Concord United Sermons

Sharing Christ Through Relationships | Rev. Wil Cantrell

Jesus was a powerful preacher and teacher, using examples for everyday life to convey deeper truths about the coming kingdom. But he also modeled the power of relationships as a way to draw people into his message of grace and hope. The story of the Samaritan woman at the well is archetypal as a way to enter into someone’s life and invite them into a new life in Christ. He models deep intuition, active listening, and a non-judgmental response. Disciples live a life of deeper meaning when relationships take on an eternal dimension. 

Scripture - John 4:1-42)

Sharing Christ Through Relationships | Rev. Larry Trotter

Jesus was a powerful preacher and teacher, using examples for everyday life to convey deeper truths about the coming kingdom. But he also modeled the power of relationships as a way to draw people into his message of grace and hope. The story of the Samaritan woman at the well is archetypal as a way to enter into someone’s life and invite them into a new life in Christ. He models deep intuition, active listening, and a non-judgmental response. Disciples live a life of deeper meaning when relationships take on an eternal dimension. 

Scripture - John 4:1-42

What Do We Do When God Seems Absent? | Rev. Brooke Hartman

Scriptures: Matthew 5:43-45; Psalm 130 

The passage from Matthew tells us that Jesus presumed that there was evil and suffering in the world – “God makes the rain to fall on the just and the unjust”. God’s provision is present even while acknowledging that the world isn’t perfect. What Jesus tells us to do when people are hurting us, and God seems far away is to react with love. Psalm 130 reminds us that the proper response for people of faith is to continue reaching out to God in the midst of suffering even though it seems we’re in the deepest depths. What we do when experiencing personal suffering is hold to whatever slim thread of faith there is, continue to communicate with God, and to respond with whatever love we can muster. More importantly, when times are good, when God seems close, our responsibility is to be Christ to those who aren’t seeing Christ. We are to be light in darkness, agents of peace for someone’s turmoil, and to point to Christ by being his hands and feet when we see chaos and suffering happening to others. 

 

What Do We Do When God Seems Absent? | Rev. Wil Cantrell

Scriptures: Matthew 5:43-45; Psalm 130 

The passage from Matthew tells us that Jesus presumed that there was evil and suffering in the world – “God makes the rain to fall on the just and the unjust”. God’s provision is present even while acknowledging that the world isn’t perfect. What Jesus tells us to do when people are hurting us, and God seems far away is to react with love. Psalm 130 reminds us that the proper response for people of faith is to continue reaching out to God in the midst of suffering even though it seems we’re in the deepest depths. What we do when experiencing personal suffering is hold to whatever slim thread of faith there is, continue to communicate with God, and to respond with whatever love we can muster. More importantly, when times are good, when God seems close, our responsibility is to be Christ to those who aren’t seeing Christ. We are to be light in darkness, agents of peace for someone’s turmoil, and to point to Christ by being his hands and feet when we see chaos and suffering happening to others. 

Where is God? | Rev. Larry Trotter

Scriptures:  Psalm 13; John 11:1-6, 17-27; Job 2:11-13 

Where is God? | Rev. Wil Cantrell

Scriptures:  Psalm 13; John 11:1-6, 17-27; Job 2:11-13 

Why Do Bad Things Happen | Rev. Mike Stallings

There is no good answer to this question. Whatever answer we can come up with falls short of being helpful and can even be hurtful. To say that God had a plan for the Holocaust or for terrorists to fly planes into buildings makes it appear that God is a terrible planner, and diminishes the lives lost and the pain of survivors. Most of the time, human sin is the reason for pain and suffering. God gave humanity free will, and to quote a friend of mine, “God values free will so highly that God is willing to watch us hurt ourselves to protect it.” But sometimes, as in the tower of Siloam, things happen in nature that are beyond the body’s ability to withstand. The same natural laws (like gravity) that benefit us can also cause harm. Sometimes an errant cell will begin a series of divisions that manifest in cancer. It appears that there are no good answers for why such things happen. The only solace is that God ultimately holds our eternal life and security despite the mystery of tragedy in this physical life.   

Why Do Bad Things Happen? | Rev. Wil Cantrell

There is no good answer to this question. Whatever answer we can come up with falls short of being helpful and can even be hurtful. To say that God had a plan for the Holocaust or for terrorists to fly planes into buildings makes it appear that God is a terrible planner, and diminishes the lives lost and the pain of survivors. Most of the time, human sin is the reason for pain and suffering. God gave humanity free will, and to quote a friend of mine, “God values free will so highly that God is willing to watch us hurt ourselves to protect it.” But sometimes, as in the tower of Siloam, things happen in nature that are beyond the body’s ability to withstand. The same natural laws (like gravity) that benefit us can also cause harm. Sometimes an errant cell will begin a series of divisions that manifest in cancer. It appears that there are no good answers for why such things happen. The only solace is that God ultimately holds our eternal life and security despite the mystery of tragedy in this physical life.   

 

Why Rest? | Rev. Wil Cantrell

We answer the question, "Why Rest?" this week through readings about Sabbath. Our culture describes rest differently than God. Resting is in the beginning (Genesis), is a commandment (Exodus), and is way of remembering that God is our one true God (Exodus). How do we remember and rest in our one true God in ways that refill rather than feel like another thing we have to do? What are the benefits of remembering and resting?

 

Why Rest? - Rev. Wil Cantrell

Scripture: Genesis 2:1-3, Exodus 20:8-11

Why Rest? | Rev. Larry Trotter

We answer the question, "Why Rest?" this week through readings about Sabbath. Our culture describes rest differently than God. Resting is in the beginning (Genesis), is a commandment (Exodus), and is way of remembering that God is our one true God (Exodus). How do we remember and rest in our one true God in ways that refill rather than feel like another thing we have to do? What are the benefits of remembering and resting?

 

Why Rest? - Rev. Larry Trotter

Genesis 2:1-3, Exodus 20:8-11