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Click on "Sermon Title" for PDF.
Easter: Becoming Good News With...
April 1 - May 13, 2018
May 20, 2018 - Easter 7
A Cross-Shaped Life: An Upside-Down World
Scripture: Philippians 2:1-13
At its core, I believe the Christian faith is powered by a huge generator of counter-weighted and counter-spinning paradoxes. When we attempt to resolve those paradoxes, we fall out of the mystery of the Universe and our relationship with God. When we attempt to live deeper into the ambiguity, conflict, and tension of the paradoxes, we are led into a greater mystery which also expands our understanding of God's love and peace.
Philippians 2 is diving deep into those paradoxes and asks the hard question, "What does it mean to live in community, and to live into the paradoxes of the faith at the same time?"
Just audio this week.
Peace and grace. Pastor Seth
A Cross-Shaped Life: An Upside-Down World
Scripture: Philippians 2:1-13
At its core, I believe the Christian faith is powered by a huge generator of counter-weighted and counter-spinning paradoxes. When we attempt to resolve those paradoxes, we fall out of the mystery of the Universe and our relationship with God. When we attempt to live deeper into the ambiguity, conflict, and tension of the paradoxes, we are led into a greater mystery which also expands our understanding of God's love and peace.
Philippians 2 is diving deep into those paradoxes and asks the hard question, "What does it mean to live in community, and to live into the paradoxes of the faith at the same time?"
Just audio this week.
Peace and grace. Pastor Seth
May 6, 2018 - Easter 6
A Cross-Shaped Life: Who Will Hear?
Scripture: Philippians 1:1-18
My wife still writes letters. It is an arcane art these days, an art-form that has an almost 2800 year history. I am sure it will come back again one day. Back in Paul's day, the letter was an interesting form of communication. It wove itself into the interplay between the written and the spoken word. Most people couldn't read or write in Paul's time, and so a written letter did not complete its purpose until it was read in front of a person or people. Today, I updated the theme of Paul's letter to today by writing a letter to Rockland Congregational Church - in front of the church. So as you listen and read along, imagine a desk in front of the church, with someone sitting with pen and paper, and an envelope.
Peace and grace! Pastor Seth
A Cross-Shaped Life: Who Will Hear?
Scripture: Philippians 1:1-18
My wife still writes letters. It is an arcane art these days, an art-form that has an almost 2800 year history. I am sure it will come back again one day. Back in Paul's day, the letter was an interesting form of communication. It wove itself into the interplay between the written and the spoken word. Most people couldn't read or write in Paul's time, and so a written letter did not complete its purpose until it was read in front of a person or people. Today, I updated the theme of Paul's letter to today by writing a letter to Rockland Congregational Church - in front of the church. So as you listen and read along, imagine a desk in front of the church, with someone sitting with pen and paper, and an envelope.
Peace and grace! Pastor Seth
April 29th, 2018 - Easter 5 - JAZZ SUNDAY with the Midcoast Brass Quintet
"Becoming Good News with...The Powerful: Paul in Athens
Scripture: Acts 17:16-31
Paul has left his friends behind and gone on to the center of the rapidly fading Greek empire - Athens. There, he is invited to speak with the powerful and free me of Athens. He delivers a concise, but deep, sermon on the Areopagus, or Mars Hill. It is a beautiful lesson in how to speak to people in power.
This was also Jazz Sunday and we were joined by the Midcoast Brass Quintet, who brought a Dixieland swing to our worship. Thank you to them.
Since the whole service was filled with great music, I have put the entire service below. You can click on the sermon above for the PDF, or go to the 31:15 mark on the audio to just hear the sermon.
Peace and grace to all!
"Becoming Good News with...The Powerful: Paul in Athens
Scripture: Acts 17:16-31
Paul has left his friends behind and gone on to the center of the rapidly fading Greek empire - Athens. There, he is invited to speak with the powerful and free me of Athens. He delivers a concise, but deep, sermon on the Areopagus, or Mars Hill. It is a beautiful lesson in how to speak to people in power.
This was also Jazz Sunday and we were joined by the Midcoast Brass Quintet, who brought a Dixieland swing to our worship. Thank you to them.
Since the whole service was filled with great music, I have put the entire service below. You can click on the sermon above for the PDF, or go to the 31:15 mark on the audio to just hear the sermon.
Peace and grace to all!
April 22nd, 2018 - Easter 4
"Becoming Good News with ... The Exploited: Paul and Silas"
Scripture: Acts 16:16-34
Paul and Silas traveled throughout the Mediterranean and preached the Good News wherever they went. Paul's writings all have a theme of freedom within them, and carried to their logical conclusion, Paul's commitment to Christ means exploitation must be overcome wherever we bear witness to it.
PDF above, and audio right here:
"Becoming Good News with ... The Exploited: Paul and Silas"
Scripture: Acts 16:16-34
Paul and Silas traveled throughout the Mediterranean and preached the Good News wherever they went. Paul's writings all have a theme of freedom within them, and carried to their logical conclusion, Paul's commitment to Christ means exploitation must be overcome wherever we bear witness to it.
PDF above, and audio right here:
April 15th, 2018 - Easter 3
"Becoming Good News with ... Paul!"
Scripture: Acts 9:1-19
Before Paul was Paul, his name was Saul, and Saul was a heresy hunter for the religious authorities in Jerusalem. Then he sees the light, literally. A whole series of events occurs because of the light that struck Paul, and it provides an exceptional story of conversion. But don't let the drama of the story make you miss the story.
PDF is attached above in the sermon title. Audio is below.
Peace! Pastor Seth
"Becoming Good News with ... Paul!"
Scripture: Acts 9:1-19
Before Paul was Paul, his name was Saul, and Saul was a heresy hunter for the religious authorities in Jerusalem. Then he sees the light, literally. A whole series of events occurs because of the light that struck Paul, and it provides an exceptional story of conversion. But don't let the drama of the story make you miss the story.
PDF is attached above in the sermon title. Audio is below.
Peace! Pastor Seth
April 8th, 2018 -- Second Sunday of Easter
"Becoming Good News with ... Thomas!"
Scripture: John 20:19-31
During the season of Easter we will be looking at what it means to become Good News. Our models will be characters and groups from the New Testament. Hopefully, they will inspire us today rather than simply becoming relics of a story long ago. Today, we look at the much-, and wrongly, maligned disciple, Thomas.
Thomas is a model of expecting ... no, demanding... that God be present with us. Thomas follows in a long Biblical tradition of demanding God's presence.
Just the audio this week.
Peace and grace, Pastor Seth
"Becoming Good News with ... Thomas!"
Scripture: John 20:19-31
During the season of Easter we will be looking at what it means to become Good News. Our models will be characters and groups from the New Testament. Hopefully, they will inspire us today rather than simply becoming relics of a story long ago. Today, we look at the much-, and wrongly, maligned disciple, Thomas.
Thomas is a model of expecting ... no, demanding... that God be present with us. Thomas follows in a long Biblical tradition of demanding God's presence.
Just the audio this week.
Peace and grace, Pastor Seth
April 1st, 2018 -- EASTER MORNING
"Following Jesus to ... Becoming Good News"
Scripture: John 20:1-18
Today, we celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Every single disciple of Jesus, every single apostle, every single follower carry all kinds of baggage from his or her past, from their backgrounds, and from their actions. Jesus doesn't really care. The change Jesus brings to us is all about becoming Good News for the world.
I have posted the whole service this week so you can enjoy the music. If you just want the sermon, you can jump to about 26:35.
I have also posted the PDF of the sermon above.
Peace and grace this Resurrection week! Pastor Seth
"Following Jesus to ... Becoming Good News"
Scripture: John 20:1-18
Today, we celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Every single disciple of Jesus, every single apostle, every single follower carry all kinds of baggage from his or her past, from their backgrounds, and from their actions. Jesus doesn't really care. The change Jesus brings to us is all about becoming Good News for the world.
I have posted the whole service this week so you can enjoy the music. If you just want the sermon, you can jump to about 26:35.
I have also posted the PDF of the sermon above.
Peace and grace this Resurrection week! Pastor Seth