Video sermons from America's best preachers for every Sunday of the Christian Year.

A Sermon for Every Sunday

"When I was a kid, we used to play a game on the school playground called 'King of the Hill.'...Somebody would climb up on a mound of dirt at one corner of the playground and shout: 'I’m King of the Hill!' which was an invitation to everyone else to come and try to push him off...Whoever was on top at any given time was the King of the Hill and usually it didn’t last very long, but it was wonderful when you were up there...But let’s put it in perspective. It was a playground game...Other than the few kids who had played the game with me that day, nobody knew or cared that for one brief, shining moment I had been king," begins Jim Somervile, pastor of Richmond's First Baptist Church and Co-Founder of A Sermon for Every Sunday. He continues, "It's not all that different, really, from the story we find in today's Gospel reading, Luke 23:33-43...where Jesus doesn’t look much like a king at all." The crucifixion seems to be a strange text for Christ the King Sunday. But, Somerville says, "If you believe that Jesus was as good as his word, then you can see how this pitiful scene from Luke 23 is transformed by your faith...The surprising thing about Jesus is that he uses his power not to save himself but to save others. And let me ask you: if you could choose between a king who would use his power to save himself and a king who would use his power to save you, which one would you choose?" 
 
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"When I was a kid, we used to play a game on the school playground called 'King of the Hill.'...Somebody would climb up on a mound of dirt at one corner of the playground and shout: 'I’m King of the Hill!' which was an invitation to everyone else to come and try to push him off...Whoever was on top at any given time was the King of the Hill and usually it didn’t last very long, but it was wonderful when you were up there...But let’s put it in perspective. It was a playground game...Other than the few kids who had played the game with me that day, nobody knew or cared that for one brief, shining moment I had been king," begins Jim Somervile, pastor of Richmond's First Baptist Church and Co-Founder of A Sermon for Every Sunday. He continues, "It's not all that different, really, from the story we find in today's Gospel reading, Luke 23:33-43...where Jesus doesn’t look much like a king at all." The crucifixion seems to be a strange text for Christ the King Sunday. But, Somerville says, "I

"King of the Hill," a Sermon by Jim Somerville from Luke 23:33-43

In today's sermon, Debie Thomas, Minister of Lifelong Formation at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Palo Alto, California and blogger at Journey with Jesus, explores the parable of the "persistent widow" from Luke 18:1-8. This parable raises some troubling questions about prayer and God's response to our prayers. Does God answer our prayers because, like the unjust judge, God gets tired of hearing us ask? The parable tells us that "God quickly grants justice" to those who cry out to God. However, Thomas points out that our life experiences often show that "God does delay, and our most fervent prayers...go unanswered." Thomas asks, "So what are we to make of this parable?" She says, "I wonder if the story is less about God, and more about us. I wonder if it’s about the state of our hearts, and about the motivations behind our prayers. Maybe what’s at stake is not who God is and how God operates in the world, but who we are, and why we need so desperately to be people of persistent prayer." Listen as Thomas explores the parable from the points of view of both the widow and the judge. What can we learn from the persistence of each? 
 
FREE high-definition downloads suitable for projecting in worship are available on our website at https://asermonforeverysunday.com/

In today's sermon, Debie Thomas, Minister of Lifelong Formation at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Palo Alto, California and blogger at Journey with Jesus, explores the parable of the "persistent widow" from Luke 18:1-8. This parable raises some troubling questions about prayer and God's response to our prayers. Does God answer our prayers because, like the unjust judge, God gets tired of hearing us ask? The parable tells us that "God quickly grants justice" to those who cry out to God. However, Thomas points out that our life experiences often show that "God does delay, and our most fervent prayers...go unanswered." Thomas asks, "So what are we to make of this parable?" She says, "I wonder if the story is less about God, and more about us. I wonder if it’s about the state of our hearts, and about the motivations behind our prayers. Maybe what’s at stake is not who God is and how God operates in the world, but who we are, and why we need so desperately to be people of persistent prayer.

"Persistent Prayer," a Sermon by Debie Thomas from Luke 18:1-8

"I'm pregnant!" Father Michael Renninger, pastor of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Richmond, Virginia, overheard his 67 year old mother say on the telephone. He, of course, was confused. Later his mother said to him, "Michael, didn't I teach you not to take things out of context?" It turns out that his mother was guessing the news her friend had called to share with her and it just so happened that was the only part of the conversation that Renninger heard. Renninger reminds us, "It is dangerous to take things out of context...Sometimes you can only understand what you've just heard if you know what came before it...I certainly think that is true of this week's passage from Luke 16:1-13." Last week's passage, the Prodigal Son, helps us understand this week's passage. Both parables invite us "to think about the treasure God has put into your hands and then to ask, 'What am I doing with it, squandering or serving?'" 
 
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"I'm pregnant!" Father Michael Renninger, pastor of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Richmond, Virginia, overheard his 67 year old mother say on the telephone. He, of course, was confused. Later his mother said to him, "Michael, didn't I teach you not to take things out of context?" It turns out that his mother was guessing the news her friend had called to share with her and it just so happened that was the only part of the conversation that Renninger heard. Renninger reminds us, "It is dangerous to take things out of context...Sometimes you can only understand what you've just heard if you know what came before it...I certainly think that is true of this week's passage from Luke 16:1-13." Last week's passage, the Prodigal Son, helps us understand this week's passage. Both parables invite us "to think about the treasure God has put into your hands and then to ask, 'What am I doing with it, squandering or serving?'"

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"Entrusted Treasure," a Sermon by Michael Renninger from Luke 16:1-13

"'I once was lost but now am found. Was blind but now I see.' I can’t begin to count how many times I’ve sung these famous lines from John Newton’s “Amazing Grace.” I learned the hymn when I was a little girl, and I still find its assured language moving and beautiful. But here’s the thing: I’m not convinced anymore that I can fit my faith into its neat before-and-after story. Why? Because my lostness isn’t over. Lostness remains a central feature of my relationship with God, and if this week’s Gospel reading has anything to say about it, this is exactly as it should be," begins Debie Thomas, Minister of Lifelong Formation at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Palo Alto, California and blogger at Journey with Jesus. In today's passage, Luke 15:1-10, Jesus tells two parables about lost items being found. Thomas points out that the items belonged to the owners before being lost. "What does this mean?" she asks. "It means that lostness isn’t an experience exclusive to non or not-yet Christians. Lostness happens to God’s people. It happens within the beloved community. It’s not that we cross over once and for all from a sinful lostness to a righteous 'found-ness.' We get lost over and over again – and God finds us over and over again. Lostness is not a blasphemous aberration; it’s part and parcel of the life of faith." What can we learn from lostness? Thomas quotes Barbara Brown Taylor, "Lostness shows us who we really are, and who God really is." We learn that God continually searches for us, and that is amazing grace! 
 
FREE high-definition downloads suitable for projecting in worship are available on our website at https://asermonforeverysunday.com/

"'I once was lost but now am found. Was blind but now I see.' I can’t begin to count how many times I’ve sung these famous lines from John Newton’s “Amazing Grace.” I learned the hymn when I was a little girl, and I still find its assured language moving and beautiful. But here’s the thing: I’m not convinced anymore that I can fit my faith into its neat before-and-after story. Why? Because my lostness isn’t over. Lostness remains a central feature of my relationship with God, and if this week’s Gospel reading has anything to say about it, this is exactly as it should be," begins Debie Thomas, Minister of Lifelong Formation at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Palo Alto, California and blogger at Journey with Jesus. In today's passage, Luke 15:1-10, Jesus tells two parables about lost items being found. Thomas points out that the items belonged to the owners before being lost. "What does this mean?" she asks. "It means that lostness isn’t an experience exclusive to non or not-yet Christian

"Lost and Found," a Sermon by Debie Thomas from Luke 15:1-10

After taking some time to sort out its proper pronunciation, Michael Renninger says, "Saint Paul’s letter to Philemon is the shortest book in the Bible. It has only 25 verses. In this short letter, Paul gently but powerfully informs Philemon that Philemon has a problem…and so do we. What’s the problem? It’s this: If we take Jesus seriously, we’ll see that Jesus is at work changing the world – and Jesus wants us to participate in changing the world.  Doing that… is going to be very hard. Because changing the world begins with accepting the reality that, first and foremost, the Lord is going to change us, and change our assumptions, and change everything we thought we could take for granted in this world." Father Michael Renninger is Pastor of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Richmond, Virginia, and one of our most popular preachers. This week he asks the question, "What do you do when your slave becomes your brother in Christ?" Philemon had a problem, and so will we if we look at the world the way Jesus looks at it. 
 
FREE high-definition downloads suitable for projecting in worship are available on our website at https://asermonforeverysunday.com/

After taking some time to sort out its proper pronunciation, Michael Renninger says, "Saint Paul’s letter to Philemon is the shortest book in the Bible. It has only 25 verses. In this short letter, Paul gently but powerfully informs Philemon that Philemon has a problem…and so do we. What’s the problem? It’s this: If we take Jesus seriously, we’ll see that Jesus is at work changing the world – and Jesus wants us to participate in changing the world.  Doing that… is going to be very hard. Because changing the world begins with accepting the reality that, first and foremost, the Lord is going to change us, and change our assumptions, and change everything we thought we could take for granted in this world." Father Michael Renninger is Pastor of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Richmond, Virginia, and one of our most popular preachers. This week he asks the question, "What do you do when your slave becomes your brother in Christ?" Philemon had a problem, and so will we if we look at the world

"Philemon Had a Problem," a Sermon by Michael Renninger from Philemon 1:1-21

"No matter what the circumstances are, I think everyone likes the feeling of getting a better seat somewhere than the one you were originally given...One time about twelve years or so ago I found myself in a situation where I ended up with a much better seat than I started with. I was serving a congregation in Pittsburgh, and one of my parishioners, who knew I had once lived in Egypt, sent me a newspaper clipping announcing that a Coptic Orthodox church in another community about 20 minutes up the road was going to be holding a special worship service to consecrate their new worship space," begins Phillip Martin, pastor of Epiphany Lutheran Church in Richmond, Virginia. Martin went to the service. He says, "No one seemed to notice I was there, so I just went and sat in one of the back pews...I had only been sitting for a few moments when someone appeared at the end of my pew and asked me if I was their 'distinguished ecumenical guest.'...He then escorted me all the way to the very front pew...and [I was] sitting about 10 feet away from [the] Pope." In today's passage from Luke 14:1, 7-14, Martin says, "Even Jesus seems to understand the benefit of being asked to move up to a higher seat. We hear about this one time when he is invited to eat a meal at the leader of the Pharisees’ house and he basically gives [the following] advice: don’t insert yourselves into places of honor and dignity. It’s better not to self-promote. Take a place lower than you may even think you deserve and let that be how you start relating to people." How might we change our world if we listened to Jesus's advice and paid more attention to those "seated at the back, on the side, or alone"? 
 
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"No matter what the circumstances are, I think everyone likes the feeling of getting a better seat somewhere than the one you were originally given...One time about twelve years or so ago I found myself in a situation where I ended up with a much better seat than I started with. I was serving a congregation in Pittsburgh, and one of my parishioners, who knew I had once lived in Egypt, sent me a newspaper clipping announcing that a Coptic Orthodox church in another community about 20 minutes up the road was going to be holding a special worship service to consecrate their new worship space," begins Phillip Martin, pastor of Epiphany Lutheran Church in Richmond, Virginia. Martin went to the service. He says, "No one seemed to notice I was there, so I just went and sat in one of the back pews...I had only been sitting for a few moments when someone appeared at the end of my pew and asked me if I was their 'distinguished ecumenical guest.'...He then escorted me all the way to the very fron

"A Seat of Honor," a Sermon by Phillip Martin from Luke 14:1, 7-14

In today's passage from Luke 13:10-17, a 'bent over' woman, crippled for eighteen years, shows up at the synagogue. She doesn't seek out Jesus, but Jesus sees her. He puts his sermon on hold, lays hands on her, and heals her. "Immediately she stood up straight and began praising God." Debie Thomas, Minister of Lifelong Formation at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Palo Alto, California and blogger at Journey with Jesus, admits that she stumbles over that line. Thomas ponders, "Why don't I think of the church as a place where people unable to stand up on their own can come to have their dignity restored and their full potential realized?" She says, "Unfortunately, the Gospel story itself offers the answer." The leader of the synagogue becomes angry that Jesus didn't follow tradition. Thomas says, "What the leader misses is the heart of the Sabbath, the heart of God’s law, the heart of the tradition. What the leader misses is the brave, unrestricted compassion that trumps legalism in God’s kingdom every single time. This is a compassion that doesn’t cling to orthodoxy for orthodoxy’s sake. It’s a compassion that consistently sees the broken body, the broken soul, the broken spirit — before it sees the broken commandment." Listen as Thomas ponders, "What would it be like if the church were known for this?" 
 
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In today's passage from Luke 13:10-17, a 'bent over' woman, crippled for eighteen years, shows up at the synagogue. She doesn't seek out Jesus, but Jesus sees her. He puts his sermon on hold, lays hands on her, and heals her. "Immediately she stood up straight and began praising God." Debie Thomas, Minister of Lifelong Formation at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Palo Alto, California and blogger at Journey with Jesus, admits that she stumbles over that line. Thomas ponders, "Why don't I think of the church as a place where people unable to stand up on their own can come to have their dignity restored and their full potential realized?" She says, "Unfortunately, the Gospel story itself offers the answer." The leader of the synagogue becomes angry that Jesus didn't follow tradition. Thomas says, "What the leader misses is the heart of the Sabbath, the heart of God’s law, the heart of the tradition. What the leader misses is the brave, unrestricted compassion that trumps legalism in God’s

"Stand Up Straight," a Sermon by Debie Thomas from Luke 13:10-17

"Today’s Gospel lesson, Luke 12:49-56, is hard! Jesus asks, 'Did you think I came to bring peace to the earth?' Well, yes, Jesus, yes, I did. You are the Prince of Peace. I don’t like this idea that Jesus came to cause fighting. And not just fighting, but the worst kind of fighting-fighting between members of the same family," begins Judy Kincaid, pastor of Little Elk Creek Lutheran Church and New Hope Lutheran Church in Menomonie, Wisconsin. Kincaid continues, "Change is hard and it won’t be easy, but we are called to change what needs to be changed in our world, in our church, and in our own hearts...You can’t change the world, or even your own family, without causing some discomfort and strife. Jesus came to us as a messenger of God’s love for all people. Love is holy and true and lifegiving, but it’s not easy..." Listen as Kincaid explains why love is worth the fight. 
 
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"Today’s Gospel lesson, Luke 12:49-56, is hard! Jesus asks, 'Did you think I came to bring peace to the earth?' Well, yes, Jesus, yes, I did. You are the Prince of Peace. I don’t like this idea that Jesus came to cause fighting. And not just fighting, but the worst kind of fighting-fighting between members of the same family," begins Judy Kincaid, pastor of Little Elk Creek Lutheran Church and New Hope Lutheran Church in Menomonie, Wisconsin. Kincaid continues, "Change is hard and it won’t be easy, but we are called to change what needs to be changed in our world, in our church, and in our own hearts...You can’t change the world, or even your own family, without causing some discomfort and strife. Jesus came to us as a messenger of God’s love for all people. Love is holy and true and lifegiving, but it’s not easy..." Listen as Kincaid explains why love is worth the fight.

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“We’re Going to Have to Break Some Eggs!” a Sermon by Judy Kincaid from Luke 12:49-56

Ryan Ahlgrim preaches that fascinating story from Genesis 18:20-32, about the time Abraham bargained with God in the hope that he would spare the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah "if only ten righteous" were found in them. Ahlgrim is the Pastor of First Mennonite Church in Richmond, Virginia, and a frequent contributor to this site. He begins his sermon with a story about how his own father wouldn't hear him out when he felt that something was unjust, but God hears Abraham out. Does God really want us to work out our own morality "with fear and trembling," in the same way we are urged to work out our salvation? Listen to Ahlgrim's sermon and find out. 
 
FREE high-definition downloads suitable for projecting in worship are available on our website at https://asermonforeverysunday.com/

Ryan Ahlgrim preaches that fascinating story from Genesis 18:20-32, about the time Abraham bargained with God in the hope that he would spare the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah "if only ten righteous" were found in them. Ahlgrim is the Pastor of First Mennonite Church in Richmond, Virginia, and a frequent contributor to this site. He begins his sermon with a story about how his own father wouldn't hear him out when he felt that something was unjust, but God hears Abraham out. Does God really want us to work out our own morality "with fear and trembling," in the same way we are urged to work out our salvation? Listen to Ahlgrim's sermon and find out.

FREE high-definition downloads suitable for projecting in worship are available on our website at https://asermonforeverysunday.com/

"Debating God," a Sermon by Ryan Ahlgrim from Genesis 18:20-32

"I want to start out with a bit of news that will, I have little doubt, not shock you. And here it is: People in power like to control speech. That is, they don’t like free speech and they want to shut it down. And in many places, the person whose speech the authorities most want to shut down, is God. The authorities don’t like the Word of God. And they don’t like those who speak God’s Word," begins Rolf Jacobson, Dean of the Faculty, Professor of Old Testament, and the Alvin N. Rogness Chair of Scripture, Theology and Ministry at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. Jacobson continues, "All of this is nothing new. In the ancient, in the Bible, you find that God’s word was also often not welcomed.  And a case in point is the prophet Amos...people didn't like him, or his speech, or the God who spoke through him." In today's passage from Amos 7:7-17, Amos "ran afoul" of two authorities because of his message. God measured the people to whom Amos prophesied with a "plumb line" and it did not turn out well for them. How might it turn out for us? 
 
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"I want to start out with a bit of news that will, I have little doubt, not shock you. And here it is: People in power like to control speech. That is, they don’t like free speech and they want to shut it down. And in many places, the person whose speech the authorities most want to shut down, is God. The authorities don’t like the Word of God. And they don’t like those who speak God’s Word," begins Rolf Jacobson, Dean of the Faculty, Professor of Old Testament, and the Alvin N. Rogness Chair of Scripture, Theology and Ministry at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. Jacobson continues, "All of this is nothing new. In the ancient, in the Bible, you find that God’s word was also often not welcomed.  And a case in point is the prophet Amos...people didn't like him, or his speech, or the God who spoke through him." In today's passage from Amos 7:7-17, Amos "ran afoul" of two authorities because of his message. God measured the people to whom Amos prophesied with a "plumb line" and it d

"Plumb Line," a Sermon by Rolf Jacobson from Amos 7:7-17

"This tale of two prophets is shrouded in mystery and bursting with evidence of the matchless power of God," begins The Rev. Dr. Joy J. Moore, Professor of Biblical Preaching at Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota. In today's passage, 2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14, Elijah is about to be taken into heaven, but Elisha does not want him to leave. Elijah takes Elisha on a final journey, making "certain that Elisha knows the places where God has shown up...[because] Elijah wants the next generation to know the past in order to face the future." What can we learn from their journey? Moore says, "This story testifies to the fact that there is an unseen realm of God that is constantly influencing the course of affairs on earth...It was never about Elijah or Elisha. It was always about the spirit of truth in them." That same spirit of truth resides within us, equipping us to bear witness to God's truth. 
 
FREE high-definition downloads suitable for projecting in worship are available on our website at https://asermonforeverysunday.com/

"This tale of two prophets is shrouded in mystery and bursting with evidence of the matchless power of God," begins The Rev. Dr. Joy J. Moore, Professor of Biblical Preaching at Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota. In today's passage, 2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14, Elijah is about to be taken into heaven, but Elisha does not want him to leave. Elijah takes Elisha on a final journey, making "certain that Elisha knows the places where God has shown up...[because] Elijah wants the next generation to know the past in order to face the future." What can we learn from their journey? Moore says, "This story testifies to the fact that there is an unseen realm of God that is constantly influencing the course of affairs on earth...It was never about Elijah or Elisha. It was always about the spirit of truth in them." That same spirit of truth resides within us, equipping us to bear witness to God's truth.

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"A Tale of Two Prophets," a Sermon by Joy J. Moore from 2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14

Today's preacher, Richard Ward, is the Fred B. Craddock Professor Emeritus of Preaching and Practical Theology at Phillips Seminary in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Ward begins today's sermon from Luke 8:26-39, "The Healing Power of Incarnate Love", with a story of two men who believed in "devils" and "demons". These men often visited the ministry house, Fisherfolk, where Ward, a Campus Minister, lived with a group of students. Ward says, "I’d like to think that Tom and Howard were in our orbit of concern because somehow they were experiencing Incarnate Love in that community. Or perhaps God’s Incarnate Love was shining through to us through their traumatized psyches?" Their stories reminded him of today's passage, a complex story, "where Incarnate Love in the person of Jesus meets Trauma Incarnate" in the form of a man possessed by demons. What is the outcome? Listen as Ward uses his passion for storytelling and interpretation to explore this difficult story. 
 
FREE high-definition downloads suitable for projecting in worship are available on our website at https://asermonforeverysunday.com/

Today's preacher, Richard Ward, is the Fred B. Craddock Professor Emeritus of Preaching and Practical Theology at Phillips Seminary in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Ward begins today's sermon from Luke 8:26-39, "The Healing Power of Incarnate Love", with a story of two men who believed in "devils" and "demons". These men often visited the ministry house, Fisherfolk, where Ward, a Campus Minister, lived with a group of students. Ward says, "I’d like to think that Tom and Howard were in our orbit of concern because somehow they were experiencing Incarnate Love in that community. Or perhaps God’s Incarnate Love was shining through to us through their traumatized psyches?" Their stories reminded him of today's passage, a complex story, "where Incarnate Love in the person of Jesus meets Trauma Incarnate" in the form of a man possessed by demons. What is the outcome? Listen as Ward uses his passion for storytelling and interpretation to explore this difficult story.

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“The Healing Power of Incarnate Love,” a Sermon by Richard Ward from Luke 8:26-39

"A lot of churches these days are wondering how they can attract young adults. They think of them as the future of the church and they want their church to have a future," begins Jim Somerville, pastor of Richmond's First Baptist Church and co-founder of A Sermon for Every Sunday. Somerville warned his church, "Be careful. Before we start throwing open the door to young adults, let's make sure we are ready to welcome them." In today's passage from Acts 2:1-21, Peter defended those speaking in other languages, saying they were not "filled with new wine" but were filled with the Holy Spirit. He quoted the prophet Joel, "I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions" (Joel 2:28). Those prophecies, dreams, and visions might sound crazy, but Somerville reminds us that the spirit of God does some crazy things too. So, test the spirit to make sure it is of God, and don't be too quick to judge. 
 
FREE high-definition downloads suitable for projecting in worship are available on our website at https://asermonforeverysunday.com/

"A lot of churches these days are wondering how they can attract young adults. They think of them as the future of the church and they want their church to have a future," begins Jim Somerville, pastor of Richmond's First Baptist Church and co-founder of A Sermon for Every Sunday. Somerville warned his church, "Be careful. Before we start throwing open the door to young adults, let's make sure we are ready to welcome them." In today's passage from Acts 2:1-21, Peter defended those speaking in other languages, saying they were not "filled with new wine" but were filled with the Holy Spirit. He quoted the prophet Joel, "I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions" (Joel 2:28). Those prophecies, dreams, and visions might sound crazy, but Somerville reminds us that the spirit of God does some crazy things too. So, test the spirit to make sure it is of God, and don't be too quick to judge.

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"Test the Spirit," a Sermon by Jim Somerville from Acts 2:1-21

"Several summers ago I went hiking with some friends in the beautiful mountains of Glacier National Park in Montana...We came upon a long portion of the trail...that had been completely burned to the ground just a few summers before by a wildfire...We found it to be a very bleak landscape, except for the fact that the ground all around us on each side of the trail was amazingly lush and green and covered with bright pink flowers...We walked through this other-worldly valley...with a feeling that I can only describe as enchantment. Even though the fire had been destructive, new growth was springing to life very quickly. Call it the circle of life, call it nature’s way of garbage control. To three pastors on a hike it felt like it should be called 'Resurrection Valley,'" begins Phillip Martin, pastor of Epiphany Lutheran Church in Richmond, Virginia. He continues, "John of Patmos, writing on his little island of exile at the end of the first century, gives us a glimpse of God’s final plan for creation and the ultimate fulfillment of his kingdom, and it sounds something like Resurrection Valley." In Revelation 21:1-6, "we see a God who wants to make all things new. We see a God who doesn’t want to snatch his creatures away from a broken world, but one whose work is, at heart, renewing, refreshing, redemptive." 
 
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"Several summers ago I went hiking with some friends in the beautiful mountains of Glacier National Park in Montana...We came upon a long portion of the trail...that had been completely burned to the ground just a few summers before by a wildfire...We found it to be a very bleak landscape, except for the fact that the ground all around us on each side of the trail was amazingly lush and green and covered with bright pink flowers...We walked through this other-worldly valley...with a feeling that I can only describe as enchantment. Even though the fire had been destructive, new growth was springing to life very quickly. Call it the circle of life, call it nature’s way of garbage control. To three pastors on a hike it felt like it should be called 'Resurrection Valley,'" begins Phillip Martin, pastor of Epiphany Lutheran Church in Richmond, Virginia. He continues, "John of Patmos, writing on his little island of exile at the end of the first century, gives us a glimpse of God’s final pla

"Resurrection Valley," a Sermon by Phillip Martin from Revelation 21:1-6

"On Easter Sunday someone usually says, 'Christ is risen!' and everyone else says, 'Christ is risen indeed!'  But some people have a hard time with the Resurrection: they have a hard time believing it actually happened. I can’t say that I blame them," begins Jim Somerville, pastor of Richmond's First Baptist Church and co-founder of A Sermon for Every Sunday. He continues, "Whatever actually happened on Easter Sunday morning, the result of it was that the disciples, who might have simply scattered and gone back to their old lives, came together and formed a community of believers." In today's passage from Acts 5:27-32, Peter, the one who had denied Jesus three times, becomes a fearless disciple. He refuses to stop preaching in Jesus's name and even accuses the authorities of killing Jesus, a threat that could have resulted in his death right then and there. Somerville says, "Whatever happened in those days after Jesus’ death and burial changed them, drastically, and that may be all the proof of resurrection we need." 
 
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"On Easter Sunday someone usually says, 'Christ is risen!' and everyone else says, 'Christ is risen indeed!'  But some people have a hard time with the Resurrection: they have a hard time believing it actually happened. I can’t say that I blame them," begins Jim Somerville, pastor of Richmond's First Baptist Church and co-founder of A Sermon for Every Sunday. He continues, "Whatever actually happened on Easter Sunday morning, the result of it was that the disciples, who might have simply scattered and gone back to their old lives, came together and formed a community of believers." In today's passage from Acts 5:27-32, Peter, the one who had denied Jesus three times, becomes a fearless disciple. He refuses to stop preaching in Jesus's name and even accuses the authorities of killing Jesus, a threat that could have resulted in his death right then and there. Somerville says, "Whatever happened in those days after Jesus’ death and burial changed them, drastically, and that may be all the

"The Body of Christ: Risen," a Sermon by Jim Somerville from Acts 5:27-32

"Lately it’s been hard to escape the topic of money...Money, it seems, is a human obsession," says Amy Starr Redwine, pastor of Richmond's First Presbyterian Church. Redwine quotes Author and philanthropic critic, Edgar Villanueva, "Money is a tool to reflect the obligations people develop to one another as they interact." She continues, "Today’s words from the prophet Isaiah, on the other hand, offer us a whole different economic vision." In Isaiah 55:1-9, the prophet "paints a vision of a whole new future - one dominated not by the shadow of trauma and oppression, but rather by God's outrageous abundance." God's economy runs not on money, but on "love and mercy, freely given, freely received...there is always enough to go around." Thanks be to God! 
 
FREE high-definition downloads suitable for projecting in worship are available on our website at https://asermonforeverysunday.com/

"Lately it’s been hard to escape the topic of money...Money, it seems, is a human obsession," says Amy Starr Redwine, pastor of Richmond's First Presbyterian Church. Redwine quotes Author and philanthropic critic, Edgar Villanueva, "Money is a tool to reflect the obligations people develop to one another as they interact." She continues, "Today’s words from the prophet Isaiah, on the other hand, offer us a whole different economic vision." In Isaiah 55:1-9, the prophet "paints a vision of a whole new future - one dominated not by the shadow of trauma and oppression, but rather by God's outrageous abundance." God's economy runs not on money, but on "love and mercy, freely given, freely received...there is always enough to go around." Thanks be to God!

FREE high-definition downloads suitable for projecting in worship are available on our website at https://asermonforeverysunday.com/

"God's Economy," a Sermon by Amy Starr Redwine from Isaiah 55:1-9

Rev. Phillip Martin, pastor of Epiphany Lutheran Church in Richmond, Virginia, compares his recent experience with jury duty to the Transfiguration in Luke 9:28-36, (37-43a). He explains how he was sequestered for three days, listened to the witnesses, and was given directions not to discuss the trial with anyone until it was over. He says, "In many ways, that experience is kind of like Jesus’ transfiguration. Lots of disciples are called, but only three are summoned and selected...When it’s all over...they keep it to themselves, and so what they really encounter there on the mountain and what it all means is still somewhat of a mystery to anyone who wasn’t there." What happened on the mountain top might be a mystery, but Jesus's death and resurrection "is going to reveal that God climbs down into every possible place we might find ourselves in...God comes to us in all our distorted realities, throwing back his own veil of mystery in the love of his Son Jesus." 
 
FREE high-definition downloads suitable for projecting in worship are available on our website at https://asermonforeverysunday.com/

Rev. Phillip Martin, pastor of Epiphany Lutheran Church in Richmond, Virginia, compares his recent experience with jury duty to the Transfiguration in Luke 9:28-36, (37-43a). He explains how he was sequestered for three days, listened to the witnesses, and was given directions not to discuss the trial with anyone until it was over. He says, "In many ways, that experience is kind of like Jesus’ transfiguration. Lots of disciples are called, but only three are summoned and selected...When it’s all over...they keep it to themselves, and so what they really encounter there on the mountain and what it all means is still somewhat of a mystery to anyone who wasn’t there." What happened on the mountain top might be a mystery, but Jesus's death and resurrection "is going to reveal that God climbs down into every possible place we might find ourselves in...God comes to us in all our distorted realities, throwing back his own veil of mystery in the love of his Son Jesus."

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"Unveiled," a Sermon by Phillip Martin from Luke 9:28-36, (37-43a)

Rev. Amy Starr Redwine, pastor of Richmond's First Presbyterian Church, tells the story of how a leadership coach, Drew Dudley, teaches about "everyday leadership" through a story about passing out lollipops on a college campus. He invites people to "think of a 'lollipop moment' – when someone said or did something that fundamentally changed your life for the better, when the willingness of another person to take a risk and reach out, to set aside careful and meaningfully engage you, made all the difference." In today's passages from Isaiah 6:1-8, (9-13) and Luke 5:1-11, we hear two call stories, two "lollipop moments" in scripture. Just as Jesus called the disciples to put down their nets in deep water, Redwine reminds us, "Jesus calls us to the deep water, because this is where the fish are, this is where we will encounter God’s people who are fragile and vulnerable and longing to be loved and changed…and who might just change us as well." 
 
FREE high-definition downloads suitable for projecting in worship are available on our website at https://asermonforeverysunday.com/

Rev. Amy Starr Redwine, pastor of Richmond's First Presbyterian Church, tells the story of how a leadership coach, Drew Dudley, teaches about "everyday leadership" through a story about passing out lollipops on a college campus. He invites people to "think of a 'lollipop moment' – when someone said or did something that fundamentally changed your life for the better, when the willingness of another person to take a risk and reach out, to set aside careful and meaningfully engage you, made all the difference." In today's passages from Isaiah 6:1-8, (9-13) and Luke 5:1-11, we hear two call stories, two "lollipop moments" in scripture. Just as Jesus called the disciples to put down their nets in deep water, Redwine reminds us, "Jesus calls us to the deep water, because this is where the fish are, this is where we will encounter God’s people who are fragile and vulnerable and longing to be loved and changed…and who might just change us as well."

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"Lollipop Moments," a Sermon by Amy Starr Redwine from Isaiah 6:1-8, (9-13) and Luke 5:1-11

Rev. Dr. Kristin Adkins Whitesides, pastor of First Baptist Church in Winchester, Virginia, begins today's sermon with a story about her ordination. She was ordained at her home church. Her father preached the sermon and the people who had watched her grow up in the church surrounded her to affirm her. Her baby picture even appeared on the cake at the reception. She says that it reminded her "that even though I was now a 'reverend,' the people gathered in that room knew me from before all of that." Perhaps that is how Jesus felt in today's passage from Luke 4:21-30 when he preached his first sermon in his hometown synagogue in Nazareth. His message was unexpected. In response, his friends and neighbors tried to throw him off a cliff. Whitesides wonders what it would be like to have Jesus preach in our churches today. Would we behave any differently than his friends and neighbors in Nazareth? 
 
FREE high-definition downloads suitable for projecting in worship are available on our website at https://asermonforeverysunday.com/

Rev. Dr. Kristin Adkins Whitesides, pastor of First Baptist Church in Winchester, Virginia, begins today's sermon with a story about her ordination. She was ordained at her home church. Her father preached the sermon and the people who had watched her grow up in the church surrounded her to affirm her. Her baby picture even appeared on the cake at the reception. She says that it reminded her "that even though I was now a 'reverend,' the people gathered in that room knew me from before all of that." Perhaps that is how Jesus felt in today's passage from Luke 4:21-30 when he preached his first sermon in his hometown synagogue in Nazareth. His message was unexpected. In response, his friends and neighbors tried to throw him off a cliff. Whitesides wonders what it would be like to have Jesus preach in our churches today. Would we behave any differently than his friends and neighbors in Nazareth?

FREE high-definition downloads suitable for projecting in worship are available on our website

"How Will You Respond?" a Sermon by Kristin Adkins Whitesides from Luke 4:21-30

Carla Pratt Keyes, pastor of Ginter Park Presbyterian Church in Richmond, Virginia, begins today's sermon with the poem “Lycanthropy of a Black Boy,” written by Poet Laureate of Richmond, Virginia, Douglas Powell, better known by his stage name, Roscoe Burnems. Keyes connects this poem to today's passage from Luke 4:14-21, Jesus's first sermon in his hometown synagogue in Nazareth. Keyes says one of her Seminary professors pointed out that a primary question in Luke is that of "who needs attention and compassion." She continues, "That idea came back to me when I heard Roscoe Burnems’ poem. I imagine Jesus pointing to seven-year-old Jeremiah [the boy in the poem] and saying that’s who. He needs my compassion today. He is why I’m here." 
 
FREE high-definition downloads suitable for projecting in worship are available on our website at https://asermonforeverysunday.com/

Carla Pratt Keyes, pastor of Ginter Park Presbyterian Church in Richmond, Virginia, begins today's sermon with the poem “Lycanthropy of a Black Boy,” written by Poet Laureate of Richmond, Virginia, Douglas Powell, better known by his stage name, Roscoe Burnems. Keyes connects this poem to today's passage from Luke 4:14-21, Jesus's first sermon in his hometown synagogue in Nazareth. Keyes says one of her Seminary professors pointed out that a primary question in Luke is that of "who needs attention and compassion." She continues, "That idea came back to me when I heard Roscoe Burnems’ poem. I imagine Jesus pointing to seven-year-old Jeremiah [the boy in the poem] and saying that’s who. He needs my compassion today. He is why I’m here."

FREE high-definition downloads suitable for projecting in worship are available on our website at https://asermonforeverysunday.com/

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