First Baptist Waynesboro: Recent Episodes
First Baptist Waynesboro
Sermons from First Baptist Waynesboro, VA Sunday morning worship. More information about our church is located at www.firstbaptistwboro.org
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In the story of Jesus blessing the children, Jesus uses children as a teaching moment for the disciples and for us. In this seemingly easy-to-understand story, Jesus flips the cultural norms upside down. He explains why children should be the standard-bearers when it comes to understanding who belongs in the Kingdom of God and how we should receive it. In this slightly different approach to a children’s sermon, we are challenged to not only love the children of the world but to become like them.
As we celebrate the beginning of a new year and Epiphany Sunday, there are many things that we remain hopeful for in 2023. But as we begin a new year and anticipate starting a new chapter, we also need to take time to acknowledge our own shortcomings and the ways we fall short and offer them up to God. Only then can we be open to the possibilities that lie before us. In this Epiphany sermon, Pastor Kristen challenges us to think about how we as a church can release the things that hold us back, and instead follow the stars the help us grow closer to God.
Our journey with Mary continues this week as we travel with her t o go visit her relative., Elizabeth. These two women share their hearts with one another as they see God in each other. Mary breaks forth in a powerful and magnificent song that is still ringing in our hearts today. Her words should challenge and inspire us to see God in each other, from generation to generation.
When the angel Gabriel comes to Mary, she is perplexed and confused—and no doubt, afraid. And yet, the angel’s news is: “Do not be afraid.” Do not be afraid. We hear this refrain all throughout the Christmas story and remember it is the most common phrase in all the bible. From generation to generation, God shows up in the midst of our fear and uncertainty and confusion. From generation to generation, faithful people have said “yes” despite apprehension. From generation to generation, our ancestors in faith have accepted the invitation. The prophecy in Isaiah paints a vision of what we work toward when we say “yes”: righteousness and equity reign, the wolf lives with the lamb, no harm or hurt shall destroy the earth, a child shall lead the way.
Matthew begins his gospel by citing Jesus' lineage--a good reminder that each of us stands at the intersection of generations past and generations to come. We are indebted to those who came before us and have responsibility to keep the faith strong for those generations to follow.
As we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving, we remember that worship and thanksgiving are inseparably linked by our reflection on God's goodness.
In antiquity, God's people were discouraged because it seemed that God no longer listened to their pleas or cared about their troubles. The prophet sees a time coming when everything that should happen, does happen; and what should not happen, doesn't. This is echoed centuries later in John's revelation for God's people in our day.
On All Saints Day we celebrate the vast Body of Christ made up of all Christ-followers of every age.
As our church moves into the post-COVID era, we need to take with us some of our past while leaving other parts behind.
Jesus turned conventional wisdom on its had declaring that those who give much from a desire to be seen and praised have been outshone by a poor widow gave almost nothing, but it was all she had.
By His own example, Jesus teaches us that no one is beyond His care–nor the care of His church.
When Jesus is in a crowd of people, he can tell that someone touched him and was healed. As he looks around he sees a woman who had been sick for twelve years. She went searching for Jesus and her encounter with him changed her life. This story reminds us that if we earnestly search for Jesus, our lives will also be changed.
In the parable of the great banquet, a host is angry when his invite-only party results in "please accept my regrets" from all the guests. He turns his emotion into an opportunity for radical hospitality as he opens the doors fir any and all to come to the banquet–including those who are low on the social totem pole. On this World Communion Sunday, we use this passage to ask ourselves what steps we need to take to show the same kind of radical hospitality by setting a table that has plenty of sears and room for everyone to gather.
We read in 1 Corinthians 12 about the many gifts that the Holy Spirit gives to us. Often we tend to think about this passage on an individual, personal level. But what if we think about it as Paul speaking to a congregation, and think about the gifts that the Holy Spirit given to our church.
This timely message from Paul Baxley offers a balance of challenge and hope as our congregation prepares to begin listening sessions in the coming weeks. Listen with open ears and a willing spirit to hear what God is saying to you, but also to our congregation.
Although we rightly focus most often on God's mercy, grace, and love, we need tp be reminded occasionally that God is all powerful and righteous in His judgement.
Like the ancient Hebrew prophet, Jeremiah, God's people today are also called to speak truth to our contemporaries despite our temptation to keep silent.
At a first read through, the story of the woman with a bad back in Luke 13 seems to be a story about making sure we are only doing things to bring honor to God on the Sabbath day. But for Jesus, freeing a woman from her physical captivity of eighteen years is exactly a way to honor God on the Sabbath. This passage is a reminder that as members of the kingdom of God, we shouldn’t wait a single day longer to set the oppressed free, bring release to those who are captives, or be the hands and feet of justice in this world.
The book of Hebrews was written as a reminder for Jewish Christians that even though they are following the teachings of Jesus, the faith of their Jewish ancestors still matters. Our passage for today is a reminder to this group to early Christians and to us that even though we face hardships and challenges, we come from a long line of faithful people who have kept the faith and run the race. Now, it is our turn to run this leg of the journey, carrying on the story of Jesus until we pass off the baton to the saints who will come after us.
In God's covenant with Abram in Genesis 15, God says to Abram, "Do not be afraid, I've got your back". As we focus on these four words of comfort, how can we find ways to let our fears and anxieties have less control over our lives, and to trust fully in these words? Like Abram, when we are facing the unknown, if we turn to God for comfort and guidance, we will find that our fear lessens and our trust increases. We hope this sermon brings your comfort as you listen to its message.
Jesus does not condemn this farmer for being prudent. Every farmer knows abundant years will be followed by lean years. Preparing for lean times is a sign of wisdom. Rather, Jesus condemns a kind of greed that creeps up on us. Without realizing it, we can become self-focused and think we are self-sufficient. Jesus says God called him a fool because he couldn't see beyond himself and enough was not enough.
In Matthew 5, Jesus tells us that we should love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. In her sermon, Christy breaks down what it actually means to love and pray for those who make it easier to hate them. As we consider this new approach to enemies, who is that you are called to love?
The story of Mary and Martha is one that usually has us frowning upod Martha's actions and praising Mary's. But maybe we shouldn't be so quick to judge Martha. In this sermon, Pastor Jim upacks this passage further and offers a word of challenge and encouragement for us hearing this passage today.
In today's sermon, Pastor Jim focuses on the familiar story of the Good Samaritan. While God appreciates our worship, God also needs our actions in the world in order to change the places that have hurt and need healing. We hope this sermon offers a different insight to this story and moves you to love your neighbor more fully.
In his sermon on Luke 2:36-38, Rev. Skip Wallace focuses on the story of the prophetess Anna and how her story is one that can offer hope to us as followers of Jesus. As you listen, what word of hope do you hear from this message?
To kick off our summer worship series, "Faces of Our Faith: Bold and Untold Stories," Rev. Michael Cheuk looks at the story of Jonah. In his sermon, he points out three turn around moments that helps us see this story in a new light. Rev. Cheuk's sermon takes a familiar story and focuses on an often looked over part, and gives us new ears to hear this passage.
On Pentecost Sunday, we celebrate the Holy Spirit coming to earth and filling the disciples with its presence. In his sermon, Dr. Jim White challenges us to find ways to be filled and moved by the Spirit in today's world.
As Jesus ascends to the heavens, his disciples are asked "Why are you looking up?". This passage from Acts 1 reminds us that even though Jesus isn't physically present here on earth, the work he began isn't over. Instead of fixing our eyes on the heavens to catch a glimpse of Jesus, we should instead focus our eyes on the world around us and strive to the be presence of Christ in the world by seeking justice, loving our neighbor, and putting our faith to action.
On the heels of a difficult week in our nation, we find that in the midst of strong emotions we are called to pray but also to act. As we finish our Easter series, may we see the world around us with transformed eyes and hopeful hearts. May we view the world as Jesus does, and love the people in it the way God loves us.
As Jesus is preparing to leave the disciples, he gives these two gifts: the promise of the Holy Spirit and a kind of peace that can only be found through a relationship with Christ. In this sermon, Pastor Kristen digs into how we can work to accept these gifts, and how our lives can be changed when they are in harmony with on another.
In his sermon from John 13, Dr. Randy Ashcroft talks about how the most important commandment Jesus gives us is to love. Listen to his sermon with an openness to hear how our congregation can be a place where love is at the center of who we are and how we can let it be our main focus and goal.
In his sermon, Dr. Loyd Allen talks about what it means to be a Baptist and the various freedoms we have as Baptists.
In today's sermon, Rev. Susan Blanchard (Director of the Baptist House of Studies at Union Presbyterian Seminary), shares how Jesus' breakfast on the beach was a reminder to the disciples that their job to "fish for people" isn't over - it is just beginning. Listen to her sermon as we discover how Jesus helped the disciples eyes be opened to the journey ahead of them.
In the midst of her grief, Mary goes to the tomb searching for Jesus. It isn’t until Jesus says her name that she realizes the person she thinks is the gardener is Jesus. Suddenly her grief is turned into celebration as she is empowered to be the first person to share the news of the resurrection. In this final sermon of our “Centered” series, we discover how we can center ourselves on the resurrection and be carriers of the Good News that Christ is Risen. He is Risen indeed.”
The story of Jesus processing into Jerusalem is one that we know well and hear every year on Palm Sunday. But did you know there was another processing in Jerusalem arriving at the same time? As we begin Holy Week, we take a look at how these two processions are different and ask “which procession do you find yourself in?”.
Mary anoints Jesus’ feet. She declares in this act that his death will have purpose and meaning. The whole story is like a centering prayer for us to reflect on the power and majesty of Christ’s death. There is so much in this story that still matters today.
Others are looking to trap and kill Jesus. But Jesus rightly demonstrates how we can live out of the center of our lives and not be swayed by what others say or think of us. It may be easy for Jesus, but it’s not for us. We have a lot to learn in centering ourselves from others.
In Pastor Barrett’s last sermon, he helps shape the need we all have for “awe” and how we can better understand “mystery.” By examining 1 Corinthians 13, he explores the ways in which scripture invites us all into something that is '“endlessly knowable.”
The Parable of the Prodigal Son is the Best Case Study in the Bible for comparing living from the center vs. the circumference and then returning from the circumference to live in the center. So much about life and feeling the depth and pain of the human struggle is on full display in this parable. It is no wonder it stands as perhaps the most significant parable in all the Bible. It still has so much to teach us.
Jesus is tempted in the wilderness by Satan. How he confronts his temptations is a Masterclass in centering ourselves. We have a lot to learn from Jesus here.
The story of the Transfiguration is out of this world, but at the same time, it is a blessing of how Jesus is making for humanity a new home. The Transfiguration reminds us all that Jesus is more than human, and his work on this earth is more than simple. He is bringing all of us “home.”
Just like in Matthew, Jesus launches into his Sermon on the Mount stump speech. In this text, he rattles off his “But I say to you” phrases. He touches on how we are to love our enemies and be merciful. We are not supposed to judge, and we are always to forgive. The lessons in this text prove that we have some serious homework to do.
To live a life in Christ…is to build a house on the foundation of love. I just can’t read scripture, especially today’s, any other way. We don’t build on the loose sands of what others think of us…we don’t build it on doctrinal truth or moral rightness…a life in Christ is built on the solid rock of love.
Jesus calls his disciples to a life that leaves their temporary home to help go and build a new one. There is so much in this text: A great teaching moment, a great catch of fish, great doubt, and a great line, “now you will fish for people.” Studying this test will help us see that we definitely make our home by walking and following Jesus.
What Jesus does in the synagogue is too much. The people cannot handle it. It is so off-putting they riot against Jesus in order to hurl him off a cliff which leads Jesus to declare, “No prophet is accepted in a prophet’s hometown.” This scripture is the underbelly of what it looks like to refuse to think deeply about the theology of home.
In one of the most provocative teachings in all the gospels, Jesus stands and reads from Isaiah in the middle of a worship service. People are floored by what he says and even what he does not say. This singular moment defines his ministry better than any other text in the gospels and it is built around the fact that Jesus is ready to set people free as well as become the fulfillment of one of Israel’s most important prophecies.
Jesus’ first miracle in the Gospel of John is turning water into wine. He’s at a wedding reception in Cana and the party runs out of wine, so Jesus fixes the problem by making more wine than the party needed. Multiple themes emerge within this story, none more important than Jesus brews the new idea that in God’s home, there will be abundance, not scarcity.
Some of the most prolific characters in the Bible are the Wise Men. The magi’s narrative of following a star, avoiding capture and tricking Herod, paying homage and bringing gifts to the newborn king, and escaping home thanks to the voice of God make it one of the best stories you can tell. It even has ramifications for how we can begin our new year and listen for God’s voice and follow God’s star.
The opening verses of John are some of the best-known verses in the New Testament. John expands our image of Jesus and reframes what it means for God to live among us. At the beginning of a new year, we still have things we can take from this beautiful passage as we set forth on a new journey.
Simeon and Anna are two people who don't get a lot of attention in the birth narrative of Jesus. But they are two of the most faithful people we encounter in the Gospel of Luke. But what do we have to learn from them?
Mary is knocked off her feet when the angel of the Lord spoke to her. She is to carry the son of God to term?!?! This moment changes Mary’s life forever, and her response to the angel has so much to say to us today.
As Matthew tells it, Joseph wanted nothing to do with Mary’s pregnancy until an angel of the Lord stepped in and spoke. This voice was game-changing for Joseph, and what unfolds for him still has ramifications for us today.
Matthew’s gospel opens with a very intentional genealogy. On the surface, it is quite boring, but as you dig into it, you discover it is anything but. Matthew knows what he’s doing. He’s opening his gospel by setting the stage that this baby matters. He comes with a grand tradition. And he’s its fulfillment and its hope for the future of God’s chosen people.
The prophet Isaiah speaks a word of hope to people who have had a lifetime of suffering and hopelessness. This passage can still offer a word of hope to us today as we strive to be people of light in the world
Jesus knew there would be people who would revile all of us, just as the prophets were. And that’s such a great word: revile. It means there are going to be people who “criticize you in an abusive and insulting way.” And I’ve been on the receiving end of such words. I’ve even been the one who gave them. And in both cases, it hurts.
This is the eighth of nine Beatitudes, and it’s the heaviest. Jesus openly admits that injustice is happening to other people right now. Intolerance is present. People are suffering. And it’s happening to people trying to live what they believe is true even in the face of persecution.
Jesus is clearing out any confusion with this Beatitude: to be a part of God’s family . . . to be a child of God . . . to be someone who works towards and makes peace.
Think about all the children running around on the hillside overhearing Jesus wax poetic. Think about what their little ears hear when Jesus says: “Blessed are you, children, for you, are the pure in heart. You deserve a world better than this. On this side of eternity, we’ve failed you, but in God’s realm, you will be blessed, for you will see God.
“Mercy,” that’s a loaded word. The Greek here in Matthew is “eleemon.” This refers to concrete acts of mercy . . . not so much a merciful attitude. I like this distinction. “Blessed are those who show mercy, not just those who have the capacity to forgive in their hearts.” See the difference? It’s concrete. Blessed are those who do the hard work of letting things go . . . who offer forgiveness . . . who show mercy.
There’s a lot about faith that is individual . . . no question. But there’s also the reality that our faith must engage the world . . . we are called to make disciples of all nations . . . which means we need to be people who who hunger and thirst for the rights and well being of all created things. But as you know, this work will wear you out. You’ll get tired, and you’ll feel empty. But take heart, Jesus knows this. He sees this. And he promises God’s abiding grace and love will be with you in this work.
Today we paused our sermon series to observe World Communion Sunday. The sermons are spliced together with Pastor Kristen reflecting on the Bread and Pastor Barrett reflecting on the Cup.
"The Eucharistic meal is meant to be a microcosmic event, summarizing at one table what is true in the whole macrocosm: We are one, we are equal in dignity, we all eat of the same divine food, and Jesus is still and always “eating with sinners” (for which people hated him) just as he did when on Earth." - Richard Rohr
Think about the teenage father who goes to work every day trying to provide. He doesn’t try to fight the system. He doesn’t resist. He’s a nobody from nowhere. But he cares for his family. He tries to provide, but he can’t seem to make ends meet. Think about what he hears when Jesus says, “Blessed are you, young dad, who chooses to be meek, for you will inherit the earth. Your striving and hoping have a place with me. My kingdom is for you.”
Welcome to Dr. John Upton - John V. Upton, Jr. was elected Executive Director of the Baptist General Association of Virginia during the annual meeting of the General Association in November 2001. John had been group leader of the Mission Mobilization Group since 1995. Earlier he was pastor of Urbanna Baptist Church in Urbanna, and he and his wife, Deborah, served as missionaries in Taiwan through the Southern Baptist Convention’s Foreign Mission Board (now International Mission Board). In July 2015 he completed a five-year term as President of the Baptist World Alliance that began July 31, 2010. John, a Norfolk-born Virginia native, is a graduate of Averett College (now University) in Danville, VA, and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY. The Uptons have two sons, Christopher and Richard; a daughter, Emily; and eight grandchildren.
Think about the senior adult sitting a few rows back on the hillside. Three years ago he lost his wife. He can’t work. Disease wracks his body. The government won’t help. The religious leaders tell him he’s too sinful to cure. He lives every day as if it’s his last. Think about what he hears when Jesus says, “Blessed are you who mourns, for you will be comforted. Your brokenness and pain have a place with me.”
Think about the single mother with kids who have been rejected by society. She’s sitting on the grass rocking her twin girls feeling her future won’t matter ever again. Think about what she hears from Jesus: “Blessed are you single mom, whose poor in spirit, broken by society, culture, religion, and politics. Blessed are you, for the kingdom of heaven is yours.”
A life soaked in prayer and devotion allows you to be in the presence of outsiders and be so rooted in who you are . . . and your identity in Christ . . . you can be gracious to them. You can speak tenderly to them. Your actions are seasoned with salt.
Our actions matter. It’s why the author of Colossians includes a list that of how we need to act towards one another, even those we struggle to like. Colossians 3:12-14 says, “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” To live a Christ-soaked life is to live out these verses.
Rev. Kristen Koger’s trial sermon in view of a call on August 15, 2021, at First Baptist Waynesboro. This sermon is from 1 Kings 2:10-12, 3:3-14 with Solomon asking for wisdom.
We as humans are buried in sin and shame, yet God makes us alive in Christ. Our baptism mirrors this beautifully. We die to our old ways and old selves and rise again in new life in Christ. As Baptists, our immersion practices make this just an amazing example of what it means to be soaked, through and through, with the love of Christ.
Christ is the head of the cosmos and the source of all creation. Christ is at the top of the known universe and everything in time and space bows the will of Christ. These major doctrinal themes introduced to this early church are still around today. Everything in the universe belongs and is a part of Christ.
At the end of it all, Jesus will return to reign. This is the Christian belief, and it is the ultimate end and the ultimate establishment of a new order. Revelation calls it a New Heaven and a New Earth. We can easily see it as a complete re-ordering of what was into what was always meant to be.
The church is meant to be the continuation of Jesus following his ascension. The church is the new presence of Christ in the world . . . the figurative Body of Christ. The church, therefore, is the established new order for how faith will follow and spread. The church, when healthy, is the greatest sign of the kingdom of God coming to earth and it’s worth our time reflecting on how we further it today.
Jesus is the ultimate sign of a re-ordering. He brings new life, teachings, and opportunities for the poor to experience the Kingdom of God. He revolutionizes what can be and offers transformation and healing to all who follow him. He is the ultimate sign that something good can resurrect from evil.
Towards the end of Israel’s monarchy, prophets showed up to warn of impending doom. They were the voices of the disorder trying to help Israel reorder their lives. Their entire goal was to bring self-reflection and repentance into the public conversation. It didn’t always work, and Israel remained under foreign rule for hundreds of years because of it.
For decades the Israelites bounced around in exile. They were defeated and destroyed by the Assyrians, Babylonians, and Persians. This dark period caused terrible strain on the traditions and customs of the old order. The same is true for us when we’re thrown into exilic periods of faith. Seeing this disorder as a growth opportunity, though, can change everything for us, just like it did Israel.
As time and community developed, the Israelites wanted more structure. They established a judicial system and it imploded disastrously. The entire book of Judges is an arch that tells the sad story of what happens when we are left to our own devices as humans: We hurt and hate. The book of Judges is the transitioning from Order to Disorder.
Moses does the hard work of leading God’s people away from captivity. He settles them into a new land traversing through all kinds of wilderness. He even establishes a law for them to follow. The Exodus story and the emergence of the 10 Commandments show us that we are meant to establish an ordered way to live in a community (too bad we struggle with this so much).
God orders the world in seven days and sets a universal pattern for us image-bearers: Work six days and rest one. Work is essential to life. We work alongside God and fulfill our duties as the image-bearers of God, and then we rest. The relationship between work and the sabbath is paramount to understanding the natural order and rhythms of life.
"Everything is moving towards eternity. All of our actions and hopes and theology and practices and all of our faith is moving us towards the ultimate end that we know as eternal life. And one of the things that 1 John reminds us is that when we engage with this God in the created order by following Jesus . . . we are given eternal life."
The beginning and end of everything is love. Another way to say this is, “Everything begins and ends out of love.” Love is at the beginning of everything . . . and love is what’s left after everything is gone. Love is before it all and through it all and after it all. Love is eternal.
"God is love. Those who abide in love (who remain in love, and invest in love, and inject love into their being) abide in God. And God abides in them. We could say, “Every time we love or feel love or share love or engage in loving acts, we become that which comes from God. And since God is love, we are love."
The God of the Universe, in all God’s great mystery and unknowing, that God receives us out of (and comes to us in) love.
People don’t really believe they’re made from God’s light. When it comes to their own private relationship with God . . . they carry this myth that they’re made from the darkness. That they’re evil. But that’s a lie. You are a reflection of God’s light . . . it’s inside of us . . . and Jesus died on the cross so we could see it and feel it and claim it and shine it!
"It’s time we take a chapter from the 1 John's playbook and start thinking deeply about how we understand God. God is the source of all light, and that light exposes our sins in which we need to seek forgiveness. So what’s hiding in your darkness? What is that you need to repent? In what ways can you do a better job of reflecting more light?"
The Lord needs us to tend the gardens. That’s ultimately our calling in this life. We’re bringing more and more people through their graves and into the gardens of the Lord. We ourselves are more and more moving through our graves and into the gardens of the Lord.
We all have graves we’ve dug with our own hands. Sins we’ve carried. Scars we’ve buried. And that’s why we've spent six weeks on shame. We prepared the ground of our soul during Lent to see the graves we’ve dug in the shadows of our shame. And we did this because, at Easter, the light of Christ puts a spotlight on our graves and says . . . “I can heal this.”
John 12:28 is a passage we don’t often quote but we should: “Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came for heaven, “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” Here is the voice of God speaking to Jesus saying that a way has been made for us all to move our shame to glory. But the way is going to include death.
In his shame, Nicodemus shows up to Jesus in the middle of the night wanting answers to questions he does not know how to ask. He is ashamed of the current trajectory of the Pharisees, but he can’t name it in the light. He’s burdened by shame. Jesus offers life-altering answers to his questions but the story does not say if Nicodemus heeds Jesus’ advice. The story just ends making me wonder, “Can we really let go of shame?”
Jesus overthrows the tables in Jerusalem’s Temple. He makes a whip of cords and drives the people and animals out too. There are a lot of things we keep stocked in our Temple, our body, soul, and mind that need to be cleared out. Jesus demonstrates in life what needs to also happen inside of each of us.
Guilt is not the same as shame. But they’re cousins. And I need you to hold this with me. Guilt and shame run in the same circles and play on the same teams. But they’re different. And here’s the best way to describe it: Shame focuses on self . . . Guilt is about behavior. Guilt says, “I did something bad.” Shame says, “I am bad.” See the difference?
Baptism is as much about us believing and reclaiming this core truth of our existence as it is anything else. And that’s what I want to leave you with. We are God’s beloved. We belong. Even when we’re told we aren’t and we don’t.
I’m convinced the leading cause of our individual sin has in some part . . . if not a large part . . . to do with shame.
There’s a way you can stay differentiated and still love your neighbors who are confused and misguided . . . It happens when you develop a strong, inner, spiritual core . . . and you live out of your soul. This is the way we can hold that which we hate or don’t understand . . . because we hold it in the light of love. The earthly realm can’t do this. But God can. And Spirit can. And we’re called to be people who live and move and have our being in Spirit.
Loving your neighbor requires a rise in consciousness if we’re to move towards inclusion. Churches who can see beyond doctrine or dogma . . . Christian who can love those who think differently . . . and hold one another in unconditional, positive regard, we will bring Jesus’ kingdom to earth much faster than those who can’t.
To love our neighbors well we must seek to understand their pain and make the connection that our pain is similar. And together we can be each other’s wounded healers. And together . . . wounds and all . . . we can make it to Jesus together.
In the gospels, Jesus heals the sick constantly. There are a lot of people sick. So much so that it becomes a priority of ministry for Jesus and the disciples. Nothing has changed today. Sickness is a part of life. Being neighborly means creating the space necessary to see who is ill and showing up and offering to heal. This happens in Mark 1 and can/should still happen today.
Loving the cantankerous souls of the world is challenging. It may need to be said that loving others doesn’t mean we have to be in a constant relationship with them. Instead, loving our neighbors means we genuinely wish them well. In John 1, Jesus calls disciples and not all of them have the most open spirit. Philip takes convincing. He’s hard-hearted. But through love, relationships change.
Jesus is born! Magi come from the East bearing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. To dismiss these travelers would be to dismiss the moment the world-stage declares Jesus as the rightful king. The only way this moment could have happened is for Mary and Joseph to not be afraid of the strangers. They opened their soul to their global neighbors.
To begin this sermon series, we need a philosophical framework for what it means to be a child of God. The Prologue to John offers this in spades. We will see that all of God’s children include all the children of the world. This means we are to extend love to every single person in this world. To love less is to miss the Greatest Commandment.
Mary takes Jesus to the temple for the rites of purification. While there, a soothsayer blesses Jesus and sings something we would all do well to hear. His song is one of comfort for the whole world.
The promise of Christmas is that God’s love and light find you right where you are. You did not earn it. You did not get lucky and find it. God’s presence and abiding grace were always for you, and you were never too lost for God to find you and offer it.
Mary’s song is the gospel before the gospel unfolds. She visits her relative (probably cousin) Elizabeth and announces in the song that she will forever magnify the Lord because of this miracle. During her pregnancy, she predicts the gospel before it unfolds. Her words still ring true for us today and lead us into worship.
Today’s text is famously known as the Annunciation. It’s when the angel Gabriel announces to Mary that she will be the Mother of God-Incarnate. It’s here that Mary encounters the Divine, head-on. And what unfolds she counts as joy.
The comfort we need this Christmas is one of peace. We need peace of mind, peace of spirit, and peace on earth. We can rightfully assume this peace will not be contrived by human hands. We need the peace that surpasses understanding. We need the peace of God that comes with God-sized comfort.
The hope found, even in grief and despair, is the same hope we need this Christmas. We haven’t always lived up to our end of God’s covenant with us, but God is still the ‘potter, and we are the clay.’ Carrying this kind of hope in the midst of the darkness is what we need this Christmas.
To finish out this chapter, Jesus offers yet one more story. This time he draws on apocalyptic imagery that divides the people of the earth into sheep and goats. Hearing the words of this parable read out loud may be the most important spiritual exercise of the year. To be a sheep, we must help, love, and notice the ‘least of these.’ To be a goat, we simply have to overlook the ‘least of these.’ For what we do unto the least of these, we do unto Jesus. This teaching lesson is the last one we get before reading about the Pharisees’ plot to kill Jesus.
Still on the Mount of Olives with the disciples, Jesus follows up last week’s parable with another. It’s equally as concerning. A servant gets thrown into outer darkness because he didn’t make much of the talents (gold) given to him. This story, along with last week’s, is a warning from Jesus to his disciples that they must make something of the time and opportunities given to them.
As the gospel continues to move towards the cross, Jesus retreats with his disciples on the Mount of Olives and teaches them privately. Here, he offers a warning for the disciples to keep their lamps trimmed and burning by telling a parable full of sadness and uncertainty for five bridesmaids.
The tumultuous relationship between the religious authorities and Jesus is getting worse. To open this chapter, Jesus denounces their leadership by calling them, hypocrites. He ends his admonishment by reminding us all in v11-12: “The greatest among you will be your servant. All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted.”
Now confronted by the Pharisees (not just the Temple elders and Sadducees), this religious group tries to trap Jesus by asking him what the greatest commandment is. Jesus’ answer has reverberated across centuries and should shape our entire moral lens. All decisions must fit under the framework of Loving God and Loving Others as we Love Ourselves.
Still talking to the chief priests and elders in the Temple, Jesus offers another parable, and it is equally as dark as the first. Much needs to be made about the type of story Jesus tells to the religious leaders. His parables are dark, full of death, and corrupt leadership. Why do you think he speaks in this way? The parable is nuanced and full of imagery. Working our way through it together will not be a light-hearted task.
Verse 43 pretty much says all we need to know about the divisive nature of Jesus’ teachings in Jerusalem. He says to the chief priest and elders in the Temple: “Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces the fruits of the kingdom.” Think about this. Jesus tells the religious authorities that the kingdom of God will not be their reward but rather those who produce the fruits of the kingdom. This parable predicts Jesus’ death as well as indicts the religious sector on wickedness.
Communion is a symbol, not a sign. When we take the bread and drink from the cup, we experience something beyond this world. This meal profoundly connects us to Jesus. Mystically. Mysteriously. Magnificently. It offers us Christ’s, immeasurable love.
We have to be people of joy and gentleness. We have to be. Otherwise we don’t win any competition that moves the world closer to the Divine. Our crowning achievement may just be that we show the world that even in an election year, politics can’t divide us. Something bigger unites us. And that is the peace and love of God.
We don’t press on so we can gain more privilege, prestige, or possessions. We press on to become more like Christ. Whatever we gain in life . . . it’s a cheap imitation to what we are and who we are in Christ.
There’s an idea in theology about two paths to God. The two paths are “Great Love and Great Suffering.” And both of these paths lead to joy which leads to God. It’s as if joy is what proceeds after tapping into the Divine. And we experience the divine through both love and sorrow.
How we operate in the world matters. How we associate with one another (loving our neighbor) should be godly. Paul understands this and delivers an impassioned letter to his friends and church community in Philippi to remind them of what he already knows to be true: “If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.” (Phil 2.1-2)
Ecclesiastes reminds us that we shouldn’t be so confident in our understandings. The best we can do is remember that we were created for a season, for a time, and that our creature-ness will eventually come to an end. Seeing life from this angle brings with it certain wisdom that helps us see beyond vanity.
At the end of the book, Job and God mend their divisive and frustrating relationships with humanity and each other. Job wants God to show up and right the illegitimate wrongs. God wants everyone to understand their place within God’s realm. Seeing how these relationships come to an agreeable end is the things from which wisdom is made.
Despite our best attempts at living with proverbial wisdom, some of the most hallowed assumptions are proven false by experience. We often think wisdom supersedes experience . . . but not in Job. Experience re-authors our understanding of wisdom. It reminds us that real-time and real-emotions shape and color our understanding of God. Job learns this in difficult ways. How he processes this pain is for us to understand too.
A proper understanding of the fear of the Lord helps us grow in our relationship with God and, therefore, better deal with life’s issues. If we’re to understand how to know the difference between what we can change and what we need to accept, then Proverbs 1 is a must-read.
The Book of Proverbs is a positive, hollowed assumption about the goodness of life and the justice of God. Almost every section of scripture reminds us to live positively and with fidelity and hope. Proverbs has a way of using real-life applications to paint a picture of the past and ultimately our future. Out of the hundreds of proverbs available, these two sections for the sermon offer a way in which we can live with the anxiety of our day but not be overcome by it.
And Larry . . . this is how I’ll remember you and appreciate you. You made the music of First Baptist mend us. You equipped the choir and the congregation to go and mend others. This is your legacy of 44 years of full-time Christian ministry. Your quality of the music will live on here . . . and we’ll use it as you did . . . to mend the saints for the work of ministry. Thank you, my friend, for the music. Thank you for using your gifts to mend our souls.
The story of Cornelius and Peter is a truly liminal space. What happens before this story and what happens after is game-changing for the entire narrative of scripture. We can never go back to the world before this story, for it rises to point us towards God’s new future that we are still stepping into together.
The disciples leave the feeding of the 5000 by boat. A storm comes. Jesus walks through the storm and calms it. This story is unbelievable yet also poignant for where we find ourselves today. Even in the midst of the storm, Jesus walks to us.
Thousands meet Jesus on the countryside. As the day goes forward people get hungry. They should have been sent away, but Jesus decides to feed them. How this story unfolds is liminal ground for us all. How everyone gets fed is a true matter of faith that still applies today.
Another archetypal scene in scripture is the well. There are several stories of significant change that happens at them. The most famous is when the Samaritan woman meets Jesus. Who she is before meeting Jesus and who she is after is something we all need to see.
Ten lepers are miraculously healed by Jesus. One returns to say thanks. This simple, yet profound, story reminds us that gratitude is a key ingredient for stepping forward in faith.
Lazarus dies. His sister Martha is beside herself. She wanted Jesus to save him, but it didn’t work out that way. Four days after Lazarus’ death, though, Jesus shows up and resurrects him. The conversation between Martha and Jesus is something we all need to be reminded of because it can shape how we rely on God in this time.
Jonah is the archetypal story of liminality. He literally gets swallowed up in one place and thrust out onto the shores of another. His story gives power to ours. How we choose to handle this in-between matters.
Pentecost is an event that happens in real-time way before it’s time. It signals a change in the outcome and the flow and the expectation of life. Jesus ascends to heaven replacing his presence with the Holy Spirit which enters into everyone. Because of Pentecost, we now know the Holy Spirit lives within us and through us and out from us. The collective consciousness can never go back because of this moment . . . we are also still discerning and pulling back the depth of meaning of what this moment means for us individually and as a church.
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Learn more Like Matthew, Luke includes a fine commission, but his is a bit different. The energy is the same, but the command is different. Instead of ‘make disciples,’ Luke tells the world to preach repentance and forgiveness of sins. Becoming conscious to the needs of these two words in our lives . . . and helping others see it too . . . will raise the consciousness of our world and move us towards God.
“Were our hearts not burning within us?” This is the moment consciousness rises for the disciples meeting Jesus on the walk to Emmaus. The storyline that unfolds prior is one of the most well-known stories of the gospel. Hearing it in terms of our faith awakening . . . it changes everything for us.
A lot of people call themselves Great Commission Christians. I get it. It’s the clearest, most direct understanding of Christian duty. Go make disciples. Baptize them. Go. Do it. It’s direct. Positive. Action-oriented. Consciousness rises when we realize we have work to do.
Today is the National Day of Prayer. Typically, our Senior Saints would have hosted a meal and invited a guest speaker to explore more nuances and insights about prayer, but due to COVID-19, we had to cancel. But thanks to technology, we can still glean from and listen together for God’s abiding presence in our lives. Follow along as Pastor Barrett introduces us to the Examen. This ancient, Jesuit prayer practice can still be used today.
The dynamic between Peter and the Beloved Disciple is something worth tracking in John’s Gospel. The two play a tit-for-tat game the whole gospel with the Beloved Disciple edging Peter out for most of the story . . . until John 21. There’s a rise in consciousness for Peter. Life is not about competition but rather about love. This lesson is for all of us.
Jesus shows up in Galilee unexpectedly. The disciples are fishing on the Sea of Galilee and Jesus makes a charcoal fire awaiting their catch of fish. They catch nothing until Jesus calls out to them. What he says at that moment is a rise in the consciousness of the disciples are for all of us for all time. If you want a sneak peek into what he says, it’s verse five.
Thomas has to touch Jesus before he believes. Thankfully, Jesus meets Thomas in his doubt and we see Thomas's character unfold in a way that mimics all of our lives. His faith deepens and we see a rise in his (and our) consciousness. Thomas’ doubt leads him to a deeper form of faith . . . ours can too.
Why are we weeping? To be asked this question . . . and to answer it honestly . . . is not faithless. It’s truthful and it’s loving, and it’s a good place for faith to begin.
Three scenes in John 19 show us how the cross unifies all people to God. Once you see this truth, you can’t unsee it.
The Path of Descent leads us to the Spirit of Christ. And as Paul says, “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” When we pursue God . . . there is no condemnation. Paul says, “We become more than conquerors through him who loved us” which means we experience unconditional grace.
It’s hard to go down this Path of Descent and to claim Beauty for Ashes. Our flesh wants to hold on to sin. Paul goes as far to say we are enslaved to this pattern. “For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right but I cannot do it.” To truly become more like Christ, we must wrestle with this inner conflict and realize when left to our own devices, we sin and fall short.