Concord United Sermons

Because he is Emmanuel – One of us | Rev. Brooke Hartman

God attempted to intervene with his people as evidenced throughout the Old Testament.  There were 400 years silence from God between the Old and New Testaments that was broken with God coming to be with us through Jesus Christ – God incarnate.  The words of Isaiah 7:13-17 were spoken prophetically as a promise from God for the Israelites that would sustain multiple generations.  The author of Matthew references Isaiah 7:14 as he tells the story of how our God never gives up.  Our God came to be with us through Jesus Christ to a young mother trusting an unbelievable promise and a faithful husband protecting her on a dangerous journey.  The significance of God coming to be with us through Jesus Christ is as important now as it was then.  God with us was one of us but far more than that.  God came to us fully human and fully divine.  The story of God coming to be with us is rooted in God’s unconditional love and amazing grace for us.  Jesus’ words in Matthew 28:20 bookend Jesus time on earth, reminding us that our God who does not give up on us, continues to be with us.  Today, in the midst of all that challenges us, our God is with us.  Not only that, but we get to share about our God who came to be with us.  We get to share God’s love and grace to a world desperate for a God who does not give up.   

 Scripture:  Matthew 1:22-25; Isaiah 7:13-17 

Because he is our Savior – Now and Forever | Rev. Larry Trotter

In Luke 1:31, scripture we read last week, the angel Gabriel tells Mary she is to name her newborn son “Jesus”.  This name in Hebrew means “to save”, “to deliver”.  The naming of Jesus focuses on the significance of Jesus’ role as God coming to be with us as our Savior.  God does not give up on us, he saves us.  Matthew 1:21 says that Jesus “will save his people from their sins” and Luke 2:11 says that “a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord”.  The fall of Adam and Eve remind us of our sinful nature, which leads us to live outside the will of God.  We seek our own way, sometimes subtly and other times blatantly.  We miss the mark and we sin.  God loves us so much he came to be with us through Jesus Christ who saves us, (John 3:16, 1 John 4:9-10, 16-19).  Our God does not give up on us through Jesus, who was betrayed, arrested, tried, tortured, crucified, and resurrected.  Our story is not defined by our mistakes, rather by the saving grace of our God who came to be with us through Jesus, circumventing death for our life everlasting.  Our God who does not give up saves us for today and eternity.

Because he is our Savior – Now and Forever | Rev. Wil Cantrell

In Luke 1:31, scripture we read last week, the angel Gabriel tells Mary she is to name her newborn son “Jesus”.  This name in Hebrew means “to save”, “to deliver”.  The naming of Jesus focuses on the significance of Jesus’ role as God coming to be with us as our Savior.  God does not give up on us, he saves us.  Matthew 1:21 says that Jesus “will save his people from their sins” and Luke 2:11 says that “a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord”.  The fall of Adam and Eve remind us of our sinful nature, which leads us to live outside the will of God.  We seek our own way, sometimes subtly and other times blatantly.  We miss the mark and we sin.  God loves us so much he came to be with us through Jesus Christ who saves us, (John 3:16, 1 John 4:9-10, 16-19).  Our God does not give up on us through Jesus, who was betrayed, arrested, tried, tortured, crucified, and resurrected.  Our story is not defined by our mistakes, rather by the saving grace of our God who came to be with us through Jesus, circumventing death for our life everlasting.  Our God who does not give up saves us for today and eternity.      

Because he is our king - Looking for a leader in all the wrong places | Rev. Wil Cantrell

It seems no matter where we look, our leaders are unable to meet our expectations.  The story of the God who doesn’t give up on us, includes the significance of Jesus as our King.  We see the roots of Jesus our King through the story of David’s anointing (2 Samuel 5:1-3), the prophecy of Isaiah (Isaiah 9:6-7), and the angel Gabriel telling the virgin Mary that she will bear a child who will be on the throne of the most high God (Luke 1:31-33).  Our King, Jesus, leads in a way that countered the ways of leaders of Jesus’ time and the time in which we live now.  Our King, Jesus, was born a very unassuming birth in a manger, with no public fanfare.  He led the unlikely, the disgraced, the forgotten.  He made the experts uncomfortable.  He walked amongst, healing and teaching.  As we look for leaders in all the wrong places, may we turn for the first time or return again to the one true leader, our King, the Messiah, Jesus Christ, God incarnate.   

Because he is our king - Looking for a leader in all the wrong places | Rev.Larry Trotter

It seems no matter where we look, our leaders are unable to meet our expectations.  The story of the God who doesn’t give up on us, includes the significance of Jesus as our King.  We see the roots of Jesus our King through the story of David’s anointing (2 Samuel 5:1-3), the prophecy of Isaiah (Isaiah 9:6-7), and the angel Gabriel telling the virgin Mary that she will bear a child who will be on the throne of the most high God (Luke 1:31-33).  Our King, Jesus, leads in a way that countered the ways of leaders of Jesus’ time and the time in which we live now.  Our King, Jesus, was born a very unassuming birth in a manger, with no public fanfare.  He led the unlikely, the disgraced, the forgotten.  He made the experts uncomfortable.  He walked amongst, healing and teaching.  As we look for leaders in all the wrong places, may we turn for the first time or return again to the one true leader, our King, the Messiah, Jesus Christ, God incarnate.   

Why Gratitude? | Rev. Wil Cantrell

Our culture tells us that giving thanks is rooted in the Pilgrims landing at Plymouth in 1621, yet giving thanks has been a part of our DNA since Old Testament times.  Giving thanks to God is evident throughout scripture.  We pause this week to answer the question, “Why gratitude?”.  We find the answer in the story of the 10 lepers who were healed and the one who returned to give thanks to Jesus.  Though the nine who did not return to give thanks were following Jesus’ instructions to see the priest, the one who returned grasped the depths of Jesus love.  The leper who returned answers our question “Why gratitude?”, and models for us how to give thanks, through acknowledging what Jesus has done in our lives, praising God, falling at the feet of Jesus, and giving thanks to the one who is worthy of our gratitude.

Scripture:  Luke 17:11-19    

Why Gratitude? | Rev. Brooke Hartman

Our culture tells us that giving thanks is rooted in the Pilgrims landing at Plymouth in 1621, yet giving thanks has been a part of our DNA since Old Testament times.  Giving thanks to God is evident throughout scripture.  We pause this week to answer the question, “Why gratitude?”.  We find the answer in the story of the 10 lepers who were healed and the one who returned to give thanks to Jesus.  Though the nine who did not return to give thanks were following Jesus’ instructions to see the priest, the one who returned grasped the depths of Jesus love.  The leper who returned answers our question “Why gratitude?”, and models for us how to give thanks, through acknowledging what Jesus has done in our lives, praising God, falling at the feet of Jesus, and giving thanks to the one who is worthy of our gratitude.   

 

Scripture:  Luke 17:11-19 

Growing In Faith and Hope | Rev. Larry Trotter

Hope is the atmosphere in which disciples live and thrive. Hope is the reality of infinite possibility triggered by faith in Jesus Christ. Hope inspires a vision of what can be in the midst of difficulty. Hope initiates transformation when our confidence shifts from our situational limitations to God’s overwhelming power to accomplish his will in our lives. When we grow in faith, we grow in our ability to trust Gods faithfulness, even when we can’t see the outcome. 

1 Thessalonians 1:3 

Growing In Faith and Hope | Rev. Wil Cantrell

Hope is the atmosphere in which disciples live and thrive. Hope is the reality of infinite possibility triggered by faith in Jesus Christ. Hope inspires a vision of what can be in the midst of difficulty. Hope initiates transformation when our confidence shifts from our situational limitations to God’s overwhelming power to accomplish his will in our lives. When we grow in faith, we grow in our ability to trust Gods faithfulness, even when we can’t see the outcome. 

1 Thessalonians 1:3 

Growing In Faith and Love | Rev. Larry Trotter

As we grow in faith, we learn that God is the source and essence of love. The more we learn about God’s love that came to earth in Jesus Christ, the more we understand that love is transformative. When we love as Jesus loves, it changes those we love and it changes us. By growing in faith and knowledge of Jesus, or abiding in him as Jesus invites, we find our love growing stronger and deeper. In turn, we discover the power of love to change the world, one loving action at a time.  

1 Thessalonians 3:12