First Congregational
United Church of Christ
... exploring the frontiers of faith in Jesus
Sermon Library
Search sermon archives
(download free Adobe Reader, if you do not already have a .pdf reader)
Links
United Church of Christ
United Church of Christ
God is still speaking,
Iowa Conference
Publications
Christian Century
Weavings
Sojourners Magazine
Favorite sermons: Rev. Timothy Ensworth
(Click on any sermon title to view a .pdf file of the sermon)
Who is this man? -- Mark 4:35-41 (2/9/03)
I was scared. Even I was scared. I've fished this lake since I was eight and swum in it since I was four. I know it well; I respect its power; but this was the first time it ever scared me.
Illuminating the dark corners of our lives -- Mark 1:4-13 (1/9/00)
But as long as the dark corners of our lives remain in the dark, as long as we pretend and avoid and ignore and deny ... nothing changes, nothing heals. As any recovering alcoholic can tell you, as any cancer patient can tell you, it is just those dark corners we ignore or deny that control and consume our lives and rob us of health and fullness of life and joy.
Joy ... it's not about the pursuit of happiness -- Luke 2:8-11 (12/19/04)
I cannot promise that if you make room in your life for Jesus, you will be happy. I cannot promise that if you welcome Jesus into your life, your children will be safe and do well, your job will be secure and fulfilling, your health will be fine. I cannot promise you will never be in want, never be lonely, never know sorrow and grief.
The night is nearly over -- Romans 13:11-12 (11/29/98)
it is dark ...
all around you, whichever way you face, all is darkness, deepest darkness ...
This world and the next? -- Acts 4:32-35 (4/30/00)
Resurrection is not about escape, and it is not about pacifying people. Resurrection is about transformation. Resurrection religion, resurrection faith, is about transformation, about transforming this world, not about leaving it behind.
What do you believe? -- Psalm 90:1-12 (10/24/99)
All of us approach the world in a posture of belief. We bring with us a set of beliefs -- conscious or unconscious, spoken or unspoken, taught or discovered. This posture of belief is the rudder that steers our course upon the ocean of our experience and history!
When David Danced -- 2 Samuel 6 (7/13/97)
And so we were married. Michal, the king's daughter, now the wife of Israel's finest hero and, more than that, the life companion of her truest love. But we could not be happy for long. The king was much too insecure, much too consumed with jealousy and hatred.
When the well runs dry -- Joel 1-2 (10/25/98)
What do you do when disaster happens? What do you do when the well runs dry?
Why? -- Mark 15:1-37 (3/23/97)
Why? There is no answer ... just the stubborn reality of the way things are.
Suffering is ... Injustice is ... Sin is ... Death is ...
Wolves and sheep will live together in peace -- Isaiah 11:1-10 (12/6/98)
In order for peace to come, fundamental change needs to happen. Both the predator and the prey -- the wolf and the sheep -- need to change. The predator has to change its diet ... and the prey has to learn to trust. That is what must happen to achieve real peace.
One hundred and fifty-three fish -- John 21:1-19 (4/29/01)
Now why does the gospel writer make a point of reporting the number of fish? Why one hundred and fifty-three fish? It's a detail in the story that fascinates me.
A different point of view -- Genesis 45:1-15 (8/14/05)
Can you look at the events and circumstances of your own life and see not just the bad or good things that have happened to you, but see that there is indeed a "you" to which they have happened, a "you" capable of living with freedom and joy regardless of what befalls you? Can you look at the threads of your own history and see the grace and mercy of God at work, always at work? There are optimists; there are pessimists: and then, there are people of faith, people of faith who see things from a wholly different point of view.
Leaving Town -- Romans 8:1-11 (7/10/05)
My concern is with the integrity of the witness of our church, of our core witness to the unity Christ intends for his church. The great risk, the great tragedy, would be to let differences over this issue shatter our oneness.
There are well-meaning, Christ-loving, neighbor-loving, conscientious Christians on both sides of this issue! There are! And that is what makes this so difficult for me. If we cannot acknowledge that -- that there are good people, faithful followers of Jesus, on both sides of this issue -- then we are lost.
And they'll know we are Christians by our ... -- Matthew 7:21-29 (5/29/05)
What does make a true Christian?
I cannot speak for you, but much of what is heralded in the media as representing the "Christian" point of view, I find rather disturbing and even downright shameful! So this is a question that has some urgency. Too often what is "Christian" is too narrowly defined, leaving out of the picture all sorts of people who call themselves by that name and hold rather different views and values.
I want to suggest a better definition, a broader definition, of what makes a true Christian. But, at the same time, I realize that I have to be careful too not to slap the title onto my own set of prejudices. So, let's go to the source! How does Jesus identify his true followers, those who are fit for the Kingdom of heaven? They'll know we are Christians by our ...?
The Lord is my goatherd -- Isaiah 53:1-6 (4/17/05)
It's tough to be a goat ...
I should know ... because I am one! I'm kind of homely, rough around the edges; there is nothing particularly attractive or glamorous about me. I do not always have very discriminating tastes. Sometimes I choose well, but other times I'll get into something that isn't really so good for me. There are many things out there that you can put into your mind or heart that are like spiritual junk food at best and many things that are positively dangerous for your soul!
I can be sassy, grumpy, cranky, stubborn, and I'm not sure that I am worthy of any special attention or regard. I know my place in the world. I know where I belong and where I don't belong.
I know what it feels like to be a goat ... and maybe some of you do, too. So what hope do we have? Does God care about goats, too?
God is still speaking,
Never place a period where God has placed a comma. - Gracie Allen
Updated: March 27, 2008
