In Sermons:

Bait & Switch

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jul 11, 2023

The life of discipleship has three steps: attachment, understanding, and imitation.

God is unquestionably the world’s greatest fisherman. And he’s not at all offended by the description, either, because that is what he called us to be. And the first thing a fisherman has to know is what bait the fish will bite on. God got me good. Back in ‘83 I was Miss Corporate America, junior ...read more

Scripture: Mark 8:27-38

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Do You Get It?

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jul 11, 2023

There is nothing that Jesus cannot do. But we can only get the message if we don’t let ourselves be distracted by trivia, and if our relationship with God is healthy.

One of the reasons people loved to listen to Jesus was that he talked about things they knew about, scenes and events from their everyday lives. But the lives of the people Jesus talked to can seem very far away from our own, sometimes. His illustrations don’t always mean that much to us. What’s ...read more

Scripture: Mark 8:11-21

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Blame Game

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jul 9, 2023

Excuses and forgiveness are opposites. What can be excused does not need to be forgiven.

What do you suppose happened at the palace the next morning, when Herod woke up with a hangover the size of the Roman Empire and a public relations problem twice as big? I can hear them all spinning the story, can’t you? It’s not the way it seems! It’s not my fault! I’m not to blame! Let’s listen ...read more

Scripture: Mark 6:14-29

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

En Valle De Sombra: Aprende En El Sufrimiento

Contributed by Wilbur Madera Rivas on Jul 8, 2023

En el sufrimiento, aprende a confiar en el Dios soberano que siempre tiene un propósito santo, bueno y glorioso en todo lo que hace.

Job 2 Estaba platicando con una mujer esta semana que me compartía su experiencia como familia de enfrentar la enfermedad que le diagnóstico a su hijo cuando tenía 4 años y me platicaba todo lo que tuvieron que pasar como familia por un período de tres años, yendo de ...read more

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

En Valle De Sombra: Acepta El Sufrimiento

Contributed by Wilbur Madera Rivas on Jul 8, 2023

Acepta tus sufrimientos sabiendo que Dios está presente y tiene todo bajo su control.

¿No sé cuántos de nosotros tuvimos o hemos visto un juguete educativo para niños pequeños bastante complejo, que tiene varios lados con formas por donde tienes que pasar objetos geométricos? No puedes meter el cubo en la forma de la circunferencia, Ni la pirámide ...read more

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

God Opposes The Proud Series

Contributed by Freddy Fritz on Jul 7, 2023

In Daniel 4:1-37, we see a living illustration of the Biblical truth that God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.

Introduction According to the Bible, the root problem at the very core of all of our lives is pride. Now I know that’s nothing new. This problem first surfaced in the Garden of Eden. The problem with pride is that it robs us not only of a full and meaningful relationship with other people ...read more

Scripture: Daniel 4:1-37

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Good News Is News

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jul 7, 2023

How many people are there who reject Christianity without having the faintest notion what it is?

Jesus attended the Sabbath service at his home synagogue in Nazareth, as he always did when he was home, and stood up when the time came for the Scripture. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,” said Jesus, “because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release ...read more

Scripture: Mark 6:1-6

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Calm In The Storm

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jul 7, 2023

It isn’t Jesus’ job to calm our storms, but to calm our hearts so that we can face the storms with confidence and courage.

I just came back from attending my first General Assembly. It is sort of a cross between a political convention and a session of Congress. Commissioners are called together every year from all over the country to do the business of the church, and their decisions are expected to embody the ...read more

Scripture: Mark 4:35-41

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Free Time

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jul 7, 2023

Grace does not free us FROM the Sabbath, grace frees us FOR the Sabbath.

“I can be just as good a Christian without going to church,” said my friend Connie. “Besides, that’s the only day I get to sleep in. Isn’t it supposed to be a day of rest?” “That’s right,” said Walter. “Going to church just takes too big a bite out of my week. It’s just not realistic to expect ...read more

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Facial Recognition

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jul 5, 2023

If you have recognized yourselves in other people, then Jesus will recognize himself in you.

I was adjusting the biometric ID on my phone while I was preparing this sermon and started thinking about the things like the algorithms used to identify users’ buying habits and then about how easy it is to access untold quantities of information about you just from plugging your name into your ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 25:31-46

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Ready Or Not

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jul 5, 2023

To be ready for Jesus, to be ready for God, we have to be in the habit of turning Godward at every crossroads.

Procrastination. Putting things off. It’s a fault that most of us have had to wrestle with, one time or another. And you know what causes it? Do you know why people procrastinate? I’ve decided that we procrastinate when we don’t want to do what we know we ought to do. And so we wait for something ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 25:1-13

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Holy Insomnia

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jul 4, 2023

God wants our major priority to be his kind of people even when he’s not looking.

This is a hard week for many of us here. I think all of you must have read of the murder-suicide that took place in our town just a week ago. By itself, it is one of the most tragic incidents to occur among our midst in quite a long time - certainly since I arrived. Two young men in their prime, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 24:36-44

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Double Or Nothing

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jul 4, 2023

Ignorance of God’s character and law often renders our loving feelings toward our neighbors empty or misguided.

There used to be a terrific program on PBS called the Religion and Ethics Weekly. They covered everything from Pentecostals to the Pope. I’ve seen programs on Jews and Buddhists and Hindus and Islam. One time they reported on a rise in Hindu fundamentalism. I wasn’t paying as much attention as I ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 22:34-40

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Rsvp

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jul 4, 2023

It is because we’re only human that we can come into God’s presence only under Jesus’ sponsorship, and clothed in his grace.

I got an offer last week that I almost didn’t refuse. It was from a travel company who, in return for my coming to a one-hour pitch for their company, would give me 4 free days and nights in any one of dozens of different destinations, and if I came between Tuesday and Thursday they’d double the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 22:1-14

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Out Of Sight...

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jul 4, 2023

God can see us all the time, whether we acknowledge him or not.

How many of you have played peek-a-boo with a baby? Fun, isn’t it? But eventually they figure out that you can see them even when they can’t see you, and the thrill goes away. It’s a control thing, I think... they’re learning that what they do has an effect on their environment, and sometimes it ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 21:33-46

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed