Second on the Mount

"Wisdom Crucified" – Matthew 27:45-50, Acts 3:14-18 Part VI of the Lenten Sermon Series "Wisdom"

Sermon by the Rev. Ben Brannan from Palm Sunday, April 13, 2025.

"This is not for someone else. This is for us. For those of us who follow Jesus, who sit in pews, who pray unceasingly and sincerely and yet still carry assumptions and perspectives that betray the very Gospel we claim and the very Jesus we love. . . . And like Peter, we a...

"New Wisdom" – Matthew 5:1-12, 38-45 Part V of the Lenten Sermon Series "Wisdom"

Sermon by the Rev. Elizabeth N.H. Link from Sunday, April 6, 2025.

"'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.' This idea was meant to limit the escalation of violent retaliation. It was intended to break the cycle of violence by ensuring the punishment never became greater than the crime. The concept was about seeking true justice. But justice in Go...

"Broken Wisdom" – I Corinthians 1:18-25 Part IV of the Lenten Sermon Series "Wisdom"

Sermon by Dr. George C. Anderson from Sunday, March 30, 2025.

"There is a phrase that might be over-used, but I think is so helpful in talking about how to move forward. It is living into a “new normal.” Your old wisdom about how to live in the world won’t serve you anymore because your world has changed. The only healthy way forward is to figure o...

"A Chorus of Wisdom" – Psalm 150, Luke 18:9-14 Part III of the Lenten Sermon Series "Wisdom"

Sermon by the Rev. Ben Brannan from March 23, 2025.

"If we want to reach Psalm 150’s unshackled praise, we must not only humble ourselves before God—we must also release the false belief that others are beyond God’s mercy, set free our notion that some people are just too far gone from God’s love, and swing open the prison doors of our hear...

"Forgotten Wisdom" – Hosea 4:1-6, Luke 16:19-31 Part II of the Lenten Sermon Series "Wisdom"

Sermon by Dr. George C. Anderson from Sunday, March 16, 2025.

"Jesus uses his stark parable about eternity to make a point about life right now… his now, and our now. He reminds us that in any life-giving, community-enhancing moral tradition, there is a conservative streak. We need to conserve the moral tradition that has brought us this fa...

"Honor Your Grandparents" – Proverbs 1:1-7 Part I of the Lenten Sermon Series "Wisdom"

Sermon by the Rev. Elizabeth N.H. Link from Sunday, March 9, 2025.

"Wisdom isn’t about having all the answers. Wisdom is about having the courage to question the status quo. It is the willingness to question, reflect, and remain open to God’s Spirit. It is about listening and remembering where we come from—not this kingdom, but God’s."

Read the m...

"Daily Duties – Romans 7:14-25

Sermon by Dr. George C. Anderson from Sunday, March 2, 2025.

"Here is how I would, today, boil down Paul’s perspective on how to live the best life in following Jesus, with falling short being part of the equation:

• Be humble because you cannot be God,
• Be stubbornly grateful even in hard times (sometimes for the hard times),
• Be honest about yourself and accept, not deny, your flaws and mistakes,
• W...

"Love as an Action Verb" – Luke 6:27-38 

Sermon by the Rev. Elizabeth N.H. Link from Sunday, February 23, 2025.

"Friends, love of enemies, forgiveness as we have been forgiven, these actions, these decisions do not always come swiftly. They often do not come easily.

"This is where and why I think it’s important to note – I think it’s important for you to remember – that Jesus preached this sermon to a great number. This command was...

"One" – John 8:12

Sermon by Dr. George C. Anderson from Sunday, February 16, 2025. "Not that I know what I’m talking about, but it seems to me that checking out a church online is like using a dating app. It is a way to check out a church from a safe distance before taking the risk of an in-person meeting. The rest of my sermon is for everyone, but I have those online visitors especially in mind. As an introduction for them and as ...

"Deep Dive: Part 2" – Luke 5:1-11

Sermon by the Rev. Ben Brannan from Sunday, February 9, 2025. "Yet if we go even deeper, we find that casting our nets for our own sake is not enough. There is more. It is in the deep waters of transformation that our purpose is redefined: 'From now on you will be catching people.' 

"So, I wonder if the invitation and call to deeper waters and to cast our nets is not about us at all. I wonder if it...

"A Prophet in His Hometown" – Luke 4:16-30

Sermon by the Rev. Elizabeth N.H. Link from Sunday, January 26, 2025. "When we approach scripture, we ought to do it with the intelligence, wisdom, and insight God has given us. And when we interpret scripture, it should be with the heart of Jesus Christ himself who extended welcome, healed without question, loved with abandon, and calls us to do likewise.

"When Jesus preached his inaugura...

"Preacher Paul" – Acts 20:7-12

Sermon by Dr. George C. Anderson from Sunday, January 19, 2025. "And what is Paul’s message? All those idols are promising something they cannot deliver. Because here’s the deal: There is no deal! While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. We are saved by the unmerited grace of God. There are no political leaders, not even Caesar himself, who should be given the status of gods. There is no Law of ...

"God's Nickname" – Exodus 3:7-17

Sermon by Dr. George C. Anderson from Confirmation Sunday, January 12, 2025. "God knows each of us by name… which is to say that God knows what makes you 'you' and knows what makes me 'me.' I hope you understand that. I hope you understand that you specifically matter to God for specific reasons. And . . . I hope you understand that you matter specifically to the world because you are going to have ...

"What's Next" – Jeremiah 31:7-14

Sermon by the Rev. Ben Brannan from Sunday, January 5, 2025. "Nobody wants to hear that pain comes before healing, or darkness comes before light, or dishonor before glory. But it is a pattern that is repeated in all aspects of faith. . . . Beloved, no matter where you are in that cycle, hear this: God is there with you. God is in the pain. God is in the darkness. God is there, wherever you are, ext...

"Angels" – Luke 2:8-14 Part IV of the Advent Sermon Series "Sing in Exultation"

Sermon by Dr. George C. Anderson from the fourth Sunday of Advent, December 22, 2024. "From paying the fees of psychics to sending probes into outer space, finding answers to life’s mysteries can cost a lot of money. But these shepherds can only afford to live their lives. Yet, it is to them that a revelation comes that so many hope for when they look t...

"Mary" – Luke 1:46-50 Part III of the Advent Sermon Series "Sing in Exultation"

Sermon by Dr. George C. Anderson from the third Sunday of Advent, December 15, 2024. "So, what does Mary’s song mean for Christians who are to bear the image of Christ and we as the church that is called to be the body of Christ? It means that we are called to bear the heart of Mary and of Jesus—that we are to be the intercessors for the poor, advocates...