Cape Elizabeth Church of the Nazarene - Weekly Sermon Podcast

Text: Psalm 36
The theme of God’s steadfast love has been a defining mark of the relationship between God and His people. Psalm 36 can be seen as both a testimony of what God has seen the psalmist through as well as a prayer asking for help with the concerns of the present day. The hope is that God will provide and His love will work within us, change us, and help make us who we were created to be.

Text: Psalm 29, Luke 3 : 15-17, 21-22
Psalm 29 is a reminder of the greatness of our God; that He is above and greater than whatever comes our way. On this Sunday where we read about the baptism of Jesus, we recognize that God’s greatness and His voice and lordship over the Earth is found in the person of Jesus Christ, to whom we also ascribe all glory, honor, and praise as the King of Kings and our Messiah.

Nazarene Compassionate Ministries is responding to the devastating fires in the Los Angeles area. You may be a part of this work by visiting http://ncm.org/lafires and donating online or by check. Your generosity will provide vital support for compassionate relief efforts to assist those most affected.

Text: Psalm 72
We start the new calendar year by studying Psalm 72, which was a “coronation psalm” used for the leaders of Israel. It expresses a desire and hope for peace and righteousness in the land and uses hyperbolic language which far outlasts what is capable with a single human ruler. In this way, the psalm also embodies the voice of a hope for a Messiah, and Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of this hope.

“Who Will Intercede?”
Text: 1 Samuel 2:12-26, Luke 2:41-52
As we read the story about Samuel, Eli, and Eli’s sons, Eli’s question is left unanswered; who will intercede for you if you have sinned against the Lord? The Gospel of Luke presents Jesus as the answer to this question, having been described as priest-like in the same way as Samuel was. He helps make right our relationship with God, acting as mediator wherever there is conflict or reconciliation is needed. This opportunity for redemption through Jesus is not accomplished in a magical way but instead in a way that compels us to live differently among God’s creation and grow in wisdom and stature.

“Changed in the Waiting: Peace”
Text: Luke 1:39-55
We close this advent season with Mary’s song following her meeting with her relative Elizabeth, who was expecting the child that would become John the Baptist. Mary’s words are both a statement of faith and prophetically tell of how God will raise up those who are oppressed. As we get ready to celebrate the coming of our Lord, we recognize that our hope in Jesus is found in the days and in the moments where we are still waiting, living faithfully, and are being agents of peace in this world.

“Changed in the Waiting: Joy”
Text: Luke 3:7-18
John the Baptist’s words of preparation can seem frightening at first, but his call to “produce fruit” is paired with the promise of Jesus coming with a baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire. This movement in our lives that changes, redeems, and restores us is able to remove the things that get in the way of us living the way Jesus modeled and is ultimately allows us to make the shift in the season from expectation to joy.

“Changed in the Waiting: Love”
Text: Luke 3:1-6
The second Sunday in this season of Advent focuses on love. Love is not just found in our emotions and feelings, but it can also be a way in which we interact with each other. Advent is a season of waiting, and we remember that even in the midst of dark times – in the midst of struggling and waiting – God’s steadfast faithfulness is present and is an example of that love.

“Changed in the Waiting: Hope”
Text: Jeremiah 33:14-16
We enter into Advent, a season of expectation, with words from the book of Jeremiah. God’s promise to establish the peoples Judah and Israel – a nation that had turned away from God – and raise up an eternal line of David provides hope that is grounded in His covenantal faithfulness. In this season, let us ask that God would take residence in our lives, find restoration, and recognize even when besieged by all that is wrong in the world that He is still faithful to His promises.

Text: Mark 13:24-37
On this Christ the King Sunday, we wrap up our year-long study of the book of Mark. Jesus says to those who follow Him – His disciples then, and us now – to keep watch and be alert. We are called to be future-focused followers and to allow that, and not the fears and worries imposed on us by the world, to dictate how we live.

Text: Mark 13:1-23
In the penultimate sermon of our series on the Gospel of Mark, we study Chapter 13; a passage that has often been used to teach us to be fearful. As we read the passage in its original context, we hear Jesus calling for His followers to be faithful in the midst of hardship and to continue proclaiming the Good News to all nations.