Good news is difficult to believe when its hard to find in the news. This week, as we're out of words, we have apostle Paul cry out for us with a simple refrain: I want to know Christ! God's response may not seem obvious even as its plain as the face of the person standing near us. When we need Christ, we remember how much we humans need each other. The sermon on Philippians 4.4-16 proclaimed Sunday Oct 8, 2017.

We are taught to strive and work hard to get what we believe we deserve. Jesus responds with a parable about everyone receiving the same amount. He's not creating a new economy, he's shattering our bondage to money, which we use to assess our worth (and our neighbor's). The sermon for the weekend of Sept 24 on Matt 20.1-16.

We rarely ask how many times to forgive someone because we're keeping a ledger. We ask because we've been broken, harmed and betrayed, and we don't want to carry that anymore. Jesus isn't telling us to toughen up and keep forgiving, he's reminding us that forgiveness is freedom and power to live fully. Sometimes that means we have to walk away to know our freedom. Our sermon on Matthew 18.21-35 given Sept 17 2017.

Its not so much that we can't get along, its that we won't. Because its not in our DNA. Jesus calls on us to reconcile our broken relationships and we break it off with him, too. The plan Jesus offers is simple enough, and it requires him to get us through it. The sermon on Matthew 18.15-20 for Sept 10, 2017.

There is what we want and what Christ expects of us. Peter tries to call out Jesus because he has a better way. Jesus calls out the devil in us because there is only one way for the kingdom to come. Try as we might, and some of us try with every ounce of our being, we're not getting around our responsibility. A sermon on Matt 16.21-28 given Sept 3 2017.

Jesus loves to reveal the power and presence of the kingdom to his disciples. And yet, in our gospel for today, we might be so amazed by his act that we miss his revelation. Does it matter that Jesus can walk on water? Our summer series, "Community Builders," continues around Matthew 14.22-33. We apologize for this late posting for the week.

We're tempted to make ministry complicated and Jesus responds to a clear opportunity with a simple response. No questions, no hesitation, no more delays. Our summer sermon series, Community Builders, continues with a message on Matthew 14.13-21.

Jesus points to children playing as a hint of the kingdom of heaven. This sounds lovely and quaint and he uses this image to confront our sin. We do not want to follow Jesus because it might be hard and we'll have to give up too much. Jesus doesn't deny what we dread; instead, he names it and reforms it through the cross. Our sermon series "Community Builders" continues with Matthew 11.16-19 and later verses.

It would be so much easier if we could do our own thing, and if everyone else could do theirs, too. Christ confronts our all of our divides and strips away all that we take for granted, that we can confront the assumption of independence. Our Community Builders summer series continues with a sermon on Matt 10.40-42 July 4th weekend.

Our summer sermon series, "Community Builders," takes off where most of us get the most stuck, in fear. Jesus tells his disciples to head out and proclaim the nearness of his kingdom and to not fear a thing. Yet, fear is sometimes all we do, keeping us from doing much else. Jesus changes our perspective and moves our feet and confronts our fear with compassion and strength until we're off and running. Our sermon series is rooted in the gospel of Matthew, who portrays Jesus as a community builder.