Sermons at Smoky Row Brethren Church

As early church begins to grapple with the reality of more Gentiles joining the faith, elders gather to respond to arguments that the new Gentile believers must be circumcised.

The apostle Paul confronts the false prophet, Elymas, who is trying to prevent the proconsul Sergius Paulus from hearing and receiving the Gospel.

As persecution ramps up for the church in Jerusalem, the Lord provides a miraculous rescue for Peter in prison.

As persecution scatters the believers to new regions, a hub forms in Antioch. While there, a prophet from Jerusalem shares a dire message and the church responds.

Join us for some communal interpretation as we reflect on the conversion of Cornelius, and the Holy Spirit's guidance for Peter as he learns that God does not show partiality.

Philip the deacon demonstrates what it looks like to be a “worker for the harvest” as he shares the Gospel with an Ethiopian eunuch on the road from Jerusalem to Gaza.

Stephen preaches boldly about Jesus, and persecution intensifies against the early church - resulting in his martyrdom.

As the movement of the early church quickly grows, an issue arises of apparent favoritism in caring for the Hebraic widows while overlooking distribution to the Hellenistic (Greek-speaking) widows. The Twelve move quickly to address the issue, empowering a new group (The Seven) to serve.

The early believers share all things in common - selling property to take care of those in need. All is going well until...

The disciples decide what to do after the chief priests warn them not to preach in the name of Jesus.

Peter’s healing of a man who was lame from birth gives us insights into what it looks like to live a Spirit-led life.

A walkthrough of Peter’s message at Pentecost.

Smoky Row Brethren Church congregation reflects upon the choosing of Matthias to replace Judas.

Preparing the disciples for the trials to come, Jesus speaks words of comfort and encouragement - including the surprising declaration that those who believe in him would do even greater things than he has done.

Jesus critiques the teachers of the law and Pharisees while teaching a lesson about what greatness looks like in the kingdom of God.

An expert in the law asks Jesus some questions of great importance.

In the midst of questioning by religious leaders in the temple, Jesus is asked what he thinks the first, or greatest, commandment is.

Having established his authority over all heaven and earth through his resurrection, Jesus gives his followers a lasting mission.

What we learn from Jesus’ appearance to Thomas and the other disciples.

Everything depends on our choice to open or close our hearts toward Jesus.Two cries of the crowds from the first Holy Week—1. During the Triumphal Entry, those with open hearts cry out for salvation—John 12:12-19.Hosanna—Hoshiah (imperative verb form of “to save”)na (particle of entreaty—“please”)2. During the trial before Governor Pilate, those with closed hearts cry out for crucifixion—John.19:1-7"Let the very word 'cross' be far removed from not only the bodies of Roman citizens, but even from their thoughts, their eyes, and their ears" (Cicero, Pro Rabirio Postumo 16)

Jesus is Jesus betrayed, unjustly arrested and accused, given a sham of a trial, and condemned with no fault found in him.

Our darkest times are easier to face when we retain the capacity to think of and pray for others.The High Priestly Prayer of John chapter 17 reveals three things Jesus is thinking about on the last night before His crucifixion—1. Jesus thinks about the glory of God—verses 1-5.To glorify God is to reveal Him for who He truly is.2. Jesus thinks about His disciples—verses 6-19.To be sanctified is to be separated from human society as it organizes itself in opposition to God (the world).3. Jesus thinks about all His people—verses 20-26.Christian unity is a product of love for God and one another and not shared doctrine or practice.

On the night before his betrayal, Jesus gives a new command to his disciples: Love one another as I have loved you.

We all must learn to trust and obey God regardless of our circumstances.John 11:1-44

In English, we pronounce it Jesus. In Greek, it’s Iesous. In Hebrew, it’s Yeshua.No matter how you pronounce it, it all means the same thing: Salvation.It is the given name to the Son of God AND as the same name we read in Psalm 68:19 earlier in the service - it is an enduring name to describe the God who saves.Along with “Father” - “Jesus”/ “Savior” is one of THE most common ways we refer to our God. So much so that we may sometimes lose sight of its significance. What exactly does it mean that we are Saved? Saved from what? How does God save us?

What does it mean that God is ‘Our Father’?

God's eternal presence brings purpose and perspective to our lives

God is faithful, just, and able to be trusted even in pain and uncertainty.

El Roi: The God Who Sees USGenesis 16:1-16We can run but we cannot hide — and WHY would we want to do so when we know we have such a faithful God?Three realities of journeying with The-God-Who-Sees-Us—1. You will feel unseen at times — verses 1-7.2. You will never really be out of God’s sight — verses 8 -9.3. You will have a better journey if you trust God’s promises — verses 10-16.

Passage: Psalm 86:1-17Message summary: God wants to lead you.You can show your commitment to God’s leadership inyour life by. . .#1. Praying to the Lord with humility and respect—Psalm 86:1-7.#2. Worshipping the Lord with an understanding mind anddaily obedience—Psalm 86:8-13.#3. Depending upon the Lord and not your own wisdomfor solutions to the challenges in your life—Psalm 86:14-17

Neither you nor the universe are an accident.

God wants you to relate to Him personally and not transactionally.

Check out our Christmas Eve Candlelight service filled with carols, Scripture readings, and a message of hope and salvation. We join with friends from Agora Church as we reflect on the miracle of Christ's birth and light candles to symbolize the light of Christ shining in the darkness.

Continuing our journey through the Psalms for advent, we discover the source of joy revealed in the character and promises of God made manifest in Jesus.

Guest speaker Dr. Jayne Wilcox delves into the theme of peace in Psalm 72 as we reflect upon the peace announced to the world at the birth of Christ.

A psalm of hope as we gather in anticipation of the experience of God’s kingdom.

Closing out the covenant instructions in the book of Leviticus, God lays out blessings and consequences for the response of Israel.

God takes special care to mark out times for the people of Israel to gather in remembrance of their salvation story and live out God’s values of justice and peace together. As the Church meditates upon the appointed times that God sets out for Israel through the lens of Jesus, we discover the profound beauty of a life centered upon God’s presence.

If you’ve spent any amount of time with Leviticus chapters 18-20, you likely have quite a few questions about which, if any, of these are still applicable today. But when we step back to look at the laws as a whole, we get a clearer sense of God’s purpose for Israel and the hope of a community that values justice and peace.

God institutes an annual ritual for Israel to be cleansed from sin and become AT-ONE with God again.

Leviticus is full of instructions about what should be considered “clean” and “unclean,” or “holy” vs “common.” Some seem a bit intuitive, while others leave us vexed. What do we make of all this, and do they have any relevance for us today?

Join us for some communal interpretation as we reflect upon the deaths of Nadab and Abihu, sons of Aaron, after they offer “unauthorized fire” in the newly consecrated tabernacle.

Leviticus begins with several chapters detailing different kinds of offerings. How do we make sense of these instructions? What is the significance of Leviticus then and now?

Stories of faithfulness from Anabaptist witness.

Jesus' friends fall asleep rather than stay up to pray with him in his night of anguish before his arrest. What lessons can we learn from Jesus about navigating deep disappointment in our closest relationships?

Reflect upon the value of friendship as we meditate upon Peter's fishing trip post-resurrection.

Differences between generations can often be a paint point in relationships. Jesus heals and rescues in these spaces too.

Jesus calls Levi (aka Matthew) to follow him and attends a party with Levi's friends, but some of the religious leaders spoil the party. What does it look like for us as Jesus' followers to have our social life transformed by his values?

We naturally seek out spaces to belong. For this reason, it can be especially painful when we are rejected or disillusioned by the people we care for deeply. Jesus knows this pain, invites us into a new family, and shows us how to navigate the pain with grace.

Many of us try our best to do good in the world, and yet we can find ourselves lost in anxieties about how others perceive us. See how Jesus shows us a better way, and his grace enables us to overcome our worst instincts.