December 4, 2022 – Jonathan Chute, “A Mixed Bag”
Sermon: sermon
On this second Sunday in the season of Advent, John the Baptist appears in the wilderness, announcing the coming of the kingdom of heaven. He calls the people to repentance and urges them to show their results of their faith in their daily lives. All kinds of people went out to be baptized – country people and city people alike. There were religious leaders and regular, ordinary people. Some came because they were genuinely seeking a new beginning, others out of curiosity, and some to serve their own purposes. John was not afraid to stir things up, declaring that God sees through our pretense and our self-deception and will sort things out in the end. Matthew 3:1-12 is the text for Jonathan’s sermon, “A Mixed Bag.”
Scripture: scripture
December 11, 2022 – Jonathan Chute, “Shaking the Family Tree”
Sermon: sermon
It is the Third Sunday of Advent, and in this week’s gospel Matthew sets the stage for the coming of Jesus in an unusual way. Mark begins his gospel with the ministry of John the Baptist. Luke tells us about the angel’s announcement to Mary. But Matthew opens with what he sees as the real beginning of the story, telling us the names of everyone in Jesus’ family tree. In a culture that placed such importance on family and heritage, the genealogy of Jesus has some surprises in it. Matthew 1:1-16 is the text for Jonathan’s sermon, “Shaking the Family Tree.”
Scripture: scripture
December 18, 2022 – April Herron, “Waking Up to God’s Plan”
Sermon: sermon
Having established that the ancestors of Jesus included the famous, the infamous, and the ordinary in a continuous thread of 42 generations beginning with Abraham, Mathew’s gospel next turns a spotlight on Joseph. What was it like for Joseph to find out that Mary was pregnant? How did he decide upon a course of action? Where did he find the courage to follow an unconventional path? Matthew 1:18-25 contains a story which addresses these questions. April’s sermon title is, “Waking Up to God’s Plan.” The fourth candle of Advent will be lit with the flame of love.
Scripture: scripture
December 24, 2022 – Jonathan Chute, “Home for Christmas”
Sermon: sermon
The gospel for Christmas Eve is (no surprise!) the story of Jesus’ birth. At one level, it is the tale of a homecoming, as Joseph returns to his ancestral village. But this is no joyful family reunion. The occasion for their journey is the census ordered by the Roman emperor, Augustus. From a distance we see great forces at work. The empire was powerful and its authority unquestioned. But then, in a little village in the hill country, in the cramped confines of a stable, something else was happening. Barely visible, hardly noticed by those in charge, a child was born. The text for both 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. is Luke 2:1-20, and Jonathan’s sermon is “Home for Christmas.”
Scripture: scripture
