Listen to an individual sermon—Click on the “Listen to this sermon” link to play the mp3 file of that sermon. To save the file to your computer and listen later, right-click (Windows) or option-click (Mac) on the “Listen to this sermon” link for that sermon.
Subscribe to podcasts of LCH sermon audio—Click on one on the icons below to have LCH Sermons delivered directly to your computer each week.
iTunes Podcast Directory—Use this icon to subscribe via the iTunes Store (and raise our popularity index on iTunes).
Podcast RSS—Use this icon to subscribe via your default RSS application.
For recorded sermons since Easter 2007 and earlier sermon texts, visit our Sermon Archive.
Time after Pentecost • Lectionary 26—September 30, 2018
Preacher: Pastor Jeff Lilley
Lessons: Numbers 11:4–6, 10–16, 24–29 | Psalm 19:7–14 | James 5:13–20 | Mark 9:38–50
Summary: In our first lesson and today’s Gospel, people come to Moses and Jesus complaining about others outside their group prophesying and healing. Moses and Jesus both respond that they want everyone to minister. Jesus goes on to say that anyone not against us is for us and to warn the disciples not to put stumbling blocks in people’s way. But we find this teaching hard to follow. Each of is called to offer a smile, compassion, and a listening ear—to give of ourselves in response to God’s love.
Listen to this sermon (We apologize for the poor sound quality of this recording.)
Time after Pentecost • Lectionary 25—September 23, 2018
Preacher: Pastor Jeff Lilley
Lessons: Jeremiah 11:18–20 | Psalm 54 | James 3:13—4:3; 4:7–8a | Mark 9:30–37
Summary: In today’s Gospel, Jesus again tells the disciples that the Messiah will suffer, die, and be raised. But they don’t want to believe and go on to argue about who is the greatest. We think that a cape and emblem, or a crown, or the things we own, or money, or fame make someone great. Jesus tells us that greatness is dying on the cross and being poured out for the sake of the world. The world’s vision of greatness leads to arrogance; but in the Kingdom of God, greatness is seeing the world through the eyes of love. That kind of greatness transforms ourselves, transforms the church, and transforms the world.
Time after Pentecost • Lectionary 24—September 16, 2018
Preacher: Intern Pastor Andy Flatt-Kuntze
Lessons: Isaiah 50:4–9a | Psalm 116:1–9 | James 3:1–12 | Mark 8:27–38
Summary: In today’s Gospel, Jesus explains that being the Messiah means undergoing suffering and death and calls them all to take up their own cross and follow. In our world there are millions of Google pages claiming to answer the question of who Jesus is, and many do not mesh with today’s Gospel. Jesus reveals a God who is with us, who manifests power in submission, and who accompanies us in our suffering. This should be our answer when asked who we say Jesus is.
Listen to this sermon (We apologize for the presence of frequent spots where the sound drops out.)
Time after Pentecost • Lectionary 23—September 9, 2018
Preacher: Pastor Jeff Lilley
Lessons: Isaiah 35:4–7a | Psalm 146 | James 2:1–17 | Mark 7:24–37
Summary: In today’s Gospel, Jesus is approached by a Gentile woman begging for help for her daughter, who is possessed by a demon. Jesus’ first reaction is to send her away because she is not a Jew, but she persists and Jesus heals her daughter. Acting on this new understanding, Jesus then heals the deaf mute, saying “Be opened.” This is a powerful moment when Jesus, while still understanding that the Jewish people are oppressed by outsiders, is open to those who don’t seem to belong. As Americans, we also see ourselves in challenging times, not unlike earlier times in our country when forces tried to wall us off from those who were different. We can follow the example of Mr. Rogers, who loved everyone just the way they were. Today’s Gospel shows that God loves each of us the way we are and calls us to be opened to God’s radical love for our neightbors.
Listen to this sermon (We apologize for the presence of occasional spots where the sound drops out.)
Time after Pentecost • Lectionary 22—September 2, 2018
Preacher: Pastor Jeff Lilley and Intern Pastor Andy Flatt-Kuntze
Lessons: Deuteronomy 4:1–2, 6–9 | Psalm 15 | James 1:17–27 | Mark 7:1–8, 14–15, 21–23
Summary: In today’s Gospel, Jesus talks about observing traditions. Like the religious leaders of that time, we also love our traditions, and having something out of place can drive us crazy. Often there are practical reasons for doing things the way we have always done them, but sometimes doing things the way we have always done them leads to problems and injustice. Traditions can bring us close to God or act as barriers. When traditions bring us closer to God, they help us be doers of the word.
Listen to this sermon (We apologize for the presence of occasional spots where the sound drops out.)
Time after Pentecost • Lectionary 21—August 26, 2018
Preacher: Intern Pastor Andy Flatt-Kuntze
Lessons: Joshua 24:1–2a, 14–18 | Psalm 34:15–22 | Ephesians 6:10–20 | John 6:56–69
Summary: When I was young, my grandfather had an airplane, and once he let me fly it. We took a nosedive, but he righted the plane, gave me instructions, and let me try again with more success. What I didn’t know at the time was that he was still guiding everything. Today’s Gospel, which concludes the bread marathon, is difficult to understand completely, but one key is God’s abiding presence in our lives. In recent years, my grandfather developed dementia and eventually no longer recognized me. We invited my grandfather to my wedding, and after the ceremony we sat together and he called me by my name and said how pleased he was to be part of my wedding. It was a moment when I clearly understood God’s abiding love for each of us. In the Gospel, the disciples see God’s love clearly for a moment, but we know they will forsake him. On Tuesday I received word that my grandfather died, but I know he abides. And like Peter, we know that God abides with us, and we share in the confession that Jesus has the words of eternal life.
Listen to this sermon (We apologize for the presence of occasional spots where the sound drops out.)
Time after Pentecost • Lectionary 20—August 19, 2018
Preacher: Intern Pastor Andy Flatt-Kuntze
Lessons: Proverbs 9:1–6 | Psalm 34:9–14 | Ephesians 5:15–20 | John 6:51–58
Summary: Today’s Gospel continues the bread marathon that began with the feeding of the 5,000. This week the crowd is dismayed when Jesus upsets their world by saying that they must eat his body and drink his blood. In the Harry Potter books we see many parallels with the life of Christ. Harry upsets the Durselys ordered life. In the end, Jesus dies to destroy death and offers his body to give us life. Jesus dies for the world just as it is, and in the end, Harry does the same. It’s all about love.
Listen to this sermon (We apologize for the presence of occasional spots where the sound drops out.)
Time after Pentecost • Lectionary 19—August 12, 2018
Preacher: Pastor Jeff Lilley
Lessons: 1 Kings 19:4–8 | Psalm 34:1–8 | Ephesians 4:25—5:2 | John 6:35, 41–51
Summary: Today’s Gospel continues the bread discourse following the feeding of the 5,000. John takes everyday bread and turns it into the life-giving bread from heaven. He wants us not only to see the bread of communion as life-giving but also to understand that eating this bread teaches us what it means to be the Body of Christ. In our fractured world and our divided country, we come to the altar and are brought together so we can overcome the hostility, racism, classism, and sexism that surround and share peace, justice, and love.
Listen to this sermon (We apologize for the presence of occasional spots where the sound drops out.)
Time after Pentecost • Lectionary 18—August 5, 2018
Preacher: Pastor Jeff Lilley
Lessons: Exodus 16:2–4, 9–15 | Psalm 78:23–29 | Ephesians 4:1–16 | John 6:24–35
Summary: In today’s Gospel, Jesus has just fed 5,000 people, and the people come back asking for a sign. In what may sound like a rebuke, Jesus says that they are just coming back because he fed them, so he tells them to work for food that gives everlasting life. The real key is to believe in God and the one sent by God. We all come looking the comfort of sameness, but Jesus brings something more and different that dashes our expectations.