JR.'s Sermons

Sharing Jesus' good news with people doesn't always go well. What do we do when we meet resistance? How can we keep the conversation focused on the main thing - Jesus inviting us into a relationship?

Jargon is a really useful language shortcut for insiders, but it can be a real barrier for the uninitiated. When we share the good news of Jesus with others, how can we identify and remove our Christian jargon?

In sharing good news, we debate whether to lead with good works or with powerful words. But Jesus' example shows that to be a false dichotomy. We share good news when we ARE good news, when our words match our actions.

When we share the Good News of Jesus with people, it's easy to get distracted by a lot of side issues - conversations that are important, but not as important as knowing Jesus. How can we stay focused on the main thing: a relationship with Jesus?

How often do we expect people to learn to speak our Christian language to understand Jesus' good news? What if instead we imagined how Jesus' good news might sound if we translated it into terms they already know?

When we share the good news with others, we often fall back on formulas that don't connect with where they are. But if God is already at work in their lives, what happens if we look closer? How is God good news for the people we know and love, even if they don't know God?

Evangelism often relies on guilt, shame or fear to motivate people. But those aren't good news, and they're not where God's posture towards us begins. Jesus' baptism is an invitation for all of us to remember the heart of the good news: that we are God's beloved children, and God delights in us.

Evangelism so often comes across as bad news. But God loves all of us, and is already at work in each of our lives. The story of the magi visiting Jesus demonstrates God's persistent love for us - and that is good news worth sharing!

It’s hardest for us to speak up in the circles that know us best. But those circles – our families, our co-workers, our friends and neighbors – are where we have the most influence. So how can we find the confidence to live out God’s calling among the people who know us best? We find the answer in a little town called Bethlehem…

Ironically, too often in the midst of our preparation to celebrate Christmas, we forget to actually celebrate. The same is true of our work for justice - we burn out or get overwhelmed. The third Sunday of Advent reminds us this work belongs ultimately to God, not us. So we need to take time to pause and rejoice that God is faithful!