Avondale UMC: Recent Episodes
Avondale UMC
Avondale UMC is a welcoming congregation in the heart of the Birmingham, Alabama, community of Avondale. We are committed to loving and serving God and to deepening connections with God, each other, and our local community. No matter who you are, where you come from, how much you have, or who you love, Avondale UMC welcomes and affirms everyone who wishes to grow in their faith in Jesus Christ and to serve alongside us.
Our pastor, the Rev. Malinda Weaver, shares a weekly sermon from the Bible to uplift, challenge, and teach. Join us in worship weekly at 10:00am or listen online here on SoundCloud.
2022.01.09 - Unraveled by Uncertainty ... Practicing Trust (Matthew 14:22-33) by Avondale UMC
2021.11.21 - A Future With Hope: Faith in Action (Romans 12: 1-2, 9-21; Philippians 2: 1-5) by Avondale UMC
2021.11.14 - A Future With Hope: Brick By Brick (Jeremiah 31: 31-34; Ezra 1: 1-7) by Avondale UMC
2021.08.29 - Divine Possibility: Becoming Fully Human (Genesis 1:26-28, John 1:1, 14-18) by Avondale UMC
2021.07.25 - Summer On the Mountain, Part 8: Built God Tough (Matthew 7:21-29) by Avondale UMC
2021.06.27 - Summer On the Mountain Part 4, Guest Pastor Rev. Sherill Clontz (Matthew 5: 38-48) by Avondale UMC
2021.01.31 - Created for Good: There's Power in Connection ... Jonah 3:1-5,10 by Avondale UMC
2021.02.07 - Created for Good: Extraordinarily Ordinary Days ... 2 Kings 5:1-14 by Avondale UMC
2021.01.17 - Created for Good: The Long and Winding Road (John 1:43-51; 1 Samuel 3:1-10; Psalm 139) by Avondale UMC
2020.12.24 - This Night, We Are Those Who Dream (Luke 2:1-20; Isaiah 9:2-7) by Avondale UMC
2020.12.20 - Those Who Dream...Are Not Alone (Psalm 89:1-4, 19-26; Luke 1:26-38) by Avondale UMC
2020.12.06 - Those Who Dream...Prepare the Way (Isaiah 40:1-11; Mark 1:1-8) by Avondale UMC
2020.11.1 - Choose Gratitude: Do No Harm (Galatians 5: 13-15, Revelation 7: 9-17) by Avondale UMC
2020.10.18 - Life Disrupted: Disappointment & Grief (Deuteronomy 34: 1-12) by Avondale UMC
2020.10.04 - Life Disrupted: Joy In Spite of It All (Philippians 4:4-9) by Avondale UMC
The smell of chicken soup ... the sound of a song from your childhood ... there are things that take you back to simpler times in life. How many of us, especially now, long for the good ole days? Life as we know it has been disrupted and will never be the same. In Pastor Malinda's message, we begin to see how God can help us chart our way through uncharted territory.
2020.03.08 - I'm Not Okay: Questioning, Doubt, and Trust (John 3: 1-21) by Avondale UMC
2020.02.09 - Happiness Quest: Following the Spirit's Lead (1 Corinthians 2: 1-16) by Avondale UMC
2020.02.02 - Happiness Quest: That Which Endures (1 Corinthians 13: 1-13) by Avondale UMC
2020.01.26 - Happiness Quest: Living With Wild Abundance (Philippians 4: 4-9) by Avondale UMC
2019.11.03 - Reach: We're Just Ordinary People (Hebrews 11: 1-3, 11:29-12:3) by Avondale UMC
2019.10.13 - Reach: Embodying An Attitude of Gratitude (Luke 17: 11-19) by Avondale UMC
2019.09.22 - This We Believe: Conversations With God (Luke 11: 1-13, Luke 18: 9-14) by Avondale UMC
2019.09.15 - This We Believe: Defined By Grace (Matthew 28: 18-20; Romans 12:1-2, 9-21) by Avondale UMC
2019.09.08 - This We Believe: Salvation By Faith - Too Good To Be True? (1 Corinthians 15: 42-58) by Avondale UMC
2019.09.01 - This We Believe: Making The Intangible Tangible (Acts 2: 37-42) by Avondale UMC
2019.08.04 - In Plain Sight: What Are The Odds? (Matthew 13: 1-9, 18-23) by Avondale UMC
2019.03.17 - Lent 2 - Seven Last Words: Paradise Found (Luke 23:39-43, Psalm 51:1-16) by Avondale UMC
2019.03.10 - Lent 1 - Seven Last Words: Forgive Them (Luke 23:32-38, 1 Peter 2:22-25) by Avondale UMC
2019.02.24 - All in the Family (1 Corinthians 12:12-26, Matthew 18:15-20) by Avondale UMC
2019.02.17 - Blessings and Woes (Luke 6:17-26) (Guest Preacher Emily Nelms Chastain) by Avondale UMC
2019.02.10 - Finding Center: Living in Love (1 Corinthians 13:4-7, John 13:34-35, 1 John 4:7-12) by Avondale UMC
2019.02.03 - Finding Center: The Better Part (Luke 10:38-42, John 17:17-23) by Avondale UMC
2019.01.27 - Finding Center: The One Thing (Matthew 11:28-30, Psalm 46) by Avondale UMC
2019.01.20 - Finding Center: Little Fires Everywhere (Matthew 6: 25-34) by Avondale UMC
2018.11.18 - Commit: Stay in Love With God (John 21:15-17 & Romans 8:15-17) by Avondale UMC
2018.10.14 - Faith That Works: Don't Pretend You Have it All Together (James 5: 13-20) by Avondale UMC
2018.10.07 - Faith That Works : Mind Your Own Business (James 4: 11 - 12) by Avondale UMC
2018.09.23 - Faith That Works : Each Proud Division Ends (James 2: 1 - 17) by Avondale UMC
John 3:1-17 | Rev. Malinda Jowers Weaver | Nicodemus was the first to ever hear what is likely the most popular verse in Christian scripture, John 3:16. What he must have been thinking? How did his relationship with Jesus change his life? How can it change our lives today?
Exodus 17:1-7 & John 4:5-42 | Rev. RG Lyons | Jesus encounters the woman at the well and offers her living water. He shows that no matter what you've done, his grace and love are always available.
John 9:1-41 | Rev. Malinda Weaver | Jesus heals a blind man who comes to know him as the Messiah; yet the Pharisees, the religious elite, still can't see him as the son of God. In this sermon, we come to see that the Pharisees depth perception needs to be adjusted, and even still today, we all have to work to open our eyes and hearts to allow Christ to work through us.
Matthew 4:1-11 | Rev. Malinda Jowers Weaver | The first Sunday of the season of Lent focuses on Jesus' temptation in the wilderness by Satan. We all struggle with trials and temptation, but we have to remember that the Holy Spirit walks with us, strengthening us no matter what we face because, in the end, and Easter awaits.
Matthew 17:1-9 | Rev. Malinda Jowers Weaver Jesus takes Peter, James, and John with him up on a mountain where he is transfigured before their very eyes, and they hear the voice of God telling claiming him as His Son, the beloved.
Matthew 2:1-12 | Rev. Malinda Weaver | #SquadGoals: Use the Force
The Magi follow that perfect light to find the light of the world. As we celebrate epiphany, we come to understand that Jesus didn't come just for the Jews; but he came for all people, including you and me.
Matthew 4:17-23 | Rev. Malinda Weaver | You're Invited: The First Invitation
Jesus calls his first disciples and invites them into a deeper relationship with him as they learn what it means to be a follower of Christ.
Matthew 5:13-16 | Rev. Malinda Weaver | You're Invited: A Greater Purpose
This sermon explores what Jesus means when he tells us to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world.
Matthew 5:1-12 | Rev. Malinda Weaver | You're Invited: Life Elevated
Jesus invites his followers to a life that is elevated above the concerns of this world. He calls them to love differently and to seek justice as they seek to live into the Spirit of the Beatitudes.
September 25, 2016 Sermon by Rev. Malinda Weaver, pastor, Avondale United Methodist Church Sermon Title: Can You Hear Me Now? Sermon Series: The Gospel According to Shel Silverstein Scripture: Jeremiah 6:9-10, 16-21
September 18, 2016 Sermon by Rev. Malinda Weaver, pastor, Avondale United Methodist Church, Birmingham, Alabama Sermon Title: You Gotta Have Faith Sermon Series: The Gospel According to Shel Silverstein Scripture: Mark 4: 35-41
September 11, 2016 sermon by Rev. Malinda Weaver, Avondale United Methodist Church, Birmingham, AL.
Sermon Title: Anything Can Be Sermon Series: The Gospel According to Shel Silverstein Scripture: Mark 10: 46-52
September 4, 2016 Sermon by Rev. Malinda Weaver, Avondale United Methodist Church, Birmingham, Alabama.
Sermon Title: I'm All Out of Love Sermon Series: The Gospel According to Shel Silverstein Scripture: Ephesians 3: 14-21
August 28, 2016 Sermon by Rev. Malinda Weaver, Avondale United Methodist Church, Birmingham, Alabama.
Sermon Title: God Helps Those Who Help Themselves Sermon Series: Catch Phrase
Scripture: Hezekiah 6:1
August 21, 2016 Sermon by Rev. Malinda Weaver, Avondale United Methodist Church, Birmingham, Alabama
Sermon Title: God Needed Another Angel
Sermon Series: Catch Phrase
Scripture: John 11: 17-27, 32-36
August 14, 2016 Sermon by Rev. Malinda Weaver, Avondale United Methodist Church, Birmingham, Alabama.
Sermon Title: Everything Happens For A Reason | When God Closes A Door, He Opens A Window
Sermon Series: Catch Phrase
Scripture: Romans 8:35, 38-39
August 7, 2016 Sermon by Rev. Malinda Weaver, Avondale United Methodist Church Sermon Title: Sometimes I Thank God For Unanswered Prayers Sermon Series: Catch Phrase Scripture: Luke 22: 39-42
May 22, 2016 Sermon by Rev. Dr. Brandon Harris, Avondale United Methodist Church, Birmingham, AL Sermon Title: The Crossing Over Sermon Series: Who Is This Man? Scripture: Luke 8: 22-25
May 15, 2016 Sermon by Rev. Dr. Brandon Harris, Avondale United Methodist Church, Birmingham, AL Sermon Series: Who Is This Man?
May 8, 2016 Sermon by Rev. Dr. Brandon Harris Sermon Title: The New Home Sermon Series: Who Is This Man? Scripture: Luke 4: 31-44
April 24, 2016: Sermon by Rev. Dr. Brandon Harris, Avondale United Methodist Church, Birmingham, Alabama Sermon Title: The Temptation Sermon Series: Who Is This Man? Scripture: Luke 4: 1-13
April 17, 2016 - Sermon by Rev. Dr. Brandon Harris, Avondale United Methodist Church, Birmingham, AL Sermon Title: The Baptism Sermon Series: Who Is This Man? Scripture: Luke 3: 1-3, 15-23
April 10, 2016 - Sermon - Rev. Dr. Brandon Harris, Avondale United Methodist Church, Birmingham, AL Sermon Title: The Annunciation Series: Who Is This Man? Scripture: Luke 1: 26-38
March 27, 2016 Easter Sermon at Avondale United Methodist Church in Birmingham, Alabama Pastor: Rev. Dr. Brandon Harris Sermon: The Great Remembering Series: Who Is This Man? Scripture: Luke 24: 1-12
March 27, 2016 Easter Sunrise Service Joint Community Worship Service: Avondale United Methodist Church & Woodlawn United Methodist Church
Due to rain and possible bad weather, the service was held indoors at Avondale United Methodist Church in Birmingham.
March 20, 2016 Avondale United Methodist Church, Birmingham, Alabama Rev. Dr. Brandon Harris Palm Sunday Service: The Passion of our Lord and Savor Jesus Christ, According to Saint Luke Readings and Hymns
March 13, 2016: Sermon by Rev. Dr. Brandon Harris, Avondale United Methodist Church Sermon Title: The Brother: From Pariah to Precious Series: Worst to First: Turnaround Stories in the Bible Scripture: luke 15:11-32
Sermon by Rev. Dr. Brandon Harris, Avondale United Methodist Church, Birmingham, Alabama February 28, 2016
July 31, 2016 Sermon by Rev. Malinda Weaver, Avondale United Methodist Church, Birmingham, Alabama Sermon Title: Gratitude Quotient Scripture: Luke 17:11-19
July 24, 2016 Sermon by Rev. Malinda Weaver, Avondale United Methodist Church, Birmingham, Alabama Sermon Title: Mop Bucket Attitude Scripture: Luke 14:1, 7-14 This sermon was postponed from July 10, 2016 due to a mass shooting incident and Rev. Weaver's decision to deliver a message in response to that sermon.
July 17, 2016 Sermon by Rev. Malinda Weaver, Avondale United Methodist Church, Birmingham, Alabama Sermon Title: I Wanna Be Like Christ Scripture: Luke 14:25-33
Sermon July 10, 2016 by Rev. Malinda Weaver, Avondale United Methodist Church, Birmingham, Alabama
Response to mass shooting tragedy. Original sermon postposted.
Sermon July 3, 2016 by Rev. Malinda Weaver, Avondale United Methodist Church, Birmingham, Alabama. Sermon Title: "Bullseye" Scripture: Luke 12:32-40
Sermon June 26, 2016 by Rev. Malinda Weaver, Avondale United Methodist Church www.avondaleumc.net Sermon Title: "What's the Plan?" Scripture: Ephesians 2:19-22
Sermon: May 29, 2016 by Rev. Dr. Brandon Harris Sermon Series: Who Is This Man? Sermon Title: The Good News Scripture: Luke 8:26-29
www.avondaleumc.net
Avondale United Methodist Church, Birmingham, AL Holy Week 2016 Joint Service with Woodlawn United Methodist Church
Avondale United Methodist Church, Birmingham, AL Maundy Thursday Service Joint Service with Woodlawn United Methodist Church
This Sunday was a music-only service, featuring selected hymns and audience favorites. This is one segment from the June 19, 2016 service.
Exodus 2:11-15a, 23-3:11 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | Moses, raised in the home of Pharaoh, a position of great privilege, makes a decision in the heat of anger that might have forever ruined his life: he kills an Egyptian guard who is abusing an Israelite slave--one of Moses' own people. He flees, afraid for his own life. While he is in hiding, the Lord gives him new direction, new purpose, and a new lease on life.
1 Corinthians 1:18-31 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | Let's face it, God's expectations, God's view of things, and God's standards are quite different from the traditional worldly view of things. If we're going to be conformed to God, make God-sized goals, become godly people, we ought to expect that we'll seem pretty foolish. But should that matter?
2 Corinthians 12:6-10 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | How much of our lives is wasted worrying about whether we're right enough, ready enough, good enough, smart enough, good-looking enough, skilled enough? Too much! Paul suggests that these things are not questions God worries about. For, whether we're weak or strong, God can use us.
Micah 5:1-5a | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | When we're used to hardship, sometimes it's difficult to expect anything more. When the people of Israel had lost hope, the prophet Micah spoke up and offered a vision of God's salvation. He became an agent of the very promise he was relaying. Micah became the shepherd guiding his readers to the hopeful future toward which God was working. As the ones who have heard the good news of salvation born in Bethlehem, how will others discover in us the same future?
2 Samuel 23:20-23 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | In what is one of the most obscure stories in the whole Bible, a man named Benaiah encounters a lion, but rather than run away, he begins a pursuit. This counterintuitive act forever changed the trajectory of Benaiah's life, and not for the worst! Too often we allow our lives to slip into safe mode, but God is calling us for more.
This sermon title and the framework for this message are borrowed from Mark Batterson's book by the same title (Multnomah Books, 2006).
Ecclesiastes 11:1-6 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | Life demands a balance between risk and prudence. As the Ecclesiastes author Qoheleth looks at the risks of life, he suggests we can take basic steps to mitigate its impact on our ventures, but we can't expect to do away with risk if we're really going to live.
Malachi 2:17-3:5 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | The prophet Malachi warns that God is tired of our words. In the wake of another mass shooting, this sermon considers what a real response of faith might look like, and how it involves God's own people purifying themselves for true and genuine worship and service. If Christmas is about the coming of God's salvation, then what are we who anticipate it doing to become new people, purified and cleansed to be a part of God's new thing? What would God's messenger root out from our lives?
Luke 14:15-24 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | If there is one thing we can count on about God, is that God's grace exceeds our expectations and the extravagance of his hospitality is beyond our comprehension. We are invited to share in God's abundance! Each of us has a reserved seat at his banquet. But, as with any invitation, we have to respond and show up for the party!
Acts 11:1-18 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | When everyone is invited to the table, it means that there is always the possibility of conflict, misunderstandings, and heart- wrenching disappointments. In fact, it is guaranteed. But that doesn’t mean we should avoid the table. It means we should embrace the table in all of its messiness. It’s in dealing with the messiness in truth and love that we experience God’s grace in all of its fullness.
Luke 16:19-31 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | When we sit at table, whose table is it? Whose food is it that we enjoy? The psalmist declares that all things come from God. Thus, any resources at our disposal have meaning far beyond us; they are given for us and for all creation. How often we forget that second part! Jesus warns us that how we dine and how much we eat not only has implications for the wellbeing of others, but also it has spiritual dimensions.
1 Corinthians 11:17-34 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | The church in Corinth had some pretty bad table manners. Their “me first” attitude not only resulted in some people not being fed, it spilled over into the broader community. It became a “what can I get” community rather than a “what can I give” community. Ultimately, the community experienced at the table should lead us to look beyond ourselves to the needs of others.
Colossians 3:12-17 | Rev. Sheri Ferguson | Every car needs constant care to keep running smoothly, and its gauges will tell you a lot about impending problems. Marriage, too, needs care and attention, and it will give clues to its health by certain patterns that take shape. This sermon will explore the destructive patterns that can tear apart a marriage and the keys to keeping it in good health.
Luke 24:13-35 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | In the road to Emmaus on the afternoon of the first Easter, two disciples recognized Jesus in the breaking of bread. Jesus became real to them, present to them, powerful for them in an act they had perhaps repeated with him dozens of times before. Now in the power of resurrection, it reshapes their faith and way of life, propelling them into the post-resurrection world to form new communities that were oriented around the table. Every time we gather at the table it is an opportunity and a means to experience the presence and blessing of the risen Lord.
Jude 1-4, 17-25 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | 'Til death do us part is usually a long time--years…decades. What does perseverance, joy, and love look like throughout a lifetime? This sermon will explore the phases of marriage through the lens of Jude's admonition to Christians facing "intruders" who destroy their faith. In what way can a holy, meaningful, and joy-filled marriage be sustained when life throws intrusive curve-balls? In short, it involves that two people keep themselves in the love of God.
1 Corinthians 7:1-9 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | Sex and sexuality are among the most enigmatic dimensions of human life. Even as science gains new understanding of the physiological dimensions of this gift, its spiritual and emotional aspects remain a joyful mystery. This sermon will explore intimacy and sex from a biblical perspective, including how we might understand and approach sex in our modern world.
Ephesians 4:1-6 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | For whatever generalities we may make about the sexes, nothing changes the fact that each person is different. Our particularity and uniqueness is one of the things that makes marriage so rewarding, but paradoxically it is also the thing that makes it so hard. Our differences matter less than how we approach them. This sermon will explore the ways we experience love and how attending to those differences can help us be a blessing to our partners.
Genesis 2:15-25 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | "What is marriage?" is a question that is as salient for twenty-first Christians as it ever was. We may answer that question socially, anthropologically, or biologically. The Bible's vision is that marriage is about providing partnership, help, and blessing. To be in marriage is to be called to a particular ministry in which one acts and serves as a means of God's grace and blessing.
Jeremiah 31:1-6 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | Jeremiah's vision of salvation involves people enjoying the fruit of creation and rest in the Lord, which suggests that God's work of salvation is more than a disembodied spiritual bliss, but must include the rest and restoration of all creation.
Matthew 11:25-30 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | We know Jesus through following Jesus. When it comes to children, the gift of knowledge of God does not come through laissez-faire parenting, but rather through intentional cultivation of a vision of life-as-a-Jesus-follower. Giving children room to explore the life of discipleship with effective boundaries for loving and serving the Lord and others will help them use their own natural curiosity in the development of vital discipleship.
Matthew 20:20-28 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | The most important goal for our children should not be success (as advancing up a ladder and gaining wealth) but in understanding their lives as a resource to make a difference.
Matthew 9:9-13 | Rev. Dr. R. Branodn Harris | Jesus' interactions with the Pharisees serves to spotlight what is not central to discipleship. External scales of success and worth are of little significance for the righteousness that must define discipleship. Inward character is the foundation upon which discipleship is built. Character cannot be put on like clothing or taught as one conveys facts. It comes through critical engagement with the real world.
Joshua 4:1-7, Matthew 19:13-15 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | Parental involvement, investment, and storytelling can make a world of difference in whether and how kids become disciples. But why do we care that children become disciples? What are our motives? Our expectations of discipleship should shape how we disciple children.
James 1:5-7; 5:13-20 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | How does our faith impact the community? How do our lives build up or tear down the work of Christ in the world? James' final admonition is that we commit to the kinds of disciplines that uplift, that build up, that contribute to a community that is united in a faith that mutually supports the wellbeing of its members. So powerful is such a witness, that James even envisions that it might have the power to draw in those who wander, and restore those who have fallen.
Revelation may be the most curious book of the Bible. It has been the basis for books like the Left Behind Series, and also the cause of many Christians just throwing their hands up in the air in frustration because it's too difficult to understand.
Alan Storey, however, says it has become his favorite book of the Bible. Understanding Revelation in the context during which it was written teaches us that it is not about some future cosmic rapture, but about the truth that God's kingdom will overcome all the forces of oppression, violence and death. In short, God's kingdom will win in the end. Come hear Alan teach this hopeful, life-giving message of John's Revelation.
James 1:12-18; 3:13-4:10 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | Being godly is not as simple as locking oneself in a cloister; it is a whole-life commitment to seek God and God’s purposes within one’s earthbound existence. It is a matter of embodying with meekness the wisdom that one has received from the Lord. Hatefulness, violence, and envy have no place in godly living. This extends into the political and social realm, even in the SCOTUS decision regarding same-sex marriage.
James 1:19-21; 3:1-12 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | "The implanted word of God has the power to save your souls," but it also has the power to save others as we speak forth that word to our neighbors. The converse of this is also true: the words we speak can be detrimental to our witness and how others understand God. Words can convey blessing and curse. How do we tame our tongues to be instruments of blessing?
John 3:1-17 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | God is not a theory. God is not a static entity. God is alive and is in relationship with God's creation. As with all living things, the actions of a living God are discernible within creation and affect creation in concrete ways. This sermon will explore the people of God as a particular work of this God and what it means that God gives birth to a people, sends the Son to a people, and deploys a people for ministry.
James 1:22-27; 2:14-26 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | Hearer & doer; faith & works - central contrasts in James that are more than a thermostat that "sets" one in righteousness or unrighteousness. Being a doer and worker indicates that one is truly alive as a person of faith. These expressions are indicative of a deep holiness that has been shaped by the disciplines of faithfulness.
James 1:1 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | James, in many traditions understood to be the biological brother of the Lord, introduces himself not with this claim to fame, but with a mark of humility: servant. This sermon introduces the author James, the shape of the book, and the suspected audience.
Psalm 104:24-30 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | Pentecost is more than a celebration of the Spirit's first coming; it is a reminder of the Spirit's continued coming. The ministry of the Spirit enlivens the play and work, creation and renewal of all things. This sermon will explore a Christian ecology vis-a-vis the Spirit's movement in the life of the world. If God will have the world to be a place of joy and wonder, if God would have a world of shalom, what is our response to that and what are the consequences should we violate God's continued Spirit-led work of creation?
Ephesians 1: 15-23 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | For "the Church" to fulfill its mission, each Christian must comprehend, see, and enact faith. This sermon will explore what it might mean for us individually to a spirit of wisdom and revelation among a new generation.
Acts 8:26-40 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | The mission of the church is not confined to personal salvation, individual holiness, or private faith. The Lord is sending the church into God-forsaken places to extend the promise and hope of salvation to those who have long been far off from God's love.
Acts 6:8-7:1, 51-60 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | To bear witness can involve pointing, storytelling, or describing. But, the church's witness-bearing is embodied. As temples of God's Holy Spirit, we become the present incarnation of his word, the signs and instruments of his transforming presence in the life of our community, and the embodied testament to his own proclamation that not even death holds any power against the God of salvation. Such a means of witness can and should consume every fiber of our being.
Acts 4:32-35 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | Human communities are often built along the lines of the haves and the have-nots. But, the resurrection of Jesus obliterates the significance of even the deepest of these divisions. Jesus came that all might have life and have it abundantly, and the resurrection of Jesus is the downpayment on that promise. When the church takes resurrection seriously, it will reflect in all layer of its communal life (social, economic, political, etc.) the obliteration of these boundaries.
Acts 3:1-10 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | Disease and sickness are among the greatest threats to human wellbeing. Likewise, the healing of illness, the empowerment of the dispossessed and downtrodden, and the making-whole of human persons is among the greatest signs that God's kingdom is breaking into our lives. Wherever the church exists, it will be proclaiming and working for the wellbeing and wholeness of individuals.
Acts 1:1-11 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | As Jesus prepares to ascend into heaven, he promises his disciples that they will be clothed with a new power, a power from on high, and that this power will empower them to change all the world. This is the purpose and mission of the church, the transformation of the world, and that purpose begins in us.
Philippians 1:3-11 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | The first aspect of our mission as disciples is one of growth. Discipleship involves increasing conformity to the master who calls us. God desires that we should grow in faith so that we can be "pure and righteous, having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God" (vv. 10-11).
Matthew 27:62-28:10 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | This sermon focuses on the nature of the command to "Go" from the tomb and to Galilee. A missional view of Easter. The most convincing proof of resurrection isn't an empty tomb but a carried away church.
Matthew 2:13-23 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | "Best of all, God is with us." These are reportedly John Wesley's dying words, an expression of faith uttered in his final breath. The gift of Christmas is Emmanuel, God with us. But, the challenge of Christmas is that this presence isn't comfy and cozy; it is kicked out on the street, put on the run by a tyrant, embodied in fragile flesh under the terrible swords of murderers, and put on the run...in hiding, even.
Genesis 1:26-31a | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | We are created in a state of grace, with the resources and blessings we need for the purposes of God. One of the fruits of faith is learning to see ourselves as creatures created and claimed by the God who is our source and stay.
Matthew 5:17-20, 38-42 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | As with all high aspirations, developing the sort of life that glorifies God involves degrees of growth and maturity. The biblical “law” and commandments about giving guide us in this growth; they attune us to a pattern, but they are not the end.
Matthew 26:6-13 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | Generosity is a way of life, not simply an action. It begins with an awareness of blessing and issues into a life that overflows with thanksgiving and extravagant love. Sacrificial generosity is a means of grace because it allows us to experience God’s blessing in our lives.
Philippians 4:4-13 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | The secret to living a life full of joy that naturally overflows in praise is contentment, which involves having one’s heart satisfied by the presence of blessing. But, a significant impediment to contentment is that we often value the wrong things, things that are elusive and fleeting.
1 Kings 12:1-19 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | Jeroboam and Rehoboam both set up sham worship of God. Jeroboam set up idols. Rehoboam was half-hearted. Both represented a turn away from God and a return to the attitude of Saul. This sermon will explore the events and the fallout of the split, including the trajectory of each kingdom.
1 Sam 15:10-23 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | Samuel receives word that Saul has been rejected as king. Saul does not heed the command of the Lord and spares some of the animals and booty from the Amelekites, which the Lord has told him to utterly destroy. Samuel reveals to Saul that the Lord desires obedience over sacrifice. This sermon will discuss the cultural transitions from the time of the judges to the time of the kings, the deuteronomistic suspicion of kingship, and the unique nature of Jewish kingship as divine choice.
1 Kings 3:1-15 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | Solomon oversaw the most peaceful and prosperous period in the history of ancient Israel. Wisely, he began his reign seeking the wisdom of the Lord and proceeded, empowered by that wisdom, to strengthen Israel as a nation. At its center Solomon constructed a grand temple, signifying the Lord's presence at the heart of king and country. However, as Solomon became a man of the world his focus shifted from the God who had brought shalom to Israel to the gods of his many wives. As a result, in Solomon's last days he witnessed the rebellion of his people, a sign of God's judgment for his unfaithfulness. At his death the great kingdom of Israel was at risk of collapse.
1 Chronicles 13:1-14 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | David's desire to have the Ark in Jerusalem is a one level a shrewd strategic move to unite the people. At another level it is a signal that he, unlike Saul, will seek to be attentive to the will and spirit of God, who is represented in the Ark. This pattern of piety earns David the eponym, "A man after God's own heart." This sermon will explore the significance of the ark, God's presence with Israel, and the Christian teachings on the Holy Spirit as God's presence in us.
John 8:31-36 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | Freedom in our modern usage has a lot to do with the ability to live in response to my own vision/direction for life. We are free from things like governments and oppressors and taskmasters. Biblical freedom involved those aspects to a degree, but it also acknowledged that to be free "from" something meant that one needed to be defined in relationship to something else. Jesus and his "way" consists of the ultimate freedom that any of us can obtain.
Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | The modern vision of love is primarily wrapped up in romantic notions of romance, sex, and feelings, leading many to think of love in flat, lifeless, and self-serving. These dynamics of love were definitely a part of the lives of first- century Christians, and there may have been some temptation to enact love in self-serving ways. But, Jesus challenged such a narrow vision and asked disciples to consider ways in which the deepest experiences of love were not just limited to easy feelings and experiences, but rather drew them into the deepest vulnerability.
Matthew 17:14-20 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | Faith involves an understanding and trust in what God is doing. Because we believe that God is present and active in relationship to us, God is ever and always doing new things. Faith, therefore, evolves, develops, and changes in relationship to circumstances. For the early Christians, this was especially true. Firmness and steadfastness in faith required a robust engagement and discernment with God's presence in their lives as God was giving them a new covenant and calling them to new life. Faith in such circumstances was open to questions, to evaluation, and to "testing" (i.e., experimentation that proves/confirms).
Acts 3:1-7; 4:5-12 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | Salvation today is sometimes viewed as fire insurance, some kind of notation in God's heavenly ledger that we have jumped through the proper hoops and can be let through the pearly gates without questioning. But, biblical concepts of salvation have much more to do with the lived experience of God's present help and deliverance.
1 Jn 4:13-21 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | The Bible suggests that the church, the followers of a crucified and resurrected Savior, is God's best plan to share the message of hope and salvation in Jesus with a world that is lost and broken. This sermon will explore what it looks like for Christians to take God's plan seriously as our purpose and mission.
John 1:1-18 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | Christians are custodians of traditions that proclaim Jesus as "the way" and "the truth," yet we exist in a world worshiping other gods whose worshipers make similar claims about them. One way to navigate that tension is simply to reject other faiths as irrelevant, wrongheaded, and meaningless. But, faith, like the truths it presupposes, is experiential and dependent upon stories and symbols unique to a particular people. A healthy approach to navigating the relationship of Christian faith with other religions requires that we acknowledge the source and limits of our experience of truth.
Acts 10:9-16 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | There may be no more divisive issue for the church in the 21st century than the issue of homosexuality. But, what we cannot deny, however, is that it is more than an issue; it is a reality that involves real people, and that our approach to gays and lesbians is affecting our witness of the gospel. Therefore, we must explore what a faithful engagement with gays and lesbians looks like. This sermon will look at how the gospel is implicated in the church's stance, how we can justify an open stance to gays and lesbians, and where open questions remain in light of being accepting and open.
Luke 13:1-5 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | Often Christians will chalk up disappointment and sorrow and pain and loss to "God's will." Or, they may cloak these sentiments in pious hope, "Everything happens for a reason." Other times, we assess tragedy as a punishment, judging that God brought calamity in response to unrepented sin. This sermon will explore these themes, asking whether God causes all suffering or any suffering at all, and whether calamity indicative of God's judgment and displeasure.
Ruth 1:6-8, 22 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | The decision faced by Orpah and Ruth early in the story is whether they will be a family. Families don't just happen. They come from a radical fidelity in which you see yourself in another person. Ruth proves that the secret to any successful relationship is to invest yourself wholly in another, to demand nothing but to give everything. "Your people shall be my people, and your God my God" (1:16). Ruth's determination not only allows there to be a family, but also lays a foundation for redemption and wholeness for both her and Naomi. (See also 2 Cor 5:17).
Ruth 1:1-5 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | In the opening lines of Ruth, the narrator sets the stage, unveiling an unusual family destined to have some difficult days. All families are unusual; there is no "perfect" family. And, all families are destined for some difficult days. The hopeful note in this dismal prologue, however, is that there is a family. Families give us a structure within which we can live out the challenges of life. They are part of God's gift to us. Naomi seems to have lost everything, but, alas! She has Ruth and Orpah. How can the families we have be a source of life and strength for us?
John 20:1-18 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | The first visitor to the tomb on Easter morning saw the displaced stone. The second visitor stuck his head into the tomb. The third visitor went all the way in. But, then, the second visitor took a second look, going in, and then he saw and believed. Our experience of salvation requires that we connect closely with the places of death in our lives and allow the truth of Resurrection to claim those places where death still holds sway over our imaginations, actions, and convictions.
Daniel 6:1-23 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | Prefects, governors, kings, lions? What is it that most threatens our worship of God? What is it that most vies for control over our lives and pretends to exert sovereignty? In a time of deep fear and despair at the might of a new ruling empire, the story of the lions’ den helped to restore Israel’s confidence in a holy, sovereign God. Whose mouths can we trust God to keep shut today?
Matthew 6:25-34 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | Perhaps there is no commandment of God that has been so reduced to legalism in the history of Judeo-Christian religion than the commandment concerning Sabbath rest. If we do not reduce it to legalism, we are often tempted to lay it aside, to ignore it as impractical or an ideal unobtainable in our "modern" world. Sabbath reminds us that our time is not our own. It is a gift of God. Therefore, as the first act of God in the completed creation, Sabbath is a gift given to us so that we can better live within the domain of the gift of time and better relate to and serve the giver. This series will be an opportunity to explore the gift of Sabbath and how we can fulfill the commandment to "remember the sabbath day and keep it holy."
Isaiah 65:17-25 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | We do have a future. In the face of war and hatred and hardship and pain, that is good news. This future will be wrought by the hands of God out of God’s vision, not by our hands out of our vision—even more good news! God will create something new—brand new.
Joshua 6:1-7, 11-21, 25 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | The most prominent feature of the Jericho narrative is the continuous marching around the city. On the seventh day of marching, the priests blew the shofar and the walls fell flat, leading to an Israelite victory. Only, the Israelites were really just the beneficiaries of the victory. God had won the victory. The same truth applies to the fortified places in our world today. Only God can bring victory.
Mark 2:23-3:5 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | From ancient times, God's people have been curious about what we can and cannot do on the Sabbath. But, if we properly understand Jesus' exchange with the Pharisees about the Sabbath rules, we should figure out ways that we can work the Sabbath for our own benefit and the benefit of the inbreaking kingdom of God. What are the ways that Christians living in the 21st Century can fulfill the demands of the third commandment and receive the gracious gift of Sabbath?
Genesis 2:1-3; Deuteronomy 5:12-15 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | The Sabbath is not given so that we can be refreshed for another grueling week of work. If this were so, we might understand toil and hardship to be the destiny of humankind. Quite the opposite, the Sabbath, according to one Jewish rabbi, is the "last in creation, first in intention." Sabbath is God's intention. It is a means by which we learn to delight in the Lord and by which learn to appreciate the gift and vocation of creation.
Luke 12:32-41 | Rev. Miriam Smith | Robust, living faith involves questions. We ask questions of God; God asks questions of us. It's in wrestling with these questions that we better come to understand ourselves and discover the growing edges in our relationship with the Lord.
Ruth 3:11-13; 4:1-12 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | The biggest danger to any relationship is dishonesty, especially when practiced in families. Dishonesty erects walls that prevent intimacy and love. And when intimacy and love are not available, families fall apart. Boaz conducts his family business in the open, preferring to risk a potential marriage than to build it on deception.
Mk 11:1-11 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | When Jesus enters Jerusalem to inaugurate his kingdom, to fulfill his journey to death, and to offer himself for the sins of the world, he does so upon a previously unridden donkey. God's salvation is so unprecedented, so new and remarkable, that even its conveyance into our lives is unsullied and unadulterated by our pasts, our sins, and our failures. It is entirely new. The Kingdom's entrance into our lives today must needs be no different.
Num 13:1-2, 17-29 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | Sometimes all we have is a glimpse of the future, a glimpse that can be interpreted in any number of ways. Sometimes the greatest challenge in the wilderness is keeping our eyes fixed on the fruit that God is already providing, focusing on the signs of hope, and trusting that the same providence that has led us up to that point will see us through whatever challenges remain.
Numbers 11:10-23 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | Even our grumbling is not an occasion for God to desert us. God has staked his claim in us, and God will be responsive to our needs. God knows that none of us can carry the burden alone, not even the most talented and dedicated among us. We are blessed by a rich diversity of gifts, enabled by God's own Spirit, that provide for the leadership, resources, and talents needed for the completion of the journey.
Numbers 11:1-9 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | Complaining, fear, and fatigue are ubiquitous in the wilderness. When all one sees is desert, it can be easy to feel deserted. The trouble is that our desire is so often out of line with God's desire, which leaves us disaffected and ungrateful for the mercies of God. What do we do with bitterness?
Joel 2:1-2, 12-17 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | "Yet," a word that dissociates and disjoins what should be with what will be; a word that signals that the ending is pregnant with the beginning. This is the gospel conjunction, and it is with hope that we hear this word on Ash Wednesday: "Yet even now, return to me with all your heart." Our future is in God's hands.
Numbers 9:15-23 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | Obedience in the wilderness can be difficult. We journey along unfamiliar paths to a future that is only a distant promise, but the journey of the Israelites underscores that God leads this journey. In fact, it is God's journey, not our own. When we are attentive to God's leading, and to the signs of God's presence before us, our journey is lightened and our future is sure.
Numbers 9:1-14 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | The Israelites find themselves encamped in the Sinai wilderness. The comforts of Egypt are gone, but fresh enough in their memories to cause anxiety in their new, unfamiliar surroundings. When we find ourselves in such circumstances, God helps us to remember and to enact our purpose. The story of God's providence is the compass in the wilderness.
Matthew 14:15-21 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | When Coby Lake started Avondale Brewery with his brother, it was not just to brew beer. With his real estate background, he saw an opportunity to become a catalyst for the renewal of a community. He saw the potential within himself and the then-struggling Avondale business district to grow something amazing. When Lake thinks about his faith, it sparks questions of purpose and vocation. He takes seriously Jesus' expectation that he use his gifts and resources to make a difference, to bless others, and to help life flourish in his environment.
Luke 18:9-14 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | In his role as an attorney, Doug Jones has prosecuted and defended many high-profile and difficult cases. He has been entrusted with the fate of heinous criminals, those for whom accidents and bad decisions have landed them in trouble, those who have been tragically hurt by the selfishness, greed, and hatred of others, and those who are unjustly and unfairly accused and victimized. One thing Doug has afforded to each offender, whether prosecuting or defending them, is the recognition that no person is so heinous as to be beneath his just, fair, and respectful treatment. Because no person is above reproach, wrongdoing, injustice, and evil must always be confronted with humility.
Acts 17:16-28 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | God transcends science and politics, yet Christians often make the mistake of making him dependent upon or subservient to them. This sermon will explore what a faithful place for the church in these realms looks like and how we might offer a helpful voice.
Matthew 14:22-33 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | For Esme Hill, faith is a matter of trust. When failures come, when struggles slow her down, when life gets tough, and when the future seems unclear, she strives to put her trust in the Lord to see her through those times. In the gospels, faith and trust are largely synonymous. Where we put our trust guides our lives in more ways than we can imagine, and often has life-or-death consequences, affecting the decisions we make and the expectations we have for ourselves and others.
Revelation 19:1-9 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | Weddings take a lot of preparation, especially for the bride! Brides go to great lengths to get themselves ready. The same must be true for the wedding of the church to her groom, Christ. This important image for the culmination of the present age must guide our understanding of what is expected of us and how the parousia (second coming) will unfold. Rapture theology and escapism denies the significance of our sinful past, it leads us to forget how unprepared we are, and it cheapens the grace of Christ.
Matthew 24:36-44; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | A fundamental tenet of the Christian faith is that Jesus Christ will come again. But the manner of his coming again is a question that has long been debated. Rapture theology is a fairly recent intruder into this debate. The concept of the rapture is based upon a misunderstanding of two bible verses due to their being taken out of cultural and theological context. This sermon will trace the history of rapture theology and explore in detail why rapture is untenable interpretation of these passages in particular. It will also touch upon the doctrine of the parousia (second coming) and what a biblically tenable vision of Christ's return looks like.
Joshua 3:1-13 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | Emerging from the wilderness, the people of Israel stood on the border of the world into which God was sending them. But, in their way was the Jordan River. Their task: crossing over. With specific reference to our church's three-fold vision of connecting with God, with each other, and with our neighbors, this sermon will address what it takes for us to cross over into the unfamiliar territory where God is leading us.
Revelation 2:1-7 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | Many churches exist as tourist destinations where visitors come from another land to experience and participate in a peculiar reality before journeying back to their homes and their "real" lives. The church in Ephesus had become such a church, when it once had been a thriving, deeply connected congregation. This sermon will pose the challenge to the church in terms of its disconnection from its first love (responsiveness to God's call) and, thus, from the natural receptacle of that love (the world). Then, it will trace elements of what it looks like to live relevant, mission-oriented, God-sent lives at the margin of "somewhere."
2 Corinthians 5:16-6:2 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | Brokenness is cosmic, but it's also personal. Its vivid representation on television and in the news causes us to shake our heads in pity, but its presence in our relationships, our lives, our hearts causes us to moan with agony. Reconciliation is God's vision for this brokenness however it is present, cosmic, interpersonal, and intrapersonal. It begins with God and it ends in us, individually and corporately.
Colossians 1:15-22 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | Our world is wrecked because we are wrecked, individually. That's why Jesus' first call to each of us is "repent," not "love your neighbor." Therefore, how we deal with our own sin and brokenness (or how God deals with it!) is a a crucial aspect of how God's mission of reconciliation takes root in our lives.
Romans 5:1-11| Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | The work of reconciliation belongs to God. It is his idea first and it is his initiative that breaks down the insurmountable wall between us and him. Because of his prevenient love and his stepping into our shoes, we are no longer his enemies, but it is possible for us to be in fellowship.
Ephesians 2:11-22 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | The problem with enemies is that they are never really vanquished. They are always there, perhaps even living right next door. What does reconciliation look like between two people? What is required and what is gained?
Luke 17:1-6 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | "God is making his appeal through us," Paul says. Our lives are meant to be a reflection, representation, and instrument of reconciliation in the world. And, even though this is a journey that is never quite yet complete until they are so in Christ's final consummation of salvation, we are called to be actively engaged in this ministry through small acts of hospitality and forgiveness toward our enemies.
Luke 23:44-49 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | The four gospels reveal the crucifixion of Jesus as a multifaceted event. Each gospel looks at the story from a different angle, emphasizing a different aspect of the event. All four gospels share in common a testimony that Jesus spoke during his horrific ordeal. These utterances, commonly called "the seven last words of Christ," have over the centuries become the focus of pious Christians seeking to understand and respond to God's gift of grace and mercy in Jesus' sacrificial death. This sermon series will explore these final words and what they say about what Jesus did for us on Calvary.
Matthew 27:45-49 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | The four gospels reveal the crucifixion of Jesus as a multifaceted event. Each gospel looks at the story from a different angle, emphasizing a different aspect of the event. All four gospels share in common a testimony that Jesus spoke during his horrific ordeal. These utterances, commonly called "the seven last words of Christ," have over the centuries become the focus of pious Christians seeking to understand and respond to God's gift of grace and mercy in Jesus' sacrificial death. This sermon series will explore these final words and what they say about what Jesus did for us on Calvary.
John 19:25b-27 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | The four gospels reveal the crucifixion of Jesus as a multifaceted event. Each gospel looks at the story from a different angle, emphasizing a different aspect of the event. All four gospels share in common a testimony that Jesus spoke during his horrific ordeal. These utterances, commonly called "the seven last words of Christ," have over the centuries become the focus of pious Christians seeking to understand and respond to God's gift of grace and mercy in Jesus' sacrificial death. This sermon series will explore these final words and what they say about what Jesus did for us on Calvary.
Luke 23:33-38 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | The four gospels reveal the crucifixion of Jesus as a multifaceted event. Each gospel looks at the story from a different angle, emphasizing a different aspect of the event. All four gospels share in common a testimony that Jesus spoke during his horrific ordeal. These utterances, commonly called "the seven last words of Christ," have over the centuries become the focus of pious Christians seeking to understand and respond to God's gift of grace and mercy in Jesus' sacrificial death. This sermon series will explore these final words and what they say about what Jesus did for us on Calvary.
John 19:28-29 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | The four gospels reveal the crucifixion of Jesus as a multifaceted event. Each gospel looks at the story from a different angle, emphasizing a different aspect of the event. All four gospels share in common a testimony that Jesus spoke during his horrific ordeal. These utterances, commonly called "the seven last words of Christ," have over the centuries become the focus of pious Christians seeking to understand and respond to God's gift of grace and mercy in Jesus' sacrificial death. This sermon series will explore these final words and what they say about what Jesus did for us on Calvary.
John 19:29-37 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | The four gospels reveal the crucifixion of Jesus as a multifaceted event. Each gospel looks at the story from a different angle, emphasizing a different aspect of the event. All four gospels share in common a testimony that Jesus spoke during his horrific ordeal. These utterances, commonly called "the seven last words of Christ," have over the centuries become the focus of pious Christians seeking to understand and respond to God's gift of grace and mercy in Jesus' sacrificial death. This sermon series will explore these final words and what they say about what Jesus did for us on Calvary.
Luke 23:39-43 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | The four gospels reveal the crucifixion of Jesus as a multifaceted event. Each gospel looks at the story from a different angle, emphasizing a different aspect of the event. All four gospels share in common a testimony that Jesus spoke during his horrific ordeal. These utterances, commonly called "the seven last words of Christ," have over the centuries become the focus of pious Christians seeking to understand and respond to God's gift of grace and mercy in Jesus' sacrificial death. This sermon series will explore these final words and what they say about what Jesus did for us on Calvary.
Hebrews 12:1-13 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | It takes a lot of patience, hope, and strength to endure in the face of struggle. But, the passage from Hebrews is surprising in what it assesses as the source of that adversity. The passages calls on us to endure the Lord's discipline! This sermon will serve as a prelude to Lent, considering what it means to experience discipline, correction, and even advice from someone else (e.g., a personal trainer), in light of how the Lord disciplines us for the sake of renewal and perfection.
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | The path of discipleship is not easy; it ends in the cross, after all! Therefore, part part of following Jesus on that path is a process of learning and training for the hardships and perils ahead. This sermon will explore some of the contours of a discipleship training regimen.
John 18:1-11 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | The church is made up of sinners, so why are we surprised when people in the church do, say, and think stupid things? We shouldn't be surprised that Christians act out of fear, self-interest, confusion, and spite, not that our proclivity to these things is an excuse for ignoring them! Rather, our proclivity to sin calls for our earnest repentance and our trust in God's grace. This sermon will briefly explore the nature of the 12 disciples as a community that often got it wrong-- about Jesus, about his mission, about their role--and it will explore what it means to live a failed life in the shadow of the cross.
Ephesians 3:1-13 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | The salvation of God was incarnate in Jesus, a particular Jewish man who lived 2,000 years ago. Yet, the gospel of salvation was not limited to the Jews. It was immediately shared with oriental kings; it took root in Gentile communities through Paul's ministry; and it has continued to take surprising shapes, being embodied in the church which, though it transcends race, class, and culture, is comprised of particular peoples who wear these realities in their skin, in their circumstances, and in their souls. Our mission is to uncover the mystery for our present age in ways that the rich variety of God's wisdom is manifest in surprising new ways.
While many of the most popular Christmas hymns originated in the 1800s, the oldest carols are embedded in the biblical story of Christmas. They express the deepest emotions and self-understanding of the characters within the story while also capturing the piety and faith of early Christians. They give us a window into understanding the incarnation that can motivate and inspire our faith today.
While many of the most popular Christmas hymns originated in the 1800s, the oldest carols are embedded in the biblical story of Christmas. They express the deepest emotions and self-understanding of the characters within the story while also capturing the piety and faith of early Christians. They give us a window into understanding the incarnation that can motivate and inspire our faith today.
While many of the most popular Christmas hymns originated in the 1800s, the oldest carols are embedded in the biblical story of Christmas. They express the deepest emotions and self-understanding of the characters within the story while also capturing the piety and faith of early Christians. They give us a window into understanding the incarnation that can motivate and inspire our faith today.
While many of the most popular Christmas hymns originated in the 1800s, the oldest carols are embedded in the biblical story of Christmas. They express the deepest emotions and self-understanding of the characters within the story while also capturing the piety and faith of early Christians. They give us a window into understanding the incarnation that can motivate and inspire our faith today.
Matthew 13:44-45 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | The Scriptures suggest that Jesus came to inaugurate a new heaven and a new earth. Therefore, there is little to be gained by investing in realities, systems, and institutions that Christ says will pass away. Jesus invites his followers to invest their lives in enduring realities like the reign of God. This requires a fundamentally different set of priorities and practices. This sermon will explore ways that we can apprentice ourselves to God's reign when it comes to our finances.
Luke 7:36-48 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | Our ability to be generous is in direct proportion to the degree to which we feel that we have received generosity. Jesus calls the his disciples to acknowledge their freedom and forgiveness and follow him in being generous. The parable of the two debtors ties these two realities together. This sermon will address the biblical principals of responding with generosity to God's grace.
Matthew 20:1-6 | Rev. Dr. Herb Williamson | Within the kingdom of God, merit and means are not so significant as God's propensity for grace. In other words, God's way of dealing with us is not contingent on our contributions, our worth, or our strengths; it is purely dependent upon his desire to give. Part of the challenge of learning to live within the kingdom of God is to appreciate the grace we are shown, to be content with the resources we are given, and to praise the magnanimity of the giver who gives irrespective of merit. We are called to contentedness, appreciating the grace that is able to provide us with what we need at just the right hour.
Luke 14:25-35 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | Where are our deepest hopes? What is our vision for our lives? When it comes to following Jesus, God calls us to be single-minded. Everything we do and all that we are about should be focused on Christ and his mission. However, we are a people highly distracted, turning aside for other pursuits and missions. How do our financial lives reflect this tendency? For many of us, our financial lives suggest that our stuff and possessions are major distractions. Jesus asks us to consider, are we able to "go all the way" with him?
1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | Every night ends with the dawning of a new day. There is a new day--the day of the Lord--on the horizon, and Christians are called to be alert in anticipation of the dawn that is just breaking. Paul calls Christians to go ahead and live a daytime life even though it is still night, knowing full well the day will break any moment.
1 Corinthians 2:6-16 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | When children are learning to speak, they learn through listening to others, repeating sounds, and hearing themselves. Much of our growth as disciples and our being conformed to Christ involves much the same process.
Exodus 19:1-6; Matthew 19:27-30 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | We are comfortable with the idea of Jesus as high priest. We are familiar with the idea of Jesus as Lord (a title connoting authority and sovereignty). But, do we ever consider that humans are also vested with sovereignty? Have we ever considered that God's chosen people are also called to be priests? This means that part of our purpose as Christian disciples is to participate with God in a redemptive and creative capacity for the transformation of the world.
Matthew 5:1-16 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | Almost every Christian has experienced that the life to which Jesus calls us seems sometimes to be unattainable (at best) or unreasonable (at worst)! But, if Jesus is Lord, it means we don't have to wait for any future state of things to respond to his calling, to live as his subjects, and to reflect the ways of his kingdom. To flip that around, if we begin anticipating the the kingdom, then the contours of it come into view for our lives.
Mark 10:35-45 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | What is God's purpose for my life? What kind of person am I to be as a Christian? People have taken all kinds of approaches to these two questions. Some might even argue that they are different questions. But, I believe that Jesus shows us that they overlap in the call to be transformed for the sake of the mission to which we are called. To put it another way: purposive mission begins with transformation.
Matthew 28:16-20 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | Our mission as disciples is discipleship, that is, to make new disciples who have been drug through the death-dealing waters of baptism and then formed and shaped in the ways of Christ. Fulfilling this commission happens when disciples who worship and disciples who doubt submit to the power of God to give new purpose and direction.
Matthew 22:34-40 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | There is sometimes a temptation to want to make faith easy. "Just believe in Jesus." Belief is important, but can we hang all of the law and the gospel on something so undemanding, so simple, and so easy? Jesus, when given the opportunity to narrow the commandments of God, does exactly the opposite: he focuses us on a whole-life commitment to God and neighbors one that involves "all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind."
Micah 6:1-8 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | Justice, kindness, and humility are not just characteristics of a life lived before God; they are requirements! These practices continually dislodge us from the settled and the comfortable and call us to move beyond ourselves for the sake of God's work in the world. When we fail to do justice, when we fail to extend mercy and lovingkindness, and when we fail to show humility, we fail to follow God; instead we follow ourselves. The Great Requirement ensures that we are constantly turned to the Lord.
Romans 8:31-39 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | Robust, living faith involves questions. We ask questions of God; God asks questions of us. It's in wrestling with these questions that we better come to understand ourselves and discover the growing edges in our relationship with the Lord.
John 21:15-17 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | Robust, living faith involves questions. We ask questions of God; God asks questions of us. It's in wrestling with these questions that we better come to understand ourselves and discover the growing edges in our relationship with the Lord.
Jeremiah 37:1-17 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | The question is on the lips of the King Zedekiah. But the question he asks is not the one truly on his heart. What he really wants to know is whether there is any hopeful word from the Lord. And, as a matter of fact, there was not. There was only a message of destruction. Zedekiah treated God as a genie rather than the sovereign Lord of Israel. Zedekiah, we learn, was not inclined to listen to what God was really saying. The question Zedekiah asks is poignant and powerful, yet who among us are truly ready for the answer?
Matthew 15:32-39 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | Robust, living faith involves questions. We ask questions of God; God asks questions of us. It's in wrestling with these questions that we better come to understand ourselves and discover the growing edges in our relationship with the Lord.
Galatians 6:1-16 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | The gospel of free grace in Jesus Christ requires our full commitment. There is no trial basis or partial buy-in. True faith is shown in the new creation that emerges by virtue of God's own Spirit at work. The fruit is obvious.
Gal 5:1, 13-26 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | As a group, Christians are free, but we have a hard time seeing ourselves as free because the enslaving powers still wield influence. Christians are those who are learning to resist the enslaving power of the flesh by yielding themselves to the power of God's Spirit, by which God is already at work within us (you "have been" set free) preparing us to receive new behavioral orientation as God's servants.
Galatians 1:1-12 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | We live in a world full of competing messages. Secular influences, spiritualism, political ideology, non-Christian religions, and consumerist worldviews are constantly barraging us with information about ourselves, about our world, and about our future. But, as Christians, we are those who have heard the gospel, which tells the truth about these aspects of life. The Galatians were among Paul's first proselytes; he preached a gospel of free grace from Jesus. Yet, the Galatians found themselves being pulled and tugged by competing messages from others, which taught the Galatians to anchor their faith in the law. Paul's letter to the confused Galatians, while very complex in itself, is apropos to the situation of the North American church. Do we remember the good news of grace? And, have we been able to stay on message?
Galatians 3:19-29 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | Tragically, Christianity gets caricatured as a legalistic religion of do's and don'ts (often having to do with sex!) And, while there is moral content to the gospel, the focus of Christianity is on the fulfilment of the covenant of promise made long ago with Abraham--the fulfillment in Christ! But, because of Christ, we no longer have to earn our way into his family; we are inheritors, Jew and Gentile alike, of God's promise simply by his grace. Whether we live out the moral content of the gospel will be in terms of our response to the invaluable gift given in/through Jesus.
Galatians 1:11-24; 2:6-10 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | Our lives consist of a complex network of authority. We answer to our boss, to our family, to our government, and to God. For Paul, the question of authority was not insignificant; as a relative newcomer to the gospel-preaching business, the Galatians not surprisingly doubted his authority in the face of other (it would seem) more appropriate authorities. Whence does our authority derive in our ministry? And, are we sometimes tempted to cede authority too readily rather than appeal to God's authority in the face of challenges from other "powers" in the world?
Galatians 2:15-21 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | Salvation is God's divine act of love in Jesus Christ. This self-giving love is given to all, regardless of race, creed, nationality, etc. The implications of the cross bear upon us who have received this love: we share in his crucifixion. This means that we become living expressions of that sacrificial love toward one another in a way that bridges divides, shares love, and extends hospitality to the stranger.
Lk 19:1-10 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | Zacchaeus had become isolated and estranged from society. He was "a sinner" in the eyes of the religious community; he was a much-hated tax collector in the eyes of his neighbors; but to Jesus he was a potential dining partner--he was a friend. Our relationships with God and with others are important parts of what it means to be whole. In this sermon we'll explore how Jesus goes about repairing, restoring, and cultivating those relationships.
Luke 7:18-23 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | Wholeness is God's intention for us. And, when John the Baptist doubted whether Jesus was the Messiah, God's anointed Savior, Jesus asked John to consider what he saw happening through Jesus' ministry. John and all the people saw wholeness and healing. If we ever doubt whether God is at work in our world, we need only look to places where we see lives being restored, people being made whole, and sins being forgiven to see God at work. Jesus, in fact, calls us to participate in this work.
Luke 13:10-17 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | Healing brings wholeness, freedom, and the repair of our personhood. Frequently, Jesus' work of healing is characterized as release from bondage to demons, spirits, or other forces that constrain, cripple, and limit full human personhood. In this sermon we will explore the connection between healing and exorcism of demonic forces and how we might understand such a connection in our modern world.
Luke 5:17-26 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | Our bodies are fragile. We get sick. We die. It's a part of life. But, the Scriptures reveal that these realities are not God's intention for us. We are broken, in part, because human beings are enmeshed in sin. Jesus reveals that it is God's desire to repair the brokenness of our bodies, but he also reveals that the repair of our bodies involves the repair of our relationship with God. In this sermon we will explore the connections between sin and brokenness, and how individual acts of healing are signs of God's restoration of all creation to relationship with him.
Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | One of the surest signs of God's reign is a community living under the unity of the Holy Spirit. God's table provides not only the sign of this reign but also a means to share in it. The Lord's Table stands in contrast to the division and enmity that had existed between God and humans and within the human community from the moment sin entered into the world. It reverses this tragic reality and it enables us to anticipate the eternal communion of God's heavenly kingdom.
Daniel 3:1, 3-6, 8-18 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | Israel was exiled in Babylon as judgment for their sin. Yet, God relented from his wrath and resolved to redeem them. But, the people of Israel were up against impossible odds. Their redemption would come because "God is able." Israel had come to feel like victims; God was able to bring them victory. Their victory would come through renewed faithfulness to God who had saved them from Egypt and would now save them from exile. No matter how fierce our foe or how deep our despair, God is able to save.
Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | The Bible's story begins in darkness and it ends in the full light of God's presence. Life and peace and shalom replace dark chaos. This same story plays out on Easter. The women go to the tomb in darkness, but they encounter the light of salvation. The promise of Christ is that those who walk in darkness will see light; they will have hope; they will have joy.
Lk 19:28-40 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | In the years since the return from exile, Israel had resolved not to fall into the same patterns of unrighteous living that had led to the exile in the first place. They retrenched into the holiness code and wound up in the same place as they had been before the exile: their religion was a hollow commitment to outward practice, but devoid of any spiritual engagement with the God who desperately wanted their hearts. Jesus provided a new way--a relationship with God that was personal and a discipleship that was based on a religion of the heart. Because of Jesus, we have the power to fulfill God's purposes and live under the divine reign.
Deuteronomy 26:1-11 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | The powers of evil enslave. This is a perennial reality of life under the sun. But, the God of Heaven, who has created and called all flesh to serve him, will not tolerate his people serving any other pretender to the divine throne. Yahweh is a God of deliverance. The story of deliverance is a central story for the Jews, and it is for us, too. Deliverance is our story, and it should define our lives, our hopes, and our relationship to God.
1 Samuel 8:4-22 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | Early in Israel's time in the Promised Land the Scriptures suggest that they understood that God was the source of their prosperity and strength. The judges, imbued with God's Spirit, ruled the people with equity and righteousness. But, as they became settled in the Promised Land the people grew delusional and forgot the God who was the source of their strength. They rejected their heavenly King in favor of an earthly king. In this, they rejected God's providence and chose self-sufficiency, and thus they began the journey to apostasy. Our lives often parallel this journey. When things are well, we forget why they are well. We become delusional. We neglect, then reject God. The higher we elevate ourselves, the greater will be our fall.
Genesis 22:1-19 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | There is much about our life journey that is uncertain. But, the story of the Scriptures reveals that when we trust in God and rely on God, that our journey will be to a fuller life. In the of the Bible God grants life, but human beings choose death. The rest of the Bible tells the story of an eternal God working within the created order to redeem it from its sentence of death.
Ruth 4:13-17 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | Families attest to the necessity of others. None of us create ourselves, none of us raise ourselves, and none of us can thrive by ourselves. For Boaz and Ruth, their strong commitments will mean not only joy and peace for them, but also will spill over as a blessing to many. Our families are for more than ourselves; they are God's way of fulfilling God's own mission of redemption.
Ruth 3:1-11 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | Ruth strengthens her family (and her chances with Boaz) by keeping her priorities in line. This is an important lesson for those looking for love and those looking to sustain love. What we get in life comes from how we invest our time and efforts.
Ruth 2:1-13 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | Strong families depend on each member taking responsibility for the good of the whole. Ruth does her part to remedy Naomi's and her shared misery. Yet, we do not earn our way in our families. We have what we need because of grace. Part of receiving grace is putting ourselves in the places where God's providence can work in our lives.
Romans 13:11-14 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | The Bible's viewpoint anticipates the end. Yet, it does not do so in a predicting way. This sermon explores the basic concepts of prophecy and how they contribute to the Bible's perspective on the eschatological future.
Revelation 1:1-8; 3:1-6 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | A sermon exploring the nature and origin of the book of Revelation and how it fits into a biblical view of the end.
Revelation 21:1-8 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | End Times prophcies are a dime a dozen, and the airwaves are filled with purveyors of so-called "biblical truths" about the last things. With so many variations and ways to look at what's coming, how are we to know whom to beliieve? The trouble is not the accuracy of the predictions, but rather the assumptions that the predictors make--assumptions about the Bible, what God is up to the world, and what salvation is all about. This series will explore biblical eschatology and what it means for our lives today.
James 2:1-8; John 1:35-39 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | It is easy to welcome those who are like us in every respect- -those who dress like us, who look like us, who share the same language as us, who eat the same foods as us, and who have the same life experiences as us. But, Christians are called to a life of hospitality that exceeds these easy things. They are called to be more than just friendly toward strangers. Christians are called to be radical in their hospitality, to see beyond surface distinctions and actively to welcome all because of an intense awareness of what God wants to do in the lives of their neighbors.
Malachi 3:6-12; 2 Corinthians 8:1-15 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | God has been extravagant in his giving to us. He has given in ways that exceed expectations and surpass necessity. We are reminded even at football games that God so loved the world that he gave his only Son so that we might have eternal life. Now, that's extravagant giving. God invites us to share in this extravagance by also practicing generosity toward him and toward others, confident that God has given us and will give us all that we need.
Joshua 4:1-7; Mk 6:30-34 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | Faith development does not happen accidentally. It requires the disciples' active engagement, but it also requires the intentionality of the faith community to ensure that new disciples are able to grow in faith. Faith development is about giving people the resources they need to think like Christ, walk like Christ, and dream like Christ. Note that Christ is the goal. We should settle for nothing less as we strive to make and become disciples.
Song of Songs 2:8-13 | Rev. Dr. R. Brandon Harris | Though we might seldom think of passion in the context of our relationship with God, God actually appreciates it when we are passionate about him. After all, he is passionate about us. The love of God is more passionate than we often give God credit for. When we respond to God's love and reciprocate, we honor God and develop an intimacy that is sustaining and life changing.