Sermon: "The Murky Middle", 1 Timothy 6:5-19 (August 9, 2026)

My friends, I approached the reading for this week wanting to say something nuanced and clever, wanting to offer a subtle commentary that would unfold for you slowly as the week progressed. I wanted to be gentle about this passage’s revelations so that they could grow on you without causing too much discomfort. I wanted to, I really did. But I can’t. Because this passage isn’t nuanced, subtle, or gentle in any way. It’s uncompromisingly clear in its message: wealth and faithfulness are fundamentally incompatible. 

Before anyone gets the wrong idea, hear me when I say that this statement isn’t political - it’s biblical.

Liturgy: Love of Money, 1 Timothy 6:5-19 (August 9, 2026)

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Hymns

Hymn GTG #846, “Fight the Good Fight”

Hymn GTG #716, “God, Whose Giving Knows No Ending”

Hymn GTG #643, “Now Thank We All Our God”

Sermon: "Obedience", Matthew 22:15-22 (October 18, 2020)

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Someone ought to tell Jesus that politics don’t belong in the Church.

But seriously, in a book that says a lot of uncomfortable things, this passage has got to be one of the top five most awkward moments. It hits ALL THREE of the topics you’re NEVER supposed to talk about in polite conversation: politics, religion, and finances. To be entirely fair to Jesus, this confusing mess of taboo subjects isn’t his fault. While he’s not afraid to dive into the matter (Jesus never was one to back down from a challenge) he doesn’t initiate the conversation. It’s a set-up.