Logs, Pigs, and Doors (Matthew 7:1-12) Jennifer Hosler Today, we continue our fifth week studying the Sermon on the Mount together. Our passage in Matthew 7 starts with teachings about judgment. Jesus uses an object lesson—eyes, specs and logs—to talk about hypocrisy and judging others. We then move to a curious part that talks about…
Category: following Jesus
What if Everything I Think I Know is Wrong?
Psalm 36, Matthew 6:19-34 Micah Bales I’m going to start with the heresy and work back to the gospel this morning. Because reading on the sermon on the mount reminds me of what a tough time I have with the Bible. The Bible, for me, is pretty uneven in terms of how it impacts me….
DO NOT BE DISMAL (PIETY POINTS)
Matthew 6:1-18 Nate Hosler “Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them;” A dialogue last week: Nate—I should buy a stole (clergy sash). Jenn—Why? Nate—For when I pray in front of people (at a vigil or protest). A standard approach to scripture is that Jesus said ____ but what…
WAIT! WHAT?!
Matthew 5:21-48 Jeff Davidson Last week Jenn introduced our six week series on the Sermon on the Mount. I thought it was an excellent sermon, and if you weren’t here I encourage you to go to the church website and give it a read. Jenn talked about the Beatitudes as nine values that define us…
JESUS THE DUNKER
Matthew 3:13-17, Acts 10:34-43, Isaiah 42:1-9 Nate Hosler Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. Baptism and Jesus, these are two things that the Brethren are “into.” It was seeking to follow Jesus that brought the original 8 together and it was baptism that formed them into…
DAY ONE
Matthew 2:13-23 Jeff Davidson I work at a 911 center that dispatches emergency and non-emergency calls for police, fire, and medical. Sometimes units will do what we call self-dispatching on a call. If an officer runs across a traffic accident before anyone has called us, they will self-dispatch, which means to enter their own call…
JESUS IS LORD. TRUMP IS NOT.
Jeremiah 23:1-6, Luke 1:67-80 Micah Bales I was raised in the Quaker community, so I didn’t grow up with liturgical seasons. My church growing up was actually more “high church” than most Quaker meetings, if you can believe it. We actually did observe the Advent season to some extent. I remember as a kid we…
PRESENT ACTION, FUTURE HOPE
Isaiah 65:17-25; Luke 21:5-19 Jennifer Hosler Our church is committed to seeking justice, wholeness, and community through the gospel of Jesus. As followers of Jesus, we take seriously Jesus’ words—including those to care for and protect the marginalized and to love both our neighbors and our enemies. Since these are values that we regularly talk…
Passing Through Jericho
Isaiah 1:10-18, Luke 19:1-10 Sara White Over the past year, it has been an enormous privilege and blessing for me to study in Minnesota, travel with the Youth Peace Travel Team, and explore policy work here in DC. Since the middle of March, I have slept in 29 different beds. I like to say that…
HAVE FAITH AND LEAP
Deuteronomy 31:6, Matthew 14:27-33, Matthew 17:20 Emerson Goering As a new BVSer, I have been reflecting on my life journey – from beginning to now – and I am astonished at what I have accomplished – given my previous fears. As a kindergartener, I didn’t say a word out-loud in front of my class until…
Washington City Church of the Brethren 