Indian Run UMC Sermon Archive

In the "Life After" sermon series, we're going to journey through what the resurrection actually looks like when it meets us where we are. It's not about quick healing or tidy restorations, it's about what happens in the long middle. It's about the slow, confusing way new life has a way of finding us, even after we've stop looking for it. Today we focus on life after the diagnosis. We highlight the story of Jairus and the bleeding woman. Illness becomes the great equalizer, it matters not that Jairus is a respected community leader, he can't just influence or pay away the disease. The bleeding woman is so far shammed from society that none would dare look at her. Jesus, though, heals both of them, not prioritizing the one with more power, but instead healing whomever was in front of him. Jesus says to "Stop letting fear have the final word", and in essence askes us to have faith in the presence of fear. Maybe this week, if you have the capacity, be like Jesus and look around at those near you who might be hiding invisible diagnoses and offer a helping hand. We might not be able to cure what is wrong, but we can help to heal the pain that is there.

In the "Life After" sermon series, we're going to journey through what the resurrection actually looks like when it meets us where we are. It's not about quick healing or tidy restorations, it's about what happens in the long middle. It's about the slow, confusing way new life has a way of finding us, even after we've stop looking for it. Today we focus on life after the leap. In celebrating the graduation of our youth from High School and College today, we are highlighting the leap that they will make as they progress towards their future. Our teens and young adults are, in a way, like Abram and how he leapt into God's promise of a better future. Abram didn't have a map, or a step-by-step plan, or even the time to really think about it, he just knew he had to go. The story of Abram shows us that we need to have the courage to take the leap, and to have faith that God will help guide us to wherever that leap lands us.

In the "Life After" sermon series, we're going to journey through what the resurrection actually looks like when it meets us where we are. It's not about quick healing or tidy restorations, it's about what happens in the long middle. It's about the slow, confusing way new life has a way of finding us, even after we've stop looking for it. Today we focus on life after motherly love. Steve, Carrie, & Julie are joining us today to tell us stories of the motherly love they received in their lives. On this Mother's Day, think of the ones who gave you motherly love in your life, reminisce in old stories, and celebrate them for what they mean to you.

In the "Life After" sermon series, we're going to journey through what the resurrection actually looks like when it meets us where we are. It's not about quick healing or tidy restorations, it's about what happens in the long middle. It's about the slow, confusing way new life has a way of finding us, even after we've stop looking for it. Today we focus on life after saying yes. We highlight the story of Saul or later known as St. Paul. We see how the lord gave him the option to say yes to the light of God, and when he did his life was forever changed. We see even today that for many people life can be defined by the life before we said yes to Jesus and the life after. In fact 22 of our own confirmation students will be saying yes to Jesus right after this sermon. In God every day is a yes day!

In the "Life After" sermon series, we're going to journey through what the resurrection actually looks like when it meets us where we are. It's not about quick healing or tidy restorations, it's about what happens in the long middle. It's about the slow, confusing way new life has a way of finding us, even after we've stop looking for it. Today we focus on life after division. Broken relationships are a part of all our lives. Some are lost to distance, some to death, some to poor timing, but some are lost to a disagreement or a falling out or a difference in opinion. It can feel like the loss of those relationships costs more than we'd like to admit. It not just us, however, that have borne the cost of those divisions. The church itself has splintered many times for the same reasons. However, the Bible gives us advice on how to faithfully experience life after division.

In the "Life After" sermon series, we're going to journey through what the resurrection actually looks like when it meets us where we are. It's not about quick healing or tidy restorations, it's about what happens in the long middle. It's about the slow, confusing way new life has a way of finding us, even after we've stop looking for it. Today we focus on life after hitting rock bottom. We see how Jesus' does want our failures to be the end of our story. We see how He offered Peter the chance to make up for his mistakes, and that in His grace we are offered forgiveness and salvation. We may stumble and fall, falling below what we believed to be our rock bottom, but it is possible to climb back up.

In the "Life After" sermon series, we're going to journey through what the resurrection actually looks like when it meets us where we are. It's not about quick healing or tidy restorations, it's about what happens in the long middle. It's about the slow, confusing way new life has a way of finding us, even after we've stop looking for it. Today we focus on what William Barclay calls "the sunset road that turns to dawn". In contrast to the exuberant joy in the moments right after the women found out about Jesus' resurrection, we look at the solemn grief of the disciples Cleopas and his companion. We see two men lost and hopeless, but Jesus doesn't give them the answers to their grief. He instead opens their eyes to the future.

This Easter as we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ we also celebrate the good news of the world around us. It's easy to get bogged down by the relentless information we can access with the touch of a finger. Because of this we are desperately, deeply hungry for real Good News. The Good News is that Good News is alive in the world right now. Some of the Good News is newsworthy and we all see it on our phones and on

In our "Tell Me Something Good" sermon series, we're gonna do just that. In the modern day we are surrounded by a constant stream of bad news. The headlines pull us towards anxiety, social media amplifies outrage, and the loudest voices highlight what is broken. But the Gospel, the actual "Good News" is not a message of scarcity or despair; it is of liberation, mercy, grace, joy, and so much more. Today we focus on Jesus calling us to participate. We see in the story of Jesus' arrival on the donkey, that the people felt they needed to act, not just speak. Jesus shifted from teaching through words to teaching through actions by embodying the Good News and He invites us to do the same.

In our "Tell Me Something Good" sermon series, we're gonna do just that. In the modern day we are surrounded by a constant stream of bad news. The headlines pull us towards anxiety, social media amplifies outrage, and the loudest voices highlight what is broken. But the Gospel, the actual "Good News" is not a message of scarcity or despair; it is of liberation, mercy, grace, joy, and so much more. Today we focus on Justice and Mercy. God's justice is not about balancing the scales, it is a deeper justice that restores the person to wholeness. It is not about following the letter of the law, rather following the intent. We look at the story of the "adulteress" and see mercy on full display, we see how it is not our purpose to condemn, but to forgive.