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For recorded sermons since Easter 2007 and earlier sermon texts, visit our Sermon Archive.
Pentecost—May 28, 2023
Preacher: Pastor Jeff Lilley
Lessons: Acts 2:1–21 | Psalm 104:24–34, 35b | 1 Corinthians 12:3b–13 | John 20:19–23
Summary: Today’s Gospel tells of the disciples afraid and locked away, and Jesus comes to breathe the Spirit and give them peace. In our first lesson from Acts the disciples go public with the Good News of the Spirit’s presence. As the church developed over the centuries, people came to believe that the church dispenses little doses of the Spirit, but Acts tells us that the Spirit swept through all who were gathered. The Holy Spirit lives in us, so we gather as church to share the Spirit and become church together when we use these gifts for the sake of the world. For nearly 125 years, we have seen the Spirit at work here at LCH, and today that same Spirit, who has moved in Pr. Bree as she has ministered with us, leads her on to new ministry.
Ascension of Our Lord (transferred)—May 21, 2023
Preacher: Pastor Jeff Lilley
Lessons: Acts 1:1–11; Psalm 47; Ephesians 1:15–23; Luke 24:44–53
Summary: What is Luke trying to tell us in his narratives of the Ascension in the Gospel and in Acts? In his ministry, Jesus both challenges the establishment and tells his disciples to pray to the God of the establishment. And in the time between the Resurrection and the Ascension, Jesus seems to be in many places and doing many different things all at once. The idea that Jesus is finished with us here on earth and leaves for heaven just doesn’t work. Jesus does not retreat into heaven but remains with us. Jesus is everywhere at once, and, as the the living body of Christ, God’s work is our work.
Sixth Sunday of Easter—May 14, 2023
Preacher: Pastor Ruth Peterson
Lessons: Acts 17:22–31 | Psalm 66:8–20 | 1 Peter 3:13–22 | John 14:15–21
Summary: The one thing I remember from the Rio Olympics is a photo when one two runners helped each other finish the race even though it cost them both the victory. It reminds me of Jesus’ promise is today’s Gospel to send us another companion, the Holy Spirit. These days there are more and more people who do not believe in God, the “nones.” These are the people Paul is talking to in our first lesson. We too are called to share why we believe and to show our faith in our lives. Knowing God’s love, we choose to live lives of service.
Fifth Sunday of Easter—May 7, 2023
Preacher: Pastor Sha Inake
Lessons: Acts 7:55–60 | Psalm 31:1–5, 15–16 | 1 Peter 2:2–10 | John 14:1–14
Summary: Today’s first lesson from Proverbs 31:10–31 paints a picture of the ideal woman in an ideal world. Sarah Pierpont Edwards, the wife of Jonathan Edwards, who sparked the First Great Awakening of the 1740s, is an example of this ideal wife.
Fourth Sunday of Easter/Good Shepherd Sunday—April 30, 2023
Preacher: Pastor Jeff Lilley
Lessons: Acts 2:42–47 | Psalm 23 | 1 Peter 2:19–25 | John 10:1–10
Summary: In today’s Gospel, Jesus says he is the gate of the sheepfold that protects the sheep. Too often we interpret this as a closed gate that keeps people out, or we see it as our own gate that we can keep guarded. The gate belongs to Jesus and invites us all in to live safely. It is also a gate that opens to a garden of love and unexpected life.
Third Sunday of Easter/Earth Day Sunday—April 23, 2023
Preacher: Pastor Bree Lloyd
Lessons: Acts 2:14a, 36–41 | Psalm 116:1–4, 12–19 | 1 Peter 1:17–23 | Luke 24:13–35
Summary: Research showing that trees communicate and cooperate via an underground fungal network led to a paradigm shift in the way we think about the natural world. Words and metaphors matter because they shape the way we see. In our Gospel, Christ came to the disciples in the breaking of bread. Let us learn to be bread together.
Second Sunday of Easter—April 16, 2023
Preacher: Pastor Bree Lloyd
Lessons: Acts 2:14a, 22–32 | Psalm 16 | 1 Peter 1:3–9 | John 20:19–31
Summary: In his Gospel, John normally focusses the metaphorical and the spiritual, but today’s story of Jesus’ appearance to Thomas and the other disciples focuses on the physical, Jesus’ wounded body. Jesus uses his broken body to heal Thomas’ doubt. In the Bible, healing often comes through balms made from tree resins—the product of slashed and wounded trees heals humans. In our own physical brokenness and the brokenness of the world around us, we can plant trees.
Easter Sunday—April 9, 2023
Preacher: Pastor Jeff Lilley
Lessons: Acts 10:34–43 | Psalm 118:1–2, 14–24 | Colossians 3:1–4 | Matthew 28:1–10
Summary: In our Easter Gospel from Matthew, the angel tells the women not to be afraid and sends them to tell the disciples that Jesus is risen. These days the message “Be not afraid” may be more relevant than ever. The news—and even commercials—play on our fears of being poor, dying, or even just missing out. The Easter message is that Jesus gives us all the love we need and we can go into the world as agents of change. The tomb may be empty, but we are not.