Sermons on In Adam:

Easter Day

Contributed by Joseph Neil Adams on Feb 22, 2008

Mark’s original ending has been seen as controversial yet it is so powerful & real & full of challenge.

The Easter resurrection story in Mark offers us a different slant in a way on old story. It offers us an ending where the feeling is not spontaneous joy & praise, but fear & confusion & doubt. It is a ending that has troubled the Church for generations, indeed it made the people who put together ...read more

Scripture: Mark 16:1-8

Denomination: Methodist

Easter - Ghosts

Contributed by Joseph Neil Adams on Feb 22, 2008

A message thinking about life, death, resurrection & ghosts because that lie the devil has used about Jesus not being really alive but just a ghost must be dispatched back to hell.

Ghosts Luke 24:36b-48 Perhaps because we hear this Easter story so often we loose some of the power. We loose something of the sense of how fantastic & ridiculous an idea this truly is - Jesus dead now alive. How can that be because dead people stay dead, we all know that to be true don’t ...read more

Scripture: Luke 24:6-48

Denomination: Methodist

Pentecost Tongues

Contributed by Joseph Neil Adams on Feb 25, 2008

A message about why the Spirit gave those first Christians the ability to speak in other languages.

Pentecost #3 - Tongues Acts 2:1-21 Some people find the story of Pentecost quite difficult & disturbing - why? I think because the Bible says that the Holy Spirit (HS) came & the disciples heard saw & experienced the HS. They are all gathered on the day of Pentecost in prayer & HS came both ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:1-21

Denomination: Methodist

The Vision Thing

Contributed by Joseph Neil Adams on Feb 25, 2008

An ecumenical message in 2 parts for Pentecost - my last one in my last appointment.

Pentecost 2006 Ecumenical Service : The Vision thing CTW – Acts 2:1-13 PP 31 Come on & celebrate PP 35 Father God Prayers Wildfire x2 Reading - Isaiah 43:14-21 Talk 1 PP 69 Holy Spirit we welcome you Testimony – Good news slot?? The Peace Jane - Father Spirit Jesus Reading -2 Corinthians ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:1-13

Denomination: Methodist

Is It Nothing To You?

Contributed by Joseph Neil Adams on Feb 25, 2008

Good Friday address with the text - Lamentations 1:12“Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look around & see. Is any suffering like my suffering that was inflicted on me, that the Lord brought on me in the day of His fierce anger”

In parts Matthew’s passion & death narrative is read throughout the service which had the sermon very near the end & was followed with an extended period of silence. Text - Lamentations 1:12“Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look around & see. Is any suffering like my suffering that was ...read more

Denomination: Methodist

Maundy Thursday - Judas & Peter

Contributed by Joseph Neil Adams on Feb 26, 2008

A message for Maundy Thursday which compares Peter & Judas.

(Matthew 26: 17 – 35 or John 13) Text - Luke 22:31-32 (NRSV) ‘Simon, Simon, listen! Satan has demanded to sift all of you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your own faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned back, strengthen your brothers & sisters.’ We focus today maybe ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 26:17-35

Denomination: Methodist

Rediscovering The Prophetic - Martin Luther King Jr

Contributed by Joseph Neil Adams on May 20, 2008

A call to be prophets to our generation in the way God worked through Amos & MLK jr - to rediscover God’s absolute priorities for our Churches

Rediscovering the prophetic - MLK Amos 5:1-24 I watched a BBC programme about Martin Luther King Junior (MLK) a couple of months ago now presented by Oona King a past Labour MP in London (before she lost her Bethnal Green & Bow seat to the controversial George Galloway). She seemed to want to ...read more

Scripture: Amos 5:1-24, Amos 5:1

Denomination: Methodist

Everyone's Invited To The Reception

Contributed by Fr. Rian Adams on Sep 2, 2019

The sermon​ looks at Luke's Parable of the weddings guests who compete for the best seat​ at the table. Jesus makes it clear that everyone should be invited (poor, lame etc.), not just the rich and powerful. Such is the kingdom.

Everyone’s Invited To The Reception Intro If you've lived through a wedding you know, they are of all things most stressful. What few people realize is how stressful weddings are for the clergy. Although we will never say it with parishioners around, when clergy get together, we inevitably ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:7-14

Denomination: Episcopal

God's Not Finished With You Yet!

Contributed by Fr. Rian Adams on Sep 9, 2019

God's not finished working on us at the potter's wheel. Hope is never lost!

God’s Not Finished With Me Yet! I'm going off-script this morning. I usually preach from the Gospel lesson, but I feel like the Jeremiah reading is timely for us today. Sometimes we need spiritual encouragement. Jeremiah knew that, and he told the story of a potter’s wheel. I hope this sermon ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 18:1-11

Denomination: Episcopal

A Welcoming Grace

Contributed by Fr. Rian Adams on Sep 16, 2019

Taken from the parable of the Good Shepherd who leaves the 99 to retrieve the one lost sheep, this sermon focuses on how grace is welcoming... hence, A welcoming grace. The sheep was retrieved​, then welcomed home.

A Welcoming Grace Five words appear all across America. We print them on books, newsletters, church bulletins, and thousands of search signs. They are the de facto mission statement for an entire denomination. “The Episcopal Church welcomes you.” We insist that welcoming arms await all who ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:1-7

Denomination: Episcopal

Clean Your Glasses: See The Needs Of Others

Contributed by Fr. Rian Adams on Sep 30, 2019

This is a sermon about Lazarus and the rich man who passed him at his gate. The theme is to clear our spiritual eyes to see the needs around us and act to help the ones in need.

Clean your glasses: Seeing those in need I heard something kind of funny last week about our eyesight changing. When I visited a family member, there was a cartoon clipping on the refrigerator that read, “I don’t stress about my eyesight failing as I get older. It’s God’s way of protecting me from ...read more

Scripture: Luke 16:19-31

Denomination: Episcopal

Faith And Forgiveness.

Contributed by Fr. Rian Adams on Oct 7, 2019

This sermon is how faith "the size of a mustard seed" actually gives us the ability to offer forgiveness to others.

"Faith and Forgiveness" Allow me to begin today with some self-disclosure: I do not understand exactly what faith is, or how it works. But I have a couple of ideas from the lesson that might be helpful. More on that in a moment, but first I’ve got to share some humor. Have you ever ...read more

Scripture: Luke 17:5-10

Denomination: Episcopal

Lessons From The Saints

Contributed by Fr. Rian Adams on Nov 7, 2019

This is a sermon from all saints day that suggests three lessons we can learn about the saints: 1) We are the saints, so live like it. 2) Learn wisdom from studying the lives of the saints. 3) Embrace and treat one another like saints.

Lessons From The Saints November 3rd, 2019. Thank you for the way you’ve embraced me and made me feel at home. People have sent messages, cards, posted kind things on my Facebook wall, and sent very kind emails. The willingness to welcome, accept, and embrace one another is more than the slogan, ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:20-31

Denomination: Episcopal

Is Jesus Grumpy?

Contributed by Fr. Rian Adams on Jul 3, 2019

Those who wanted to follow Christ were told to follow him and not even burry their dead. This sermon explores how Jesus called to deeper discipleship.

Grumpy Jesus: Feelings and Focus Have you ever been grumpy? I don't mean mere frustration; I mean, have you ever been in a place where no one could do anything right? Maybe you haven’t, but I bet you can notice it in other people. That sounds a lot like Jesus in Today's Gospel reading. ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:51-62

Denomination: Episcopal

The Day Of Pentecost: Unified Diversity

Contributed by Fr. Rian Adams on Jul 3, 2019

The Holy Spirit can heal the factions among us and bring us into unity with God and others. Then our mission is liberated because our focus is on Jesus's great commission​.

Pentecost: Unified Diversity Sermon by The Rev. Rian Adams Pentecost is a strange day on the church calendar because we want to celebrate, but the Acts reading about speaking in tongues and erratic spiritual experiences is a little unsettling. I’ve learned that if we talk too often about ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:1-10

Denomination: Episcopal