Worship with Hope, Grow with Love,
and Serve with a Passion for Justice.

Sermons Archive

On Your Left

It is a joy to have one of our former ministers, Rev. Julie Richardson, preaching at both of our Sunday services this weekend. Julie is a gifted writer and eloquent speaker and she will share a meaningful message with the congregation. Her sermon title is “On Your Left.” The text she has selected is Ruth 1:7-18. Julie has started a new position…

Living it UP!

Giving It UP

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.…

Living it UP!

Freshening UP

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…

A New Spirit Sermon Series at Beargrass

A New Spirit of Glory

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…

A New Spirit Sermon Series at Beargrass

A New Spirit of Growth

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…

A New Spirit Sermon Series at Beargrass

A New Spirit of Compassion

Rev. Erin Wathen was preaching at our services on Sunday. Erin is the new Associate Director for Marketing and Communications with Week of Compassion—the relief, refugee and development mission fund of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Prior to taking on this role, Erin served congregations in Kentucky, Arizona and Kansas City. Erin was the…

A New Spirit Sermon Series at Beargrass

A New Spirit of Freedom

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,…

A New Spirit Sermon Series at Beargrass

A New Spirit of Hope

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 Sermon Series at Beargrass

A New Spirit of Peace

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…

A New Spirit Sermon Series at Beargrass

A New Spirit of Gratitude

Psalm 13 Dr. Susan Lowe Last weekend, as we began the season of Pentecost, Leigh mentioned in his sermon that no matter what we have going on in our lives, we have hope because of the gift and gifts of the Spirit God continues to pour out on us. He said, “The power of the…

A New Spirit Sermon Series at Beargrass

A New Spirit

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…

Beargrass Christian Church Rise Sermon Series

Rise and Be United!

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…

But If Not…

The story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and their encounter with King Nebuchadnezzar is a ministry staple in most children’s ministries and one many of us remember fondly from childhood. We look at that story found in Daniel 3 but, we’re stopping short of the whole fiery furnace scene. Wait? What? Is that even allowed?…

Beargrass Christian Church Rise Sermon Series

Rise and Listen

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…

Beargrass Christian Church Rise Sermon Series

Rise and Follow

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…

Beargrass Christian Church Rise Sermon Series

Easter 2019

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…

An Extravagant Opportunity

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

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…

An Opportunity to Be Fruitful

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…

A Tempting Opportunity

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.

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Follow Me to the City

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…

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Follow Me to the Lake

“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…

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Follow Me to the Cliff

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…

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Follow Me to the Synagogue

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…

John August Swanson, Loves and Fishes

Jesus, Mary and Justice

Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Luke 6:20-26 My mother’s favorite cousin is Joan Shaklee Scott. In some ways it was an unlikely friendship. Four years…

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Follow the Light

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…