Sermons on Romans (Page 3)
February 28, 2021
February 28, 2021 “A New Covenant” Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16 Romans 4:13-25 Mark 8:31-38 May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O God, our strength and our redeemer. AMEN I clearly remember a television series that used to be a favorite of mine years ago. In the show there was a handsome young man of means who was a member of a prominent family, and this family used less…
Blue Christmas Service
December 6, 2020 Blue Christmas Service “What Are We to Say?” Luke 1:26-38 Romans 8:31-32, 37-39 Let us pray: May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in your sight, oh God, our strength and our redeemer. AMEN So, each year as I prepare the Blue Christmas service, I spend time reflecting on the past year. I think about those we lost in our church family. I think about all that has…
September 6, 2020
September 6, 2020 “Where Two or Three are Gathered” Ezekiel 33:10-11 Romans 13:8-14 Matthew 18:15-20 May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O God, our strength and our redeemer. Amen. Jesus said, “For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.” Certainly, in these days of social distancing and adapting to life during a pandemic, these words of Jesus can take on…
August 23, 2020
Exodus 1:8-2:10 Romans 12:1-8 Matthew 16:13-20 “And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” I am struck by two things, the first of which is the image of Peter being the rock on which the church of Jesus is built. The second is that Jesus invokes the notion of Hades or Hell in this passage. Not even Hades will be able to…
August 16, 2020
August 16, 2020 “Do the Right Thing” Isaiah 56:1, 6-8 Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32 Matthew 15:10-20 In our Old Testament passage for today, God instructs the people, through the prophet Isaiah, to “maintain justice” and “do what is right.” When I read those words my mind immediately went to a movie my children and I recently watched. Over the course of these past months of sheltering in place I have been very grateful to have my children with me. And…
July 26, 2020
July 26, 2020 “A Wise and Discerning Mind” 1 Kings 3:5-12 Romans 8:26-39 Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52 I love the Old Testament passage for today from 1 Kings. When given the chance to ask God for absolutely anything, King Solomon asks God for wisdom. So, here’s the thing about Solomon asking God for wisdom. It takes a certain degree of wisdom in the first place in order to understand the need for gaining more wisdom. Does that make sense? Just as…
July 12, 2020
July 12, 2020 “What Do We Sow?” Isaiah 55:10-13 Romans 8:1-11 Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 I am guessing that most of us grew up knowing this childhood rhyme: Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me. I looked up this expression, and there are varying accounts as to where it originated, as well as its intended purpose and meaning. But I think even as a child I understood it had a much deeper meaning than…
June 28, 2020
“Welcome” Genesis 22:1-14 Romans 6:12-23 Matthew 10:40-42 Todays passage from the Gospel of Matthew reminds us that whoever welcomes you welcomes Jesus and whoever welcomes Jesus welcomes the one who sent him…meaning the creator God. Welcome a friend, welcome a stranger and you are welcoming Jesus. It’s much like the benediction: may you see the face of Christ in everyone you meet and may everyone you meet see the face of Christ in you. That is exactly what…