Covenant Church: Recent Episodes
Zack Phillips
Sermons by Pastor Zack Phillips and testimonies from members of Covenant Church in Arlington, MA. Visit us at covmin.org.
Zack struggles with God's apparent unfairness in hardening some people -- and ends up with a vision of God's unfailing mercy. For a handout, visit covmin.org/sermons
Zack makes the point that parables necessarily require us to have ears to hear the Holy Spirit interpreting them for us — and then we pray together through this parable.
Wrestling with what unforgivable “blasphemy against the Holy Spirit” means, Zack tentatively affirms the “traditional” reading that it is a persistent state of rejecting the LORD unto death. Beyond this, Zack suggests that, when faced with the possibility of having committed this sin, we choose the way of Peter, not the way of Judas — throwing ourselves upon the limitless, impossible mercy of God. For a handout, visit covmin.org/sermons
Instead of making ethical decisions by deciding which of two valid principles is more important, Scripture encourages us to look to a paradigm, a Person, as the Truth: Zack draws out the heart of our moral life from Mark 2:13-28. For a handout, visit covmin.org/sermons
The story of a real man with leprosy and a real woman paralyzed from an accident -- and why it matters that we never lose sight of the literal (and the spiritual).
Falling off a horse on one side then the other; driving back from New Jersey with a friend; freedom-from and freedom-for: Zack reflects on the single day with Jesus narrated in Mark 1:14-34.
Did Jesus sin? Was Jesus a sinner? In wrestling with why Jesus was baptized, Zack's answer may surprise you. For a handout, visit covmin.org/sermons
Zack discusses the "way" of the Lord Jesus -- a way of peace, a way of offering what little we have, a way of following the Spirit. For a handout, visit covmin.org/sermons.
When things are too big to pray for; the mustard seed behind Alexander Men; the mustard seed behind Clarence Jordan: Zack discusses the deep meaning of Epiphany for us, and sketches the shape of Kingdom growth according to Jesus' parables.
Not celebrating a Christian Christmas; a friend hosting a family on Christmas; hosting Shabbat for the first time (on The Chosen): Zack makes a proposal for how we might celebrate Christmas. For a handout, visit covmin.org/sermons
Henri Nouwen; Damien of Molokai; Vincent Lebbe: Zack tries to make the incarnation unfamiliar again.
Downpayments on houses; "the impossible possibility" of New Creation; Isidore the Farmer and St. Margaret: Zack describes the Kingdom for which we hope. For a handout, visit covmin.org/sermons.
Practicing law by mailing mail; Peter Maurin; "time horizons" for living: Zack discusses the centrality of waiting to the Christian faith. For a handout, visit covmin.org.
Amy, Linda, and Peter Biehl, The Way of a Pilgrim, the wrath of God: Zack considers the final verses of 1 Thessalonians. For a handout, visit covmin.org/sermons.
Jesus weeps; John Nelson Darby; the Left Behind series: Zack teaches about grief and "the rapture." For a handout, visit covmin.org.
Ole Anthony, Karl Barth, Alasdair MacIntyre: To understand this passage from 1 Thessalonians, Zack explains the difference between "be who you are" and "you do you." For a handout, visit covmin.org/sermons
Giving up on giving secondhand clothes; Marguerite Bourgeoys; the overwhelming, neverending, reckless love of God: Zack fumbles to articulate the love on display in 1 Thessalonians 3. For a handout, visit covmin.org/sermons
Screentime; running with a backpack; a law-school Bible study: Zack examines the most important passage in Scripture for raising our children today.
A phenomenon of light in the sea; Thomas Merton; a litmus test for pastors: Zack asks whether affection is a necessary part of Christian love.
Harriet Beecher Stowe; choosing joy; habits/virtues: Zack tries to understand how, exactly, we can strive for rejoicing in suffering. See covmin.org/sermons for a handout.
Zack struggles with this last chapter of Nehemiah: Does Nehemiah go too far in excluding all foreigners and prohibiting all marriages to foreigners? How do we understand this? What about conflicting texts in Scripture? What is God's word for us today? See covmin.org/sermons for a handout.
Wearing sandals (or not); Martin Rinckart (1586-1649); the effects of engineered gratitude: Zack examines the heart of worship on display in Nehemiah 12. For a handout, visit covmin.org/sermons
Henri Perrin and Engelmar Unzeitig: Zack discusses volunteers in Nehemiah 11 and beyond.
The biophilia hypothesis; meaning in projects; intentional communities: Zack argues that Nehemiah 10 is best understood as an intentional community following God in their context.
A vision after losing my dad; Dietrich Bonhoeffer's return home; memory studies of flashbulb events: Zack continues to reflect on Scripture and remembering in Nehemiah 9.
Substituting "we" for "I" in songs; anger at seminary students; losing the word of God (for a time): Zack considers confession and Scripture in Nehemiah 9.
Brain science, the Emmaus Road, and our aversion to teaching: Zack explains the importance and role of teaching in our faith.
Zack finds God's grace in the midst of lost paperwork -- in Nehemiah 7 and in our world.
How do we think about our Christian faith and our work? Zack offers three perspectives, including one drawn from Nehemiah 7. For a handout, visit covmin.org/sermons
Not choosing the way of the Zealots or the Essences; Benedict of Nursia; William Wilberforce: Zack talks about what Nehemiah 6 teaches us about enemies.
Thirty days living on minimum wage; Old Testament laws about the poor; some saintly examples: Zack talks about how our faith is inescapably political (properly understood) and how we are to learn, make a contribute with, and model the politics of the Kingdom. For a handout, visit covmin.org/sermons
Bullying, fear, and overwhelming work; William and Catherine Booth and the Salvation Army; not giving up life for a season for security: Zack gives a sermon on how to appreciate the obstacles in Nehemiah 4. For a handout, see covmin.org/sermons
Cursing and bullying in the Bible: Zack wrestles with how to understand imprecatory prayers in Scripture and modern-day bullying.
A new way of reading Acts 2; William Seymour and the origins of Pentecostalism; Joyeux Noel: Zack talks about how the Holy Spirit does the impossible -- creates a people where there is no people. For a handout, see covmin.org/sermons.
Jesus' scars remaining after his resurrection; Henri Nouwen's humility; overcooking carmelized onions: Reflecting on Nehemiah 3, Zack talks about our deeds following us, a particular kind of humility, and saying small Yeses when you aren't gifted.
A CEO, entrepeneurial-type; the details of tabernacle-building and genealogies; what does your heart ache for: Zack outlines Nehemiah's gifts on display in chapter 2 and argues for partnering with God for upbuilding the Kingdom.
Two questions to define you; raising $500 (instead of praying?); allergy to Torah: Zack discusses the centrality of prayer in Nehemiah 1 and in our Christian faith.
Zack talks about what Easter has to say about the uncertainty and boredom that plague us. For a handout, visit covmin.org/sermons.
What does "Hosanna" mean? Who is in this "crowd"? Zack preaches about the entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. For a handout, visit covmin.org/sermons
How deep is God's forgiveness? Zack examines who can repent. For a handout, see covmin.org/sermons
Less than 1.5% of Americans in agriculture; cartoon animals; magically appearing food: Zack finishes this series on Creation by asking the questions, "How, then, shall we live?"
Tens of thousands of endangered species; not doing as Jesus did; "image of God" as calling not capability: Zack tries to understand being commanded to "have dominion" and "subdue" in Genesis 1. For a handout, please visit covmin.org/sermons.
Will plants and animals be redeemed so that they are part of the New Jerusalem? Zack wrestles with this question.
Leviathan "sporting" in the sea; galaxies we haven't seen; St. Francis calling animals "brother" and "sister": Zack reviews some of the biblical witness setting forth God's profound love for (non-human) creation -- and discusses what this might mean for us.
In this second sermon on the Parable of the Real Neighbor (the Good Samaritan), Zack argues that love requires imagination and training, that invitations to partner in Kingdom work may be more important than we think, that "fruits" are different than "results."
In wrestling with why we don't act like the Good Samaritan, Zack argues that we are all "high-hurry seminary students" -- and suggests what we might do about it.
In this Christmas Day sermon, Zack marvels at how amazing it is that Jesus is both human and God.
Five parables; changing our "time horizon"; a new way to pray the Lord's Prayer: Zack explains what it means to wait on the Lord.
The problem of toenails, cannibalism, and overly tall people: Zack draws on the wisdom of the early Church to help us better appreciate our hope for bodily resurrection.
Naps, vacation, boredom, and decadence; a social Kingdom; embracing the drab stone dark cathedral: Zack explains why "rest" is one of our greatest hopes.
Zack makes the case that our ultimate hope is not restoration of life before "the Fall" but, instead, much, much more.
Conflicting Scriptures as a gift; the fundamental gesture of the Scripture; what, exactly, is cursed: Zack discusses whether "the Fall" is one cause of our suffering in this world and considers why it is important to try to understand our suffering.
The problem with autographs; boasting in suffering; eating too much honey: Zack evaluates the logic by which suffering results from disobedience.
Contrasting Jonah and Paul; the "medicine for immorality"; singing U2 in college: Zack makes some additional observations on Acts 27.
A centurion's philanthropy; Aristarchus; the greatest love: Zack makes some observations about Acts 27.
80-hour-weeks, science textbooks, and getting out of bed: Zack asks whether all Christians have a calling.
(Again) our precedented, polarized age; we don't get to choose our team; limits, disequilibrium, God-centered: Zack considers how Paul's message to Felix (justice, self-control, and the coming judgment) might be gospel for us.
Why does Paul curse the high priest? Why does he deflect defending himself? Zack concludes that it -- speech, life -- is all about His presence.
"Uncreated light"; Charles Finney and Bill W.; children hiding in a bathtub: Zack reflects on what it means that God is light.
The "morality-litigation complex"; the Golden-Mouthed preacher; learning from martyrs: Zack reflects on suffering like -- no, with -- Jesus.
Opening your home for Christmas dinner, a prayer group meeting daily, a million small Yeses: Zack reflects on when community is sufficiently formative.
Getting Covid on vacation: Zack reflects on whether "looking at the positives" is biblical.
A friend runs with a backpack (with surprising results); Charles Barkley gets it wrong; Seneca gets it right: Zack wrestles with Paul's repeated exhortation to imitate him.
What is a sermon?; the Law of Conservation of Mass; the many raisings from the dead in Scripture: Zack meditates upon what it means that God is a God of Life.
The basis of the global economy; modern-day gladiators?; an 18th anniversary: Zack explores the way that economic practices in Acts often elicit extreme persecution and struggles with potential modern-day analogies.
Lapping water like dogs; having your son order a burrito for you; not joining a monastery: Zack offers suggestions for why Paul moved in next door to the synagogue in Corinth.
The best verse in "Amazing Grace"; the exodus of Philistines and Arameans?; courage in a small Albanian village: Zack talks about how Paul's Areopagus speech in Acts 17 challenges us to speak the gospel in new ways and to hear the gospel in unexpected places.
Our precedented times; agreements between the Right and Left; the psychology of despair: Zack finds a way toward hope in Philippians 4.
The humble beginnings of a great church: Zack sees the story of the church at Philippi as a story of hope for Covenant Church.
Zack considers 2.5 ways that the Holy Spirits speaks in Acts 13 (and today): through other people, through circumstances, through not speaking but allowing us freedom to act and be corrected. For supplemental notes and reading suggestions, visit www.covmin.org/sermons.
Why is Peter delivered and James killed? Why shouldn't we preach Acts simply as a series of miracles? What is a miracle? Zack wrestles with Acts 12. For supplemental notes and reading suggestions, visit www.covmin.org/sermons.
Zack explains how we learn from Acts 11 that grace-as-gift necessarily abounds. For supplemental notes and reading suggestions, visit www.covmin.org/sermons
Voices, visions, trances, angels, and more: Zack examines the ways that the Holy Spirit speaks in Acts 10--and considers what this means for us. For supplemental notes and reading suggestions, visit www.covmin.org/sermons
Zack uses to stories of the Apostle Paul, Bartolomé de las Casas, and John Newton to shed light on what the Damascus Road in Acts 9 is and isn't. For supplemental notes and reading suggestions, visit www.covmin.org/sermons
Forgive me for the sins I don't know I'm committing; a man of only questions; the uncontrollable Spirit: Zack contrasts Simon and the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8. For a handout with supplemental notes and reading suggestions, visit www. covmin.org/sermons
Scars in the new Jerusalem; the fourfold sense of Scripture; the importance of prepositions: Zack reads the story of the Church's first martyr. For a handout with supplemental notes and reading suggestions, visit https://www.covmin.org/sermons.
Zack searches Scripture for answers to living with anxiety. For a handout with supplemental notes and reading suggestions, visit https://www.covmin.org/sermons.
Luke’s and Mary’s (and Zack’s) favorite part of the Christmas story: Zack marvels at a God who hates bullying injustice and loves exquisitely. For a handout with supplemental notes and reading suggestions, visit www.covmin.org/sermons.
Seventeenth-century Puritans, saying what God is not, video games: Zack wrestles with what it means that we will be “with” God forever, that we will “see” God, that God will be “all in all.” For a handout with supplemental notes and reading suggestions, visit www.covmin.org/sermons.
Will we work in the new heavens and new earth? Zack explores what it might mean that we will "reign" with Him. For a handout with supplemental notes and reading suggestions, visit https://www.covmin.org/sermons.
Deification, a shining face, asymptotes: Zack marvels at the biblical understanding of God's plan to "renew" us at the deepest level: God wants more for us than we want for ourselves. For a handout with supplemental notes and reading suggestions, visit https://www.covmin.org/sermons.
Millions of undiscovered species; God making a covenant with animals; clouds "going to work": Zack marvels at what "restoration" God might accomplish. For a handout with supplemental notes and reading suggestions, visit https://www.covmin.org/sermons.
Steven (the church's first martyr) and Philip (one of its first evangelists) "waited on tables" so that apostles could spread the word?!? Perhaps that is precisely how they were empowered to live and proclaim God's truth in such powerful ways. Zack argues for the importance of connecting to God in deep ways through our mundane service. For a handout with supplemental notes and reading suggestions, visit https://www.covmin.org/sermons.
What do you do when you are disturbed by a story like that of Ananias and Sapphira? Taste and see that the Lord is good. For a handout with supplemental notes and reading suggestions, visit https://www.covmin.org/sermons.
Pastor Zack situates this most difficult of passages within the broader witness of Scripture to try to understand what it does (and doesn’t) mean—and the claim that it makes on the lives of Jesus’ followers. For a handout with supplemental notes and reading suggestions, visit https://www.covmin.org/sermons.
Leaving the law firm; speaking at a father's funeral; an ancient Greek rhetorical device: Pastor Zack examines Acts 4:1-31 and makes three points: actions speak louder than words; we must leave outcomes to God; Jesus is the center of our prayer and our life. For a handout with supplemental notes and reading suggestions, visit https://www.covmin.org/sermons.
The one person who made it to heaven; the medicine of immortality; giving what is most important: Zack discusses the four marks of the church.
A "word on target"; leveling and destruction; elephants and riders: Zack asks, "What is the gospel?"
(Not) reversing Babel; three days learning Japanese; cheerios and graham crackers: Zack explores the significance of the fact that there are multiple languages in the Kingdom of God.
Is the Christian faith fundamentally about our experience? Does the faith offer happiness or truth? How can Christians today be a witness to an event they did not see? Zack talks about the implications of witness in Acts 1.
Stop seeking the timeline; stop asking the wrong questions; stop gazing at heaven: Zack examines the three ways that the Holy Spirit corrects the first disciples -- and us. For the handout, visit http://www.covmin.org/sermons/
Why we should allow the “other criminal” his anonymity; hoping for an empty hell; ask and you shall receive—more than you ask for. Zack draws out the implications of Jesus’ response to the “other criminal” at the crucifixion. For the handout, visit http://www.covmin.org/sermons/
Weeping in the British Library; long-lost autographs; did Jesus talk about handling snakes?: Pastor Zack teaches us how to let the Bible’s messiness deepen our worship. For the handout, visit http://www.covmin.org/sermons/
How to surf; a sample size larger than n = 1; Acts 29: Zack argues that Scripture is remembrance—and that we should follows its lead. For the handout, visit http://www.covmin.org/sermons/
Holiness is a shining face: Zack explains why. For the handout, visit http://www.covmin.org/sermons/
A heart monitor in high school; “a contingent, unliquidated debt”; a horrible at-home habit: Zack explains sin in terms of common biblical idioms and argues why it is important to do so. For the handout, visit http://www.covmin.org/sermons/
Fear from a secondhand sermon; the gift of an extra hour each day; listening to Christian music?: Zack discusses our part in sanctification. For the handout, visit http://www.covmin.org/sermons/
Should we pray together in church? The fuel for our spirits; a heart “strangely warmed”: Zack argues that God “in secret” is central to our lives. For the handout, visit http://www.covmin.org/sermons/
What was Paul’s “center”? What is the “mystery” of which he speaks? What does a prefix teach us about salvation? Zack explains the horizontal dimension of salvation. For the handout, visit http://www.covmin.org/sermons/
Two translation issues; “conversational narcissism”; solidarity in Cardiac Rehab: Zack explores the significance of Jesus’ sufferings for us. For the handout, visit http://www.covmin.org/sermons/
How do we know that the Immanuel child born to a virgin is Jesus? Zack explains why early Christians “read backwards” and why we should do so as well. For the handout, visit http://www.covmin.org/sermons/
Our inability to reverse entropy; Jesus crying for Lazarus; hems and shadows: Zack preaches that the Lord is a God of life. For the handout, visit http://www.covmin.org/sermons/
“How do you talk about hope to your church? No, really, how do you do that? What do you say?” Zack explains that, yes, we are waiting for our Messiah. For the handout, visit http://www.covmin.org/sermons/
What if our enemies do crush us? What if the doors are, in fact, closed? The only way to defeat sinful desires: Zack illuminates the Psalm’s connections between enemies/ confession and loving God’s Torah. For the handout, visit http://www.covmin.org/sermons/
Torah as teaching, as wonder, as God’s ways, as a window in God’s heart, as getting out of the boat: Zack marvels along with the psalmist at God’s good ways. For the handout, visit http://www.covmin.org/sermons/
Why wouldn’t we want to be like St. Francis?, a woman whose life even Google can’t illuminate, Boaz’s (possible) mom: Zack offers observations on the significance of Boaz saying Yes. For the handout, visit http://www.covmin.org/sermons/
A surprise midnight marriage proposal, a claim of identity, not accepting Jesus’ No: Zack examines how Ruth’s audaciousness is a parable for the audacious faith in which God delights. For the handout, visit http://www.covmin.org/sermons/
Helicopters for drowning men, two $500 gifts, blessing-because or blessing-to-be: Zack explores what the characters in Ruth 2 teach us about Christian life. For the handout, visit http://www.covmin.org/sermons/
Hissing fish, “returning” to where one has never been, turning away would-be converts: Zack explores what the characters in Ruth 1 teach us about Christian life. For the handout, visit http://www.covmin.org/sermons/