Guerrilla Christianity

We continue to take a fresh look at our baptismal vows against the backdrop of the formation of the early Christian church. When we think of sin we rarely think of anything like freedom or power. Yet our baptismal vow today asks if we accept the freedom and power God gives to us to resist evil, injustice and oppression. That sounds like quite a good deal for us - freedom and power offered as a gift from God. Yet it also comes with a caveat - that we take that freedom and power to resist. The story of the Apostle Peter's evangelistic work with the gentile family of Cornelius is our framework, so grab your Bible, turn it to Acts chapter 11, and prepare your heart and mind to accept God's freedom and power.

Acts 11:1-11

Recorded at Ebenezer UMC on April 24, 2016 (Originally aired on June 9, 2016)

S.D.G.

As we continue our look at the Book of Revelation, we come to the end of all things when God will create, or re-create, a new heaven and a new earth, and a new city of Jerusalem. We can look around us at the world and see corruption, while God sees something beautiful underneath, and he will restore all things as they were before the fall. This is the promise of Revelation, that all the corruption of the world, all the pain and sorrow, all the disease, will all be wiped away and something fresh and new and perfect will be left in its place. It is this hope of restoration that gives Christians meaning in life.

Revelation 21:1-6

Recorded at Ebenezer UMC on May 19, 2019

S.D.G.

The Greater New Jersey Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church meets May 19-21 in Wildwood, NJ. During these three days we will ordain new clergy, recognize retirees, vote on delegates to the General Conference in 2020, and vote on various pieces of legislation. This is the prayer that I offered during worship on May 19 before heading to Annual Converence. May God's will be done in all things, and may we humble ourselves in servanthood to Him.

Recorded at Hudson UMC on May 19, 2019

S.D.G.

We continue in our examination of our Baptismal vows in the United Methodist Church as we look at the account of the raising of Tabitha from the dead by the apostle Peter. The beginning of our Christian walk is trust in Jesus Christ as our savior, but it doesn't end there; we also promise to serve him as Lord. The problem for the modern church, especially in America, is that we have no point of reference for what it means to serve a lord, and why our commitment to the Lord of lords is so much greater than any earthly ruler. We'll look at what that means and how Christians today can live in faithful service to Jesus Christ as their Lord. So grab your Bible, turn it to Acts chapter 9, and prepare your heart and mind as we reaffirm our promise of faithful service to our Lord.

Acts 9:36-43

Recorded at Ebenezer UMC on April 17, 2016 (First aired on June 7, 2016)

S.D.G.

What does "Saved" worship look like? It looks like this scene from Revelation chapter 7 where those who defended the Gospel with their lives spend day and night before the throne of God worshipping Him for all He has done. We who are saved recognize that it is not by our merit that we have been saved, but by the grace of God. For that reason we commit our lives to the one who gave His life for us.

Revelation 7:9-17

Recorded at Hudson UMC on May 12, 2019

S.D.G.

Well as you can probably tell from my voice, I have a bit of a cold, and it was particularly difficult to preach this message, but I firmly believe what Philipians 4:13 says, that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. And certainly on this day, God's Holy Spirit gave me the strength to preach this powerful message that he laid upon my heart.So we continue our look at the seven vows we make at our baptism through the text of the book of Acts. Today we see in Saul's conversion that the act of baptism is an acknowledgment of the complete transformation that we undergo when we put off the old person and put on Christ. Certainly no better example of that radical transformation can be seen than here in these twenty verses. Whereas Saul begins at verse 1 breathing murderous threats towards those who follow Christ, by verse 20 he is proclaiming Christ as the Son of God. So the question we must face today is, have we undergone such a transformation at our own converstion? It's a hard question, and one that deserves our consideration. So grab your Bible, turn it to Acts chapter 9, and prepare your heart and mind as we look at Saul's conversion and the Grace of Jesus Christ.

Acts 9:1-20

Recorded at Hudson UMC on April 10, 2016 (Originally aired on April 15, 2016)

S.D.G.

Eastertide is the season of seven weeks beginning with Resurrection Sunday and ending with Pentecost. It's easy on the day after Easter Sunday to feel as though we have reached the end. But historically in the Church, Eastertide was the time of preparation for one's baptism into the Body of Christ. To that end, for the next seven weeks we are going to look at the seven vows that we as United Methodists make at our baptism, and we'll look at them against the backdrop of the beginnings of the Christian church as chronicled in the Book of Acts. This week we look at the first vow we make, to renounce the spiritual forces of wickedness, reject the evil of this world, and repent of our sin. So grab your Bible, turn it to Acts chapter 5, and prepare your heart and mind as we renounce, reject, and repent.

Acts 5:27-32

Recorded at Ebenezer UMC on April 3, 2016 (Originally aired on April 11, 2016)

S.D.G.

After the cross, after the empty tomb, what have we got to celebrate? On this second Sunday of Easter we look at the continuation of the story in the building of the Christian church in the First century. Peter and the disciples are told by the Jewish authorities that they must not teach in "that" name (the name of Jesus Christ). Even today, the name of Jesus Christ is an offense to those who do not believe. But when the good news is so good, how can we but proclaim it boldly? When God offers us eternal life in Jesus' name, how can we but share it with everyone we know?

Acts 5:27-32

Recorded at Ebenezer UMC on April 28 2019

S.D.G.

Easter is a day when we celebrate the fact that Christ rose from the dead three days after being crucified for our sins. While we often focus on the promise of the empty tomb, some only observe the resurrection of our Lord without considering the reality of the cross. In today's message, we will see why, using the Old Testament model of atonement, both the cross and the empty tomb are required for the the complete deliverance of the sinner from his or her sin.

Luke 24:1-12

Recorded at Ebenezer UMC on April 21, 2019

S.D.G.

The Easter Sunrise service is a tradition that dates back to the 18th century Moravian church in America. The idea of going to a church service "on the first day of the week, while it is still dark," helps us as modern-day disciples to identify with the disciples on that first Easter Sunday when they witnessed the risen Christ and the empty tomb. When the women (and especially Mary Magdalene) saw the Lord, they ran back to tell the others "I have seen the Lord!" The question for us today is, have YOU seen the Lord? And if so, have you told anyone?

John 20:1-18

Recorded at Hudson UMC Cemetery on April 21, 2019

S.D.G.