Guerrilla Christianity

Sermon #261

We are starting a new series for the season after Epiphany (2018) and looking at the Old Testament texts for insight into When God Speaks.  We begin with the story of a young Samuel who was called upon by God to deliver a message to the High Priest, Eli, in a time when Israel was on the cusp of falling into apostasy.  But sometimes we can hear without listening, and so we ask the question, When God Speaks, Are You Listening?

1 Samuel 3:1-10

Recorded at Hudson UMC on January 14, 2018 (Originally published January 26, 2018)

S.D.G.

Sermon #587

As Christians, we know that we are called to evangelize.  Jesus gives us the Great Commission in Matthew 28, to go make disciples of all nations.  What is so intimidating for Christians in this post-modern world is that we are often afraid that we don't know enough to debate someone into believing in Jesus Christ.  But what we see in today's reading from John is that we don't need to have all the answers to all the objections.  We simply have to say to people, "Come and see for yourself."  And when they encounter Christ for themselves, they find themselves invited into a saving relationship with Jesus, and it's an invitation that is impossible to resist. 

John 1:43-51

Recorded at Hudson UMC on January 14, 2024

Watch on YouTube

S.D.G.

Sermon #426

We are starting a new series for the season of Epiphany called "God With Us."  Jesus is God with us.  Isaiah foretold his birth of a virgin and said that he would be called Emmanuel, which means "God With Us."  So for the next five weeks we will be looking at how God interacts with his creation, and specifically with his people who are made in his image.  

This week we ask the question, where were you when God called you?  God calls each of us uniquely and individually, because we are all individually unique.  God meets us right where we are and reveals to us what we need to believe in him.  We see this today in the telling of the calling of Nathanael, who initially does not believe that any good thing can come from Nazareth, but ultimately proclaims that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God.  

John 1:43-51

Recorded at Hudson UMC on January 17, 2021 (Originally published on January 21, 2021)

S.D.G.

January 14, 2024

Old Testament: 1 Samuel 3:1-10

Psalter: Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18

Epistle Lesson: 1 Corinthians 6:12-20

Gospel Lesson: John 1:43-51

Scripture quotations from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

S.D.G.

Sermon #260

In Matthew's gospel we read about the coming of the wise men, or magi, from the east, who are following a star that they read as proclaiming the birth of a king.  This familiar story is easy to gloss over; yet on Epiphany (January 6), we celebrate and commemorate this occasion at the end of the Christmas season because it marks the time that Jesus' birth was announced, not only to the Jews, but to the Gentiles as well.  And because the story is so familiar, it's hard to see that these outsiders were overwhelmed with joy at beholding our Lord Jesus.  How many of us feel the same when we consider that God did this great thing for us?

This recording has some audio issues, particularly with pops and drop-outs, which is probably why I opted not to publish it in 2017.  

Matthew 2:1-12

Recorded at Ebenezer UMC on January 7, 2017 (Originally published on January 12, 2021)

S.D.G.

Sermon #586

When we talk about covenant with God it is important for us to understand that not only is the covenant initiated by God, but it is also completely one-sided in that God has the most to give and the least to gain.  He is eternal and infinite and needs nothing from us to exist and be exalted in himself.  Yet he condescends to make a covenant with us through the blood of Jesus Christ.  Today we are looking at the baptism of Jesus, and what we see is that Jesus identifies with us in his baptism, so that we may identify with him in ours.  In baptism, and in the sacrament of communion, we see the barrier between heaven and earth torn open and in that moment the Spirit of God descends upon us and the presence of Christ is real and actual, not just ephemeral and symbolic.

Mark 1:4-11

Recorded at Ebenezer UMC on January 7, 2024

Watch on YouTube

S.D.G.

Sermon #425

On Baptism of the Lord Sunday we reaffirm our baptismal covenant and remember our baptism.  But what does that mean for Christians, such as myself, who were baptized as infants?  How can we remember our baptism when we don't have any memory of it?  Today we will consider what baptism is, why we in the Methodist tradition baptize infants, and what is the importance of baptism in the life of the Christian.  

Acts 19:1-7

Recorded at Ebenezer UMC on January 10, 2021 (Originally published on January 11, 2021)

S.D.G.

January 7, 2024

Old Testament: Genesis 1:1-5

Psalter: Psalm 29

Epistle Lesson: Acts 19:1-7

Gospel Lesson: Mark 1:4-11

Scripture quotations from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

S.D.G.

January 6, 2024

Old Testament: Isaiah 60:1-6

Psalter: Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14

Epistle Lesson: Ephesians 3:1-12

Gospel Lesson: Matthew 2:1-12

Scripture quotations from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

S.D.G.

Sermon #93

When we come to Christ we fulfill our potential as image-bearers of God.  But without receiving and using the gift of salvation we are like an unopened present, whose value goes unrealized.  God beckons us to him and when we respond and receive the gift, He restores us to the original image in which He created us, and we are then given a new heart with new desires.  Isaiah's prophetic vision shows us the heart of God as it pertains to us - not a rigid system of rules but a tender and compassionate heart of love.

Isaiah 61:10-62:3

Recorded at Hudson UMC on December 28, 2014 (Originally published on December 31, 2020)

S.D.G.