Concord United Sermons

Overflowing Generosity | Rev. Brooke Hartman

The woman who finds her lost coin invites her friends to come celebrate with her. Like the woman, God celebrates whenever a person turns to God in repentance. When we experience God, we are called to imitate the woman by sharing with others the joy of God’s presence. When we allow God’s goodness of overflow in our lives by sharing it with others, we discover that in the act of giving to others we find ourselves replenished and restored. This is why we give our time talent, and treasure to allow God’s goodness to overflow through us.

Scripture - Luke 15:8-10

The Unstoppable Story | Rev. Sabine Collins

History is the story of God’s pursuit of loving relationship with humanity. From the beginning we are created in God’s image to love and be loved (Gen 1). God walks in the garden to fellowship with us (Gen 2). God banishes us to from Eden b/c we corrupted the relationship yet still pursues us. God provides Cain with a mark of protection and doesn’t abandon him. God speaks to the Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. God provides for the people in Egypt and delivers them from Egypt. God leads through the wilderness. God’s provides the promised land. God speaks through judges, prophets, kings. God ultimately sends his Son, Jesus, so that we might know God’s true nature. Jesus dies and rises again for the disciples who desert him and the crowds who crucify him. Christ pursues Paul who persecutes him, Gentiles who dismiss him, and Jews who condemn him. And God pursues each of us in a never ending quest to reach us and redeem us. When we read the Bible we come to see our place in the story of God’s unstoppable love. This is why every atheistic society must ban the Bible. Because the story of God’s love is unstoppable.  

Scripture - Luke 15:1-7

The Unstoppable Story | Rev. Wil Cantrell

: History is the story of God’s pursuit of loving relationship with humanity. From the beginning we are created in God’s image to love and be loved (Gen 1). God walks in the garden to fellowship with us (Gen 2). God banishes us to from Eden b/c we corrupted the relationship yet still pursues us. God provides Cain with a mark of protection and doesn’t abandon him. God speaks to the Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. God provides for the people in Egypt and delivers them from Egypt. God leads through the wilderness. God’s provides the promised land. God speaks through judges, prophets, kings. God ultimately sends his Son, Jesus, so that we might know God’s true nature. Jesus dies and rises again for the disciples who desert him and the crowds who crucify him. Christ pursues Paul who persecutes him, Gentiles who dismiss him, and Jews who condemn him. And God pursues each of us in a never ending quest to reach us and redeem us. When we read the Bible we come to see our place in the story of God’s unstoppable love. This is why every atheistic society must ban the Bible. Because the story of God’s love is unstoppable.  

Scripture - Luke 15:1-7

Transformed by Grace, Strengthened in Faith | Rev. Wil Cantrell

Scripture - Romans 12:1-8

Transformed by Grace, Strengthened in Faith | Rev. Becca Means

Scripture:  Romans 12:1-8

Lasting Freedom | Rev. Brooke Hartman

: Galatians 5:1 reminds us that even after having experience the freedom found only in the grace of Jesus Christ, it is easy for us to drift back into a religion based on our obedience, or lack thereof, to God rather than on God’s faithfulness to us. Galatians 6 gives instructions for what to do when others within the church have strayed from true Christianity. We are told to “restore them gently” and be careful not to fall prey to temptation ourselves. The temptation when helping restore others is to view them judgmentally as if we have not and will not ever be led astray unwittingly by an idol. We must maintain the utmost humility when helping others and recognize that because we are “all sinners who fall short of the glory of God” that a day will most likely come when we will need someone to restore us gently, so that we can live in the lasting freedom of God’s grace.

Scripture - Galatians 5:1, Galatians 6:1-10

Lasting Freedom | Rev. Wil Cantrell

Galatians 5:1 reminds us that even after having experience the freedom found only in the grace of Jesus Christ, it is easy for us to drift back into a religion based on our obedience, or lack thereof, to God rather than on God’s faithfulness to us. Galatians 6 gives instructions for what to do when others within the church have strayed from true Christianity. We are told to “restore them gently” and be careful not to fall prey to temptation ourselves. The temptation when helping restore others is to view them judgmentally as if we have not and will not ever be led astray unwittingly by an idol. We must maintain the utmost humility when helping others and recognize that because we are “all sinners who fall short of the glory of God” that a day will most likely come when we will need someone to restore us gently, so that we can live in the lasting freedom of God’s grace.

Scripture - Galatians 5:1, Galatians 6:1-10

The Fruit of the Spirit | Rev. Wil Cantrell

In Galatians 5:16-26, Paul contrasts the desires of the flesh with the fruit of the spirit. What Paul calls “the desires of the flesh” are nothing more than what happens when we allow our animal instincts to run while and do not attempt to conform our instincts to the will of God. In the animal world these instincts are not immoral. This is simply the way the animals were created to live. However, God gave to humanity a morality based not on animal instincts, but on the image of God in which we were created. While no one person can fully judge the faith or fruit of another person, if our lives are exhibiting more of the fruit of the spirit and less of the destructive desires of the flesh it is an indication of the sincerity of our religion. If our lives are exhibiting more and more of the desires of the flesh and less and less fruit of the Spirit, it is an indication that we have turned away from true Christianity and replaced it with a selfish and idolatrous form of religion.

Scripture - Galatians 5:16-26

The Fruit of the Spirit | Rev. Brooke Hartman

In Galatians 5:16-26, Paul contrasts the desires of the flesh with the fruit of the spirit. What Paul calls “the desires of the flesh” are nothing more than what happens when we allow our animal instincts to run while and do not attempt to conform our instincts to the will of God. In the animal world these instincts are not immoral. This is simply the way the animals were created to live. However, God gave to humanity a morality based not on animal instincts, but on the image of God in which we were created. While no one person can fully judge the faith or fruit of another person, if our lives are exhibiting more of the fruit of the spirit and less of the destructive desires of the flesh it is an indication of the sincerity of our religion. If our lives are exhibiting more and more of the desires of the flesh and less and less fruit of the Spirit, it is an indication that we have turned away from true Christianity and replaced it with a selfish and idolatrous form of religion.

Scripture - Galatians 5:16-26

An Audience of One | Rev. Brooke Hartman

One of the major problems for our religion (and one of the major defects in many of our personalities) is the desire to please people rather than God. The Galatians are trying to please and pacify people by making requirements for Christianity (especially circumcision) above and beyond the requirements of Christ. Paul is not trying to please people, but is trying to please God by sharing the truth of the Gospel and pointing out the idolatrous practices of the Galatians. As Christian, we are called to love and care for people, but we must ultimately live our lives for an Audience of One seeking to please only God.

Scripture - Galatians 1:10-12