This Sunday, we are joined by Bishop Will Willimon as he reflects on Jesus’ first sermon in Luke 4 and what happens when God speaks a word we didn’t come to hear. Willimon explores why preaching is so difficult to listen to, not because sermons are long or abstract, but because the true preacher is Christ himself. Drawing on personal stories from the pulpit and moments when sermons provoke discomfort rather than comfort, this message invites us to listen bravely, expecting to encounter the risen Jesus who still speaks truthfully, sometimes painfully, and always out of love.

Reflection Questions: 
1. In what ways do you listen to sermons seeking comfort, and how open are you to Jesus challenging and changing you, even when it feels uncomfortable?
2. Where do you resist the idea that God might be at work among people or places you least expect or prefer?
3. When have you realized that Jesus spoke to you through a sermon in a way the preacher never intended? How did it change you?

Find out more at HydeParkUMC.org/NextSteps