Preacher: Jenn Hosler Date: January 8, 2023 Scripture: Matthew 2:1-12 What exactly do I know about Epiphany? I’ve been preaching for more than 10 years and somehow, some way, I have never been scheduled to preach on Epiphany. So, this sermon’s preparation was an opportunity to think about Epiphany knowledge and the misconceptions our culture…
Category: matthew
Give Thanks. Give Back. Give Joy.
Preacher: Jessie Houff Scripture: Ephesians 1:15-23. Matthew 25: 31-46. Psalm 100 Today, we are focusing on three scriptures, each with a different theme and what each message means. We’re going to reflect on giving thanks, giving back, and giving joy. As I read, an artwork will be next to the message. I invite everyone to…
Becoming the Dregs
Preacher: Jeff Davidson Scripture: Zephaniah 1:7, 12-18; Matthew 25:14-30 Sometimes you’re reading something and there’s a phrase or an expression that jumps out at you or raises a question of some kind. That’s what happened to me with our reading this morning from the prophet Zephaniah. It’s there in verse 12, where God, speaking through…
WWJND?
Preacher: Jeff Davidson Scripture: Isaiah 45:1-7; Matthew 22:15-22 Some of you will remember the slogan from back in the 1990s.WWJD – What Would Jesus Do? There were WWJD bracelets, there was aWWJD book that was an update of the original WWJD book from the 1800sby Charles Sheldon, there were lots and lots of WWJD sermons,…
Context and Church
Preacher: Jeff Davidson Scripture: Matthew 16:13-20 Context matters. There are a lot of different things that can go into making up a context. The physical setting. The history of a place or a people. Who it is that is saying or writing something. Who it is that they are saying or writing it to. The…
On Meeting God Unexpectedly
Preacher: Nathan Hosler Scripture: 1 Kings 19:8-19, Matthew 14:22-33, Romans 10:5:15 The prophet Elijah met God. Being a prophet, Elijah was causing some trouble. More accurately, he was pointing out to the people and the regime where there already was trouble—and he was doing this on God’s behalf. He was calling people to repentance. Earlier…
War or Baptism
Preacher: Nathan Hosler Scripture: Isaiah 42:1-9, Acts 10:34-43, Matthew 3:13-17 Last Sunday we changed our church sign to “No War with Iran.” It is clear we are opposed to war with Iran. This statement is, however, rather limited. The Church of the Brethren’s stance is much stronger. It has more bite and less agreeable. It…
Love
Preacher: Jeff Davidson Scripture: Isaiah 7:10-16, Matthew 1:18-25 Who are the people in the Bible that you think about at Christmas time? Jesus, obviously. Mary. Joseph. If you think a little harder then maybe Elizabeth, or Zechariah, or John. Certainly the shepherds. The angels, if you want to count them as people. The wise men,…
Even the Prophet Doubted
Preacher: Jennifer Hosler Scripture: Isaiah 35: 1-10; Luke 1:46b-55; Matthew 11:2-11 Doubt, loss, pain, darkness… sounds like Christmas-time? Unlike our cultural displays of perpetual holiday cheer, our four weeks of Advent scriptures allow for a fuller gamut of Christmas-time emotions: pain, doubt, and loss come alongside themes of peace, hope, love, and joy. This 3rd…
Peace
Preacher: Nathan Hosler Scripture: Matthew 24:36-44, Isaiah 2:1-5, Psalm 122, Romans, 13:11-14 When I was a growing up, my family would go camping for our summer vacation. In addition to camping type activities such as hiking and mountain biking and campfires and the necessary scouring of the campsite for wood to burn, we would often…
Washington City Church of the Brethren 