Sermons on Matthew

Sermons on Matthew

The Triumphant Entry | Matthew 21:1-11 & 15

This Palm Sunday, we received a message from Mark Maclean to help us understand how Jesus was perceived and who he really was and what he came to do. Discussion Questions 1. When Jesus rode into Jerusalem, the crowd treated him like a king. What were they expecting of him? 2. What was correct about the crowd’s description of Jesus? What was incorrect (or incomplete)? 3. What kind of Jesus am I following? One of my own devising or one…

A Savior Is Born | Matthew 1:18-25, Luke 1:26-38

“Christmas is the answer to the question, does God love me?”. Bernie Michaud shares a message of encouragement on this Christmas Day. Can we see beyond our circumstances to the hope and joy that God provides through our savior? Watch Here Questions to Consider How would you be feeling if these events were happening to you? How much do you trust God with your life’s circumstances?

What is this Love? | Matthew 1:18-25, 1 John 4:7-12

On the fourth Sunday of Advent, Pastor Ron shared with us about God’s perfect love. Watch Here Discussion Questions 1. Why is our love, generally, not bad, but imperfect? 2. Have you ever been faced with Joseph’s dilemma between doing what is right and what is loving? How did you reconcile the two? 3. How are the components of – initiative, sacrifice, and purpose – evident in our experience of God’s love?  (note: 1 John 4:9-12) 4. Can we cite…

Awkward Christmas | Matthew 1:18-25 (Shameful Christmas)

One of the annual traditions of the town I grew up in was to host a day-after-Thanksgiving Day parade, which was really a Christmas parade. Now they call it the “Catch the Glow” parade. There were lots of rides and floats, people marching, colorful Christmas decorations. But every year, at the end of the parade, Santa and his reindeer came parading down the main street. It was Santa, and presents, on a slay, on a semi, with fake reindeer. Rudolf…

Part 10. A Flourishing Future | Revelation 21:1-6; 22:1-5

I grew up in a mountain town in Colorado called Estes Park. Estes is famous for being the gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park. One of the tallest mountains in Colorado is right outside of town, a 14-thousand-footer named Long’s Peak(14,259 feet). But growing up in Estes, I never climbed Long’s Peak. We heard all the horror stories of people falling, getting stuck, and dying, and I didn’t want to risk it. And then I moved away to sea-level and…

Part 9. “H” – Help the Needy | Zechariah 7:8-12 & Matthew 25:31-46

We’ve been working through the word “F.L.O.U.R.I.S.H.” in our Faith & Flourishing in Politics sermon series. Today we’re finishing our acronym. Let’s review: F – Faith, Not Fear (or “faithful presence”) L – Love God & Neighbor (enemies too) O – Other Peoples’ Good (shalom/common good) U – Understanding & Wisdom R – Reign of Christ I – Image of God (Imago Dei) S – Speak Prophetically H – Help the Needy Last week we talked about speaking prophetically. We…

Part 6. “R” – Reign of Christ | Romans 13:1-7 & Philippians 3:20-21

I loved going to Awana club every week when I was a kid. If you’re not familiar with this part of the Christian subculture, Awana is a weekly after-school program where once a week, kids gathered at church to eat snacks, play games, memorize Bible verses, and sing worship songs. And I loved it! One week when I thought I wasn’t going to get to go, I had a major meltdown. I memorized so many verses I got my Sparky…

Part 3. “L” – Love God & Neighbor (even political enemies) | Matthew 22:35-40

Tom is leaning into his computer screen as his fingers slam down on his keyboard. His brow is furrowed, and he can feel his blood pressure rising. “I can’t believe Sam believes this junk,” he mutters as he forcefully types his response to Sam’s most recent Facebook post. Sam had posted another biased, misinformed poorly-written article, and he is about to unequivocally show him the error of his ways. Tom has been watching Sam for months now post article after…

Part 2. “F” – Faith, Not Fear | Matthew 5-7 (Sermon on the Mount)

Did you know that deep in the recesses of our brain is a grape-sized cluster of cells called the amygdala? Our amygdala is a little like the emergency response center of our brain. It is constantly searching for danger, and when it identifies it, it sounds the alarm. Our blood pressure rises, our heartbeat goes up, we go on high alert and get ready for action. The amygdala “activates the fight-or-flight response.”[1] Turn a corner and find a snarling dog;…

Resting From Stuff | Matthew 6:19-24

Dave Astolfi is a second career pastor, having earned an M.Div from Bethel Seminary of the East. He retired early from a 35 year career in science research to devote more time and energy to pastoral ministry.  Dave was ordained at Grace Community Church in Chelmsford, while serving as Pastor of Care. He is enjoying semi-retirement, serving God through pulpit supply, interim ministry, mentoring and volunteering at a community pantry … Oh, and he also keeps busy playing with his…