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Transfiguration of Our Lord—February 11, 2018
Preacher: Pastor Jeff Lilley
Lessons: 2 Kings 2:1–12 | Psalm 50:1–6 | 2 Corinthians 4:3–6 | Mark 9:2–9
Summary: Today’s Gospel story of the transfiguration is mystical and strange. Jesus stands with Moses and Elijah, and he glows. The disciples want to build a dwelling and stay there, but Jesus comes back down the mountain to begin his ministry, and the nothing has been the same since then. We have all experienced different kinds of transformation in our lives. We are all changed when God comes into our lives and accepts us just as we are. Our ministries begin when, after meeting God face to face, we come down from that mountain-top experience and go into the world. The church fails when it remains on the mountain and invites others to come up. We do our work as disciples when we enter into the world with Jesus.
Fifth Sunday after Epiphany—February 4, 2018
Preacher: Pastor Jeff Lilley
Lessons: Isaiah 40:21–31 | Psalm 147:1–11, 20c | 1 Corinthians 9:16–23 | Mark 1:29–39
Summary: In today’s Gospel, Jesus visits Simon, whose mother-in-law is sick. Jesus heals her, and she gets up and serves them. Over the years, this text has been used to limit the role of women in the church, but when she is raised up from here sick bed, she becomes a model of a disciple. As Isaiah write in the first lesson, God who stretched the heaves sees all people as grasshoppers. But we are called to serve, no matter our gender, race, sexuality, or any feature. These days, many say the church (like Simon’s mother-in-law) is dying, but Jesus raises us up to serve in our world. We may not know who or how to serve, but we can look with hope and faith to discern our calling.
Fourth Sunday after Epiphany/Welcoming Sunday—January 28, 2018
Preacher: Pastor Jeff Lilley
Lessons: Deuteronomy 18:15–20 | Psalm 111 | 1 Corinthians 8:1–13 | Mark 1:21–28
Summary: We have many good feelings about times when we felt welcomed, while feelings that you are not welcome can last for many years. In our Gospel Jesus casts out an unclean spirit so a man can be welcomed back into the community. The first of many occasions when Jesus welcomes the unloved and scandalizes the religious establishment of his time. Over the years the church has found ways to exclude different kinds of people. As we move forward, it is important that God’s people show God’s love consistently and confidently and that we welcome all. It won’t be easy, but God calls us to be faithful and show forth that welcome.
This sermon was not recorded for technical reasons.
Third Sunday after Epiphany—January 21, 2018
Preacher: Pastor Jeff Lilley
Lessons: Jonah 3:1–5, 10 | Psalm 62:5–12 | 1 Corinthians 7:29–31 | Mark 1:14–20
Summary: Today’s Gospel begins with the arrest of John the Baptist, and Jesus knows that the time is ripe to gather the disciples and proclaim God’s salvation. As the Son of God, Jesus could do it all alone, but Jesus knows that, while there is nothing wrong with individual spirituality, God’s salvation is a communal enterprise. Our life with Christ and God’s kingdom are found with others. God calls each of us to be part of the whole, to be bocks for the building of up Christ’s community.
This sermon was not recorded for technical reasons.
Second Sunday after Epiphany—January 14, 2018
Preacher: Pastor Jeff Lilley
Lessons: 1 Samuel 3:1–10, (11–20) | Psalm 139:1–6, 13–18 | 1 Corinthians 6:12–20 | John 1:43–51
Summary: Today’s lessons are about God’s persistent calling. In the first lesson, the call comes to the child Samuel. Eli’s physical and spiritual vision are week, but he recognizes the God is calling Samuel and tells the child to answer. In the Gospel, Nathaniel doubts Philip’s invitation and replies sarcastically, but Philips urges him to come and see, and Nathaniel’s life is transformed. In our world, we sense that our faith is under criticism. But we can persist in inviting people to come and see God’s work in our community. Martin Luther King, Jr., never preached a sermon on our first lesson, but his life was an invitation to see God’s work in the community of those who accept Christ’s call. When we hear God’s call, may we all respond like Samuel, “ Speak for your servant is listening.”
Baptism of Our Lord—January 7, 2018
Preacher: Pastor Jeff Lilley
Lessons: Genesis 1:1–5 | Psalm 29 | Acts 19:1–7 | Mark 1:4–11
Summary: In our first lesson, the voice of God calls light into being. In our Gospel, John tells of one who will come and bring order to the wilderness. Then, as Jesus is baptized, the voice calls from the sky saying, “You are my son.” If each of us wakes up in the morning in the knowledge that we are God’s beloved children, we place ourselves we place ourselves within God’s love and grace as revealed in Jesus’ baptism.
Sunday after Christmas—December 31, 2017
Lessons and Carols—no sermon
Christmas Day—December 25, 2017
Preacher: Pastor Jeff Lilley
Lessons: Isaiah 9:2-7 | Psalm 96 } Titus 2:11-14 | Luke 2:1-14, (15-20)
Summary: For John, the birth of Christ is a cosmic transformation. This child to a poor family will go on to the cross and show God’s love. This reshapes our Christmas traditions.
Fourth Sunday of Advent—December 24, 2017
Preacher: Pastor Jeff Lilley
Lessons: 2 Samuel 7:1–11, 16 | Luke 1:46b–55 | Romans 16:25–27 | Luke 1:26–38
Summary: As I get older, Christmas becomes more inconvenient. There is too much to do and too many people doing it. But it is much more inconvenient for Mary in today’s Gospel when the angel says she will give birth to the baby Jesus. If she knew would happen, she might refuse, but instead she says, “Here I am. Let it be according to your word.” Can you imagine responding that way? In the mist of all the interruptions of the season, we remember that God chooses us to build God’s kingdom. In our first lesson, God tells David, “I will make you a house.” The crafting of that house begins with Mary’s response to the angel. What will our response be with God comes to us? Will we respond like Mary?
This sermon is not available for technical reasons.
Third Sunday of Advent—December 17, 2017
Preacher: Pastor Jeff Lilley
Lessons: Isaiah 61:1–4, 8–11 | Psalm 126 | 1 Thessalonians 5:16–24 | John 1:6–8, 19–28
Summary: John the Baptist’s role was to point to one who is to come, so John said clearly that he is not the Messiah or the Prophet but the voice crying in the wilderness. This is a good example for us. Our calling is not to point to all the wonderful things we have done as individuals or as churches. We are called to point to Christ, who brings peace, joy, and justice into the world. We should follow the advice in 1 Thessalonians to rejoice, give thanks, and hold fast to the faith.
Second Sunday of Advent—December 10, 2017
Preacher: Pastor Jeff Lilley
Lessons: Isaiah 40:1–11 | Psalm 85:1–2, 8–13 | 2 Peter 3:8–15a | Mark 1:1–8
Summary: The Gospel of Mark skips Jesus’ birth and begins with the prophet’s message of a coming savior. Isaiah announced comfort to the people of Israel, who had just been freed from captivity, and calls for them to prepare the Way of the Lord. Mark announces Good News to those in captivity to Rome. Much in our lives reminds us of Rome, and we love power and excuse its excesses. John brings the baptism of repentance—of change—and announces the Messiah who will baptize with the Holy Spirit. We tend to see Advent as our search for God, but it is really about God breaking through our walls of indifference and finding us. Mark reminds us that this is just the beginning of the Good News of God coming into our lives.
First Sunday of Advent—December 3, 2017
Preacher: Pastor Jeff Lilley
Lessons: Isaiah 64:1–9 | Psalm 80:1–7, 17–19 | 1 Corinthians 1:3–9 | Mark 13:24–37
Summary: In today’s Gospel, Jesus is coming to the end of his ministry, and he talks about the end of days. If you look carefully, the signs Jesus gives for the end of days remind us of what happens at the crucifixion. When telling the disciples to be awake and watch, Jesus uses the word used for shepherds watching their sheep. The church has been watching for 2,000 years, but when we are sleep deprived, we can get a little crazy. Rather than trying to live up to expectations of a virtuous life, we are called to live lives a thankfulness for the sake of our neighbors. We are called to participate in the world of grace already poured out for us on the cross. So we keep awake, we watch, and we wait.