Grace and Peace: Recent Episodes
Hector Presbyterian Church
Sermons, songs, and other news from Hector Presbyterian Church in Hector, NY, beside beautiful Seneca Lake.
A farewell from Pastor Ben on his last Sunday before moving to Minnesota. The audio isn't great quality, but there is so much gratitude for God's gift of belonging to each other. Journey on with your neighbors, friends; you are so blessed to have them.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "We Are Each Other's People" on November 7, 2021.
Scripture readings: Ruth 1:1-18 and Mark 12:28-34.
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All Saints Sunday is the perfect time to launch our new worship series, "Growing in Gratitude." We give thanks for those who have gone before us, who like us and like Lazarus, are "the walking wounded" (in the words of Johnny Cash). What is it like to be called from death to life? Just ask the walking wounded, and they'll tell you about God's grace.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Just Ask the Walking Wounded" on October 31, 2021, All Saints Sunday.
Scripture readings: Isaiah 25:6-9 and John 11:1-3, 17, 32-44.
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Concluding our seven-week series, "Manna, Miracles, and Mercy," we receive God's answer when we cry, "Enough!" God comes near with bread and grace, calling us anew and strengthening us for the journey.
Content note: Since the reading from 1 Kings describes longing for death, here's a timely reminder: Nothing can separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus. If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal ideation, help is available. Call1-800-273-8255 or text chat at https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "God Comes Alongside" on October 24, 2021.
Scripture readings: 1 Kings 19:1-8 and Mark 7:31, 8:1-10. The Scripture readings are not included in this week's audio.
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Even when we turn down the bread of life, God comes to us in grace. As Wisdom, God invites us to a fabulous party where all can find a true, meaningful life. As the incarnate Word, God welcomes us to learn this life by doing. Through Jesus Christ, Wisdom and Word, we can show our neighbors the love of God—the God of manna, miracles, and mercy.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "The Party at Wisdom's House" on October 17, 2021.
Scripture readings: Proverbs 9:1-6, 9-12 and John 6:56-69
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When the Israelite community saw God's provision, they asked "What is it?" God's daily dose of love might defy logic, but it will sustain us—even as we enter the wilderness of transition. When it comes to grace, there is always enough from the hand of God—the God of manna, miracles, and mercy.
Pastor Ben announced that he will be following his husband Hierald to Minneapolis, where Hierald has accepted a new call. Ben's last Sunday in Hector will be November 7, 2021.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "A Daily Dose of Logic-Defying Love" on October 10, 2021.
Scripture readings: Exodus 16:2-3, 11-18 and John 6:22-35
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Five loaves and two fish—what good is that? But instead of answering on our terms, Jesus changes the question: "What will God do with that?" Keeping our senses open to the Spirit, we'll discover surprising answers today. For these surprises, we give thanks to the God of manna, the God of miracles, the God of mercy!
Pastor Ben Masters preached "What Good Is That?" on October 3, 2021.
Scripture readings: 2 Kings 4:38-44 and John 6:1-15
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God gets personal, searching for your face in the crowd to call you "Daughter," "Son," "Beloved Child." That has implications for those of us made partners in Christ's ministry of healing. Our fall series continues, giving thanks to the God of manna, the God of miracles, the God of mercy.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "God Gets Personal" on September 19, 2021.
Scripture readings: Judges 11:29-35 and Mark 5:21-43
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The Savior who heals us now sends us to heal and care for our neighbors. But what does that mean? Explore what this ministry of healing means in the first sermon in our fall series. Blessed be the God of manna, the God of miracles, the God of mercy!
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Made Partners in Christ's Ministry of Healing" on September 12, 2021.
Scripture readings: Ezekiel 2:1-10, 3:1-3 and Mark 6:1-13
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Sadly, there are times people oppose building beloved community. How will we respond? Because Christ has grabbed hold of us, we are empowered and sustained by a righteousness that is not our own.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Christ Grabs Hold" on August 8, 2021.
Scripture readings: Nehemiah 4: 1-3, 6-11, 14 and Philippians 3:4b-14.
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Building beloved community sounds nice, but the instinct to look out for ourselves first lingers. Thankfully, God takes initiative, enabling us both to want and to live out God's dream. We first glimpsed that dream in Christ's solidarity with humanity, and so with God's help will stand alongside our neighbors.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "To Want and to Live out the Dream of God" on August 1, 2021.
Scripture readings: Nehemiah 5:1-12 and Philippians 2:1-13.
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God has already begun the good work of building beloved community within us, if only we would pay attention! With Paul, pay attention to gratitude. With Nehemiah, pay attention to grief. Listen to your body and your being, because the Spirit is already pushing us towards the dream of the Gospel.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "God Has Already Begun" on July 25, 2021.
Scripture readings: Nehemiah 1:1-4, 2:1-6 and Philippians 1:1-11.
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At minute 18:26 there is an adapted meditation from Resmaa Menakem's book, My Grandmothers' Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies (Las Vegas, NV: Central Recovery Press, 2017), page 24.
To learn more about Menakem's work, listen to his interview with Krista Tippett (50 minutes) or read a short article in Psychology Today.
Content warning: Since the reading from Acts describes an attempted suicide, here's a timely reminder: Nothing can separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus. If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal ideation, help is available. Call1-800-273-8255 or text chat at https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org.
The right time to build beloved community is now. Whether it's rebuilding the temple, saving a life, or investing in our neighbors, God's grace in Jesus Christ empowers people to reach and and say, "We're here for you."
Pastor Ben Masters preached "The Right Time is Now" on July 18, 2021.
Scripture readings: Haggai 1:1-8 and Acts 16:12, 16-34.
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Our series on the saga of David continues with famous words of grief: “Oh, my son Absalom! Oh, my son!" If only David could protect his son; if only Mary could protect hers. But Jesus is breaking into the house of the strong to heal and save, so that God's power can become perfect in our weaknesses. Then we will repeat God's words to our neighbors: "I am here."
Pastor Ben Masters preached "I Am Here" on July 4, 2021.
Scripture readings: Mark 3:20-35 and selections from 2 Samuel 18.
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We conclude our first series of the summer with an episode not many of us have heard before: the public demonstration of Rizpah, a courageous mother who moves King David to seek closure. The grace that sustains Rizpah and saves David is for us, for God's power moves through our weaknesses to make all things new.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Sustaining Grace, Saving Grace" on July 11, 2021.
Scripture readings: Ephesians 4:25-5:2 and 2 Samuel 21:1-14.
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CONTENT WARNING: Sexual violence
At the midpoint of our summer series, we jump from the First Scroll of Samuel to the Second, from a teenage David to a middle-aged king with tragic children. Faced with the consequences of staying silent in the face of violence, let us hear God's call and receive God's empowering grace. God's power is made perfect in weakness, in our vulnerable acts of speaking the truth in love.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "To Speak the Truth in Love" on June 27, 2021.
Scripture readings: Ephesians 4:1-8, 14-16 and 2 Samuel 13:23-39.
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Hear Anna Carter Florence share how 2 Samuel 13 has transformed how church leaders speak about difficult truths: "It Could Have Gone Differently: Repertory Readings of Texts of Terror."
Learn more about the scorched earth campaign the Clinton-Sullivan Expedition waged against the Haudenosaunee in Upstate New York: www.sullivanclinton.com
Read Adrienne Rich's 1975 essay about the perils and possibilities of truth-telling: "Women and Honor: Some Notes on Lying."
Our summer series continues with the covenant between David and Jonathan. Paul's letter to Philemon illustrates how God moves through relationships, disrupting what we thought was certain. By grace we can release our clinging grip and undergo love's transformation, witnessing to neighbors that God's power is truly made perfect in weakness.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "God Changes Us" on June 20, 2021.
Scripture readings: Philemon 1:1-3, 8-17 & 1 Samuel 18:1-11, 20:1-3, 12-15a.
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Our summer series continues with the most familiar story in the David saga: the confrontation between the shepherd David and the giant Goliath. "I come against you in the name of the Holy One," David declares; how will we confront the giants of our time in the name of the Holy One? And what difference does it make that God's power is made perfect in weakness?
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Facing the Giants" on June 13, 2021.
Scripture readings: 2 Corinthians 12:2-10 and 1 Samuel 17:1, 4-11, 32-49.
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We're diving into the sagas of David this summer! When God chooses the shepherd David to be king, we remember how, through ordinary people, God's power is made perfect in weakness.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "God's Choice" on June 6, 2021.
Scripture readings: 1 Corinthians 1:25-31 and 1 Samuel 15:35 – 16:13.
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On Pentecost, we celebrate how the Spirit extends holy hospitality to hungry hearts. From feeding the creatures to gifting the Word to setting a table where all are welcome, the Spirit invites us to the feast of God's compassion.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Abundantly Alive" on May 23, 2021, the Day of Pentecost.
Scripture readings: Psalm 104:1, 10-31 and Acts 2:1-21.
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In these Sundays between Jesus' resurrection and the Day of Pentecost, we are exploring what it means to be alive in Spirit. When we are unsure of where to go or what we can handle, Jesus' promised Companion—the Holy Spirit—will guide us into a truth that bears the mark of nail and loves the whole world.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Alive in the Spirit of Guidance" on May 16, 2021, the Seventh Sunday of Easter.
Scripture readings: Isaiah 63:7-14 & John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15.
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Content warning: sexual assault
In these Sundays between Jesus' resurrection and the Day of Pentecost, we are exploring what it means to be alive in Spirit. So that we might live out the joy of salvation, God sends the Spirit to help us confess our sin. No matter how difficult it is to speak aloud hard truths, God will not abandon us.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Alive in the Spirit of Salvation" on May 9, 2021, the Sixth Sunday of Easter.
Scripture readings: Titus 1:1-4, 3:3-7 and Psalm 51.
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In these Sundays between Jesus' resurrection and the Day of Pentecost, we are exploring what it means to be alive in Spirit. Meaningful change can seem as impossible as an adult climbing back into the womb to be "born anew," but to exiles and to us God speaks a good word of hope: God will lead the way in transforming the earth and our own stony hearts.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Alive in the Spirit of Renewal" on May 2, 2021, the Fifth Sunday of Easter.
Scripture readings: Ezekiel 36:22-30 and John 3:1-8.
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In these Sundays between Jesus' resurrection and the Day of Pentecost, we are exploring what it means to be alive in Spirit. Unlike the conventional wisdom of wealth or power, the Spirit's wisdom seems foolish and the Spirit's strength appears weak. But if we refuse this vulnerable gift of grace, offered to us by wounded hands, we cannot know resurrection.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Alive in the Spirit of Vulnerability" on April 25, 2021, the Fourth Sunday of Easter.
Scripture readings: Colossians 3:12-17 and Judges 6:33-35, 7:1-8.
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In these Sundays between Jesus' resurrection and the Day of Pentecost, we are exploring what it means to be alive in Spirit. Just as the Spirit empowered the gifts of artists to craft and build the Tent of Meeting, the Spirit pours out grace on us so that we can make the world a better place.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Alive in the Spirit of Grace" on April 18, 2021, the Third Sunday of Easter.
Scripture readings: Exodus 31:1-5, Exodus 35:30-35, and 1 Corinthians 12:4-11.
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In these Sundays between Jesus' resurrection and the Day of Pentecost, we are exploring what it means to be alive in Spirit. Just as Jesus came near to the heartbroken and hurt disciple Thomas, the Spirit embraces us with healing and—eventually—forgiveness.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Alive in the Spirit of Forgiveness" on April 11, 2021, the Second Sunday of Easter.
Scripture readings: Psalm 139:1-18 and John 20:19-31.
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What do you say when the unspeakable happens? That is the moment when faith and fear collide. It's messy but it's also real, and reality is where resurrection takes places. Join the faithful and fearful women at the tomb to hear the news yourself: Jesus has been raised and is going ahead of us.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "The Place where Faith and Fear Collide" on April 4, 2021, the First Sunday of Easter.
Scripture readings: Isaiah 25:6-9 and Mark 16:1-8
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As we draw near to the end of our Lenten journey, we recall God's covenant promise to David. The crowds hailing Jesus remembered God's promise, but their hopes would soon be crushed. Yet God still keeps the promise to go with us every step of the way—even into death itself.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Covenants Over Kings" on March 28, 2021, Palm Sunday and the sixth Sunday in Lent.
Scripture readings: 2 Samuel 7:1-16 and Mark 11:1-11.
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Continuing our Lenten journey towards Easter, we are reclaiming and recalling God's covenant promises. Sitting at Jesus' feet with Greek pilgrims and with Asian American neighbors, we hear his summons to transformation. Let yourself be drawn to Jesus, into the loving embrace of God who gathers Israel's outcasts and will gather still others.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "A Love that Gathers Us All" on March 21, 2021, the fifth Sunday in Lent.
Scripture readings: Isaiah 56:1-8 and John 12:20-33
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Joining us on our Lenten journey towards Easter, guest preacher Evan Solice invites us to trust God's grace and mercy. Step forward, friends: the light is waiting.
Reverend Evan Solice is a board-certified chaplain at Dell Seton Medical Center in Austin, Texas, and provides spiritual care as a part of the hospital’s pioneering work with patients experiencing addiction and withdrawal.
He preached "The Light Is Waiting" on March 14, 2021, the fourth Sunday in Lent.
Scripture readings: Isaiah 6:1-8 and John 3:1-17.
Continuing our Lenten journey towards Easter, we are reclaiming and recalling God's covenant promises. With our Jewish sisters and brothers, we celebrate how the Torah—God's Instruction—comes as a gracious gift to liberated people. Observing the Ten Commandments is part of our discipleship, which is why we need to ask what Jesus is really up to on the Sabbath.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "A Covenant for Free People" on March 7, 2021, the third Sunday in Lent.
Scripture readings: Exodus 20:1-17 and Mark 2:23-3:5
Megan shared the Exodus reading from The Spark Story Bible: Sunday School Edition, published by Augsburg Fortress © 2009.
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Continuing our Lenten journey towards Easter, we are reclaiming and recalling God's covenant promises. As for the covenant made to Abraham and Sarah, we recognize how our forebears in faith tried to claim that exclusively. Thankfully, God's faithfulness is greater than our own and can set us free.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Better News for the Children of Abraham" on February 28, 2021, the second Sunday in Lent.
Scripture readings: Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16 and John 8:31-36, 51-58
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In our Lenten journey towards Easter, we are reclaiming and recalling God's covenant promises. In the rainbow covenant God makes with all living things, we glimpse the shocking scope of God's love—such love that awakens our courage to live in grace.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "A Rainbow of Grace" on February 21, 2021, the first Sunday in Lent.
Scripture readings: Genesis 8:21-22, 9:8-17 and 1 Peter 3:18-22.
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We've hit another pandemic wall, with no clear end in sight. Concluding our series on the promises God makes to us in baptism, we place our hope in the Holy One, who strengthens the tired and resurrected the hopeless.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Raised up to Reach out" on February 14, 2021.
A thousand thanks to Megan Beckhorn for helping proclaim Scripture!
Scripture readings: Isaiah 40:21-31 and Mark 1:29-39
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Confronting evil, Jesus does not allow demonic forces to determine his priorities. God's priorities of healing, guiding, and nourishing creation become apparent to us as we reflect on the life that sparkles in the waters of baptism.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "The Holy Priority of Wholeness" on February 7, 2021.
Scripture readings: Psalm 147:1-11, 19-20 and Mark 1:21-28
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When we're on the run like Jacob, when we guard our hearts like Nathanael, God sees us and joins us where we are. Continuing our series on the promises God makes to us in baptism, we claim the gift of a future greater than what is, greater than what has been.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Greater Things than These" on January 31, 2021.
Audio edited for clarity on February 3, 2021.
Scripture readings: Genesis 28:10-19 and John 1:43-51.
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When Jesus asks us, "What are you looking for?" will we have the boldness of the lover who searches for the beloved in the Song of Songs? Continuing our series on the promises God makes to us in baptism, we dare to seek out our hearts' desire, trusting that Jesus will encourage us along.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Searching for our Hearts' Desire" on January 24, 2021.
Scripture readings: Song of Songs 3:1-5 and John 1:35-42.
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Continuing our series on the promises God makes to us in baptism, we follow John the Baptist's gaze. Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, who breaks down every dividing wall, who baptizes us in the Holy Spirit.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Washed in the Spirit" on January 17, 2021.
A few notes up-top:
- This sermon references instances of potential violence, so have that in mind when choosing where and how to listen.
- Sadly, Christians who rallied against the results of the 2020 election joined ranks with people who promoted white supremacy, antisemitism, and violence. Mallory Simon’s and Sara Sidner’s article, “Decoding the extremist symbols and groups at the Capitol Hill insurrection” (CNN, January 11, 2021), offers an accessible overview of those factions.
- One symbol that I mentioned in my sermon is “6MWE” (6 Million Weren’t Enough). Afterwards, while double-checking sources, I learned that the photo of a man whose shirt reads “6MWE” was taken at a rally against the election results in mid-December. For more information, I recommend Ben Sales’ article “The ‘6MWE’ shirt: How a photo that went viral after the Capitol siege is misleading, and why it matters” (Jewish Telegraphic Agency, January 11, 2021).
- For a taste of Leah Sotille’s reporting, listen to her collaboration with the BBC about the Oklahoma City bombing, Two Minutes Past Nine.
Finally, a reminder. There are no “good Christians” or “bad Christians”; there are only Christians, standing in need of grace. I pray that our congregation’s preaching, worship, and service to the community points to the grace, mercy, and peace of God revealed in Jesus through the power of the Spirit.
Scripture readings: Isaiah 42:1-9 and John 1:24-34.
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In the wake of violence and turmoil, we claim the promises God makes to us in baptism: God alone creates, and in Christ we are a new creation. Loved into freedom, called to walk in Jesus' way, we begin six weeks of reflection on God's baptismal promises.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "In Christ a New Creation" on January 10, 2021, the Baptism of Jesus.
Scripture readings: Genesis 1:1-5, 24-27 & Mark 1:4-11.
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Guest preacher Susan Frost wonders, "Why did the Wise Men bother to follow a star in search of a newborn king? Why was this child so special?" As we mark the feast of the Epiphany, we celebrate the gift of God's very presence in Jesus, a gift given to all the world.
Susan Frost is a 2020 graduate of Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School, has served two congregations as a Commissioned Ruling Elder (lay pastor), and is a candidate for ministry under care of the presbytery of Geneva. She preached "Why Did the Wise Men Bother?" on January 3, 2021.
Scripture readings: Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14 and Matthew 2:1-12.
On Christmas, the angel's announcement to Mary is good news for us: "Nothing is impossible for God." Indeed, to those who welcome the Christ child, everything is possible again.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Everything Is Possible Again" on December 24, Christmas Eve. On our Facebook page, watch or share "A Very Hector Christmas Eve."
Scripture readings: Luke 1:26-56 and 2:1-20.
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Mary of Nazareth didn't go through pregnancy alone; God gave her Elizabeth, her aged relative who had also conceived a child miraculously. In the same way, God gives us to one another: to comfort the distressed, to care for our neighbors, and to conspire with God for the goal of the kingdom.
Rev. Chelsea McCutchin preached "Advent: The Way Forward" on December 20, 2020, the Seventh Sunday of Advent. Read more about seven-week Advent at http://theadventproject.org/.
Meet our guest preacher! Rev. Chelsea McCutchin is the Minister of Education & Community Engagement at University Christian Church of Austin, Texas. It was truly a delight to welcome a dear friend from Austin Seminary to our virtual pulpit in Hector!
Scripture readings: Psalm 89:1-18 and Luke 1:26-55
Human beings burn with questions, but John the Witness is only interested in one: Will the darkness extinguish the light? Improbable as it seems, the answer is no, and that answer makes all the difference.
You can view the Gaugin painting mentioned in the sermon on the Museum of Fine Arts' website.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Advent: The Light Shines in the Darkness" on December 13, 2020, the Sixth Sunday of Advent. Read more about seven-week Advent at http://theadventproject.org/.
Scripture readings: Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11 and John 1:1-8, 19-23
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Isaiah's vision calls us to action: "Clear the Eternal One's way! Make a level highway for our God!" But who are we, whose highways are crumbling and whose hearts are cracked open, to answer that call? Truly, we are God's, and God has made a promise. Jesus has set before us an open door that no one can shut. Grace leads the way forward.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Advent: The Way Forward" on December 6, 2020, the Fifth Sunday of Advent. Read more about seven-week Advent at http://theadventproject.org/.
Scripture readings: Isaiah 40:1-11 and Revelation 3:7-13
Note: Revelation 3:9 refers to hypocrites and liars, those who profess to live as God’s covenant people but do not. Unfortunately, John’s language of “Satan’s synagogue” can distract readers and compound the sin and shame of Christian anti-Judaism, so we did not read verse 9 aloud in worship.
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Why? Where are you? Will you or won't you? Isaiah's ballad of heartache speaks to our common longing and lament. God's answer? A new heaven and a new earth, already arriving in this Advent season.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Advent: The Root of Renewal" on November 29, 2020, the Fourth Sunday of Advent. Read more about seven-week Advent at http://theadventproject.org/.
Scripture readings: Isaiah 64:1-9 and 2 Peter 3:8-15.
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At first glance, the last story Jesus told before his execution is a tale about The End. Look again: it's a story that uses The End to point to now. God is seeking out lost and wounded sheep now. Compassion and healing are possible now. Advent encourages us: Live the promise today.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Advent: The End is Now" on November 22, 2020, the Third Sunday of Advent. Read more about seven-week Advent at http://theadventproject.org/.
Scripture readings: Ezekiel 34:1-4, 11-12, 15-22 and Matthew 25:31-46
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Sometimes, a text is just as terrifying as you think it is. Pay attention to the terror, Jesus says; otherwise, we risk the temptation of associating a hard-hearted boss man with God. The kingdom is God promises more than fear.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Advent: Refusing Every False Master" on November 15, 2020, the Second Sunday of Advent. Read more about seven-week Advent at http://theadventproject.org/.
Scripture readings: Zephaniah 1:7, 12-18 and Matthew 25:13-30.
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This year, we've seen how the future promised by that false god Scarcity has crumbled. As we begin a seven-week Advent journey, we place our trust in God's future: a wedding banquet spread for all. Today we choose to serve the Groom who longs to see us even when our lights go out.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Advent: A Future We Can Trust" on November 8, 2020, the First Sunday of Advent. Read more about seven-week Advent at http://theadventproject.org/.
Scripture readings: Joshua 24:1-3, 14-25 and Matthew 25:1-13
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For the past month, our worship has dwelled in God's abundance. Now, on All Saints' Day, when we give thanks for those who have gone before us in faith, we remember how Jesus recruits a community to share the message of the kingdom. We're a part of that community, given gifts enough to share!
Pastor Ben Masters preached "The Community of the God of" on November 1, 2020, All Saints' Day.
Scripture readings: Psalm 24 and Matthew 9:35-10:8
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In October our worship will dwell in God's abundance. When the prophet Jonah and Jesus' disciples have meltdowns, they get a holy reality check. There is enough grace—for them, for others, for the whole world.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "There Is Enough Grace" on October 25, 2020.
Scripture readings: Jonah 3:10-4:11 and Matthew 20:1-16
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In October our worship will dwell in God's abundance. In the parable that Jesus tells, it sounds like mercy is limited resource. However, that is not true; we glimpse the reality of God's abundant mercy on Esau's tear-stained face.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "There Is Enough Mercy" on October 18, 2020.
Scripture readings: Genesis 33:1-11 and Matthew 18:21-35
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In October our worship will dwell in God's abundance. We might convince ourselves that our small faith is worthless, but God is yet more faithful. God calls us to ministry and doesn't mind if we need to wrap ourselves in a blanket or two venture forth.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "There Is Enough Faith (with Blankets to Spare)" on October 11, 2020.
Scripture readings: 1 Kings 19:9-18 and Matthew 14:22-33
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In October our worship will dwell in God's abundance. Although scarcity thinking tries to persuade us that we individually are not enough, Jesus is ready to bless our empty hands and place in them enough grace to share.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "There Is Enough for Jesus" on October 4, 2020.
Scripture readings: Isaiah 55:1-15 and Matthew 14:13-21
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With fresh ears we are listening to some of Jesus' parables about the kingdom of heaven: it is like a grain of mustard someone plants in their field or a bit of sourdough starter a woman folds into flour. Yet the kingdom isn't just like a seed or a bit of yeast; it's also unfolds when God calls small people to pursue small, faithful actions.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "God Calls the Small" on September 20, 2020, at Hector Presbyterian Church.
Scripture readings: Proverbs 24:3-6, 13-14, Proverbs 30:24-28, and Matthew 13:31-35
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Continuing a season of hearing some of Jesus' parables with fresh ears, we hear about a farmer who scattered seeds with abandon and get a glimpse of our life-giving God at work!
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Scattering Seeds for a Harvest of Grace" on September 13, 2020, at Hector Presbyterian Church.
Scripture readings: Ecclesiastes 11:1-6 and Matthew 13:3-9
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As we begin a season of hearing some of Jesus' parables with fresh ears, we remember why these short moments of story matter so much. Jesus meets us where we are, showing us the kingdom of heaven come near in our ordinary lives.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Ordinary Stories and the Extraordinary God" on September 6, 2020, at Hector Presbyterian Church.
Scripture readings: Isaiah 6:1-10 and Matthew 13:10-17
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Pop open the hood of your heart: guest preacher Gary Judson offers a "spiritual tune-up" for these disorienting days. We never really know when God’s grace will come into our lives, but if we are faithful to our core practices—from service to others to quiet time and fasting—we will be ready to receive.
Rev. Gary Judson is a retired United Methodist minister and an active member of our community. He preached "A Spiritual Tune-Up in the Time of COVID-19" on August 30, 2020, at Hector Presbyterian Church.
Scripture readings: Psalm 121 and Matthew 25:1-13
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God's promise to write the Torah on our hearts throws our current lives into stark contrast. Since Paul calls us "letters of Christ," how can we show Christ's love? First, we need to accept the love letter God has already sent us.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "You Are Christ's Letter" on August 23, 2020, at Hector Presbyterian Church.
Scripture readings: 2 Corinthians 3:1-11 & Jeremiah 31:27-37
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Did you catch the first sermon in this series? We didn't get audio, but you can read a transcript of "Plant Gardens, Pursue Peace."
Here's the thing about finding grace in the wilderness: grace goes to the wilderness to find you. Even in the uncomfortable tension between God's promise and our current reality, the Holy One draws into ever-open arms.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Grace in the Wilderness" on August 16, 2020, at Hector Presbyterian Church.
Scripture readings: Luke 15:1-3, 11-31 & Jeremiah 30:1-4, 31:1-9
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The whole creation is waiting in breathless anticipation for God's daughters and sons—for you and for me. Just as a real estate deal the prophet Jeremiah made in prison became a sign of hope for a whole community, God enlists us as partners of hope for all God's children.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Children of God, Partners of Hope" on August 9, 2020, at Hector Presbyterian Church.
Scripture readings: Romans 8:14-25 & Jeremiah 32:1-15
Download the sermon transcript.
God's message of hope also surprised the exiles in Babylon. Read a transcript of the first sermon in this series: "Plant Gardens, Pursue Peace."
Children know that, given the choice, drinking muddy water is dumb. But adults sometimes try to convince each other that water is suppose to be brown. The prophet Jeremiah, however, won't let us accept anything less than the pure, running water of God's compassion, peace, and truth.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Choose Living Water" on August 2, 2020, at Hector Presbyterian Church.
Scripture readings: John 7:37-44 & Jeremiah 2:1-13
Download the sermon transcript.
We didn't get audio of our first sermon in this series, but you can read a transcript of "Plant Gardens, Pursue Peace."
"The true test of both calling and character," writes Carol Bechtel, "is whether we can trust God and act faithfully in times of uncertainty." Guest preacher Susan Frost explores how such trust causes our lives to blossom with gifts for one another, just as the roadside lilies open to the sun.
Susan Frost is a 2020 graduate of Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School, has served two congregations as a Commissioned Ruling Elder (lay pastor), and is a candidate for ministry under care of the presbytery of Geneva. She preached "The True Test" on July 12, 2020.
Scripture readings: Psalm 119:105-112 & Luke 12:22-31.
Download a transcript.
Love is the gift that makes all other gifts possible. Yet this gift is also work, requiring us to stretch ourselves and nurture growth in one another. Lest we worry we're not up to the task, the cross reminds us that God has already extended God's very self to us in Jesus Christ.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Love Is as Love Does" on July 5, 2020, at Hector Presbyterian Church.
Scripture readings: Exodus 34:1-10 & 1 Corinthians 13:1-13.
Download the sermon transcript.
One body, many members: this is Paul's enduring image of the church. Easy to say, hard to live. Five women from the Book of Numbers—Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah, the daughters of Zelophehad—tell their story about taking their place in the covenant community, a body defined and redefined by God.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Being (Re)Defined by God" on June 28, 2020, at Hector Presbyterian Church.
Scripture readings: Numbers 27:1-11 & 1 Corinthians 12:12-27
Download the sermon transcript.
Can Christians eat meat consecrated to other gods? Paul asks a different question: How do I, free in Christ, glorify God? As it turns out, caring for the neighbor is inseparably part of the answer. For us living through a pandemic, the Corinthians' debate about eating meat can help us approach the matter of wearing masks.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Meat, Masks, and the Glory of God" on June 21, 2020, at Hector Presbyterian Church.
Scripture readings: Exodus 34:11-17 & 1 Corinthians 10:17-11:1
Download the sermon transcript.
In the Book of Numbers, no less than in our newsfeeds, we glimpse how sin co-opts good people into coldness of heart. When Paul writes to the church in Corinth, he shatters their frozen factions with the message of the cross: God's challenge and God's love.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "God Hearts and the Crucified God" on June 14, 2020, at Hector Presbyterian Church.
Scripture readings: Numbers 16:1-15 & 1 Corinthians 1:10-18, 3:1-9
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At the table of the Lord—where there is enough bread, enough love, and enough dignity for all—we hear God's "YES." But we also hear God's "NO" to anything that harms members of the covenant community, even if that harm is based on accepted, conventional wisdom. God's wisdom, foolish as its sounds to human ears, extends a promise of a better world and a wider table.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "No and Yes at the Table of the Lord" on June 7, 2020, at Hector Presbyterian Church.
Scripture readings: Exodus 23:1-11 and 24:4-11 & 1 Corinthians 11:17-34
Download the sermon transcript.
On Pentecost Sunday we rejoice in the gift of the Holy Spirit. Now more than ever, in the wake of George Floyd's murder, with riots against racist violence rippling across the country, we stand in need of the Spirit's power to forge relationships. The good news is that God does not withhold the Spirit, but pours out wisdom and grace on us all.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "The Miracle We Need" on May 31, 2020, Pentecost Sunday, at Hector Presbyterian Church.
Scripture readings: Numbers 11:10-17, 24-30 & 1 Corinthians 2:1-16.
Download the sermon transcript.
Thumbnail art: Logan Weaver.
Standing on our shorelines, terrible waves of pain and death crashing over us, we can feel alone in our suffering. But God cares about us, stands with us, and weaves our lives with those around us. At the conclusion of our sermon series on the first letter bearing Peter's name, we marvel at the God of all grace who is active in our lives.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "God Cares About You" on May 24, 2020, the seventh and final Sunday in the Easter Season, at Hector Presbyterian Church.
Scripture readings: Psalm 31:1-16 & 1 Peter 5:6-14.
Download the sermon transcript.
"The end of everything has come." (1 Peter 4:7) Now what? How do we take the next step into God's new beginning? Our sermon series on the first letter bearing Peter's name continues, giving glory to God for the grace that makes us fully alive.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "The Next Step after the End" on May 17, 2020, the sixth Sunday in the Easter Season, at Hector Presbyterian Church.
Watch a video of Megan, our youngest liturgist, read the story of the fiery furnace from Daniel from the Spark Story Bible (Sparkhouse, 2009).
Scripture readings: Daniel 3:1-30 & 1 Peter 4:1-16.
Download the sermon transcript.
"Whenever anyone asks you to speak of your hope, be ready to defend it." (1 Peter 3:15). These days, when hope is in short supply, we need to stay in that space where a heart comes close to cracking; that is where God will meet us. Our sermon series on the first letter bearing Peter's name continues, grounding us in God's love.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Hope for Hearts Close to Cracking" on May 10, 2020, the fifth Sunday in the Easter Season, at Hector Presbyterian Church.
Thanks to Rev. Susan Lynch for composing and sharing the song "Another World Is Not Only Possible." Words: Arundhati Roy, War Talk, 2003. Music: Susan P. Lynch, 2019.
Scripture readings: Psalm 34 & 1 Peter 3:8-22.
Download the sermon transcript.
We are God's own: named, claimed, and given a purpose. Our guest preacher Lex Allum invited us into this sacred reality as our sermon series on the first letter bearing Peter's name continues.
Lex Allum, a graduating student at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, preached "Named and Claimed" on May 3, 2020, the fourth Sunday in the Easter Season, at Hector Presbyterian Church.
Scripture readings: Exodus 19:1-8 & 1 Peter 2:1-12.
Download the sermon transcript.
"You must be holy in every aspect of your lives, just as the one who called you is holy. It is written, 'You will be holy, because I am holy.'" (1 Peter 1:15-16). Our sermon series on the first letter bearing Peter's name continues, begging the question: Is holy living any different from 'holier-than-thou' living? Yes, for the sake of the world God loves, yes!
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Ready for Worship, Ready for Relationship" on April 26, 2020, the third Sunday in the Easter Season, at Hector Presbyterian Church.
Scripture readings: Leviticus 19:1-2, 20:22-26 & 1 Peter 1:13-25
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What difference does a living hope make? Where dead hope settles for comfort or fears failing some heaven-sent test, a living hope stirs us to action and to demand God bears witness to our troubles. And God, whose first word is mercy and whose final word is faithfulness, will not turn us away.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Living Faith, Living Hope" on April 19, 2020, the second Sunday in the Easter Season, at Hector Presbyterian Church.
Scripture readings: 2 Kings 4:17-37 & 1 Peter 1:1-9.
Download the sermon transcript.
Thumbnail art: Amy Low, Austin, Texas
Resurrection power doesn't unfold gently like spring leaves; it shakes our lives like an earthquake. This is the grace of God we proclaim on Easter: God has bigger dreams for us than our shattered expectations. What's more: we will see Christ when we dream with God.
Thumbnail art: Heather Thum-Gerber
Pastor Ben Masters preached "A Grace that Shakes Things Up" on April 12, 2020, Easter Sunday, at Hector Presbyterian Church.
Scripture readings: Psalm 114 & Matthew 28:1-10.
Download the sermon transcript.
NB: Please forgive the audio quality. I forgot to press one button (it's always just one), so there's more echo than I would like. -Ben
During the coronavirus pandemic, there are no "good" days. Technology flops. The laundry piles up. Feelings of grief and anxiety aren't easy to cope with. Just as he did on Palm Sunday, Jesus enters our messiness out of love for imperfect people.
Photos:
- Which kitty in isolation are you today?
- On a scale of hedgehog cake, how are you feeling?
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Grace for Imperfect people" on April 5, 2020, Palm Sunday, the last Sunday in Lent, at Hector Presbyterian Church.
Scripture readings: Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29 & Matthew 21:1-11.
Download the sermon transcript.
According to Jamie Anderson, "Grief is just love with no place to go." The extravagant grace of God embraces us in our grief over coronavirus and gives us neighbors with which to share the love in Jesus' own heart.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "The Extravagant Grace of God" on March 29, 2020, the fifth Sunday in Lent, at Hector Presbyterian Church.
Scripture readings: Deuteronomy 15:1-11 & John 12:1-8.
Download the sermon transcript.
The news about coronavirus changes every day, but the story that Jesus is writing for us remains the same: we are children of God, sent to invite others into that joyful story. We continue our Lenten series on neighbor-love, looking for ways to live out Jesus' new story right here, right now.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "The Grace of a New Story" on March 22, 2020, the fourth Sunday in Lent, at Hector Presbyterian Church.
Scripture readings: Genesis 12:1-8 and Matthew 28:16-20.
Download the sermon transcript.
As our nation and our local community come to terms with a coronavirus pandemic, Jesus' call grounds us in the truth: we belong to God, and so we belong to each other. We continue our Lenten series on neighbor-love, listening for how God's love can transform our lives.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "The Grace of Belonging to Each Other" on March 15, 2020, the third Sunday in Lent, at Hector Presbyterian Church.
Scripture readings: Isaiah 58:1-12 & Luke 8:26-39.
Download the sermon transcript.
This Lent, the Spirit is showing us how God's grace transforms the world through our neighbors; children and youth are no exception to that. When we welcome children as partners in ministry, we welcome the presence of God who kept company with young people.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "The Grace of Children" on March 8, 2020, the second Sunday in Lent, at Hector Presbyterian Church.
Scripture readings: Exodus 1:22-2:10 & Matthew 18:1-5, 10-14
Download the sermon transcript.
This year our Lenten discipline is loving our neighbors. Responding to the command of Leviticus 19, Jesus adds an important footnote: we can love our neighbors only when we let them love us. That's how God's grace enters the world.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "The Grace of Neighbors" on March 1, 2020, the first Sunday in Lent, at Hector Presbyterian Church.
Scripture readings: Leviticus 19:1-2, 9-18 & Luke 10:25-37.
Download the sermon transcript.
A suffering man beside the pool of Bethsaida expected healing to look a certain way, so much that he had no way to anticipate the healing Jesus offered. The truth that ashes tell at the beginning of Lent is similarly surprising and healing.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "The Truth that Ashes Tell" on February 26, 2020, Ash Wednesday at Hector Presbyterian Church.
Scripture readings: Isaiah 57:14-21 & John 5:1-13
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Before we leave the Sermon on the Mount and enter the journey of Lent, Jesus has one last challenge for us. It's the hardest one yet: "Love your enemies." But, lest we lose heart, the prophet Elisha demonstrates one out-of-the-box way to live this kingdom-of-heaven kind of love.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Victory Is Ours" on February 16, 2020, at Hector Presbyterian Church.
Scripture readings: 2 Kings 6:8-23 & Matthew 5:38-48.
Download the sermon transcript.
In his sermon on the mountain about life in the kingdom of heaven, Jesus challenges his disciples to consider their relationships with other people—especially the people who are easy to judge. But what is never in question is God's relationship to us: covenant-maker, merciful, abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Other People" on February 9, 2020, at Hector Presbyterian Church.
Scripture readings: Deuteronomy 11:18-21, 26-28 and Matthew 5:21-37
Download the sermon transcript.
Teaching about the ways of Christian life leads to baptism and flows from it. Jesus continues to instruct disciples in his sermon on the mountain about life in the kingdom of heaven, calling them (and us) salt and light for the world.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "You Are Salt" on February 2, 2020, at Hector Presbyterian Church.
Scripture readings: Isaiah 49:1-6 & Matthew 5:13-20.
Download the sermon transcript.
Teaching about the ways of Christian life leads to baptism and flows from it, and in the first portion of Jesus' sermon on the mount we receive our first lesson about life in the kingdom of heaven: who is worthy of honor.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Blessed Are You" on January 26, 2020, at Hector Presbyterian Church.
Scripture readings: Micah 6:1-8 and Matthew 4:23-5:12
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"I can't do this!" The prophet Jonah knows our doubts and fears. But as Jesus reminds the four fishermen he calls in Capernaum, the Lord's promise is never separate from the Lord's command. "Come, follow me," Jesus says, "because I will show you the way. I can do this."
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Command & Promise" on January 19, 2020, at Hector Presbyterian Church.
Scripture readings: Jonah 1:1-12, 15,17 & Matthew 4:12-22
Download the sermon transcript.
When Jesus is baptized, he affirms his core identity: God's beloved child. No other fact about his life is more true that this, and no other fact about our lives is more true than the identity God gives us.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Beginning Beloved" at Hector Presbyterian Church on January 12, 2020.
Scripture readings: Isaiah 42:1-9 & Matthew 3:1-6, 13-17.
Download the transcript.
In Jesus Christ, the secret plan of God have been revealed—all nations will be gathered into the promise! But that plan means that life won't go according to our plans.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Readjusting Our Plans" at Hector Presbyterian Church on January 5, 2020, the Feast of the Epiphany.
Scripture readings: Isaiah 60:1-6 and Ephesians 3 (yep, all 21 verses!)
Download the transcript.
During the season of Advent, God met us in our fears and uncertainty. On this holy night, we remember God’s presence in the dark: creating, listening, speaking, and hallowing our lives. Christ comes into that darkness as Emmanuel, God-with-us, to serve and to save.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Joyful is the Dark" at Hector Presbyterian Church on Tuesday, December 24 (Christmas Eve).
Scripture readings:
- Genesis 1:1-5, 14-1 (God creates night and day)
- Psalms 130 & 131 (Crying for redemption in the dark night of the soul)
- Joel 2:1-13 (The dark day of the Lord approaches)
- Isaiah 9:2-7 (God’s light shines on people overshadowed with oppression)
- Matthew 1:18-24 (An angel speaks to Joseph in a dream)
- Luke 2:1-7 (The Creator is born in Bethlehem)
- Luke 2:8-20 (Angels light up the night sky)
- Matthew 2:1-12 (A star guides the way for seekers)
- Philippians 2:1-11 (Christ emptied himself in service)
Download the transcript.
December is a noisy month, full of caroling, chatter, and the drone of commerce. Yet in the last few days of Advent, we can sense that God is doing something special in moments of stillness and silence: preparing us to participate in the work of transformation.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Holding Silence" on December 22, 2019, at Hector Presbyterian Church.
Scripture readings: Isaiah 30:12-18 & Romans 8:18-27.
Download the sermon transcript.
Note: While Hector Presbyterian Church invited our Sunday School students to lead worship on December 15 (Advent 3), Pastor Ben preached the third installment in our four-part Advent series at partner congregation Lodi Presbyterian Church. "Holding Space for a Question" was not recorded, but you can download the sermon transcript.
Advent not only counts down to our celebration's of Christ first arrival, away in a manger; we also anticipate Christ's second arrival. When the sun and moon stop shining, when the lights go out—that is when the Messiah arrives.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Holding Darkness Like Light" on December 8, 2019, the second Sunday of Advent, at Hector Presbyterian Church.
Scripture readings: Psalm 18:1-19 and Matthew 24:29-35.
Download the sermon transcript.
Dreams, prophecies, babies—these are hardly solid signs of salvation. Yet this is exactly how God comes to us to save us from fear and sin.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Holding Fear Like a Baby" on December 1, 2019, the first Sunday of Advent, at Hector Presbyterian Church.
Scripture readings: Isaiah 7:1, 10-17 & Matthew 1:18-25.
Download the sermon transcript.
On the Sunday when the Church acclaims Jesus as king, the cross might be the last place we'd look for a picture of his reign. What do we do about a Savior who does not save himself? Or, more importantly, what does he do for us, who desperately want to save ourselves?
Pastor Ben Masters preached "A Savior who Does Not Save Himself" on November 24, 2019, at Hector Presbyterian Church.
Scripture readings: Jeremiah 23:1-8 and Luke 23:33-43.
Download the sermon transcript.
For those grafted into God's covenant people, eternal life isn't in question. The question is: What are you going to do with this life? Jesus invites us to learn the steps in the dance of grace, a dance which God has always led for us.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Joining the Dance of Grace" on November 17, 2019, at Hector Presbyterian Church.
Scripture readings: Amos 5:4-15 & Luke 18:18-30.
Download the sermon transcript.
Jesus urges his disciples to pray with audacity, assuring us that God meets us in our struggles. This All Saints' Sunday, we give thanks for the people in whose messy lives God's light has shone.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "The Saints who Struggle" on November 3, 2019, at Hector Presbyterian Church.
Scripture readings: Genesis 32:22-32 & Luke 18:1-8.
Download the sermon transcript.
B.N. We're sorry for the sound quality. Next week we'll have it fixed!
"When the world is sick can't no one be well, but I dreamt we was all beautiful and strong." Mercy meets us in that place where we can't imagine anything beyond our sickness and shame. Even more, mercy promises us that wholeness isn't just a dream: the God of mercy is moving in our lives to make things right.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "When the World Is Sick" on October 27, 2019, at Hector Presbyterian Church.
Scripture readings: Jeremiah 14:7-10, 17-21; Luke 18:9-14.
Download the sermon transcript.
There's nothing new under the sun. Pointless—everything is perfectly pointless! To our our weary hearts, Jesus invites us into the path of discipleship: "Feed my lambs. Feed my sheep. Follow me."
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Weary of Pointlessness, Blessed with Discipleship" on October 20, 2019, at Hector Presbyterian Church.
Scripture readings: Ecclesiastes 1:2-11 and John 21:1-19.
Download the sermon transcript.
What situations do you think are inevitable? The growing gap between the richest and poorest? The uncrossable chasm between Heaven and Hell? Beyond what we conceive as imaginable, Christ Jesus waits to bless us with a holy yearning.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Weary of Complacency, Blessed with Restlessness" on October 13, 2019, at Hector Presbyterian Church.
Scripture readings: Ecclesiastes 2:1-11 & Luke 16:19-31.
Download the sermon transcript.
We often tell the story of Thomas' doubt, but what about his heartbreak? What about our bruised and broken hearts? With Thomas we learn this persistent and passionate truth: Jesus comes back for us, to place his hands on our wounds.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Weary of Hurt, Blessed with Healing" on October 6, 2019, at Hector Presbyterian Church.
Scripture readings: Ecclesiastes 3:16-4:3 and John 20:19-31.
Download the sermon transcript.
Anxiety: it whines in our ears, "Things will never change"; it draws over our pencil-sketch thoughts with permanent marker. But stronger than anxiety's power over mind and body is the gentleness of God and God's invitation to vulnerability, action, and peace.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Weary of Anxiety, Blessed with Peace" on September 29, 2019, at Hector Presbyterian Church.
Scripture readings: Ecclesiastes 11:1-10 & Philippians 4:1, 4-9
Download the sermon transcript.
Who needs the messiness of community? As it turns out, we do. Jesus shows Zacchaeus—and us—God's blessing to a world burdened by disconnection.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Weary of Disconnection, Blessed with Community" on September 22, 2019, at Hector Presbyterian Church.
Scripture readings: Ecclesiastes 4:7-12 and Luke 19:1-10.
Download the sermon transcript.
When was the last time you asked some how they were, and they replied with a sigh: "Busy"? When was that person you? "Come to me," Jesus calls us who are weary and burdened, "and I will give you rest."
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Weary of Busy-ness, Blessed with Rest" on September 15, 2019, at Hector Presbyterian Church.
Scripture readings: Ecclesiastes 3:1-13 and Luke 12:21-31
Download the sermon transcript.
"The Lord is my light and my salvation.... The Lord is the strength of my life." These words from Psalm 27 inspire us, but the strength of the Lord doesn't look like muscle or might. Instead, we get a Savior who holds us close like a mother hen.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "The Strength of My Life" on September 8, 2019, at Hector Presbyterian Church.
Scripture readings: Psalm 27 and Luke 13:31-35.
Download the sermon transcript.
Ever heard someone say about a challenge they're facing, "I guess it's my cross to bear"? Friends, Jesus didn't carry the cross to prove patient suffering is a virtue or to earn God's love. Jesus carried the cross because he IS God's love, calling us to live fully and love dangerously.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "When Love Carries a Cross" on September 1, 2019, at Hector Presbyterian Church.
Scripture readings: Deuteronomy 30:15-20 and Luke 14:25-35. Check out the Deuteronomy reading, since we couldn't include it in the audio file.
Download the sermon transcript.
Jesus' teaching about inviting to dinner those who can't repay you is uncomfortable and get under our skin, but he points us to something beautiful about God: the Most High loves to dine with the lowest and the least.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Where God Loves to Dine" on August 25, 2019, at Hector Presbyterian Church.
Scripture readings: Psalm 112 and Luke 14:1, 7-15.
Download the sermon transcript.
God does not stand far away, but gets down on hands and knees to embrace us. Set free by grace, who does God call us to come alongside in compassion and service?
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Church Unbound" on August 18, 2019, at Hector Presbyterian Church.
Scripture readings: Isaiah 58:9-14 and Luke 13:10-17.
Download the sermon transcript.
It's hard to describe all the heartbreak and horror in the world, and how God is moving through it. Yet God is moving through it, calling us to the kingdom and embracing us with grace.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Hard to Describe" on August 11, 2019, at Hector Presbyterian Church.
Scripture readings: Ezekiel 18:1-4, 25-32 and Luke 13:1-9.
Download the sermon transcript.
Jesus' words about division and setting the earth ablaze unnerve us, but they push us to exchange false security for true peace in Christ. When we do, the Holy Spirit's transforming power will make us burn brightly.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Peace on Earth?" on August 4, 2019, at Hector Presbyterian Church.
Scripture readings: Jeremiah 23:23-29 and Luke 12:49-59.
Download the sermon transcript.
As we prepare to receive God's gift of the kingdom, it's important to remember that what's important is not what you have, but how you use it. Who knows—you might even give it all away.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Ready or Not, Here Comes the Kingdom" on July 28, 2019, at Hector Presbyterian Church.
Scripture readings: Exodus 12:1-14 and Luke 12:29-40.
Download the sermon transcript.
Our understanding of God and money often boils down to a list of dos and don'ts. But religion isn't about rules. It's about relationship—a relationship that reorients us to what really matters.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Eating in Darkness" on July 21, 2019, at Hector Presbyterian Church.
Scripture readings: Ecclesiastes 5:8-20 and Luke 12:13-21.
Download the sermon transcript.
Many of us were taught that the effectiveness of prayer depends on our persistence. But Jesus takes that story and turns it on its head.
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Ask, Seek, Knock" on July 14, 2019, at Hector Presbyterian Church.
Scripture readings: Genesis 18:16-33; Luke 11:1-13
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Jesus challenges Martha's (and our) understanding of ministry. How do we make time for listening to the message of the kingdom, the word of grace?
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Distracted with Much Ministry" on July 7, 2019, at Hector Presbyterian Church.
Scripture readings: Genesis 18:1-16 and Luke 10:38-42.
Download the sermon transcript.
Jesus sends his disciples to take risks for the sake of the kingdom. So what does that mean for us, who would rather play it safe?
Pastor Ben Masters preached "Holy Risk" on June 30, 2019, at Hector Presbyterian Church.
Scripture readings: 1 Kings 17:8-16 and Luke 10:1-11, 16-20.