Mary, Theotokos: Bearer of Hope

“Hope in the Annunciation”

December 1, 2024

Advent 1

Luke 1:26-38

Rev. Teer Hardy

Mary’s “Yes” came in the face of danger and uncertainty. We know her fiancé considered ending their engagement, placing both Mary’s life and her child’s in jeopardy. With the darkness of the world before her, Mary said “Yes” to the hope of God. This is the same hope the church carries into the world's darkness. Hope rooted in the promise of God to renew every corner of creation, the promise of peace that comes as a response to the grace of God and not the tip of the sword, and the promise that when the darkness of the world feels like it is too much that we can cling to the hope of God. The promise that shines a light into the darkness and steps into the darkness. The hope of our God who promises to return and make all things new.

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Breaking the Patterns of the Pilate

"From Pilate to Preschool: Learning the Patterns of the Kingdom"

November 24, 2024

Christ the King Sunday

John 18:33-37

Rev. Teer Hardy

In Rome, Caesar was the ultimate symbol of that kind of power. Caesar embodied the pattern of worldly power: victory through force, glory in wealth, and security through fear. The Romans had a saying for this pattern – Pax Roma, the peace of Rome – but everyone knew that peace came at a cost. It was the kind of peace you could only maintain with legions of soldiers and the shadow of the sword.

Along comes Jesus, and instead of following the same pattern, he offers something entirely different. Jesus does not ride into Jerusalem on a warhorse; he enters the city on Palm Sunday on the back of a borrowed burro. He does not wield a sword; he kneels and washes feet. He does not command armies of legionnaires; he calls fishermen and tax collectors. Jesus’s pattern for kingship did not compute for Pilate, and it only sometimes makes sense to us. Jesus does not look or act like the king we expect. He does not promise power or prestige to the church. He does not fight fire with fire. Instead, Jesus says, "Blessed are the meek," and "The first shall be last."

We are so familiar with the patterns of the empire that it can be difficult for us to embrace the patterns of Christ. And still, Jesus invites us into this pattern and a life of grace that challenges assumptions of power. If we pay attention, Jesus invites us to break free from this world's patterns and step into the pattern of his grace.

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Jesus, A Different King of King | Beyond Crowns and Thrones: Embracing the Lordship of Christ in a World of False Power

Mark 12:38-44

November 10, 2024

The elephant and donkey in the room are this: when we consider the reign of God and the Lordship of Christ, our politics inevitably create conflicts of interest, tension, and outright discomfort. No matter who we vote for or who ultimately wins an election, that person will never—can never—live up to the expectations we place on them. They will always fall short of their promises of peace, because true and lasting peace can only come from God, not from the power of any earthly empire.

The psalmist reminds us, “Do not put your trust in princes, in mortals, in whom there is no help. When their breath departs, they return to the earth; on that very day their plans perish.” [ii] Leaders, teachers, news anchors, pundits, and even pastors will come and go. The good news for the Church, for creation, is that our hope resides not in our ability to save ourselves but in the One who notices and honors the widow.

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Runneth Over | No Condemnation, Only Freedom

“How Christ’s Love Frees Us to Live Generously”

October 27, 2024

Romans 8:1-4

Rev. Teer Hardy

No condemnation! None! Nada! Not an ounce!

For those who have heard the gospel for years, and for those familiar with wooden church pews or the consistency of the church’s liturgy, we may gloss over Paul’s declaration. But think about it for a moment: in Christ, through Christ, and because of Christ, we are not condemned. All of the mistakes, the missteps, the times we have fallen short – they are not held against us. We have heard Taylor Swift say, “It’s me, hi, I’m the problem,“ but God says that what we or others say makes us the problem - our shortfalls and failures - are no problem at all.

The beautiful and strange truth of the gospel is that in Christ we are free. It is not that we have somehow earned this freedom. No, it is that we have died, our lives are now hidden with Christ.

Paul is giving us the key to living a generous life. You see, the world tells us we are what we accomplish. We are measured by what we produce, by the size of our bank accounts, by the model year of our cars, by the number of people who follow us on social media, by the accolades on our CVs. But the gospel of Jesus Christ flips all of that upside down. In Christ, we have died to that way of living. We have died to the need to prove ourselves, to accumulate and hoard.

When God the Creator looks at us, they do not see what we have accumulated or our failures and shortcomings. The Father sees the Son. And that changes everything.

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Runneth Over | More Than a Doughnut: Living a Cruciform Life

“How Everyday Acts Reflect Christ’s Overflowing Love”

October 20, 2024

Galatians 2

Rev. Teer Hardy

To live a cruciform life means our lives take the shape of the cross. Paul tells us that we have been crucified with Christ and that Christ now lives in us. This isn’t just some lofty spiritual idea or metaphor; it’s a call to live our lives mirroring the sacrificial and abundant love of Jesus. Everything we do—our giving, our vocations, our daily choices—flows from Christ, who lives and works through us.

“I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me,” wrote Paul. Imagine that: Jesus living in us, shaping our hearts and actions. But what does that mean for our day-to-day lives? It means that, as followers of Christ gathered from all over the world, we no longer live for ourselves. God's grace has redefined our purpose, our very existence. It’s not just about going about our business anymore; it’s Jesus at work in and through us, especially in our generosity.

The generosity we’re called to isn’t something we have to muster on our own. It’s Christ’s generosity, grace, and love flowing through us. We don’t live for ourselves but for the one who died and was raised for us. The work we do, the resources we share, and the lives we live are opportunities for us to wear Christ, for Christ to wear us, work through us, and bless the world. As Jesus pours out His love through us, may others encounter Christ, finding hope and grace that overflows like a cup running over.

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Runneth Over | The Weight of the Plate:Responding to God’s Abundant Generosity

October 13, 2024

Ephesians 1:3-10

Rev. Teer Hardy

Stewardship is less about checking boxes or paying bills at the church. Stewardship is a recognition that God has already given us, given all of creation, the greatest gift of all. Only when we fully grasp this gift – the fullness of Jesus Christ and the grace that freely flows Him and overflows our cups – can we truly understand what it means to give. Giving is not our duty; it is our delight. When we give, we participate in God's Kingdom, joining a story that began before us and, by God's grace, extends beyond us.

The offering plate is a means of grace and invitation to participate in a pattern of grace that begins with God. When we approach stewardship and the financial support of the church in this way, we are no longer giving out of compulsion or guilt. We are giving as an act of worship, as a way of saying thank you for what we have already received because that is what the gospel is all about. We do not leave church with a list of demands. We live with the freedom that comes from the gospel. God has already done for us that we cannot do for ourselves.

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“A Meal for the Ages: Celebrating Unity Through Christ’s Table”

October 6, 2024

1 Corinthians 11:23-34

Rev. Teer Hardy

Today is World Communion Sunday. Across the globe, Christians are gathering around tables just like ours, breaking bread and sharing a cup. We gather not just as a local church, not just as a congregation of The United Methodist, but as part of the great body of Jesus Christ – spanning nations, cultures, and generations. Christ's table of grace unites us across the barriers of geography and time. And, every time we come to Christ's table, we remember and proclaim that God has reconciled all things in and through Jesus Christ. This global unity in Christ is a powerful reminder of our shared faith and purpose.

When we come to this table, we proclaim that through Jesus Christ, the rich and the poor, the powerful and the powerless, the insider and the outsider are one. We are one in Christ Jesus because of his faithfulness. This inclusivity of the Communion table reminds us that we are all equally valued and accepted in the eyes of Christ.

Paul's call to the church is to examine ourselves before and as we come to the table. Not so that we can be perfect but so that we come with a proper heart. It is not about being worthy of this meal; it is about recognizing that none of us are worthy, yet, all are invited.

We come to this table by grace, just as the generations that are now dust did and as generations to come will. The grace of God calls to us to look beyond ourselves, beyond our communities, beyond our nation, and to see the breadth of what God has done and is doing.

So today, we come to the table to share a meal in unity with the body of Christ from every corner of the globe. We gather knowing that this table and meal are not just a symbol of unity but rather is the place where Christ makes that unity a reality. And as we leave, we carry that unity with us to be a people who have been changed by the love and grace of Christ in everything we do.

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One of the most troubling trends in the life of the church is the notion that we are the ones doing the searching. It is as if we have convinced ourselves that God is off in a galaxy far, far away from us. But the truth is that God has always been searching for us. The truth is God has always been searching for you. We may think that we have been doing the searching and have ultimate responsibility in this relationship, but it turns out God has been searching for us the whole time. You are not just a part of the search; you are the reason for it. You are important to God.

“The Search for God: The Pursuit of God and the God Who Pursues Us”

September 15, 2024

Psalm 42

Rev. Teer Hardy

Seventeenth Sunday After Pentecost

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“Fitting In or Standing Out: Following Jesus in a World of Expectations”

September 1, 2024

Mark 7:1-23

James 1:17-27

Rev. Teer Hardy

Sixteenth Sunday After Pentecost

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“When Jesus Offends: Finding Life in Jesus' Hard to Swallow Teachings”

August 25, 2024

John 6:60-69

Rev. Teer Hardy

Fourteenth Sunday After Pentecost

We read these verses from an ancient book and give you music you will not find on the radio or social media. Many call it “going to church” or something to check off the to-do list. But I want to call it something else. Let’s call it trying to see. Let’s call it practicing paying attention to the presence of the living God among us, here in Arlington, in McLean, in DC, and in our lives.

John Wesley once said, “The best of all is God is with us.” That is the truth we are trying to hold on to, the truth that can get lost in the noise and distractions of modern life. But it is a truth worth listening to, waking up for, worth living for. People, would you pay attention?

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