Second on the Mount

"New Wisdom" – Matthew 5:1-12, 38-45

Sermon by the Rev. Elizabeth N.H. Link from Sunday, April 6, 2025.

"'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.' This idea was meant to limit the escalation of violent retaliation. It was intended to break the cycle of violence by ensuring the punishment never became greater than the crime. The concept was about seeking true justice. But justice in God’s kingdom brings about something greater than quid pro quo. In God’s kingdom, justice is about restoration and healing. It’s an entirely different way to relate to each other—relationships governed not by power, but by vulnerability and love."

Read the manuscripts of our latest sermons at: https://www.spres.org/worship/sermons/

"Broken Wisdom" – I Corinthians 1:18-25

Sermon by Dr. George C. Anderson from Sunday, March 30, 2025.

"There is a phrase that might be over-used, but I think is so helpful in talking about how to move forward. It is living into a “new normal.” Your old wisdom about how to live in the world won’t serve you anymore because your world has changed. The only healthy way forward is to figure out how things are now and deal with them well. 

"The Bible is all about this. Some say it isn’t, that when it comes to the Bible as the Word of the Lord, wisdom doesn’t get broken. It is fixed. Only then you read the Bible and you see that wisdom is not something fixed but is fluid. That fluidity has been called the work of the Holy Spirit, the dynamic presence of God that speaks new words for each new day."

Read the manuscripts of our latest sermons at: https://www.spres.org/worship/sermons/

"A Chorus of Wisdom" – Psalm 150, Luke 18:9-14

Sermon by the Rev. Ben Brannan from March 23, 2025.

"If we want to reach Psalm 150’s unshackled praise, we must not only humble ourselves before God—we must also release the false belief that others are beyond God’s mercy, set free our notion that some people are just too far gone from God’s love, and swing open the prison doors of our hearts that so often commodify God’s grace. The praise of Psalm 150 is not exclusive; it’s not reserved for only those we deem worthy. It does not say, 'Let all who have lived rightly,' or 'Let all who have been faithful in every season' praise the Lord. No! It is an all-encompassing, all-inclusive invitation to 'everything that has breath.'"

Read the manuscripts of our latest sermons at: https://www.spres.org/worship/sermons/

"Forgotten Wisdom" – Hosea 4:1-6, Luke 16:19-31

Sermon by Dr. George C. Anderson from Sunday, March 16, 2025.

"Jesus uses his stark parable about eternity to make a point about life right now… his now, and our now. He reminds us that in any life-giving, community-enhancing moral tradition, there is a conservative streak. We need to conserve the moral tradition that has brought us this far, the tradition that demands justice and compassion. No matter how fast things change, no matter what popular influencers are telling us should be acceptable, it is dangerous to ignore old wisdom about how to live in a way that is responsible and compassionate.

"Later in the sermon series, you’re going to hear about the progressive streak that has to be in any healthy wisdom tradition. Wisdom adapts as the world changes… and, I guess, as time speeds up.  . . . but today, I want to remind us that most of the best wisdom for how to live good and faithful lives has already been figured out, if we will only remember it."

Read the manuscripts of our latest sermons at: https://www.spres.org/worship/sermons/ 

"Honor Your Grandparents" – Proverbs 1:1-7

Sermon by the Rev. Elizabeth N.H. Link from Sunday, March 9, 2025.

"Wisdom isn’t about having all the answers. Wisdom is about having the courage to question the status quo. It is the willingness to question, reflect, and remain open to God’s Spirit. It is about listening and remembering where we come from—not this kingdom, but God’s."

Read the manuscript: https://www.spres.org/wisdom-honor-your-grandparents/ 

"Daily Duties – Romans 7:14-25

Sermon by Dr. George C. Anderson from Sunday, March 2, 2025.

"Here is how I would, today, boil down Paul’s perspective on how to live the best life in following Jesus, with falling short being part of the equation:

Read the manuscript: https://www.spres.org/daily-duties/

"Love as an Action Verb" – Luke 6:27-38 

Sermon by the Rev. Elizabeth N.H. Link from Sunday, February 23, 2025.

"Friends, love of enemies, forgiveness as we have been forgiven, these actions, these decisions do not always come swiftly. They often do not come easily.

"This is where and why I think it’s important to note – I think it’s important for you to remember – that Jesus preached this sermon to a great number. This command wasn’t to one or even to a few. It was to the community. There is no way we’d be able to live the commands of 

"When you can’t find the strength to do it on your own, look around you, look within you, seek God’s help to find it for you."

Read the manuscript: https://www.spres.org/love-as-an-action-verb/ 

"One" – John 8:12

Sermon by Dr. George C. Anderson from Sunday, February 16, 2025. "Not that I know what I’m talking about, but it seems to me that checking out a church online is like using a dating app. It is a way to check out a church from a safe distance before taking the risk of an in-person meeting. The rest of my sermon is for everyone, but I have those online visitors especially in mind. As an introduction for them and as a reminder for the rest of us, I want to describe the kind of church community we are..."

"Deep Dive: Part 2" – Luke 5:1-11

Sermon by the Rev. Ben Brannan from Sunday, February 9, 2025. "Yet if we go even deeper, we find that casting our nets for our own sake is not enough. There is more. It is in the deep waters of transformation that our purpose is redefined: 'From now on you will be catching people.' 

"So, I wonder if the invitation and call to deeper waters and to cast our nets is not about us at all. I wonder if it is more about lifting others up from the deep waters they are experiencing. And if so, looking at this passage, we see the need for two things: proximity and praxis."

Read the manuscript: https://www.spres.org/deep-dive-part-2/ 

"Deep Dive" Youth Sunday Sermons 2025 – Ephesians 3:14-21

Sermons by graduating seniors McLure Bailey (2:12), Sebastien Croteau (6:08), Kylie Young (13:58), Kit Polly (18:53), and Cara Wardell (23:19). Our Youth Group theme for the year is "Deep Dive." May God's spirit touch the deepest parts of you are, that you might experience the breadth, length, height, and depth of God's love made known in Jesus Christ.