Category: Matthew

Traitors

Traitors (Click on the sermon title for a .pdf copy)
Matthew 26:20-24
April 13, 2014

It’s sobering, isn’t it, to look at ourselves, to take a good look at ourselves — not each of us, one-by-one, but looking at all of us who call ourselves people of God, looking at all of us who call ourselves followers of Jesus?  It is sobering to take a good look and to recognize the thieves and hypocrites and murderers and vultures and faithless servants among us and to realize that we have met the enemy and he is … us.… Continue reading ...

Go and tell

Go and tell (Click on the sermon title for a .pdf copy)
Matthew 28:1-10
April 20, 2014

The last lie is no lie at all.  Jesus is alive.  But if Jesus is alive, then none of the rest are lies either.

Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is near,” and it is.  It is near in time, coming soon.  Now God’s sense of “soon” and our sense of “soon” may be two different things, but the kingdom of God is coming, God is coming, soon. … Continue reading ...

On watch

On watch (Click on the sermon title for a .pdf copy)
Matthew 27:62-66
April 20, 2014

On the Sabbath, the chief priests and the Pharisees met with Pilate and said, “Sir, we remember that while that liar was still alive he said, ‘I will be raised to life three days later.’  Give orders, then, for his tomb to be carefully guarded until the third day, so that his disciples will not be able to go and steal the body, and then tell the people that he was raised from death. … Continue reading ...

Servants of a generous God

Servants of a generous God (Click on the sermon tittle for a .pdf copy)
Matthew 20:1-16
September 21, 2014

Corina.  Zoe.  Emily.  Arlo.  McKenzie.  Jack.  Nevaeh.  Teddy.  Allison.

Who are these?

These are our children.  These are our children’s children.

What do we want for them?

We want them to be healthy.  We want them to be happy.  We want them to have opportunities and successes. … Continue reading ...

got soul?

got soul? (Click on the sermon title for a .pdf copy)
Matthew 22:15-22
October 12, 2014

How is it with your soul?

Do you ever ask yourself that question?  Do you give any thought, any attention to the condition of your soul, the health of your soul?  Do you ever ask anybody else that question?  Did you ask anybody this morning when you came into the church? … Continue reading ...

Feeling it

Feeling it (Click on the sermon title for a .pdf copy)
Matthew 22:34-40
October 26, 2014

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.

Two weeks ago, we talked about loving God with all your mind, following the lead of the Presbyterians.  We talked about the importance of using our minds, of thinking clearly, of doing Bible study: not just winging it, not just making it up as we go along, not just following our gut, not just doing what we’ve always done because we’ve always done it that way, but listening to God, paying attention to God’s word, becoming smart about our faith, becoming capable critics both of culture and of religion, becoming wise enough to discern between what is genuine and what is false, between what comes from God and what is just so much hogwash.… Continue reading ...

Finding your own way

Finding your own way (Click on the sermon title for a .pdf copy)
Matthew 23:1-12
November 2, 2014

Tuesday is election day.  Did you know that?  How did you know?  You haven’t received any flyers in the mail or seen any political ads on TV, have you?

$60,000,000 has been spent on a single race in Iowa, the contest between Bruce Braley and Joni Ernst for the senate seat vacated by Tom Harkin. … Continue reading ...

Love never gives up

Love never gives up (Click on the sermon title for a .pdf copy)
Matthew 9:32-38
February 12, 2017

Give up.

You’re tired.  You deserve a break.  Give up.

You’ve done all you could, more than your share.  Give up.

The emotional cost is too high.  It’s not worth it.  Give up.

Some things can’t be fixed.  Some people don’t want to be helped. … Continue reading ...

Love is happy with the truth

Love is happy with the truth (Click on the sermon title for a .pdf copy)
Matthew 7:13-14
February 5, 2017

So, what is it that is on everybody’s mind today? I’ll give you a hint. It’s not a football game.

I am used to over-the-top Super Bowl hype, all Super Bowl, all the time, news coverage of every little detail. What is Tom Brady eating for breakfast on the big day?… Continue reading ...

Love does not keep a record of wrongs

Love does not keep a record of wrongs (Click on the sermon title for a .pdf copy)
Matthew 5:43-48
January 29, 2017

When Jesus saw the people, he went up the hill and sat down.  They gathered around him there and he spoke to them.

Love your enemies and hate your friends.  That’s what you have been told.  But I tell you: love your enemies and pray for those who make your life miserable. … Continue reading ...