Sermon: “Factory Reset”, Isaiah 6 (November 17, 2024)

A few weeks ago, I brought my work computer home for Nick to take a look at. It’d been running sluggishly for a while, but it was getting to where I wasn’t even able to get my work done anymore. At some point, its performance had gone from being an annoying inconvenience to being an active hindrance. I'd tried all the tricks I knew to help speed it up a bit – largely by uninstalling programs and deleting unused files – but nothing had made even the slightest bit of difference. So, I decided that it was time to bring in my own personal in-house expert. I didn't love what he had to tell me, though. “I have some newer parts I can install,” he explained, “but even then, the bulk of the problem is probably being caused by stuff that’s already in there and hard to get rid of. Your best chance of fixing it is to do a factory reset.”

Liturgy: Isaiah 6 (November 17, 2024)

         *You are welcome to use or adapt any of my resources for free, but I ask that you provide proper citation AND comment on this post to let me know.*

Hymns

Hymn GTG #1, “Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty!” 

Hymn GTG #354, “Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory” 

Sermon: “A Good Anger”, Jonah 3-4 (November 10, 2024)

I have to start out today with some honesty and vulnerability, and I can’t promise that I won’t cry. This week has been one of the most challenging in my ten years of ministry. I’m not so much grieving the loss of “my” candidate as I am the loss of my sense that what I do, both personally and professionally, matters. What good is a gospel of love and compassion if people choose not to listen? If words of hate and exclusion are acceptable, so long as they’re accompanied by promises of security and personal prosperity? It’s difficult to be a pastoral presence when your own heart is breaking. I’m grateful for all those who have given me the space to be human this week.

Liturgy: Jonah 3-4 (November 10, 2024)

        *You are welcome to use or adapt any of my resources for free, but I ask that you provide proper citation AND comment on this post to let me know.*

Hymns

Hymn GTG #403, “Open Now Thy Gates of Beauty” 

Hymn GTG #756, “O God of Every Nation” 

Hymn GTG #753, “Make Me a Channel of Your Peace” 

Sermon: “A Contest of Gods”, 1 Kings 17:1-16 (November 3, 2024)

This is a passage all about idolatry. It may not be obvious at first glance, but it’s true. The Ahab mentioned here was the 7th ruler of the northern kingdom of Israel (some 60-odd years after Solomon’s reign ended), and he’s widely considered to be one of – if not THE – worst king in Israel’s history. Scripture itself says that he “did more evil in the eyes of the Lord than any of those before him.”

Not only did he hasten the moral decline of his kingdom, but through his infamous marriage to Jezebel, he became a Ba’al worshiper (Dun dun DUN!). Needless to say, this is an especially bad look for a monarch whose entire reign is predicated on his people’s worship of YHWH. For this reason, we see Elijah coming out of nowhere in his first-ever scriptural appearance to call out the king on his idolatry. The proclamation he makes in verse 1 is a direct challenge to Ba’al’s supposed authority – a false god can’t save you from drought, no matter how long and hard you pray.

Liturgy: 1 Kings 17:1-16 (November 3, 2024)

       *You are welcome to use or adapt any of my resources for free, but I ask that you provide proper citation AND comment on this post to let me know.*

Hymns

Hymn GTG #730, “I Sing a Song of the Saints of God”

Hymn GTG #732 “Rejoice in God’s Saints”

Sermon: "So That All May Know", 1 Kings 8:28-30, 37-43 (October 27, 2024)

Before we dig into today’s scripture reading, I want to read just one verse from Genesis, which we’ll come back to later on. Remember that in chapter 12 of Genesis, the focus shifts from the world’s primeval history to the patriarchs (and matriarchs) of our faith. In particular, it zeroes in on God’s specific interest in the lineage that will result in the people, and eventually kingdom, of Israel. As soon as the third verse of this chapter, God communicates God’s intentions to Abram without any ambiguity: “All the families of the earth will be blessed because of you.”

Liturgy: 1 Kings 8:28-30, 37-43 (October 27, 2024)

      *You are welcome to use or adapt any of my resources for free, but I ask that you provide proper citation AND comment on this post to let me know.*

Hymns

Hymn GTG #275, “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” [vv. 1, 3, & 4]
Hymn GTG #346, “For the Healing of the Nations” 

Hymn GTG #341, “O God, Show Mercy to Us”

Sermon: “A Biblical Case of Affluenza”, 2 Samuel 7:1-17 (October 20,2024)

For many celebrities, one of the first things they do when they become famous is to buy a new house for their parents.[1] It’s a way to say “thank you” for the support they’ve received over the years, especially if they struggled for a while before making it big. Some, like Chris Hemsworth and Margot Robbie, pay off the mortgage for the house that their parents already own, while others, like Pete Davidson and Justin Bieber, gift their parents an entirely new home.

Others, however, don’t just buy houses for their parents; they buy mansions. Celebrities like Beyonce, Rihanna, and Leonardo DiCaprio each spent multiple millions of dollars to buy new living spaces for their parents. Obviously, these celebs can afford such lavish gifts, and there’s no reason to begrudge them their success, but it certainly puts their prosperity on obvious display, doesn’t it? And regardless of their actual intentions, it makes it absolutely clear to everyone who the family breadwinner is.

Liturgy: 2 Samuel 7:1-17 (October 20, 2024)

     *You are welcome to use or adapt any of my resources for free, but I ask that you provide proper citation AND comment on this post to let me know.*

Hymns

Hymn GTG #404, “What Is This Place?”
Hymn GTG #60, “Your Endless Love, Your Mighty Acts” (verses 1, 2, & 5)

Hymn GTG #475, “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing”