How do we conceive of a God who is three in one? Relationship. By Pastor Lars Hammar
Pentecost sermon by Pastor Jim Dew
Pastor Jim Dew shares the word for Pentecost Sunday, May 19th, 20204 from Lord of Grace.
Jesus' Prayer for Us - sermon May 12
At the Garden of Gethsemene Jesus says a prayer for the disciples, asking God the Father to take care of them and continue his legacy as one. By Pastor Lars Hammar.
Conquer the World - sermon May 5
Nothing great in life has ever been conquered, won, achieved without effort and following the commands of a teacher. We know this in our personal lives, but forget that Jesus gives us the commands to live a more Godly life, a fuller life.
Love Casts Out Fear - sermon April 28, 2024
Note: Forgive the rough voice, I was still getting over a cold.... We can get caught in a vicious cycle when fear keeps us from loving, and yet we can't love if we fear. the only way is to turn to doing love, taking the risk, and watch love push fear away. Third in the sermon series, “Jesus in the Eyes of John”. Based on 1 John 4:7-21. By Pastor Lars Hammar
The intricate graphic images I used in the sermon….
God is Greater - sermon April 21, 2024
We come burdened with guilt and shame over things we've done, and often avoid approaching God for fear of condemnation instead of compassion. But God's love is greater than anything we do. By Pastor Lars Hammar
Good Friday Stations of the Cross with Music
This Good Friday we changed around our Stations of the Cross format a little. We went with 12 stations from the art collective sanctifiedart.org, so a couple less than usual, and added 2 full minutes of meditation time between each one, with original music in the background by our own Stuart Oliver. Here’s an edited version of the recording with only the Bible readings and the meditation music.
If you’d like to see the full, original service see below. Note: the pastor left his mic off during the sermon, so it’s really faint - just picked up on room mics. Everything else is good.
Child of God - sermon April 14, 2024
No matter what people in the world call you, or how much you have been shut out, you are adopted as a Child of God, loved and accepted in his eyes. By Pastor Lars Hammar
What is Truth - sermon April 7
The big problem of discerning the truth in the face of overwhelming powers, and the temptation to believe in conspiracies and mystery cults, is nothing new. In fact, combating the lure of the gnostic cults with their promises of secret knowledge to the initiated is an underlying theme in the writings of John. This first in the series on "Jesus in the Eyes of John" looks at Gnosticism and how it affects language of light and dark, truth and falsehood, and finding God's love. By Pastor Lars Hammar.
Here’s my highly sophisticated drawing of the Gnostic universe.
Like a Seed to a Tree - Easter 2024
The resurrection is a total transformation, like a seed that gets buried and regrows into a tree. We can't see what God will make of us when we put ourselves in his hands, but we know that it will be greater and more spiritual than what we can imagine. Easter Sunday 2024. By Pastor Lars Hammar.
Managing Expectations - sermon Palm Sunday 2024
Jesus is brought into Jerusalem by the crowd who is filled with expectations, hopes, and dreams for Jesus to the next King, starter of a revolution. The problem is, that's their idea of Jesus, not what he told them he was. So often we project our expectations onto others, instead of letting them be to us who they are. By Pastor Lars Hammar. Palm Sunday, 2024
Forgiveness is Hard - sermon March 17
True forgiveness requires a lot more than just saying so. It's a process than can take time, and need to be repeated over and over to sink in. It's the reason why Jesus tells Peter that we forgive 77 (or seventy times seven) times. By Pastor Lars Hammar
“Seventy Time Seven” by Lauren Wright Pittman
Get Behind Me - sermon March 10
Peter gets nervous about Jesus dying, and tries to convince him not to. But it's a part of God's plan for Jesus, and Peter too. The Cross is the path of the disciple. By Pastor Lars Hammar. Fourth Sunday in Lent
“Beseeching” by Hannah Garrity
Who is Jesus to You? - sermon March 3
If asked, who would you say that Jesus is to you? What have you experienced of Jesus? What does he mean in your life? What difference has faith made to you? Third Sunday in Lent. By Pastor Lars Hammar
“Who Do You Say I Am"?” by Lauren Wright Pittman
Crossing the Deep
The scariest thing to step out and do is often to examine yourself is true honesty. As Peter began to fear when he stepped out of the boat to see Jesus, so we often avoid the deepest connections with Jesus because we're afraid to open up about what we have inside. Second Sunday in Lent. By Pastor Lars Hammar
artwork by @sanctifiedart.org
“Lift Off” by Rev. Nicolette Penaranda of sanctifiedart.org
Stop. Listen. Try Again. - sermon Feb 18, 2024
How quickly we can become exhausted trying the same thing over and over, only to discover that the answer was there, but we wrote it off long ago. First in the Lenten series on Peter and the Wandering Heart. By Pastor Lars Hammar.
painting by Lisle Gwynn Garrity of sanctifiedart.org
“River of Grace” by Lisle Gwynn Garrity of sanctifiedart.org
Mountaintop Experiences - sermon Feb 11, 2024
We can use mountaintop experiences as moments to empower us to go back into the world, or as an excuse to run away from it. Jesus was clear with his disciples that going back down was his will, not to escape. Transfiguration Sunday. By Pastor Lars Hammar
Psalm 104 - sermon Jan 28, 2024
To understand the Bible you have to think like an artist, or a painter, who describes God's work in the world full of meanings, symbols, analogies, images that draw you in and point you to deeper and higher truth. To read it literally is to fall into the trap of thinking "truth" is only what can be counted and measured, and ignoring the world of experience in the Spirit. Based on Psalm 104. By Pastor Lars Hammar
Psalm 66 - sermon Jan 21, 2024
The Psalm says that God puts burdens on us to test us, but it's not what it sounds like. A careful read shows that it's not about individual tragedies and illnesses, but about the whole people facing consequences for injustices. By Pastor Lars Hammar.
Psalm 65 - sermon Jan 14, 2024
What does God do for us? It's many things, and we can see the evidence in what God does in the world every day. Part 1 of the sermon series "Four Psalms". By Pastor Lars Hammar.