Sermons @ Shepherd

"Don't do this, don't do that..." Everyone loves a good Bible passage with "moral prohibitions," but when it comes to deciding which doors to open and which we should keep closed, Paul's writings to the Colossians is a good place to start. Doors that leads to evil desire, greed, anger, and wrath may take us down the wrong path, but the Good News is that the doors of redemptive possibilities are always available to us. Colossians 3: 1-11.

Last week's sermon focused on doors we should close; this week we focus on the doors we should open. These include clothing ourselves in the fruits of the Spirit, forgiving others as God has forgiven us, and letting peace rule our hearts. Colossians 3: 12-17.

In this week's sermon, Pastor Jon tells tales of his mother and the way she was transformed in her life by opening doors that expanded the Kingdom of God. Theologian Richard Niebuhr reminds us of "redemptive possibilities;" that there may be many doors that lead us to a life of compassion, kindness, humility, meekness and patience. And if we pick the wrong door, God's grace is sufficient to lead us back. Colossians 3:12-17.

Without closing doors and putting the old things away, we cannot move forward. But often there are so many doors, we become paralyzed by decision making, and we are often tempted by doors of lust, greed, and cruelty. The Apostle Paul writes simply, "If you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above." Colossians 3:1-11.

Doors are a great metaphor for life; they represent the daily choices we make. In the Book of Revelation, Jesus sees the church as "stuck in the middle."  He want the chance to come and enter our lives, not to destroy and shame us, but to simply dine with us and help us remember that we are family. Revelation 3:14-22.

Doors are like bridges between 2 realities; our lives are largely a result of which doors we choose to open and which we close. Jesus says make a choice - behold, I stand at the door and knock. Don't just stand there waiting for something to happen. Revelation 3:14-22.

We love structure and predictability. When Jesus calls Matthew Levi the tax collector and eats with his friends, this is too much of a stretch for the Temple leadership. Jesus uses the metaphor of new wine and old wineskins to show that the Kingdom of God is open wide to all who want to follow.

No matter how much you plan, life throws you curves. The same was true for Zechariah, who was expecting another day at work in the Temple when God showed up. Are you ready for the same? Luke 1.

Christmas is often a time of nostalgia, of a perfect holiday where all turns out well. For Christians, Christmas takes on a different meaning, one of being ready, of being attuned to see God's work in the world. Luke 1:5-13, 57-80.

Waiting is so difficult, especially today. Instant songs on Spotify, coffee pods, Amazon Prime - we hate waiting. But Advent is all about waiting. Learn more about the importance of waiting not just as a way to temper our wants but as a spiritual discipline. Jeremiah 33:14-18, Mark 8:27-29