Guerrilla Christianity

S2E44: Our Misdirected Hearts (Lent 2015)

Sermon #103

Jesus told us that we are to deny ourselves, take up the cross, and follow him.  In this day and age, however, we are so far removed from crucifixion as a means of execution that we don't fully understand the weight of his words.  Today we take an in-depth look at what it means to deny ourselves, and why we need to take up our cross - our instrument of execution - daily.  So grab your Bible, turn it to Mark chapter 8, and prepare your heart and mind as we examine our misdirected hearts.

Mark 8:31-38

Recorded at Ebenezer UMC on March 1, 2015 (Originally published March 9, 2015)

S.D.G.

S2E42: Three Pillars (Ash Wednesday 2015)

Sermon #101

In the Sermon on the Mount as recorded by Matthew, Jesus tells us of how we are to give, pray, and fast.  As Lent begins, we are given an opportunity to spend a little more time with God, deny ourselves for His sake, and give sacrificially that which was given to us by God.  In this context, giving, praying and fasting are seen as the three pillars of Christianity, spiritual disciplines that each Christian ought to engage in.  So grab your Bible, turn it to Matthew chapter 6, and prepare your heart and mind as we look at Three Pillars.

Matthew 6:1-6,16-18

Recorded at Ebenezer UMC on Ash Wednesday, February 18, 2015 (Originally published February 19, 2015)

S.D.G.

S2E41: The Glory of the Lord (Transfiguration Sunday 2015)

What is the glory of the Lord?  We often talk about God's glory but what is it, really?  We learn in the old testament that God's glory shone from the face of Moses, and his glory dwelt on the mercy seat between the cherubim on the ark of the covenant.  Today we look at the transfiguration of Christ, and how God's glory is revealed in the person of Jesus.  So grab your Bible, turn it to Mark chapter 9, and prepare your heart and mind as we look at the glory of the Lord.

The in-person service was canceled on this particular day, due to adverse weather conditions.  This message was recorded at the Hudson UMC Parsonage.

Mark 9:2-9

Recorded at Hudson UMC Parsonage on February 15, 2015 (Originally published February 17, 2015)

S.D.G.

S2E40: Why He Came (Epiphany 2015)

Mark's gospel is a gospel of action.  We are still in the first chapter and we have already seen the baptism of Jesus, casting out demons, the calling of the first disciples and teachings in the synagogues.  In today's reading, we find out a key element of Jesus' ministry as he reveals what it is he came to do.  It's a message that we can take to heart as we go out into the world to be the light of the world and to emulate Christ.  So grab your Bible, turn it to Mark chapter 1, and prepare your heart and mind as we discover why he came.

Mark 1:29-39

Recorded at Hudson UMC on February 8, 2015 (Originally published February 17, 2015)

S.D.G.

S2E39: The Authority of Christ (Epiphany 2015)

There was something different in the way that Jesus taught in the synagogue, and the people who heard him knew it immediately.  In today's message we're going to look at how, as the very Word of God, Jesus had perfect authority to speak on God's word, and to speak God's commands to all creation.  And we will also look at what Christ's authority means for us today, and take a hard look at whether we accept his authority, or would rather have the word of God diluted to meet our satisfaction.  So grab your Bible, turn it to Mark chapter one, and prepare your heart and mind as we examine the Authority of Christ.

Mark 1:21-28

Recorded at Ebenezer UMC on February 1, 2015 (Originally published February 15, 2015)

S.D.G.

S2E38: Leaving our Nets (Epiphany 2015)

What does it mean for us today to leave our nets?  The disciples were called by Christ, and the Bible tells us that immediately they left their nets and followed him.  Are we that willing to change everything about our lives to become disciples of Christ, the way these fishermen did so long ago?  Today we will look at what it means to leave our nets, and why we, too, should be fishing for people.  So grab your Bible, turn it to Mark chapter one, and prepare your heart and mind as we look at leaving our nets.

Mark 1:14-20

Recorded at Hudson UMC on January 25, 2015 (Originally published February 14, 2015)

S.D.G.

S7E69: GC Talk On the WCA (With Beth Caulfield)

Out of the tumultuous United Methodist General Conference of 2016 was birthed a renewal movement within the UMC called the Wesleyan Covenant Association.  The WCA was founded on the principle of scriptural authority and traditional Wesleyan theology in response to the push of Liberalism within the church.  Today, the WCA is spearheading the foundation of a new traditional Methodist denomination in anticipation of the General Conference scheduled for August/September 2021 in Minneapolis.  Beth Caulfield is a founding member of the WCA, the President of the Greater New Jersey Chapter, and member of the Global Council, as well as an ordained Elder in the UMC appointed to Franklinville UMC and Newfield UMC in Southern New Jersey.  Her insight as one who has been part of the WCA since its inception is invaluable, and her viewpoint as a traditional and conservative Wesleyan is unshakable and inspirational.  I thoroughly enjoyed our talk today and hope to have her on again.

Recorded via Zoom Meetings on May 29, 2020

Read my blog post "An Open Letter to Greater New Jersey Annual Conference (May 30, 2015)" 
Wesleyan Covenant Association webpage 
Wesleyan Covenant Association Facebook page  

S.D.G.

S2E37: Come and See (Pitman Manor Vespers)

Very often we as Christians meet with resistance when we tell others about Jesus Christ.  In today's reading from John, we meet a man named Nathanael who doubted that Jesus from Nazareth could possibly be the messiah.  But his evangelist, Philip, rather than arguing or debating with him said something simple: "Come and see."  In this message delivered to the residents of Pitman Manor, we find that we can learn something from Philip in our dealings with non-believers today.  So grab your bible, turn it to John chapter one, and prepare your heart and mind to encounter the risen Christ as we come and see.

John 1:43-51

Recorded at Pitman Manor on January 18, 2015 (Originally published February 9, 2015)

S.D.G.

S2E36: Planting Seeds (Special speaker: Carl McGaha of Gideons International)

When we plant a seed, do we sit and watch and wait for it to grow?  And do we expect the seed we planted to yield fruit that day?  We'd go hungry if we expected apples from an apple seed the day we planted it.  Yet so many of us expect immediate results from planting the word in the hearts of men and women.  Today's guest speaker from Gideons International explains how a five dollar Bible can sow a crop with a tremendous yield, and a personal testimony from our pastor illustrates his point perfectly.  So grab your Bible, turn it to first Corinthians, chapter three, and join us as we look at planting seeds.

1 Corinthians 3:1-9

Recorded at Ebenezer UMC on January 18, 2015 (Originally published February 8, 2015)

S.D.G.

S2E35: God's Son, the Beloved (Baptism of the Lord 2015)

This Sunday is Baptism of the Lord Sunday on the Church calendar, a day when we usher in the ordinary time after Epiphany with the story of Jesus' baptism.  It's an interesting bookend to the Advent season, which we brought in with Isaiah's plea for God to tear open the heavens.  Now, at Jesus' baptism in the Jordan river, we see that prayer fulfilled, and we take the opportunity to renew our own baptismal covenant.  So grab your Bible, turn it to Mark chapter one, and prepare your heart and mind as we look at God's Son, the Beloved.

Mark 1:4-11

Recorded at Hudson UMC on January 11, 2015 (Originally published February 5, 2015)

S.D.G.