Concord United Sermons

Discipleship is God’s Initiative | Rev. Wil Cantrell

Being a disciple of Jesus Christ is core to who we are and what we are called to be.  A disciple is someone who follows Jesus Christ.  The historical context of a disciple is found within the Jewish tradition of a rabbi and a rabbi’s disciples.  An ancient phrase found in Jewish tradition is being “covered by the dust of our rabbi”.  That is our hope and calling, to be covered in the dust of our teacher, master, Savior, Jesus Christ. 

As disciples, we begin with belief being the foundation of faith.  What do we believe about God?  There are three main components to our belief about God:  God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  We believe in God the Father is the creator and maker of heaven and earth.  God created us in His image.  We believe in God the Son is our Savior and Messiah who came to be with us through Jesus Christ.  Jesus is God incarnate, who lived, taught, healed, was betrayed, arrested, crucified, died, was buried, and rose on the third day.  We believe in God the Holy Spirit, the Advocate who dwells in us and amongst us.  We also believe that God loves us first.

Our journey in following Jesus begins with spiritual curiosity and transitions to believing the truths about God.  Our first discipleship foundational truth is that we believe in God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and that God loves us first. 

Scripture - John 20:31; 1 John 4:9-12 

Know Your Limits | Rev. Wil Cantrell

Following Jesus requires saying “yes” to him—which necessarily means saying “no” to some things. In the Gospels, Jesus’ call to discipleship is radical and demanding. He reminds followers that not all commitments can coexist; priorities must be chosen. In family life, learning to set healthy spiritual, practical, and moral boundaries is vital for flourishing. This lesson is especially important in a culture of busyness, distraction, and competing loyalties.

Scripture - Matthew 8:18-22

Know Your Limits | Rev. Brooke Hartman

Following Jesus requires saying “yes” to him—which necessarily means saying “no” to some things. In the Gospels, Jesus’ call to discipleship is radical and demanding. He reminds followers that not all commitments can coexist; priorities must be chosen. In family life, learning to set healthy spiritual, practical, and moral boundaries is vital for flourishing. This lesson is especially important in a culture of busyness, distraction, and competing loyalties.

 Scripture - Matthew 8:18-22

Know Your Values | Rev. Mike Stallings

Jesus summarized God’s commands by reminding his followers to love God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength—and to love their neighbor as themselves. The parable of the Good Samaritan challenged first-century expectations about who deserves our compassion, showing that true faith always leads to practical acts of mercy. Christian families are shaped not only by beliefs, but by values lived out in daily choices—reflecting God’s vision for justice, equality, and grace.

Scripture - Luke 10:25-37

Know Your Values | Rev. Wil Cantrell

Jesus summarized God’s commands by reminding his followers to love God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength—and to love their neighbor as themselves. The parable of the Good Samaritan challenged first-century expectations about who deserves our compassion, showing that true faith always leads to practical acts of mercy. Christian families are shaped not only by beliefs, but by values lived out in daily choices—reflecting God’s vision for justice, equality, and grace.

Scripture - Luke 10:25-37

Know Your Role | Rev. Wil Cantrell

From Abraham’s family onward, the Scriptures portray the family as the foundation of both faith and society. God’s covenant with Abraham includes the call to instruct children and descendants “to keep the way of the Lord.” In the ancient world, faith was passed down person-to-person within families, with parents, grandparents, as well as single persons called unique forms of spiritual leadership.

Scripture - Genesis 18:17-19

Know Your Role | Rev. Brooke Hartman

From Abraham’s family onward, the Scriptures portray the family as the foundation of both faith and society. God’s covenant with Abraham includes the call to instruct children and descendants “to keep the way of the Lord.” In the ancient world, faith was passed down person-to-person within families, with parents, grandparents, as well as single persons called unique forms of spiritual leadership.

Scripture - Genesis 18:17-19

Know Your Family Story | Rev. Brooke Hartman

Family stories communicate who we are and where we come from—building emotional resilience and belonging. The Bible is filled with stories of God’s faithfulness, calling us to see ourselves as part of God’s great family. In 1 Peter, the scattered early Christians are reminded that despite suffering, they have an inheritance in Christ and belong to the family of God. Knowing our biblical story is foundational to living faithfully in today’s world.

Scripture - 1 Peter 2:9-10

Know Your Family Story | Rev. Wil Cantrell

Family stories communicate who we are and where we come from—building emotional resilience and belonging. The Bible is filled with stories of God’s faithfulness, calling us to see ourselves as part of God’s great family. In 1 Peter, the scattered early Christians are reminded that despite suffering, they have an inheritance in Christ and belong to the family of God. Knowing our biblical story is foundational to living faithfully in today’s world.

Scripture - 1 Peter 2:9-10

Jealousy: Evil’s Secret Weapon | Rev. Wil Cantrell

Social media has made jealousy into an epidemic, thought honestly jealousy was doing just fine long before Zuckerberg monetized it. The command not to be cover the possessions of our neighbor is the negative version of the positive command to be content and grateful with what God has given us. This doesn’t mean we have to be content with everything about our lives. We may find ourselves rightfully impassioned by the holy desire to better develop and utilize the gifts God has given us, but it does mean we do not sit around wishing we had the life of our neighbor rather than appreciating all the good things we have been given.

Scripture - Exodus 20:17