Guerrilla Christianity

Sermon #128

It has often been said, especially of late, that the Christian holidays of Easter and Christmas are polluted with pagan imagery and lore.  Today we continue our Deep Questions series by looking at the symbols of Easter, their origins, and their traditional and contemporary meaning.  We will also ask the question, if it means one thing to us today, then why does it matter what they meant thousands of years ago?  So grab your Bible, turn it to John chapter 20, and prepare your heart and mind as we look at the symbols of Easter.

John 20:11-18

Recorded at Ebenezer UMC on August 23, 2015 (Originally published October 23, 2015)

S.D.G.

Sermon #298

We are beginning a new series based on the general epistle of James, and we will be looking at the five promises that we make when we join the United Methodist Church... That we will faithfully participate in the ministries of the local church by our prayers, our presence, our gifts, our service, and our witness.  This week we begin by asking the question, where does generosity come from?  As we are made in the image of a giving and generous God, it stands to reason that, at the heart of everyone, there is a giving and generous spirit.  That explains why even those who do not believe in God still feel a tug to give when there is need in the world.  As James points out, every good and perfect gift is from above, and so when we give, we are acting as image-bearers of God to the world.  Pure religion, then, is when we express the heart of God in all things, and give generously of the things that God has entrusted to us.

Text: James 1:17-27

Recorded at Hudson UMC on September 2, 2018 (Originally published October 10, 2018)

S.D.G.

August 29, 2021

Old Testament: Song of Solomon 2:8-13

Psalter: Psalm 45:1-2,6-9

Epistle Lesson: James 1:17-27

Gospel Lesson: Mark 7:1-8,14-15,21-23

Scripture quotations from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

S.D.G.

Sermon #296

When we affirm our faith in the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting, we often don't think of the fact that we as Christians are promised resurrection in THIS body.  For some of us that might give us pause, especially those of us who are older and live with the aches and pains of life.  Yet God promises us eternal life through Jesus Christ, and that means that the few years we live here on earth are eclipsed by the magnitude of the eternity that stretches out before us.  Even so, many who call themselves Christian still live for this life, and do not consider the life to come.  We wrap up our series on the Apostles' Creed with "We believe... in the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting."

Text: 1 Corinthians 15:12-28

Recorded at Ebenezer UMC on August 26, 2018 (Originally published October 8, 2018)

S.D.G.

August 22, 2021

Old Testament: 1 Kings 8:1,6,10-11,22-30,41-43

Psalter: Psalm 84

Epistle Lesson: Ephesians 6:10-20

Gospel Lesson: John 6:56-69

Scripture quotations from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

S.D.G.

Sermon #177

In today's world, it is an unpopular thing to defend the Biblical view of marriage.  Yet God's word is unchanging and in today's episode, recorded at the Pitman Grove Camp Meeting, we take a long look at some disputed and controversial scriptures as they pertain to the Christian model of love and marriage.

Ephesians 5:22-28

Recorded at Pitman Grove Camp Meeting on July 3, 2016 (First published July 11, 2017)

S.D.G.

Sermon #127

You know, in the 21st century we take it for granted that there is a difference between Christians and Jews.  But back in the first century the early Christians were Jews.  The question before us today is, was the ministry of John the Baptist for a Jewish audience only, or did he minister to non-Jews as well?  And how did things change when Jesus came along?  We find the answers in the book of Matthew, so grab your Bible, turn it to Matthew chapter 3, and prepare your heart and mind as we take a look today at Jews and Gentiles.

Matthew 3:1-12

Recorded at Hudson UMC on August 16, 2015 (Originally published September 4, 2015)

S.D.G.

Sermon #295

Most Christians today are pleased with the modern doctrine of forgiveness.  After all, if God is faithful and just to forgive all sins, then we are in the clear, right?  Not so fast.  Jesus tells a parable about a man forgiven much who refuses to forgive and finds himself on the wrong end of his lord's wrath.  Then He says, "So shall my Father do to each one of you, if you do not from your heart forgive your brother's sins."  Ouch!  This is difficult teaching but critical in our understanding of what it means to believe in the forgiveness of sins.

Text: Matthew 18:21-35

Recorded at Hudson UMC on August 19, 2018 (Originally published October 5, 2018)

S.D.G.

August 15, 2021

Old Testament: 1 Kings 2:10-12;3:3-14

Psalter: Psalm 111

Epistle Lesson: Ephesians 5:15-20

Gospel Lesson: John 6:51-58

Scripture quotations from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

S.D.G.

Sermon #126

The question before us today is one of privilege.  Why would God, who created all people in his own image, have a particular chosen people?  It seems a bit unfair.  But as we will see in today's message, being the chosen people of God is not necessarily something that we should be jealous over.  Rather, when God chose Abram to bring a blessing on all the nations of the world, it was to bring about God's purpose, and it meant living a different way for Abram and his descendants.  So grab your Bible, turn it to Matthew chapter 15, and prepare your heart and mind as we take a look at what it means to be the chosen people of God.

Matthew 15:21-28

Recorded at Hudson UMC on August 9, 2015 (Originally published August 20, 2015)

S.D.G.