Episodes

Sunday Dec 12, 2021
Lectionary Readings for Third Sunday of Advent, Year C
Sunday Dec 12, 2021
Sunday Dec 12, 2021
December 12, 2021
Old Testament: Zephaniah 3:14-20
Psalter: Isaiah 12:2-6
Epistle Lesson: Philippians 4:4-7
Gospel Lesson: Luke 3:7-18
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.

Friday Dec 10, 2021
S3E19: Are We Ready? (Advent 2015)
Friday Dec 10, 2021
Friday Dec 10, 2021
Sermon #143
On this second Sunday in Advent, we come to the person of John the Baptist, who is preaching a baptism of repentance. His coming was foretold by the prophet Isaiah and those prophetic words were repeated in all four gospels. He is the voice crying out in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord. In today's message, we see how John's words echo across the centuries to today, and how we can apply them in our lives. So the question for us today is not whether Christ will come again, but rather, are we preparing the way for his coming? So grab your Bible, turn it to Luke chapter 3, and prepare your heart and mind as we ask the question, Are we ready?
Luke 3:1-6
S.D.G.
Recorded at Ebenezer UMC on December 6, 2015 (Originally pulished December 21, 2015)

Monday Dec 06, 2021
S6E26: Refine (Prepare the Way pt. 2)
Monday Dec 06, 2021
Monday Dec 06, 2021
Sermon #312
The process of refining is destructive. It involves heating to the melting point, skimming off the impurities that rise to the surface, and discarding the unwanted, keeping only the pure metal. When metal like gold or silver is refined, it does not seek to reincorporate those impurites back into itself; yet we, in our sinful nature, demonstrate a desire to reacquire those sins that the Holy Spirit removes from us by way of sanctification. In this season of Advent we need to allow the Holy Spirit to refine us, to prepare the way for the Lord to enter into our hearts and lives.
Text: Malachi 3:1-4 and Luke 3:1-6
Recorded at Hudson UMC on December 9, 2018 (Originally published December 10, 2018)
S.D.G.

Sunday Dec 05, 2021
Lectionary Readings for Second Sunday of Advent, Year C
Sunday Dec 05, 2021
Sunday Dec 05, 2021
December 5, 2021
Old Testament: Malachi 3:1-4
Psalter: Luke 1:68-79
Epistle Lesson: Philippians 1:3-11
Gospel Lesson: Luke 3:1-6
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.

Wednesday Dec 01, 2021
S3E19: The Ebnd of All Things (Advent 2015)
Wednesday Dec 01, 2021
Wednesday Dec 01, 2021
Sermon #142
The word "Advent" comes from a Latin word that means "to draw near." That is what we are doing with the Advent season, drawing near to the coming of Christ. But as most of us associate Advent with the first coming of Christ, perhaps the more important focus of the Advent season is the anticipation of Christ's return. While we don't cower in shadows or hide in sanctuaries impatiently awaiting the second coming of Christ, we are to live our lives prepared for when he does come - and the words of Jesus today in Luke's gospel advise us to do just that. So as we begin a new liturgical year, let us also draw near in anticipation to the return of Christ. So grab your Bible, turn it to Luke chapter 21, and prepare your heart and mind as we consider Christ's return and the end of all things.
Luke 21:25-36
Recorded at Hudson UMC on November 29, 2015 (Originally published November 30, 2015)
S.D.G.

Monday Nov 29, 2021
S6E25: Stand (Prepare the Way pt. 1)
Monday Nov 29, 2021
Monday Nov 29, 2021
Sermon #311
On this first Sunday of Advent (2018) we begin a new series titled "Prepare the Way." Throughout the Advent season we will be looking at old testament prophecy and how Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of that word of God. Advent is a time when we celebrate the three incarnations of Christ. First, he came as a babe in Bethlehem, born to become a man who would bear the sins of the world on the cross. Next, he lives in each of us in word and in spirit. Finally, at the end of all things he will come again in the clouds in great glory and power. At that time, we who have put on Christ may stand in the presence of our God.
Text: Jeremiah 33:14-16 and Luke 21:25-36
Recorded at Ebenezer UMC on December 2, 2018 (Originally published December 7, 2018)
S.D.G.

Sunday Nov 28, 2021
Lectionary Readings for First Sunday of Advent, Year C
Sunday Nov 28, 2021
Sunday Nov 28, 2021
November 28, 2021
Old Testament: Jeremiah 33:14-16
Psalter: Psalm 25:1-10
Epistle Lesson: 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13
Gospel Lesson: Luke 21:25-36
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.

Sunday Nov 14, 2021
Sunday Nov 14, 2021
November 14, 2021
Old Testament: 1 Samuel 1:4-12
Psalter: 2 Samuel 2:1-10
Epistle Lesson: Hebrews 10:11-25
Gospel Lesson: Mark 13:1-8
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.

Monday Nov 08, 2021
S9E13: Presence (The Vows We Make pt. 1)
Monday Nov 08, 2021
Monday Nov 08, 2021
Sermon #468
When we as Methodists become members of the local church, we make a vow to fully participate in the ministries of the local church by our prayers, our presence, our gifts, our service, and our witness (United Methodist Hymnal p. 38). Frankly, many of us forget that we made such a vow after we join the church and quickly abandon those areas of our Christian walk. So every once in a while I like to bring out those vows and remind our congregation of the promise they made when they joined the local church. Today being Reformation Sunday, we look at what it means to participate in ministry by our presence. How do we find joy in attending to both the outreach ministries and the worship of the local church? The pandemic gave people permission to worship at home, and I thank God that we had the technology in place to do so. But if we love God and love our neighbor, then our desire should be to be with each other, and that is what it means to be present in the ministries of the church.
Mark 12:28-34
Recorded at Hudson UMC on October 31, 2021
S.D.G.

Sunday Nov 07, 2021
Sunday Nov 07, 2021
November 7, 2021
Old Testament: Ruth 3:1-5; 4:13-17
Psalter: Psalm 127
Epistle Lesson: Hebrews 9:24-28
Gospel Lesson: Mark 12:38-44
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.