Sermons on Culture (Page 2)

Sermons on Culture (Page 2)

Part 8. “S” – Speak Prophetically | Amos 5:21-24

On the morning of Thursday, February 3rd, 1994, a room of political and religious elite gathered in the ballroom of a swanky hotel in downtown Washington DC. Members of Congress were there, as was the President and Vice President, Bill Clinton and Al Gore, Hilary too. But there was also someone there you might not expect, Mother Teresa. An 83-year-old nun from India, Mother Teresa had spent a lifetime caring for the poor and needy in the slums of Calcutta,…

Part 7. “I” – Image of God (Imago Dei) | Mark 12:13-17

I want to start today’s sermon with a quiz. By a show of hands, I want you to guess whether the following portion of tweets are about a sports team or politics. These are actual selections from tweets: His biggest win yet. Let’s hear it for your [blank] champion[1] Sports or politics? “Let’s hear it for your 2021 #NASCAR Cup Series champion. . . ” Sports! Heads, we win. Tails, you cheated. Give me a break man.[2] Sports or politics?…

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 5. “U” – Understanding & Wisdom | Proverbs 8:15-17 & James 3:13-18

I’m a low-level sci-fi nerd. One of my favorite action movies is the Matrix. The Matrix is a movie about everyone being stuck in a computer-generated world and having to break free to the real post-apocalyptic world outside. In the Matrix Trilogy, there’s a scene where Neo, the hero of the movie played by Keanu Reeves, gets stuck in a subway station. This subway station is where people and programs secretly travel between the real world and the computer-generated world,…

Part 4. “O” – Other Peoples’ Good | Genesis 1:28; Jeremiah 29:4-7; Acts 2:42-47

We are now in our fourth week, third word, of our sermon series, Faith & Flourishing in Politics. F stands for “Faith, Not Fear.” L is “Love God & Neighbor,” and today we’re on O, “Other Peoples’ Good.” A British game show in the late 2000s tested whether people would put other peoples’ good before their own. The show was called Golden Balls, which was named after golden balls the size of tennis balls that had money from £10 to…

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;…

Part 1. A Vision of Flourishing | Genesis 1-3 (Faith & Politics Sermon Series)

If you were to describe our nation’s political landscape, how would you depict it? Would you describe amber waves of grain and a fruited plain like America the Beautiful sings? Or maybe more likely, you would describe a barren desert with a tumbleweed blowing by, a snake slithering under a rock, and a lone cactus. I imagine most of us today feel politics are more like a desert than a field of wheat. But what if, as you were looking…

Rest While You Wait | John 11:1-7

Continuing our series on Rest, Renewal, and Grace, Mark Pender encouraged us to rest and trust in God as we wait on Him. Mark preached on John 11:1-7. Please click here if video does not open above.

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…

Homelessness: The Nightmare that can lead to Redemption | Mark 10:17-23

Listen to Pastor Brian Gearin preach on homelessness and what the Bible has to say in Mark 10:17-23, John 4:13-18, 5:1-9, Luke 19:1-10, and Matthew 18:1-5. Brian has served the homeless and trained those working with this population for many years. He has lots of stories and wisdom to share. You can review slides from our service below.