The role of a priest in Antiquity must be understood. They stood in the gaps for people's sins and their right relationships with the community. Their role was of the most importance. Yet, Jesus is even greater. Even more important. this sermon illustrates how.

Sabbath should not be optional. It reallocates and reorients our energies back to a more sustainable lifestyle.... bu not everyone participates in Sabbath. Instead, we work. we do more. W go to work early and stay late. But Sabbath brings us back to a relationship with Jesus.... and according to the preacher in Hebrews, Jesus should be greater than our work.

"In many fashions and in many fractions and in foreign times, God has spoken in a myriad of ways." This is the opening to the book of Hebrews. It sets the stage for how God used to operate in the world in order to position that Jesus is the new way in which God communicates and engages in human lives. This sermon explores the effort of the preacher in Hebrews and sets the stage for how Jesus is the greatest, clearest manifestation of God's engagement in the world.

Our lives are intricately connected and woven together, so much so, that when we are suffering, we can call on our neighbor for help, and when are thriving, we can worship together. These shared moments are God's triumphant mercies for us.

The true sages of our day live out of a wisdom that is from "above." Wisdom from "below" is bitter, envious, boastful, and full of false truths. wisdom from above is gentle, peaceable, and bears no trace of partiality. To live with wisdom, we must learn of mercy that is gentle.

Our words are used to cut people down and drown people out. Our tongues are like tameless beasts used to both praise the Lord and curse our neighbor. This ought not to be so. For us to live with mercy, we must learn to control the parts of us that seek mercilessness.

A faith without works is dead. Lifeless. Pointless. The faith we have in God and in one another must birth in us action and care and a willingness to give of what we have to serve one another.

A lot of trees have died with authors attempting to explain what “true”

religion “ought” to be. Rarely do we hear a succinct and powerful

description, but James delivers. Religion that is pure and undefiled before

God, according to James, is this: “to care for the orphans and widows in

their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.” It is time we

take these words to heart. Our religion is only as pure as our ability to

care for those who are need of care.

When we step out into the world, we need to wear the right outfit —

spiritually speaking. In Ephesians 6, Paul uses the metaphor of armor to

help explain what is best for us to “put on” to help us move the world.

This sermon will explore what this outfit is and why it is so important.

Imitating Jesus helps us find our voice. It helps us find out how we can

authentically showcase our humanity to the world while also spreading the

good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5 gives four responses

to what our voice sounds like when we are truly imitating Christ.