First United Church of Christ (Bremen, IN)

What sort of life "prospers"?  And who gets to define "prosperity"? Here's a manuscript version. 

Both readings present a response to an encounter with the operations of the Divine realm. That response is not positive. Both Peter and Isaiah come unglued. But these are not stories of condemnation. They are stories of calling. Here's a printable version of an earlier draft. 

Are human beings essentially bad or good?  The lectionary assigns a gospel reading and an epistle reading that, when looked at in conversation with each other, offer some insight into that question. For the manuscript version of the sermon click here. 

Jesus comes to Nazareth reads a prophecy that describes some very specific actions which, in that moment, Jesus does not do. This does not keep him from saying, "Fulfilled." How can he make such a claim? And what difference does it make to our lives that he does? Here's the written version.

Jesus changes water into wine. What might a passage like this have to say to us on this Sunday before MLK day? Especially those of us with white skin? Raising kids with white skin.  For a typed manuscript of the sermon click here.

Music:
That Kid in Fourth Grade Who Really Liked the Denver Broncos by Chris Zabriskie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license

 Source:  http://chriszabriskie.com/uvp/ 

 Artist:  http://chriszabriskie.com/ 

What would it be like to be on the journey with the wise men?  Here's a fictional account of an apprentice named Azad who tries to keep his faith even as the journey gets long and takes its twists and turns. A typed version.

What if we were to meet your Jesus? Not the Jesus you proclaim to believe but the Jesus that actually informs how you live your life.  The Jesus operating in your subconscious.  Would we behold glory? And, if not, would that be a problem for you? Here's a text version. 

There is only one story in the gospels in which Jesus isn't either an infant or a full-grown adult. This is that one story.  Why this one? Maybe because it offers an important clue in understanding the adult Jesus.  For the typed version of this sermon, click here.

What do we expect from Christmas? The blessing that comes in the final chapter of Hebrews offers a clue. Here's the manuscript version

One of the more well-known passages from Hebrews combines the image of a cloud and a track-and-field event.  How are they connected and what do they have to say about how we are called to live? Here's the manuscript.