JR.'s Sermons

AVATAR reinforces the idea that our bodies are disposable, temporary and accessory to who we really are. But the Scriptures say otherwise. What is the Biblical vision for our bodies, and how is that good news?

We don't like pain. In fact, our culture is filled with systems and structures that shield us from pain. The Church isn't exempt - we want to skip straight from the cross to the empty tomb. But the film FIGHT CLUB insists that pain is good, that pain invites us to stop and consider how we participate in injustice. How can we embrace the pain in our lives, and how might we find the Spirit at work in the midst of our pain to bring resurrection?

How do you decide what gets the best of your time and energies? How does putting Jesus at the center free us to give our best to all areas of our lives? And what does that look like?

Are the things we own good or bad? Some Christians say God wants you to be wealthy, while others say wealth is a sign of sinful indulgence. Which one is it? The film The Boxtrolls and a story about Jesus encountering a wealthy man offer a third alternative: what if our stuff is an opportunity for us to share in God’s generous, self-giving nature?

Christians have often been hung up on clothing - everyone wearing their Sunday best? But what is the right uniform for a Christian? Colossians tells us we should put on LOVE every day. The film Up reminds us that love is found not in dramatic gestures, but in everyday acts of kindness and faithfulness.

One of the most powerful scenes in Forrest Gump is Lt. Dan's showdown with God. But most of us don't think fighting with God is okay. How does the story of Jacob's wrestling with God teach us to engage God even with our anger, doubts and fears?

Two major superhero films this year feature the good guys fighting each other. Does this reflect the anxiety we feel when we can't seem to agree with people we care about on important issues? How do we fight well? The early church's first major conflict in Acts 15 offers us guidance.

INSIDE OUT claims that sadness is actually good because it fosters relationships. In the Church, we avoid sadness as a negative emotion, but the Psalms teach us to make room - lots of room! - for grieving even in our worship. How can the Church recover the gift of grief?

You’re going along, feeling great about life and faith and then boom, something happens and an old behavior or habit you thought you’d kicked pops its head up. Spiritual Revertigo. It can be devastating – you feel as though you’ve made no progress at all, that you’re still the same old person you’ve always been, that God has done nothing in your life, not really. But Jesus assures us that the Spirit is making us new – and that the answer to our despair can be found among others on the same faith journey as we are.

Often religion seems to be about conformity, about everyone thinking and acting the same. But in John’s vision of the End, we see God’s plan is to rescue and restore people from every culture and nation in human history. We’ll be together, but the myriad ways we follow God’s call will be preserved and celebrated. How can we begin embracing the diversity of God’s kingdom in the here and now?