgive someone, but Jesus replies 77 times. However it’s not about Jesus giving us a mathematical limitation, it’s about forgiveness ought to be flowing from our hearts, and we have experienced this through mercy from God.
Then Jesus tells a parable about a slave owing a debt more than could ever be paid back during a lifetime. The point of the matter is about erasing the debt completely, but then the slave goes to another slave that owes him money, and instead of showing mercy, he demands the money back, and when he can’t pay him back, he has him imprisoned. The first slave refuses to extend the forgiveness that had been given to him. The parable teaches that when you come before God with debts that could never be repaid, like holding onto anger, selfishness, using harsh words, when we’re with our family and friends, but with God, he offers mercy completely. In order to truly understand the depth of God’s mercy towards us, we need to extend ourselves, even if it means not forgetting what had happened. It means surrendering our desire to control the future through resentment and revenge. Entrust judgement to God. Open your hearts to healing for ourselves and for others.
The early Christian community held different convictions and beliefs, such as in regards to food preparations, and traditions. Paul does not tell them to force everyone to think, walk and talk in the same way. Instead, he says, who are you to pass judgement onto another? We often challenge or have the tendency to make ourselves the judge of everyone else. We might criticize another person for their worship style, traditions, clothing, political views, ways of life or for their interpretation of a scripture text. We turn against those that are different from us, and make them our enemies. Paul reminds us that we are not the final judge. Humility must accompany our convictions. Be careful before commenting about another person. We are a church, a community, where people need to feel welcomed, where truth can be shared without cruelty. Differences need to be handled with patience. Truths belong together as one, because God has forgiven us, so we must be willing to forgive others. God alone is judge, we need to be slow to condemn others.
We need to apologize for what we place on our neighbors. If a person disagrees with us, they are still someone that Christ had died for. Jesus does not respond to human sin with revenge, but with mercy instead. God provides hands to reach out, rather than to point condemningly. We are saved by the grace of God, who has already forgiven us.
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10-4-26
Children’s Sermon:
With looking at this toy brick tower, what happens if you take one away from the bottom? Yes, it falls down. In our Gospel story today, we will be learning about Jesus being a cornerstone. A cornerstone is the base stone in any structure. Jesus is the rock holding everything together. This church building that we are worshipping in today is over 250 years old. When you have a good cornerstone and foundation, the structure can stand forever. We hold onto Jesus as being our cornerstone.
Sermon:
Unity means one body in Christ, and today we are demonstrating that as being members from various churches that have joined together today. Everything necessary has been done in preparation for the vineyard to be bountiful, but yet, it yields wild grapes. The vineyard is in reference to being God’s people. The parable is a warning in reference to generosity; it is not meant for the few to hoard. Instead, it is meant for the flourishing of everyone in God’s Kingdom. The focus should be on serving God and our neighbor. Jesus taught us to love God and to love thy neighbor. Grapes do not grow in pride. We are gathered together today; we are intertwined. We come to this place with different gifts, stories, and dreams. We are called into one life with Jesus Christ; we are one vineyard rooted in Jesus Christ; we are together as a church. We are not gathered because we have everything figured out; we have to make space and have Grace. We need to help each other to care for those less fortunate. Unity is not a gift to be won. God brings light to what the world would otherwise cast aside. Wild grapes represent injustice, conflict, grief, but God never stops tending the vineyard, not because we are perfect, but because we need one another, and we need the grace of God. We are not together in pride, but rather, we are together in hope.
10/18/26
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Children’s Sermon:
Pastor: If you were given a bag containing 1 pound of marbles, and a bag containing 1 pound of feathers, which would be heavier?
Child: The marbles.
Pastor: But they both weigh 1 pound.
Child: The marbles are heavier because they are harder.
Pastor: Ok, well the Pharisees were trying to trap Jesus, but he had told them to give Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to give to God what is God’s.
Abraham Lincoln is on the penny, Thomas Jefferson is on the nickel, Franklin Roosevelt is on the dime and George Washington is on the quarter. Caesar was on the coin that Jesus had gotten. All of this belongs to God; we are all a part of God’s creation. Our coins contain solid leaders, but God is over us all, and God provides all; everything belongs to God. We ought to be generous with our gifts and care for all people.
Sermon:
The theme of generosity does not mean only monetary gifts, but rather, it is our entire way of life. God has a steady commitment of grace, life and love. How we live our lives; everything belongs to God, and our lives belong to the One who gives us life. Some like to think that our security tells on what we have done, and what we have accumulated in our lives. God is the ruler of all; there are no storage bins in Heaven. Having gratitude, and sharing our gifts is all that is needed.
The Pharisees tried to trick Jesus. We are all created in the image of God. We offer to God our own gifts, talents, treasures, love, but that doesn’t mean we give them away carelessly. Generosity is thoughtful: How can what I have serve my neighbor and serve God? Many people measure their lives by achievement and acquisition.
I want to tell you a story about Robert. Overtime, Robert began to feel an emptiness, and began to wonder if generosity was just about writing checks. Robert had gone to an event where the speaker had mentioned that there was a program in need of mentors, father figures for boys who were growing up without fathers. As Robert participated within the program, something had begun to shift within him, and the mentor role had been filling a void. He had realized that giving was more about money, it was about giving heart. If you ever wonder if what you’re giving or doing matters, whatever is done in Christ’s love can never be wasted, even if the results may not be harvested right away.
10-25-26 Reformation Sunday
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Children’s Sermon:
Have you ever been on a big ship? If you had fallen off, maybe they would throw you a life jacket, and tell you to wait for the next boat, or maybe they’ll tell you to swim half way, and then the boat will back up to get you, but it is highly unlikely that a big boat will back up. Maybe they will tell you to climb halfway up the ladder, and then they will pull you up the rest of the way, but that won’t work if you are about to drown. Maybe they will call a rescue team, or maybe they will throw a life ring. Will the captain save you? Probably.
Today is Reformation Sunday, and we wear red on this day. Martin Luther changed the direction of the church in the 1500s, which was over 500 years ago. He saw some things that were going wrong with the church. He had been thrown out of the church, and then new churches had started. They are called Protestant, which means they protested against the church. This had begun on October 31, 1517. They believed in different things in different ways.
We are justified by faith alone, and in faith alone we are justified, and we live eternally, saved by God’s grace. We still want to help others. How do you help someone out at school who has forgotten their lunch at home? We are free and chosen people of God, and by God’s grace, we are saved.
Sermon:
On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther had challenged the church of his day. He had wanted the church to hear the Gospel clearly. We are made right by God, not by our achievements, but by grace through faith. The church is not a museum to preserve things. People are called to listen, to repent, and we are renewed by God’s word. The truth will make you free.
In today’s Reading, Jesus is talking about ways in which to turn from God and from others. Freedom is not about getting your way, rather it is about being released. The law does not give reason to boast, instead it reveals the need. All sin and fail from following God. We do not earn God’s love through perfect faith; we do not earn God’s welcome through our works. We serve God‘s church boldly and abundantly; we are the hands, feet and voices of the church faith. Listen to the people who are being ignored or hurt, and serve the community without feeling you must earn God’s favor. God is drawing near to us; know God’s mercy from the inside out. The truth is about what do we follow, what drives us today. Return to the true Gospel.
Reach out to those who are missing from our gatherings, reach out to those who are not with us. Make room for gifts of change from every generation. Return: let God’s word turn us towards Jesus Christ. Recognize that all people matter. Creation calls us sometimes to change. What helps us to live faithfully in the freedom that God provides us? We never stop needing grace. God’s promise is to forgive inequities, and to remember sin no more. Today, I challenge you to discern where reform is needed, with the church, and within ourselves. We are in need of more leaders within our church, as well as for people to share information with the leaders of the church.
All Saints Day:
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Children’s Sermon
What is this? It’s a handkerchief. What happens when someone sneezes? We bless people when they sneeze, which means that we hope that they recover well. In the Gospel reading, there are many blessings mentioned. Do you ever get down sometimes? Is there anyone here that is mourning? Many of us are struggling with grief right now. Have you ever experienced a pet dying? It’s not cool. Blessing you takes a different meaning with Jesus. We are lifted up to be healed, and to care for one another. Bless those who try to do right thing. We must be calm, and not aggressive, be meek. Look around for the people in your school that may need that blessing.
Sermon
We are gathered here together on All Saints Day, which has been set in place since the 9th century. It invites us to look upon the immediate horizon of our own lives. Our faithful loved ones have helped in shaping our journeys. Now they rest in the presence of our Lord. We get a glimpse of what lies beyond in Revelation. The ultimate reality and vision is that the community is redeemed, and united as one. Our existence is not defined by our suffering, but rather through our presence in God.
In verse 7 in our reading today, it states that He will wipe away every tear. This is our biggest comfort. We all experience grief, loss, injustice and pain, but our tears are removed by God Himself. The grief that we come in with today is real. In 1 John 3, it states that we should be called children of God. The future hope that we carry for ourselves is transformative. When Jesus had talked to his disciples, he had changed the expectations of the world upside down. He did not say that it was going to be an easy life. The saints that we honor hear today had encompassed the beatitudes we have been reading about. I know some of the loved ones being honored here today, and they were not perfect. We’re a part of those in the same story. The same grace/hope that sustains each of us, sustains and lifts us up in our lives. Let us not only look back with yearning, but ahead with resolve. We participate in a great multitude today, and one day, we will see God as God is, and our tears will be wiped away.