FCCO Sermons: Take 2

(Sermon preached September 6, 2026) In 1 Corinthians 12:12-27, Paul teaches the troubled church in Corinth that, as the body of Christ, worth is not measured by status, wealth, or usefulness.  

The Sermon on the Mount comes with a warning!  Beware of false prophets! Beware of wolves in sheep's clothing.  Matthew 7:15-23 tells us how to recognize them.

(Sermon preached August 16, 2026) Matthew 7:13-14 concludes the Sermon on the Mount, leaving us with a choice.  Will we choose to follow the way of life, or the way of destruction?

(Sermon preached August 2, 2026) When Jesus says, "Ask, and it shall be given; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened," it is in the context of the Sermon on the Mount. Matthew 7:7-11 are meant as encouragement to those who are living into the kindom.

(Sermon preached July 26, 2026) We can choose to be curious, and we can choose to be judgmental; just not at the same time.  Matthew 7:1-5 is an invitation to choose curiosity.

(Sermon preached July 19, 2026) In Matthew 6:25-34, Jesus tells us not to worry.  Why? How?

(Sermon preached July 12, 2026) What we treasure shapes our love.  In Matthew 6:19-21, Jesus teaches us to treasure what God treasures. 

(Sermon preached April 5, 2026 - Easter Sunday) In Mark 16:1-8, Mark tells the story of Jesus' resurrection only his ending leaves us scratching our heads....until we see what Mark is doing.  The sermon concludes with the candle re-lighting liturgy used in worship as we relit all the candles we extinguished during the Lenten Season as we named the darkness.  Happy Easter!

(Sermon preached March 29, 2026) This is the final sermon in our Lenten series The Way of Resistance. Each sermon in the series has focused on a day in the last week of Jesus' life as told by the gospel of Mark. Mark 15:22-39 narrates Jesus' death and exposes the lie that fuels empire.

(Sermon preached March 22, 2026) The fifth sermon in The Way of Resistance series. The series tells the story of Jesus' last week (as told by the Gospel of Mark), day by day.  Mark 14:12-72 describes the events of Thursday which ends with Jesus' prayer in the garden and arrest by the temple authorities.  

(Sermon preached March 15, 2026) Mark 14:1-11 contrasts the woman who anoints Jesus' head with oil with the failed discipleship of Judas and the other disciples. She understands what the disciples do not.  Looming over the story is the darkness of contempt.

(Sermon preached March 8, 2026)  This sermon is third in the series, The Way of Resistance. Mark 11:27-33 is one episode from Tuesday of the last week of Jesus' life. The authorities in the temple want to know who Jesus thinks he is to challenge them? Who are we to speak out?

(Sermon preached March 1, 2026) This is the second sermon in The Way of Resistance Series which follows Jesus through the last week of his life.  Mark 11:12-19 is the beginning of Monday and tells the story of Jesus overturning the tables in the temple, sandwiched between a story about a fig tree.  In both places, when Jesus looks for fruit, there is none.

(Sermon preached February 22, 2026) When Jesus entered Jerusalem, it was the beginning of his last week. In Jerusalem, he confronts the powers of darkness that have loomed over his ministry. This series will focus on each day of Jesus' last week according to the Gospel of Mark beginning with the text for this sermon, Mark 11:1-11. Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem wasn't a spontaneous celebration; it was an organized act of resistance.

(Sermon preached February 15, 2026) This is the seventh and last sermon in the series: The Way of Love. Jesus and the disciples were surrounded by unending need, yet Jesus knew the importance of taking a break to rest (Mark 6:7-13, 30-32).  Rest sustains us as we live the way of love.

(Sermon preached February 8, 2026) This is the sixth sermon in a series titled "The Way of Love."  Remembering how Jonah said, "No!" to God's call but eventually went to the place he didn't want to go, this sermon invitation to wonder about where God may be calling us to go, and our resistance to that call. The scripture is Jonah 3:1-10. I apologize for the audio quality.  I have also included a version of the song I reference in the sermon, sung by Shelter Creek Revival. 

(Sermon preached February 1, 2026) The practice of blessing can condition our hearts and minds for living the way of love. In Romans 12:9-18, Paul instructs the earliest followers of Jesus to bless, even their enemies, and to be a blessing as a community.  

(Sermon preached January 18, 2026) This is the third sermon in a series called "The Way of Love." Worship is a practice that grounds us as we live the way of love, but what is it? What does it accomplish? How can it open our hearts to God, and keep our hearts open to God? The scripture is a Psalm of praise, Psalm 96:1-9. 

(Sermon preached January 11, 2026)  This is the second of a sermon series titled "The Way of Love." As followers of Jesus, Jesus is our guide (our lens) for interpreting scripture. The practice of learning is how we come to discern the way of love as taught by Jesus.  Sometimes it is like looking for buried treasure (Matthew 13:44-45)

(Sermon preached January 4, 2026) We are starting a series called "The Way of Love," and this is the first sermon based on Luke 5:1-11. This sermon is an invitation to reaffirm your commitment to follow Jesus.

(Sermon preached December 21, 2025) This sermon for the 4th Sunday of Advent honors Joseph and what he can teach us about loving God's child.  The scripture is Matthew 1:18-25.

(Sermon preached December 7, 2025) Luke 1:57-80 tells the story of John's birth, naming, and purpose. According to Zechariah's prophecy, he will prepare the way for the bringer of peace.  This is ther sermon for the Second Sunday of Advent when we light the peace candle and explore the difference between God's peace and the Peace of Rome. John helps to prepare the way for us to be peacemakers by calling us to repent and pointing to Jesus as the one we should follow. 

(Sermon preached November 23, 2025)  Philippians 4:4-9 is an opportunity to discover the source of joy.  How can Paul rejoice in a prison cell? Because God is near.

(Sermon preached November 16, 2025) In Luke 21:5-19, Jesus describes a scene that surely must have seemed like the end of the world to his disciples.  End or no end, like the disciples, we continue to put one loving foot in front of the other.

(Sermon preached November 9, 2025)  Jesus tells a parable that challenges the way we see others in Luke 18:9-14. It turns out we all need mercy.

(Sermon preached October 26, 2025) Jesus' parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) challenges us not only to be doers of mercy but also to create and build spaces, like the inn in the story, that offer healing and hospitality.  

(Sermon preached October 12, 2025) What if we thought about the mustard seed as an impossible to eradicate invasive species?  How does that change the way we hear, "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field?" (Matthew 13:31-32)

(Sermon preached October 5, 2025) Dating back to the first century, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 has been used as the Words of Institution for the Lord's Supper.  The bread and the cup unite us in God's dream for the world, where all are welcome, all are fed, all are loved. At the table we embody God's justice and compassion amid a world divided by power and prejudice.  

(Sermon preached September 27, 2025)  This sermon on Luke 16:19-31 presents Jesus' parable of the rich man and Lazarus as a cautionary tale, not about the afterlife, but the spiritual danger of ignoring suffering at our own gates. It warns that the love of wealth can harden our hearts and deafen us to God's call to love and compassion, and blind us to our shared humanity.

(Sermon preached September 7, 2025) Luke 14:1-14 exposes the games we play to secure things like status and honor.  What we learn from Jesus is that we don't have to play the game. At Jesus' banquet all are welcome, all are equal, and there is enough for all.

(Sermon preached August 31, 2025)  Worry is the misuse of our imagination.  In Luke 12:22-34, Jesus reminds us that we can redirect our imaginations to God and God's kindom.  

(Sermon preached August 24, 2025) In Luke 12:13-21, Jesus tells us to guard against greed and then goes on to tell a story about someone who let greed get the best of his life.

(Sermon preached August 17, 2025) The story of Daniel and the Lion's Den is great fodder for children's books, crafts, and snacks - but in an empire where people are the snacks it is far from a children's story.  Will we throw open the windows and declare our loyalty to God?

(Sermon preached August 3, 2025) Ezekiel 37:1-14 leads us to a valley of dry scattered bones; a valley of desolation and despair.  God asks, "Can these bones live?"   Powerful Song: Dry Bones Illumination from the St. John's Bible

(Sermon preached July 27, 2025) This sermon asks the question, "What are you living for?"  Isaiah 58:1-12 gives us some guidance - if we can hear it.  

(Sermon preached July 20, 2025) Jeremiah is a prophet ready to quit. The job is too hard, too costly, and seemingly futile. But he can't quit, because there is a holy fire burning inside of him.  See Jeremiah 20:7-13. 

(Sermon preached July 6, 2025) Micah 6:1-8 is a courtroom drama.  God is indicting the rich and powerful elite of Jerusalem and Samaria. The people reply, "What's it going to take to appease you?" Micah answers - DO Justice, LOVE Kindness, WALK Humbly with God.

(Sermon preached June 29, 2025) Amos names the sin of economic injustice. God doesn't want our religious performance, God wants a righteousness that results in justice for all.  

(Sermon preached June 15, 2025) This sermon uses Jonah's anger at God's mercy toward the Ninevites to challenge our instinct for vengeance and exclusion, asking whether we can accept a God whose grace extends even to those we most resent.  It invites listeners to engage a spiritual practice of naming their own "Ninevites" and praying to see them through the lens of divine compassion.  (Jonah 3:10-4:11)

(Sermon preached June 1, 2025) Psalm 8 is the outpouring of someone who is wonderstruck. This sermon invites you to a daily practice of being wonderstruck.  It will change your life!

(Sermon preached May 25, 2025) The Book of Hebrews was written to a beleaguered community.  Some were falling away, some were stalling out. After some teaching and scolding, the writer of Hebrews delivers a pep talk, calling for faith and perseverance by naming those who have gone before us and now cheer us on.  Who inspires us? Who may we inspire?

(Sermon preached May 18, 2025)  The Book of Revelation isn't a horror story - it is a hope story. It exposes the evils of empire and invites us to imagine God's alternative.  Revelation 21:1-6 invites us to engage holy imagination as an act of prophetic defiance.

(Sermon preached May 11, 2025) Psalm 23 gives us a powerful portrait of God obscured by Christian nationalism and the heaven/hell framework.  Don't wait for the next funeral you attend to embrace God's radical love.

(Sermon for Easter Sunday, April 20, 2025) For this Easter message I challenged seven other ordained ministers to share the Easter message in one sentence. Together, we delivered the Easter sermon for 2025.  While most people know WHAT happened on Easter, it is quite another thing to say what it means. If you had to do it in one sentence, what would it be?  Why does it matter?

Sermon preached April 13, 2025, Palm Sunday) Jesus' humble entry into Jerusalem wasn't a Disney parade, it was a planned act of nonviolent resistance. He was stirring up "good trouble." (Luke 19:29-44)

(Sermon preached April 6, 2025) Zacchaeus complicates our assumptions (Luke 19:1-10).  Is there such a thing as an honorable chief tax collector? 

(Sermon preached March 30, 2025, Lent 4)  Jesus' parable of the lost sheep is told in response to grumbling by the scribes and Pharisees (Luke 15:1-7). This sermon is intended to disrupt our default understanding of what it means to be lost and broaden it out to those who are excluded, demonized, and unjustly treated (to name a few).

(Sermon preached March 16, 2025) In Luke 10:38-42, Jesus affirms the importance of building a rock-solid foundation in his word.  

(Sermon preached March 9, 2025, Lent 1)  The story of the man left beaten by the side of the road is told in Luke 10:25-37. A lawyer tests Jesus and ends up being the one who is tested.  He wants to know what he must do and Jesus tells him who he must become.

(Sermon preached March 2, 2025) Luke 9:28-36 tells the story of Jesus' transfiguration and is often read the Sunday before Ash Wednesday.  It functions like a book end to the resurrection story and encourages us for what lies ahead.