Sermons by Bob Rhodes (Page 11)
Personal Protective Equipment
This Sunday’s lectionary text is one that has been preached a number of times, and those with church backgrounds have likely heard this scripture directly or at least allusions to its imagery. Images of breastplates and helmets likely have limited impact for us, but perhaps we are familiar with other ways of wearing barriers to protect ourselves. Technical note: We experienced unexpected difficulties with this week’s audio. We apologize for this challenge to this week’s Worship service. Scripture: Ephesians 6:10-20…
Treasured
This Sunday we celebrate VBS Sunday, a sharing of the message and joy of the week of Vacation Bible School we have enjoyed with children in our community. This year’s theme has been Treasured, where we are reminded that we are treasured by God, and that God’s love is a precious treasure to us! Scripture: Esther 7:1-6, 9-10; 9:20-22 (CEB)
Why Does God Let Bad Things Happen?
This final question in the series may be the most asked, and is certainly the most common question I am asked when people want to push or challenge me on my religiosity. I am convinced that even the most faithful people have asked this question. Some come to find peace and some wrestle throughout their lives. For me, there is no simple answer. And so I hope that our exploration offers the spark of ongoing discovery of God’s presence in…
How Do We Face Evil & Injustice?
We are nearing the end of this season of questions with just a few weeks to go. This week’s question comes from an LJUMC member who asks about our responsibility in standing up to bullies and bigots. As a spiritual community of faithful Christians, we might see this as our duty. We may also acknowledge that it is difficult to stand up to wrongdoing… Scripture: Matthew 18:15-20 (CEB)
What’s the Household of God?
This week’s topic in our “Questions That Matter” series is inspired by the Epistle reading from our Revised Common Lectionary. Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus tells his readers that they “are fellow citizens with God’s people…” who “belong to God’s household.” If your household is like mine, sometimes there is disagreement or even argument. This seems to be the case for Paul’s readers as he invites them into reconciliation with one another as one body in God’s household.…
Is Heaven Real?
Continuing our Questions That Matter series, we turn to a question that was asked in more than one form and has thus been synthesized into this: Is Heaven real? Our concept of eternal life is deeply rooted in sacred text, and I suggest it is intended to bring hope. But sometimes it is used to exclude. In this week’s message, we will consider the idea of eternal life, heaven, and who it’s for… Scripture: Matthew 25:31-46, Ephesians 1:15-23 (CEB)
What’s So Important About Community?
This week we continue our “Questions That Matter” series with a question about community. This is deeply connected to our festivities this Sunday as we gather together to celebrate Independence Day. We will connect in an important way! I suggest that this kind of connection carries emotional and spiritual importance for us all. Scripture: Romans 12:1-8 (CEB)
Why Should I Give to the Church?
As we continue our “Questions That Matter” series, we turn to the matter of giving to the church. It seems as though there are many requests for money for worthy causes: natural disasters, public service organizations, educational institutions, and many more. Why should we give to the church too? Scripture: 2 Corinthians 8:7-15, Mark 5:21-43 (CEB)
Where do We See God?
This Sunday we begin our new series on Questions that Matter. This first week, we address a deep question that is rooted in our experience of God. As United Methodists, many of us affirm the Wesleyan Quadrilateral where we approach faith through scripture, tradition, reason, and experience. While not framed quite so succinctly, John Wesley clearly approached his own faith this way, and we can learn the importance of experiencing God. Scripture: Exodus 33:12-23, Luke 10:25-37 (CEB)
Seeking Light in the Darkness
This Sunday is Trinity Sunday and begins our regular season that follows Pentecost. This is the longest season in our Lectionary calendar, lasting all the way until we begin the church year again in Advent! We include one of the most-often-memorized scriptures. Many of us memorized John 3:16 in early Sunday School classes, and some of us even know the following verse as well. Scripture: John 3:1-17 (CEB)
Playing with Fire
This Sunday is Pentecost Sunday! In the Christian tradition, we celebrate this as the time when God’s Holy Spirit is given to the disciples who are then empowered to do some incredible things!
Forever
This is our final week for our sermon series following The Lord’s Prayer. This final week, we conclude with a section generally included by most Protestants that is commonly known as a doxology: for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Scripture: Matthew 6:9-13 (NRSV), 1 Chronicles 29:11 (CEB)