We welcome you to the sermon podcast of First United Methodist Church. This is the third week in the Sermon on the Mount and Jesus takes us into understanding how to study the law. It is not about do's and don'ts. It is all about how to have a relationship.

We are called to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. We are called to reflect the love of God that is reflected in the laws and commandments.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus invites those curious about his ministry to "come and see." Later, when he calls them to follow him, he is asking them to put aside all else. We should ask if wqe are still just observing or are will following Jesus.

The lectionary for this week includes the famous words from Micah 6, the Beatitudes, and the second chapter of Paul's letter to the church in Corinth. So much of our religious fervor is focused on verifying that God loves us when we should be asking Tex Samples' question, "Can God change us?" If you want to understand the blessedness of the Beatitudes, ask how we can be changed.

John did not realize it, but when he baptized Jesus, the world changed. The Holy Spirit descended and there was a voice from heaven saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." How do you changed the world?

The Lectionary for the Fourth Sunday in Advent in Year A features King Ahaz and Joseph, the fiance of Mary. The men were both in crisis and both knew the law but they made very different decisions.

Moses was the first prophet but perhaps John the Baptist was the last? John prepared the way for Jesus who changed everything. If you want to know what God is saying, Listen to Jesus. John had a clear message Repent & live lives worthy of the Gospel!

Many of us have never read the parables of the minas found in the Gospel of Luke because we look it over and think it is the same as the parable of the talents found in the 25th chapter of Matthew. Jesus tells this story after he visits Zacchaeus in Jerricho. It is the last parable before he rides into Jerusalem on a donkey. The parable gives despair but Jesus offers hope.

Luke 18 contains one of my favorite parables - The widow and the bad judge. She persisted even when he refused to care. But we worship a God that does care so if our prayers are not being answered in the timeframe we hope for, do we persist? More importantly, do we believed God is good and cares about our well-being?

Jesus is invited to a Shabbat dinner with local Jewish religious leaders. We are not sure if Luke believed it was a set up but Jesus finally told the Parable of the Great Feast about that great heavenly banquet we talk about whenever we have communion.