Sermon Archives

October

Speakers: Pastor Philip K. Penrod , Pastor Scott Brown , Rev. Douglas Reble
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  • Reformation and Witness
    Speaker: Pastor Scott Brown | Scripture: Mark 12:38-44 2021-10-31

    Warning Against the Teachers of the Law

    38 As he taught, Jesus said, “Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, 39 and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. 40 They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”

    The Widow’s Offering

    41 Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. 42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.

    43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”

  • Location! Location! Location!
    Speaker: Pastor Scott Brown | Scripture: Mark 10:46-52 2021-10-24
    Mark 10:46-52

    Blind Bartimaeus Receives His Sight

    46 Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means “son of Timaeus”), was sitting by the roadside begging. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

    48 Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

    49 Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.”

    So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.” 50 Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.

    51 “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him.

    The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”

    52 “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

  • Service
    Speaker: Pastor Scott Brown | Scripture: Mark 10:35-45 2021-10-17
    Mark 10:35-45

    The Request of James and John

    35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.”

    36 “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.

    37 They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”

    38 “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?”

    39 “We can,” they answered.

    Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, 40 but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.”

    41 When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. 42 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 43 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

  • Here We Stand! We Can Do No Other.
    Speaker: Pastor Philip K. Penrod | Scripture: Psalm 46:1-3; John 8:31-36 2019-10-27

    On Reformation Sunday, in the words of Martin Luther - "This is most certainly true".

    Psalm 46

    1 God is our refuge and strength,
        an ever-present help in trouble.
    2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
        and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
    3 though its waters roar and foam
        and the mountains quake with their surging.

    SELAH

    As a Reformation Sunday bonus, here is the story of Martin Luther. As told by Kindergarten students.

  • Thankful
    Speaker: Pastor Scott Brown | Scripture: Mark 10:17-31 2021-10-10

    The Rich and the Kingdom of God

    17 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

    18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’”

    20 “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”

    21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

    22 At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.

    23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”

    24 The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

    26 The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?”

    27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”

    28 Then Peter spoke up, “We have left everything to follow you!”

    29 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel 30 will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

  • Dealing With Doubt
    Speaker: Pastor Scott Brown | Scripture: Luke 18:9-14 2022-10-27

    The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector

    9  To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’

    13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

    14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

  • Run Back or Strive Forward?
    Speaker: Pastor Philip K. Penrod | Scripture: Genesis 32:22-31 2019-10-20

    Looking for further context? You can gain some great insights by clicking the two links below.

    Commentary on Genesis 32:22-31
    Jacob wrestling his 'angel' is our own struggle

    Genesis 32:22-31

    Jacob Wrestles With God

    22 That night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two female servants and his eleven sons and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 23 After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions. 24 So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. 25 When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. 26 Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.”

    But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”

    27 The man asked him, “What is your name?”

    “Jacob,” he answered.

    28 Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.”

    29 Jacob said, “Please tell me your name.”

    But he replied, “Why do you ask my name?” Then he blessed him there.

    30 So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.”

    31 The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel, and he was limping because of his hip

  • Unexpected
    Speaker: Pastor Scott Brown | Scripture: Mark 10:2-16 2021-10-03

    2 Some Pharisees came and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?”

    3 “What did Moses command you?” he replied.

    4 They said, “Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away.”

    5 “It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law,” Jesus replied. 6 “But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female.’ 7 ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, 8 and the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. 9 Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

    10 When they were in the house again, the disciples asked Jesus about this. 11 He answered, “Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. 12 And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.”

    The Little Children and Jesus

    13 People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” 16 And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.

  • In Between
    Speaker: Pastor Scott Brown | Scripture: Luke 17:11-19 2022-10-09

    Jesus Heals Ten Men With Leprosy

    11 Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance 13 and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”

    14 When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.

    15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.

    17 Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”

  • Well and Truly Rooted
    Speaker: Pastor Philip K. Penrod | Scripture: John 8:31-36 2017-10-29

    John 8:31-36

    Dispute Over Whose Children Jesus’ Opponents Are

    31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

    33 They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”

    34 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. 35 Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

  • Give Thanks...Together...Whole-Heartedly!
    Speaker: Pastor Philip K. Penrod | Scripture: Luke 17:10-19 2019-10-13

    Each Sunday we gather together for worship. Why do we do that?

    Luke 17:10-19

    Jesus Heals Ten Men With Leprosy

    11 Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance 13 and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”

    14 When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.

    15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.

    17 Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”

  • Priming the Pump
    Speaker: Pastor Scott Brown | Scripture: Luke 17:5-10 2022-10-01

    5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”

    6 He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.

    7 “Suppose one of you has a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Will he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, ‘Come along now and sit down to eat’? 8 Won’t he rather say, ‘Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink’? 9 Will he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? 10 So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’”

  • Freedom
    Speaker: Pastor Scott Brown | Scripture: John 8:31-38 2023-10-29

    John 8:31-38

    31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

    33 They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”

    34 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. 35 Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are looking for a way to kill me, because you have no room for my word. 38 I am telling you what I have seen in the Father’s presence, and you are doing what you have heard from your father.”

  • Ethical Questions - The Jesus Approach
    Speaker: Pastor Philip K. Penrod 2017-10-23

    Paying the Imperial Tax to Caesar

    15 Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words.16 They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are. 17 Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not?”

    18 But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? 19 Show me the coin used for paying the tax.”They brought him a denarius, 20 and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”

    21 “Caesar’s,” they replied.

    Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

    22 When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away.

    Image Licensed under Creative Commons 3. Creator attribution: Nick Youngson - http://nyphotographic.com/

  • In God's Economy... Broke is Beautiful (Part 5 of 5)
    Speaker: Pastor Philip K. Penrod | Scripture: Mark 10:46-52 2018-10-28

    If Jesus has a choice between your wallet and your heart, between your time and your heart, between your volunteer service and your heart - that's an easy choice!

    Mark 10:46-52

    Blind Bartimaeus Receives His Sight

    46 Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means “son of Timaeus”), was sitting by the roadside begging. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

    48 Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

    49 Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.”

    So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.” 50 Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.

    51 “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him.

    The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”

    52 “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

  • Context is Key
    Speaker: Pastor Philip K. Penrod | Scripture: Luke 17:5-10 2019-10-06

    Context is Key. Sometimes God's love will manifest in challenge.

    Everyone has gifts and everyone has calling. Jesus assures us that we will experience challenge, accountability, and FORGIVENESS. Jesus is gentle, patient, and bold. Bold so that we can grow into our potential.

    Luke 17 New International Version (NIV)

    Sin, Faith, Duty

    5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”

    6 He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.

    7 “Suppose one of you has a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Will he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, ‘Come along now and sit down to eat’? 8 Won’t he rather say, ‘Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink’? 9 Will he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? 10 So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’”

  • More Questions
    Speaker: Pastor Scott Brown | Scripture: Matthew 22:15-22 2023-10-22
    Matthew 22:15-22

    Paying the Imperial Tax to Caesar

    15 Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words. 16 They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are. 17 Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not?”

    18 But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? 19 Show me the coin used for paying the tax.” They brought him a denarius, 20 and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”

    21 “Caesar’s,” they replied.

    Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

    22 When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away.

  • HMS Disciple
    Speaker: Pastor Philip K. Penrod | Scripture: Psalm 23:1-6; Matthew 22:1-14 2017-10-15

    Psalm 23 (NIV)

    A psalm of David.

    1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
    2     He makes me lie down in green pastures,
    he leads me beside quiet waters,
    3     he refreshes my soul.
    He guides me along the right paths
        for his name’s sake.
    4 Even though I walk
        through the darkest valley,
    I will fear no evil,
        for you are with me;
    your rod and your staff,
        they comfort me.

    5 You prepare a table before me
        in the presence of my enemies.
    You anoint my head with oil;
        my cup overflows.
    6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me
        all the days of my life,
    and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
        forever.

  • In God's Economy... Faith is Forward Progress (Part 3 of 5)
    Speaker: Pastor Philip K. Penrod | Scripture: Mark 10:17-31 2018-10-14

    We sometimes speak of being on a "faith journey". We strive to "grow in our faith". It's not necessarily a bad thing, but do you ever get the feeling that you fall short? That you are not doing enough? Jesus wants you to know - it's not about what you do! It's about who you are - a beloved child of God. So sometimes we seem to be making incredible progress, and sometimes we feel like we're falling back. That is normal. God sees our forward progress and continues to stand with us, even when we get pushed back.

    The Rich and the Kingdom of God

    17 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

    18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’”

    20 “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”

    21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.Then come, follow me.”

    22 At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.

    23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”

    24 The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

    26 The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?”

    27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”

    28 Then Peter spoke up, “We have left everything to follow you!”

    29 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel 30 will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life.31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

  • Questions For the Average Person
    Speaker: Rev. Douglas Reble | Scripture: Matthew 11:16-19,25-30 2023-10-15

    Matthew 11:16-19,25-30

    16 “To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others:

    17 “‘We played the pipe for you,
        and you did not dance;
    we sang a dirge,
        and you did not mourn.’

    18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved right by her deeds.”

    The Father Revealed in the Son

    25 At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. 26 Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.

    27 “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

    28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

    Image "Joining Hands" Creative Commons License, from rawpixel https://www.rawpixel.com/image/5922011

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Pastor's Blog

Image of a dove and cross acronym Advancing & Changing Through the Spirit (ACTS)

Liminal. Ok, so in between-ness. Terrible grammar, I know. And exactly where we are.

Read more …

Thought For The Week

"It is never too late to be who you might have been."

George Eliot