Faith Speaks — Reverend Neil Taylor — Sermon Podcast

Read John 13:31-35

The Fifth Sunday of Easter

Sometimes, the most familiar passages in the Bible are the most challenging to preach. This Sunday’s gospel reading is a great example. It contains Jesus’ famous “love command.” It is one of the better-known passages in the Bible, and for that very reason, it is challenging. The passage is so familiar that most assume they know it before hearing it. Moreover, what can you add to “love another”? At the same time, these words are ridiculously easy to understand and ridiculously hard to do.

Read John 10:22-30

Fourth Sunday of Easter

For the two and a bit years of the COVID-19 pandemic, I averaged roughly one funeral a month, sometimes two. I regret that experience because the congregation could not share in that ministry with me. Because I know that even today, some of you would not live the way you do if once a month you had to spend three or four hours writing a funeral meditation about the meaning of death, that if you had to think and pray about what you would say to the family, and if you had to stand beside the open grave and the mound of dirt, and try to make the critical farewell significant for the grieving family and friends.

I regret that I was the one who did all of this once or twice a month. Not because it was a hard job and I wished someone else would do it, but because it was a gift (a gift of eternity) to me, and I wanted to share this with my congregation.

Read John 21:1-14

The Third Sunday of Easter

Fishing, Breakfast, and the Care of Christ

John 21:1-14 is a lot like a seven-layer bean dip because, on the surface, we have a very straightforward story: some disciples go out to fish; however, they don’t catch anything during the night. Then Jesus tells them where to find fish, and they make an enormous catch, and then they eat breakfast on the beach with Jesus.

But after reading this passage, we can’t help but ask ourselves, what does all of this mean? What’s the significance here? Well, scripture must be mined. We have to dig beneath the surface, sort of like a seven-layer bean dip.

To keep my seven-layer bean dip metaphor going, when you dig a little deeper and get a full scoop of refried beans onto your chip, you will realize that this passage reminds us that Jesus will provide for his church. He will be her influence. He will be her strength, and he will be her power.

Read John 20:19-23

The Second Sunday of Easter

As we examine Jesus’ first appearance to all his frightened disciples after the resurrection, let us ask how the risen Jesus acted and what he said.

Read Luke 24:1-12

Easter Sunday

The tomb is empty, and as the angels told the women, “He is not here, but has risen.”

The Sunday of the Passion: Palm Sunday

A Question of Greater Significance

Read Luke 22:39 - 23:56

We are close to the end. For the last five weeks, we have traced Jesus’ steps toward the cross, and this Sunday, we reach the sobering and even brutal conclusion to Luke’s account of our Lord’s Passion.

The Sunday of the Passion: Palm Sunday

Read Luke 19:29-40

"Hosanna" is a Hebrew word that translates as "Save us" or "Grant salvation." Hosanna is a plea for help and a declaration of the need for salvation. We see this in Psalm 118:25, which says, "Save us, (Hosanna) we pray, O LORD!"

Fifth Week of Lent

Read Luke 20:9-19

Traditionally, this parable from Luke’s Gospel is called “the parable of the wicked tenants.” However, considering the context, the vineyard owner is the story’s hero because he exhibits restraint.

This teaching from Jesus follows on the heels of His confrontation with the temple leadership. They asked Him a loaded question intended to trap Him. He answered their question with one of His ownand they faltered claiming they did not know the answer. Jesus, therefore, refused to answer their question, but He did tell them this parable.

Third Week of Lent

Read Luke 13:1-5

Jesus's words in verses 1-5 have astonishing implications about the true nature of the world, which differ significantly from what people often think. I aim to deeply impress upon our consciences the reality that people are perishing and to be the kind of witnesses for Christ that we should be. We must come to know and feel the gravity of what is truly at stake: the perishing of those who remain unrepentant.

Second Week of Lent

Read Luke 13:22-30

v. 23 And someone said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?”

In other words, Jesus, how many will be saved? I can think of only four ways to answer that question: