First United Church of Christ (Bremen, IN)

The author/preacher of Hebrews offers a definition of faith and then retells the story of the Scriptures from Genesis to Joshua through that lens. However that account takes a surprise turn at the end. And for a people living in an anxious time that turn is important. 

What's the church called to do in a time of change and instability?  When the old formulas no longer seem to work the way they once did? You cling to hope. Click here for a print version.

The Scriptures are one story divided into two testaments. It is the story of human fallibility, mortality, and vulnerability intruded upon again and again by a Divine Grace determined to bring that story to a Divine conclusion. How do we begin to bring that conclusion into our present experience? 

Here's a manuscript version of the sermon. 

After these chapters the Preacher develops the case that faith is a confidence in things not seen. Moving our faith from "milk" to "meat" therefore will involve a good deal of loss. But, of course, life always involves a good deal of faith. The question is whether there's more to the loss. Manuscript

What does the Preacher of Hebrews mean by saying that Jesus shared in our weakness? And, if Jesus did, what enabled him to overcome the impulses of his lizard brain (aka amygdala)? (To read the manuscript, click here.)

The preacher of Hebrews provides two metaphors to help us frame the life of faith: an exodus journey and a building project. In doing so, we're called to remember that all the ways by which God fulfills promises are also pointers to the promise that remains unfulfilled: a world made new, humanity made complete. Here's the manuscript. 

Psalm 8 celebrates humanity's elevated place in the created order. God has put us in charge. The preacher of Hebrews presents this as though it is a bit of unfulfilled promise. No, we don't yet see a world under our authority. "But we do see Jesus." How Jesus demonstrates the fulfillment of our human potential is surprising. 
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KyYqCokvodqhA7sXm9mvA9Ylq2iQ4ymL/view?usp=sharing

Hebrews presents Jesus as God's definitive speech act-- as the speech in human form. Superior to angels and the exact imprint of Divine glory. However Jesus isn't merely a model for us to aspire to. He came to accomplish a mission and, with that mission accomplished, he now sits at the right hand of the Father.  It is in focusing on this that that mission works its way into us and we are prepared for glory.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1TcCV1Tsvgb3G0_de9dLSG1C0Q9j_KSzNtemnpFiCAao/edit?usp=sharing

The Lord's Prayer takes a sort of dark turn at its conclusion. It's about temptation (aka time of trial) and evil. You can see why an early scribe tacked on the last line about "the kingdom, power, and glory." But the original conclusion isn't grim so much as it is realistic. As such, it is critical to our ability to live faithfully.

As the church we are called to do a lot of things out of our commitment to God's kingdom.  In fact everything we do ought to reflect that commitment. With the fourth petition of his prayer, Jesus isn't just highlighting one of the many ways in which reflect that commitment. Forgiving and seeking forgiveness is foundational to all the ways we express that commitment.  It's the basic dance step from which we make all our other moves.