Sermon:           Neighbors We Aren’t Sure How to Welcome

Theme:            God’s call crosses boundaries and causes us to be in relationships with people whom we hadn’t thought of as part of the family of God.

Purpose:          To call the congregation to let go of bias against people thought to be unacceptable.

Scriptures:       Acts 8:26-40    Phillip baptizes the Ethiopian Eunuch.

Mark 5:15-20  The man with the demon is rejected by his community and goes to proclaim Jesus among others.

Questions:

Who have we found it particularly difficult to accept as brothers or sisters in Christ? In what ways have we allowed judgment or discrimination to affect our attitude towards other people? In what ways do we prejudge and distort perceptions of groups, cultures, economic groups, or backgrounds? What does that do to us as Christians? What does it do to the church’s testimony of Christ?

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Sermon:           Are Those People Neighbors Too?

Theme:            The grace of God is for all people and we are called to not be partial in our acceptance.

Purpose:          The congregation will evaluate their own acceptance.

Scriptures:       Acts 10:34-48  God shows no partiality, Cornelius’ household is baptized.

Mark 6:7-13    Jesus sends the 12 disciples to all of the villages.

Questions:

What does it mean to us that God sent Peter to proclaim salvation and healing to the people Peter formally thought were unacceptable?  What does it mean to us that God calls no one unclean or unacceptable?  Do we accept Jesus’ commissioning to go out to all people? What happens to our faith and our relationship with God when we are stretched beyond where we are comfortable? What happens to us if we deny extending God’s love to some people? How does it distort our relationship with God not to welcome others as brothers and sisters?

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Sermon:           “Love Your Neighbor, Love Yourself”

Theme:            God invites us to relationships free of insecurity and grievances so that we may be healthy and joyful together.

Purpose:          We will examine the way in which we look down upon others and see the need for forgiveness in ourselves.

Scriptures:       Galatians 5:13-16        Love your neighbor, do not devour one another.

Mark 12:28-44 The greatest commandment – love your neighbor as yourself.

Questions:

What does it mean to love God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength? In what ways does our love for God set us free from fears about the world and situations we encounter? How are holding onto past offenses and grievances a lack of trust in God’s ability to provide for us? What causes us to become bitter and resentful towards others? How does that affect our love for ourselves? What impact does our thoughts of resentment and attacking others have upon our ability to feel secure and at peace?

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Sermon:           “Being Neighborly”

Theme:            We have to choose between practicing the love of Christ or giving into our fears towards the people around us.

Purpose:          The congregation will explore their anxieties and fears about the relationships in their lives.

Scriptures:       Romans 12:9-21          The character of love.

Matthew 22:34-40      You shall love the Lord your God, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

Questions:

What is genuine love?  How does our love for the people around us influence our relationship with God? In what ways does the way in which we relate to the neighbors with whom we are less comfortable make an impact on our relationship with Christ? How does our experience of God’s love and grace cause us to be less reactive and judgmental towards our neighbors?  What do we receive from learning greater compassion and grace?

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Sermon:           “Who is My Neighbor”

Theme:            Faithfulness to God is not in religiosity but in compassion and care for those who are around us.

Purpose:          The congregation will become aware of the needs of the people who are around them, take time to consider the needs of those who are near them.

Scriptures: Leviticus 19:9-16, 33 Commandments regarding care for others.

Luke 10:25-37 Parable of the Good Samaritan

Questions:

How does the law from Leviticus about providing for those who have less influence apply to us today? What is expected from us in terms of showing compassion and care towards others? Who are we responsible to show mercy and compassion? What difference does it make to our relationship with God for us to be compassionate and merciful? What difference does it make in our experience of the fears and anxiousness towards what is uncertain in the world around us?

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Sermon:           “Treasures in Clay Jars”

Theme:            The people of God have within them the precious and powerful gift of God’s love and presence.

Purpose:          The congregation will examine what is really important in their lives.

Scriptures:       2 Corinthians 4:5-12   We are treasures in clay jars.

Mark 2:23-3:6 The sabbath was made to serve humanity – God’s law is to bring healing and salvation.

Questions:

What do we consider precious to us? In what ways do things serve us? In what ways do we find ourselves worshipping things? What is our relationship with the building that is the church? In what ways do we need to see Christ’s love and presence as something greater than things? How are we able to put our traditions and customs into service to God rather than sacrificing relationships to things that are not important?

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Sermon:           “The Water and the Spirit”

Theme:            The people of God are empowered by a relationship with God that is in community with one another as God is in community within God’s self.

Purpose:          The congregation will examine their relationships with one another.

Scriptures:       Isaiah 6:1-8      Isaiah is called – “Here I am, Send me”

John 3:1-17     Jesus speaks with Nicodemus about the Water and the Spirit.

Questions:

What difference does the Trinity make to us? What does it mean to us that God is in community within God’s self? How do we draw from the presence of God within us to be in relationships with one another and with the world? In what ways do we fail to participate in the fullness of God’s presence and power in our attempts to care for the world? How do we celebrate and live in the relationships of being God’s beloved people, abiding with Christ in the world?

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Sermon:           “The Spirit of God Gives Life”

Theme:            Our strength, inspiration, and power comes from the power of the Holy Spirit.

Purpose:          The congregation will seek to be empowered by the presence of the Holy Spirit and God’s love.

Scriptures:       Ezekiel 37:1-14            The valley of dry bones and Spirit of God.

Acts 2:1-21      The Holy Spirit comes down on the disciples, enabling to speak in languages.

Questions:

What does Pentecost mean to us today? How do we allow the Holy Spirit to move and energize us? What causes us to be resistant to allowing the Holy Spirit to act and be creative in our midst? What does it mean today to have the dry bones of our failed efforts to come alive as a mighty force for God’s work? What is needed so that we may be faithful in using our gifts and abilities to serve Christ as the people of God?

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Sermon:           “Strangers in a Strange Land”

Theme:            God calls us to be in the world but not emotionally or spiritually invested in the values of the world.

Purpose:          The congregation will evaluate their priorities and attachments.

Scriptures:       1 John 5:9-13  Whoever has the Son has life – this is our testimony from God.

John 17:6-19   We belong to Christ and are not of the world.

Questions:

What are the things to which we become emotionally attached? In what ways do those attachments affect our relationship with Christ and with other Christians? What are the things that we make more important than God in our life? How do we learn to put things in a healthy perspective? How do we find the humility to put our relationships with Christ and those Christ has placed in our lives above our own need for control and the things that we begin to make overly important in our minds?

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Sermon:           No Longer Servants – Now Friends

Theme:            We are chosen by Christ to be in a relationship of confidence and joy as we abide in love that overcomes all that we may face in the world.

Purpose:          The congregation will seek to learn confidence through practicing the love of Christ.

Scriptures:       1 John 5:1-6    Everyone who believes is born of God, and through Christ we conquer the world.

John 15:9-17   Jesus commands us to love one another and abide in that love.

Questions:

What does Jesus mean when he says that he no longer calls us servants, but calls us friends? What does it mean to be a friend of Christ Jesus? In what ways does our understanding of what it means to be Christian change when we move from serving out of an obligation to living out a loving friendship?  How do we become full of the love that Jesus showed in offering forgiveness to the world so that we may be free from judgment, guilt, or fear? How does one develop a faith that enables us to lay our life down as servants of God?

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Sermon:           Strength Flows From Christ

Theme:            Our real source of strength and confidence flows from knowledge of God and love which that knowledge creates within our hearts.

Purpose:          The congregation will examine their source of strength and need to practice love in order to know confidence.

Scriptures:       1 John 4:7-21  There is no fear in love, we must love one another because God is love.

John 15:1-8     Jesus says: I am the true vine, abide in me.

Questions:

What does Jesus mean when he says that he is the vine and we are the branches? How do we connect to God as our source for strength and wisdom? In what ways does God’s love flow through us in fellowship and mutual support for one another? What impact does judgement, bitterness, and resentment play in interfering with our strength and confidence? What is meant that “perfect love casts out fear?” How do we come to know and practice that perfect love?

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The parables in Luke 15 are about noticing what is lost and going on a search to find it. Those of us with the most have the most to lose. Would we notice who or what is missing from that which we have? And if someone is missing, are you willing to do whatever it takes to get them back?

Scripture Readings

First reading: Luke 15:1-10

Second: Luke 15:11-16, 25-32

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