Cape Elizabeth Church of the Nazarene - Weekly Sermon Podcast

Baptism of the Lord Sunday
Text: Matthew 3:13-17
In going to John the Baptist to be baptized, we recognize that Jesus is one of us. This sign of a life lived completely for God is a model for us; that our lives and our direction also should be lived in complete obedience and faithfulness to God.

“An Alternative Way”
Text: Matthew 2:1-12
Today is Epiphany Sunday, where we celebrate that God revealed Himself to the wise men, and still works today to reveal His plan of peace and salvation for the world.  Just as the Magi sought another route after worshipping Jesus, we too are to seek an alternate route from the ways of the world – to go the way of Jesus and commit to the way of the cross.

“These Words Still Speak”
Text: Matthew 2:13-15
As Joseph is warned in a dream to flee to Egypt to save Jesus from Herod, Matthew’s Gospel quotes the book of Hosea; “Out of Egypt I called my son.” This reference to older scripture not only highlights parallels to the Exodus story, but also establishes that the life of Jesus is seen as the redemptive act of God’s love to liberate His people once and for all.

Text: Matthew 1:18-25
On this, the fourth Sunday of Advent, we hear the beginning of Matthew’s account of Jesus’ birth. The story is meant to tie Jesus, the Messiah, to the promise for all of God’s people, to the prophecy of God’s redemption and the peace and love to be found in Him. Knowing God happens only if we know who Jesus is.

Text: Matthew 11:2-11
In response to the imprisoned John the Baptist’s question about who Jesus is, Jesus tells John’s followers about the things that are happening through Him. Like them, we are invited to see Jesus as the Messiah and the One who hears our cries, knows our prayers, shines light in the darkness, and remembers our lives.

Text: Matthew 3:1-13
Today’s scripture is a familiar passage where John the Baptist helps the people of his time prepare for Christ’s coming into the world. It is written for us, the people of today, as well – it calls us forth to allow the Holy Spirit to work in us. Pastor Tim encourages us to look for the ways in which the Kingdom of heaven is already breaking in, in expectation of Jesus’ arrival.

Text: Matthew 24:36-44
As we begin the season of Advent, we recognize that sometimes we accept that the world is broken and just wait for Jesus to come again to fix things. However, the coming of Jesus and the expectation of His return isn’t an escape; it’s the fulfillment of a lifetime of preparation. We can live lives where we actively find His spirit at work, victory over sin, and to be faithful to God in the midst of a fallen world.

“Christ the [Conquered] King”
Text: John 12:9-19
On this Christ the King Sunday, Pastor Tim shares John’s account of the Triumphal Entry and reexamines the significance of Jesus riding a donkey by putting it in context with prior historical events. It shows that even in apparent defeat, God’s grace meets us where we are in life and wants to save us when we cry out.

Text: Luke 21:5-19
The end of all things – even beautiful ones – is inevitable, as Jesus says about the Temple, but looking for signs of when this happens is not where our attention is supposed to be directed. Instead, we are called to endure through moments by living in the hope of God’s continued provision. Even in moments when all seems to be lost, we can find ways in which God has provided and will continue to provide.

“The Future… For Now”
Text: Luke 20:27-38
Today’s reading has the Sadducees trying to trap Jesus with questions about the resurrection. On its face, the passage seems to be about marriage, but it is really about the future and how our hope in the resurrection affects how we understand and live our lives today.