United Methodist Church of Kent Sermon Podcast

Even when it seems that our troubles are insurmountable and that God is absent, we are called to persist in faith, for God is at work and will provide.

These have been “stormy times” in American politics! Many people are unhappy with both major party presidential candidates. What are people of faith to do when the nation’s leaders are flawed? We receive helpful and sound guidance in the Biblical prophets.

If we feel overwhelmed by the world’s troubles and our own shortcomings, the answer is not despair but faith. As we look to God, we can find new direction and vision.

In the book of Genesis, God granted Jacob a new name. God’s name is then part of Jacob’s new name, “Isra-el”. For the rest of his life, he will be carrying that name with him. When we allow God into our lives, we too are challenged to remember what a great responsibility it is to live up to God’s name.

Life can take us through some pretty rough times. One of the most harrowing voyages in the Bible took place as Paul was on a ship destined for Rome. It is a story of how God is at work—often in spite of present appearances!—to bring the faithful through the storm.

The writer of I John knew that Christians had many fears, chief among them death, persecution, and internal divisions. Must we live in fear? Is that what God wants for us?

The world will forever be a mixture of good and evil because God allows people freedom. Rather than losing heart over the bad in the world, we need to keep focused on God’s work, trusting in the harvest to come.

Like the disciples, caught in a storm on the Sea of Galilee, we are often anxious and afraid in the face of life’s troubles. Jesus can calm the storm, and give us the courage to continue on in faith.

In the midst of the darkest times in the history of Israel, Jeremiah found hope in God. His hope was well founded, for bright times were coming! Today, even in the toughest times, when it seems that all is lost, we can find genuine hope in God.

Why is there such evil in the world? The Bible leads us to understand not only the origin of evil, but the answer to it. We will never save ourselves; but the good news is that God is acting through Christ to deliver us from evil.