FUMC Bentonville Sermon Podcast

John 13:1-9, 12-17 Rev. Dr. Michelle reflects on the humble ritual of foot washing and its parallels in modern society.

Psalm 46:1-11 (NRSVUE) This Psalm talks about the rage of the world, of kingdoms tearing each other apart. Yet within that we find refuge in God, and particularly in the silence, in the stillness, in the opposition to the madness. A good reminder as we head into the madness of Holy Week.

Psalm 23 There are no Psalms that mention the Sabbath, but this Psalm definitely describes the rest and restoration that Sabbath provides us.

Psalm 19:1-4 This sermon will reflect on how spending intentional time in nature is a spiritual practice. Bill Fernandez will bring the word this week, specifically reflecting on the spirituality of fly fishing.

Psalm 63: 1-8 We will listen over and over to this scripture, with the goal of imagining the space it describes and the relationship with God that it describes.

Psalm 63: 1-8  Rev. Michelle has a panel discussion with FUMC's music staff about music, worship, and their creative processes. Ken Weatherford (Contemporary Music and Director of Worship Arts) Rev. Dr. T. Ray Wheeler,  (Associate Pastor/Director of Traditional Music) Matt Nelson (Assistant to Music and Worship Arts, aka. pianist, keyboardist, organist, arranger, podcast creator, etc)

Psalm 139:23-24 We will learn about the practice of The Examen, which is an intentional reflection at the end of every day that invites us to reflect on how we have seen God at work in our lives in the day, as well as how we have served God well or not so well. Then we close with an intentional gratefulness and hope for the next day.

Psalm 69:6-13 We will open this series with a discussion on the purpose of fasting. We will remember that it is related to the Lenten season because through it we honor Jesus’ 40 days of fasting in the wilderness when he was tempted by the devil. But we will also look at it as a discipline of clearing away the things between God and us. This psalm in particular makes a good case for a technology fast, as technology has become a tool for people to deride us and divide us into enemies.

Genesis 12:1-3; John 21:15-17 We were created to be a blessing to the whole world. As the family of God, we are called to bless and serve each other. And each other means we serve everyone. To do so takes all the gifts at the table.   Speakers at this service: Brett Morrison, Marjie Lewis, Frank Paris, Angela Barrington

Genesis 12:1-3; John 21:15-17 We were created to be a blessing to the whole world. As the family of God, we are called to bless and serve each other. And each other means we serve everyone. To do so takes all the gifts at the table.   Speakers at this service: Brett Morrison, Hays Plunkett, Lindsay Goodner

Genesis 12:1-3; John 21:15-17 We were created to be a blessing to the whole world. As the family of God, we are called to bless and serve each other. And each other means we serve everyone. To do so takes all the gifts at the table.   Speakers at this service: Brett Morrison, Emily Long, Brian Lookadoo

Genesis 3:1-7; John 8:1-11 Some think that conviction is about sticking to beliefs no matter what. True Christian conviction, however, is understanding the purpose of those beliefs, and weighing with wisdom what is right and what is wrong in any given moment. This week we see when we fail and when we succeed at such conviction when in one instance we eat of the tree, and in one instance we drop our stones and walk away.

Genesis 2:18-25; John 15:1-13 It is not good for humans to be alone. It is central to the human condition to be in relationship with God and with each other. We will affirm that we need connection like we need the air we breathe. Without it, we literally die on the vine.

Genesis 1:1-5, 24-31; John 1:1-14 This sermon will be a celebration of God as Creator, but also the God who shared that aspect of who God is – creation – with us. And then, God gave us the responsibility to care for the creation that we co-create with God. We are created to be creators and stewards of creation.

Romans 13:1-7 We will deal with this passage that says we are all under the authority of whatever government is controlling us. Funny how when a person’s candidate is in power, they are happy to quote this verse, and when their candidate is not, this verse is conveniently forgotten. Yet in truth, this verse shows up in a letter that covertly tries to get people to resist the ones in power. What is going on here?

Romans 8:28 This is one of those verses that gets quoted a great deal, and shows up on kitschy signs and pretty embroidered pillows. But to make it stand alone like that runs the danger of implying that “Everything happens for a reason.” We will deal with the tension between Calvinism and Arminianism that meets in this verse on our pretty pillows.

Romans 4:1-13 Paul has set up a double straw man (accusations that the Jews have against the Gentiles and vice versa) in the chapters preceding this one. In this chapter, he argues that we are all made family through our faith in Christ. So quit dividing the family over things that don’t matter! Sadly, we used this very letter to do exactly that – divide us up.

Romans 1:15-17 This sermon sets up the series where we examine how the letter to the Romans often gets misused, by quoting the passage that kicked off the Protestant Reformation and is often is cited as justification for biblical literalism. There are problems with both understandings that we need to confront.

Isaiah 11:1-9 I hate Charles Dickens. Actually, it is more accurate to say I hate the writing of Charles Dickens. Yet I will not let an Advent season go by without watching at least one version of A Christmas Carol. The story of Christmas, the Dickens one and the biblical one, invite us to learn how to love better. They also invite us to let go of our own expectations and live into a better story than the one we might tell.

Matthew 1:18-25 In "Spirited", we learn that Ebenezer Scrooge has regrets still in the afterlife. He still feels like he has to earn God’s love. We will look at that soul crisis up against Joseph having to change his understanding of God’s righteousness.

Luke 2:8-20 The heart of "A Christmas Carol" is a man experiencing change after an encounter with four spirits. Probably the most dramatic moment in the birth of Christ is the appearance of the angels, spiritual beings who reorient the lives and faith of the shepherds on the field. Are we open to the same kind of change?

Luke 2:1-7 The full reality of humanity is on display in the birth of Christ, including our struggles and strains and conflicts, our willingness to love and our tendency to reject. Funnily enough, one of the best displays of the reality of humanity is found in A Muppet Christmas Carol, where over half of the cast are puppets. We look at the walk through the streets of puppet London with the traveling on a donkey for Mary and Joseph and their rejection at the inn.

Matthew 2: 1-12 Who owns Christmas? Or who tries to control Christmas? Or who tries to profit from Christmas? It has been a question since Christ was born. This week’s movie is Scrooged, and we will look at the ways people in power have tried to control Christmas as we look at Scrooge and King Herod.

Colossians 1:9-14 Bishop Whitfield will reflect on Paul’s Letter to the Colossians, asking, “Does your vision of living as a disciple of Jesus Christ require a new perspective in which we love boldly, serve joyfully, and lead courageously?”

Matthew 25:14-30; Joel 2:23-29 Pastor Michelle offers our annual State of the Church address and invites us to envision a new future.

Genesis 2:10-15; Revelation 22:1-5 We have been through death and come alive again. We need to be cleansed, cradled, and renewed by the living water of God’s love. We are at the river, the source of life abundant. And in these passages, we are at the rivers of the garden. We are back around, ready to be companions of God once again.

1 Kings 19:9-13; John 11:38-44 Funny thing about death – in our faith it contains the germ of the resurrection. As we come out of the valley season, we realize we were not abandoned. God was with us in the whispers. Like the womb, the cave and the tomb bring us back to life in our faith and call us back to relationship with God.

Jeremiah 7:32-34; Ezekiel 37:1-3 And now something has happened to drive us from God. Maybe it was failure at the revolution. Maybe we feel abandoned. Maybe we have had a loss that threatens to undo us. We are in the valley now. Valleys are where wars take place, and valleys are where the bones of the fallen are bleached in the sun. But is all hope lost?

Exodus 24:9-18; Mark 9:2-13 Our faith is deeper now, and it is inspiring us to take on the daunting challenge of organizing the world around the reign of God. We are ready to try to make the world in the image of God.

Numbers 14:26-35; Matthew 4:1-11 Something happens to drive us from the garden. Perhaps it is because we have encountered something in life that a simple, comfortable faith can’t address. We are wandering in the wilderness now. And remember – wilderness and desert are the same words in Hebrew. What does our desert season look like but one where our faith is being tried in the refiner’s fire? Items on the list: - a two-quart canteen of water (per person) - a magnetic compass - a compress kit with gauze - a topcoat - a red-and-white parachute - a jackknife - a sectional air map of the area - two quarts of vodka - a book entitled "Edible Animals of the Desert" - a plastic raincoat - a cosmetic mirror - a .45-caliber pistol - sunglasses - a bottle of salt tablets - a flashlight (4-battery size)  

Genesis 2:4-9; Revelation 21:22-22:5 We were created to live in a garden, and not just to live in a garden, but to walk in that garden with each other and with God. As we begin this exploration of faith geography, we start from a place where we are true companions of God and find comfort in God’s presence.

1 John 4:11-21 Love is risky these days. Well, love has always been risky. But if we can fully step into God’s invitation to love both God and neighbor, what do we truly have to fear?

Genesis 32:1-8; 33:1-4; Luke 4:16-30 We are raised these days to be afraid of the stranger. Why? Because we fear the harm they will do us. In these two stories, we see Jacob’s fear of Esau is unfounded. But Jesus is still having to correct that fear in people when they try to throw him over the cliff for lifting up the good example of the outsiders.

Daniel 10:1-12; Acts 4:23-31 Daniel is terrified by the vision he has, but ultimately it is a vision of the Son of Man coming to us. The believers in Acts know the Son of Man, and that inspires them to reject that fear, and pray for the boldness to share the vision of the reign of God.

Genesis 3:8-13; Proverbs 1:7 What is the most important thing we created without the aid of God? Fear. We will look at the genesis of fear and what it,s creation has meant for our relationship with God. And then we will affirm that practically every single time God appears to us, the first thing God says is, “Do not be afraid.” God is trying to get us to undo what we have done. Fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but not wisdom. We would undo the fall if we would undo fear.

2 Samuel 7:1-29; 11:1-27 How tempting is leadership and power, especially when forming a new national identity? Hamilton and David will be in conversation with each other here.

2 Samuel 7:1-29; 11:1-27 How tempting is leadership and power, especially when forming a new national identity? Hamilton and David will be in conversation with each other here.

Luke 15:1-32 Rent is a series of stories strung together, teaching us about love. We will focus on the Lost Parables in Luke, and reclaim them as Parables of Love – parables of inclusion rather than exclusion, of abundance rather than scarcity.

Philippians 3:1-16 We will look at the tension of grace and the law, mercy and justice. This biblical theme is played out beautifully in the Javert’s hunt for Valjean, and it is exhibited in the life and spiritual journey of the Apostle Paul.

Philippians 3:1-16 We will look at the tension of grace and the law, mercy and justice. This biblical theme is played out beautifully in the Javert’s hunt for Valjean, and it is exhibited in the life and spiritual journey of the Apostle Paul.

Ezekiel 12:1-20 We are going to look at what it means to be a prophet. Elphaba will be compared to prophetic figures like Ezekiel. Difference gets attention for justice.

Ezekiel 12:1-20 We are going to look at what it means to be a prophet. Elphaba will be compared to prophetic figures like Ezekiel. Difference gets attention for justice.

John 2:1-12 Jesus turns water into wine, but it is more than just making sure everyone is having a good time. In this first miracle that Jesus performs, we see the heart of what the reign of God looks like.

Luke 3:21-22; Matthew 3:16-17 Jesus begins his public ministry with baptism in the Jordan. What does Jesus’ start to his ministry tell us about our faith beginnings?

Luke 2:25-35 Jesus’ family presents him at the Temple. Simeon responds in celebration! How do we celebrate Jesus showing up in our lives today?

Mark 6:31-44 (CEB) and Mark 8:1-9 (CEB) This Sunday, we’ll take a fresh look at two familiar stories: the feedings of the 5,000 and the 4,000 in Mark’s Gospel. While often seen as similar miracles, these two accounts—placed side by side—reveal something deeper about who Jesus is and who the Gospel is for. What if the leftovers weren’t just about abundance but about belonging? Come hear how Jesus feeds both Jews and Gentiles, and what that means for how we widen our circles today. There is enough. For all.

John 8: 2-11 As part of his participation in the Compelling Preaching Initiative, Pastor Ray needs to swap pulpits with another pastor, so while he heads to Goddard United Methodist Church in Fort Smith, their Senior Pastor, Rev. Chase Green joins us. 

Luke 24:28-32 and Genesis 14:1-8 These stories both have surprise guests who make an appearance. Luckily, both the people walking to Emmaus and Abraham were all ready for just such an event. Are we?

Acts 10:9-35 On this Fathers’ Day weekend, what better way to celebrate than looking at this passage that is arguably the foundation for the best BBQ ever! Especially because neighbors can now truly eat beside one another.

Acts 2:1-11 Pentecost empowers everyone to hear the Good News. How well do we do at making space for all of those voices to praise God together? As we open the doors to another service, let’s recommit ourselves to affirming that All Are Welcome.