“Increase our faith!” Have you ever prayed that prayer? I suspect that many of us have—but Jesus’ response is rather peculiar. Jesus says that the size of your faith doesn’t matter—your problem is not a lack of faith. It only takes a mustard-seed sized faith to uproot a tree and plant it in the sea.…
This week we continue the series called “Lost and Found,” which will run through the end of October. We are thinking about what a Spirit-filled, Spirit-led life and community look like. We will make the transition from the powerful parables in Luke 15 to the first story in Luke 16. As always, I encourage you…
We are currently in a sermon series called “Lost and Found,” which will run through the end of October. In this series, we focus on stories from Luke 15-17 and continue to think about what a Spirit-filled, Spirit-led life looks like. This week’s text is the third of three “lost-and-found” parables in Luke 15. Luke…
It is still the season of Pentecost—so we are still celebrating God’s gift of the Spirit to the Church! We have wrapped up the “Living it UP” series. I will start up a new one this weekend called “Lost and Found,” which will run through the end of October. We will focus on stories from…
This weekend we continue the series called “Living It Up,” which is focusing on what a Spirit-led life looks like. We are reflecting on passages from the Gospel of Luke. So far, we have thought about “Freshening Up,” “Giving It Up,” and not getting “Hung Up.” The next message will be “On Being Puffed Up.”…
This weekend as we gather during the season of Pentecost, we will continue the series called “Living It Up,” which is focusing on what a Spirit-led life looks like. We are reflecting on several passages from the Gospel of Luke. So far, we have thought about “Freshening Up” and “Giving It Up.” The next message…
I feel like I need to ask for your forgiveness. Once in awhile, I get so tired of hearing the bad news that I take a break from it. I don’t read the paper. I don’t watch it on television. I don’t check the news feeds on the Internet. I just try to ignore it.…
This weekend we will think about “Freshening Up.” And I’m not talking about taking a vacation or checking our make-up or grabbing a quick shower. What I hope we will discover in the text from Luke 11 are ways that we can freshen up our spiritual vitality and relationship with God and each other. The…
Colossians 1:15-29 This weekend we will wrap up the “New Spirit” sermon series. As I mentioned in last week’s message, we are trying to envision not “virtual reality”—but “virtue reality.” So far we have thought about God’s spiritual gifts of gratitude, peace, hope, compassion, and growth. As we ponder the last part of the passage…
We have a couple of weeks to go with the sermon series “A New Spirit.” We have been thinking about God’s spiritual gifts and what to do with them. We have thought about gratitude, peace, hope, and compassion. This weekend we will focus on growth. I know that there are questions about the author of…
We are in the middle of a sermon series called “A New Spirit.” We have been thinking about God’s spiritual gifts and what to do with them. We have thought about gratitude, peace and hope. This weekend we will focus on freedom, which seems appropriate as we prepare for Independence Day celebrations. In Galatians 5,…
We are in the midst of a “spirited” summer sermon series. The season of Pentecost began on June 9 and we took some time to celebrate God’s gift of the Spirit to the Church. Although Acts 2 describes the Spirit arriving in a dramatic way, there are references to it many years before Pentecost. For…
A New Spirit of PeaceJohn 14:15-18, 25-27 For centuries Christians have turned to John 14 for strength and assurance and peace—and Jesus delivers! He reiterates the new commandment he has given his disciples—to love others as he has loved them. He gently clarifies how his presence will remain with his disciples. Jesus assures them of…
When we read about the “birth” of the Church on the Day of Pentecost—the tongues of fire, the sound of a mighty wind, the proclamation of the Good News in many languages—we may think, “What a bizarre, incredible story!” The people seem chaotic and out of control on one hand—and yet caring and compassionate. They…
John 17:20-26 Some people have described today’s passage as the conclusion of the “real” Lord’s prayer – it is part of a longer prayer that starts at the beginning of John 17. On the eve of his betrayal and death, Jesus pleads with God. He prays for himself and his disciples. Then he prays for…
John 10:22-30 We are in the midst of an Easter season sermon series called “Rise!” We are considering qualities of Jesus’ followers and disciples. What does it mean for us to be “Easter people”—people of the resurrection? So far we have been exhorted to believe and follow. This week we are urged to rise and…
May 5, 2019 John 21:15-19 As we continue to celebrate the season of Easter, we are reflecting on variations of a phrase we often hear after people are baptized: “Rise! Walk in the Newness of Life!” What does—or could—that look like for us as individuals and a community of faith? What does it mean to…
Rise! John 20:1-10 (11-18) As we prepare for the season of Easter, we will reflect upon variations of a phrase we often hear after people are baptized: “Rise! Walk in the Newness of Life!” I am inviting you to join me as we give some thought to what it means to be “Easter people?” What…
Palm Sunday, April 14, 2019 Luke 19:28-40 Dr. Leigh Bond
John 12:1-11 April 6,/7 2019 INTRODUCTION. We continue to consider variations of the theme “Opportunity.” During the season of Lent we have thought about tempting opportunities and opportunities to be fruitful. Last week we remembered that even when we are “prodigal,” we have the opportunity to be welcomed “home” by God. We affirmed that the…
An Opportunity to Come Home Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32 March 30, 31, 2019 INTRODUCTION. We are more than halfway through the season of Lent. We continue to consider variations of the theme “Opportunity.” We have thought about tempting and fruitful opportunities. Today we will remember that because of God’s love and grace, we always have the…
INTRODUCTION. Hello and Happy Spring! March Madness is here and many of us are cheering for our favorite teams on the road to the “Final Four.” As people of faith, I hope we will not forget that we are also in the midst of March Gladness and the season of Lent. We continue to follow…
Maybe that is what is at the heart of all of this? We experience different kinds of hunger—and we are tempted not to trust that God will satisfy our needs. We experience trials and tribulations—and we are tempted not to trust that God loves us and cares for us and knows each one of us by name. So many of our problems have to do with trust and timing. We get wonderful gifts from a life-giving God, designed to bring us nourishment, opportunity, pleasure and well-being. But we are not to selfishly gobble them up, grab them, force them or rush them. Bread can satisfy our hunger, except when God says, “Wait.” Power is worth pursuing, but not if we sell our souls in the process. Being children of God is a cherished blessing, but we can’t take God’s good and graceful gifts for granted.
Once, when he was in one of the cities, there was a man covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he bowed with his face to the ground and begged him, “Lord, if you choose, you can make me clean.” Luke 5:12-16 Introduction (Watch video https://youtu.be/-95sTha1BLs.) Have you seen this commercial? The company, Vaev, was…
“Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.” When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him. Luke 5:1-11 Introduction How many of you really enjoy fishing? If so, this story may be your favorite in the whole Bible. Some will try to make a case…
They got up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they might hurl him off the cliff. But he passed through the midst of them and went on his way. Luke 4:21-30 Introduction Watch the Rams/Saints video Did you…
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. Luke 4:14-21 Introduction Good…
In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.” Matthew 2:1-12 Introduction Happy New…