Sermons
Honest, gospel-centered preaching that connects the ancient text to the present moment—with room for faith, doubt, and hope.
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Advent Sermons
Christmas Sermons
Epiphany Sermons
Transfiguration Sermons
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Lent Sermons
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Easter Sermons
Pentecost Sermons
Christ the King Sermons
All Saints Sermons
Sermons by Occasion
Reclaiming Ought (A Matthew 16 Sermon)
A sermon on Matthew 16:21-28 and Ephesians 2:8-9 exploring cross before glory, cheap grace, and what it means to live under a demanding, saving grace.
Matthew 16:13-20 Meaning: Did the Messiah Just Yell at Me?
A sermon on Matthew 16:13-23 — Peter's confession, Jesus' rebuke, and what it means to keep meeting Jesus again for the first time.
The Drought and the Drowning
A sermon on Elijah, Peter, and Romans 10: the most important act of faith isn't bravery, it's asking for help when you're drowning or alone.
The Strength to Disappoint: Finding Freedom in Matthew 11
Tired of keeping up appearances? Discover how Jesus’ easy yoke in Matthew 11 grants us the humility, resolve, and true strength to disappoint others.
The Worst Thing We Could Be
What's the worst thing our church could be? Discover why being 'the best-kept secret' betrays our 200-year legacy of faith, hospitality, and service."
Stay in the Field: Parable of the Sower Sermon (Matthew 13)
A sermon on the Parable of the Sower — why life gets away from us, and why we keep throwing seed anyway.
Advent Sermon: If You Don’t Like the Harvest Then . . .
A reflective Advent sermon on Matthew 3:1–12 exploring repentance as the invitation to turn, plant new seeds, and cultivate a different harvest. Discover how John the Baptist’s call to “bear fruit” offers possibility, agency, and hope for real change during the Advent season.
Grace Grows in the Family Tree
A full Christmas sermon on Matthew 1:1–17. Jesus’ family tree reveals God’s grace through generations of imperfect people, reminding us that the story of redemption includes every name—even ours.
Gather for Worship, Scatter for Mission: (Missions Sermon)
This sermon explores what it means to be the church that gathers for worship and scatters for mission. Rooted in Genesis 12, Matthew 28, and Luke 10, Pastor Jason Elder offers a compelling reflection on service, discipleship, and going with presence, not pressure. Preached before a mission trip to Appalachia, this message invites you to see everyday life as sacred and missional.
Forgiveness Sermon (Matthew 18:21-22)
Forgiveness is the hardest word to learn—and the hardest to live. This sermon from Micah 7:18–19 and Matthew 18:21–22 explores what forgiveness really means, why it’s so painful, and how Jesus gives us the strength to release the debts that weigh us down
Emmanuel: God With Us in the Mess, Mundane, and Magnificent (Matthew 1:18-23 Sermon)
Discover the profound message of Christmas: Emmanuel, God with us in the mess, the mundane, and the magnificent. A heartfelt reflection on Matthew 1:18-23 for this holy season.
Stewardship Sermon: Matthew 2:1-12 - The Magi’s Lessons for Us
Reflect on the Magi’s journey of seeking, worshiping, and giving in this Stewardship Sunday sermon, encouraging faithful response and generosity.
The A, B, Cs of Following Jesus (Discipleship Sermon)
What are the ABCs of Christian living for the individual and the church? In this passage from Mark 3:13-35, Jesus calls the disciples to an adventure, gives them and assignment with an apprenticeship, which requires boldness. Yet, even Jesus himself needs the bonds of a committed, covenant community, and so do we! We get into the journey of discipleship and discover the strength of covenant, companionship, and community.
Figuring Out Faith: Teach Me the Way of Forgiveness
Forgiving someone can feel like an impossible task. In this sermon, I honor our hesitations and talk about what forgiveness is and isn't as we take hope in God. Matthew 18 is our text.
Figuring Our Faith: I'm Fixed Upon It
God provides minimum protection and maximum support in this ever-changing world. Peter doesn't want a fixed faith, but Christ wants him to be fixed by faith. Matthew 16 is our text.
Figuring Out Faith: Praise the Mount of God's Unchanging Love
In Matthew 16 Jesus proclaims, “I will build my church, and the Gates of Hell shall not overcome it!” He makes this declaration in light of his own upcoming death and knowledge of the failures of the disciples. Jesus is fully confident in God’s ability to do good things. We should be too!
Figuring Out Faith: He to Rescue Me From Danger
Matthew 14 teaches that the storm rages and Peter asks to walk with Christ on the water while the disciples remain in the boat. What does faith look like in the storms of life?
The Transfiguration of Jesus, Part 1 (Matthew 17 sermon)
In the gospel of Matthew 17, Elijah and Moses with the Transfiguration of Jesus. They confirm his identity. Notice, it is not, “The Transformation of Jesus,” as if he is becoming something he is not. His fuller identity is being revealed (Colossians 1:15) and God says, “This is my Son, listen to him!”
The Transfiguration of Jesus, Part 2 (Matthew 17 Sermon)
In the gospel of Matthew 17, Elijah and Moses with the Transfiguration of Jesus. They confirm his identity. Notice, it is not, “The Transformation of Jesus,” as if he is becoming something he is not. Here his fuller identity is being revealed and God says, “This is my Son, listen to him!”
Jesus’ Scandalous Family Tree (Matthew 1:1-25 Sermon)
Though genealogies in the Bible strike us as boring, the family tree of Jesus holds a lot of surprises for us. In Jesus, we see God's faithfulness from generation to generation and a God who shows up often in scandalous situations.