Bozeman United Methodist Church Sermon Podcast

Jesus for Everyone: Insiders and Outsiders Matthew 15:21–28 In this week’s message, Pastor Zach continues our  Jesus for Everyone  series with a challenging story of Jesus and the Canaanite woman. It’s an encounter that doesn’t sound like the Jesus we expect—silence, rejection, even harsh words—until persistence and faith break through the boundaries of who’s in and who’s out. What does this story...

This week at Bozeman United Methodist Church, we had the joy of welcoming Bishop Kristin Stoneking as our guest preacher during our 160th anniversary celebration. Preaching from Matthew 19:16–30, Bishop Kristin reminded us that the love of God is for everyone, and that following Jesus is a call to love deeply, give generously, and welcome widely. Drawing from her own ministry experiences, the hist...

We close our parables series with Jesus’ story of a landowner and day-laborers (Matthew 20:1–16). It’s harvest time, the hiring never stops, and at day’s end everyone receives the same wage. Fair? Scandalous? Or a window into God’s kingdom already among us? Pastor Zach explores how this parable reframes “fairness,” exposes how comparison steals joy, and reveals the persistence of grace—the God who...

Parables: The Wedding Party This week in our series on the parables, we turn to one of Jesus’ most unsettling stories—the wedding feast found in Matthew 22 and Luke 14. Unlike the mustard seed or the yeast, this parable bristles with tension, power, and even violence. Is God really like a king who burns cities and throws guests into the outer darkness? Or is Jesus showing us something deeper about...

Parables: The Leaven Luke 13:18–21 What does the kingdom of God really look like? In this sermon, Pastor Zach Bechtold invites us to explore one of Jesus’ shortest but most powerful parables—the story of the yeast. Just as a tiny bit of leaven can work its way through sixty pounds of flour, so too can small, unseen acts of love, grace, and forgiveness transform lives and communities. Drawing from...

In this sermon, Pastor Zach Bechtold reflects on Jesus’ parable of the mustard seed—a story so small it’s easy to overlook, yet so powerful it continues to shape how we see faith, growth, and the kingdom of God. Across the gospels, this parable takes on new shades of meaning: a seed planted in a field, a shrub in a garden, a shelter wide enough for birds to nest. Each telling reminds us that even...

Wine into Wineskins In this thought-provoking sermon, Rev. Fred Amborn draws from Josh Scott’s  Parables: Putting Jesus’ Stories in Their Place  to reframe one of Jesus’ most familiar — and often misunderstood — images. Moving beyond simple moral lessons, Rev. Fred invites us to see the parable of the wine and wineskins as a call to openness, flexibility, and transformation. When the Spirit is doi...

Grace That Transforms — Titus 3:12-15 In the closing verses of Paul’s letter to Titus, we find more than travel plans and parting words — we find a vision for how grace reshapes our lives and relationships. In this sermon, Rev. Fred Amborn unpacks the quiet power of these final lines, showing how the grace we receive is never meant to remain static. It moves us toward generosity, hospitality, and...

Titus 3 – A People Zealous to Do Good Preached by Pastor Mari-Emilie Anderson As Paul closes his letter to Titus, he paints a picture of who we are called to be: a people marked not by division or self-righteousness, but by mercy, humility, and a deep desire to do good. In this sermon, Pastor Mari-Emilie explores what it means to be “zealous to do good” in a world that often rewards the opposite....

In this episode, we continue our journey through the book of Titus and explore what it means to live a faith that doesn’t just speak—but shows up. Titus 2 challenges us with culturally complex instructions, yet beneath them lies a powerful vision for the church: a community shaped by grace, marked by integrity, and rooted in deep, intergenerational wisdom. Through Paul’s letter to a struggling you...

Episode Title: Titus – Setting Things in Order Series: Building the Church for the Future What kind of church are we building? What kind of people are we becoming? In this opening message from our series on the book of Titus, Pastor Zach invites us into Paul’s pastoral letter to a young leader tasked with shaping a faithful community in a messy world. Titus was left in Crete not just to hold thing...

Sabbath Keeping Isn’t for Wimps Guest preacher Vickie Wilkinson brings a bold and thoughtful word in our  A Holy Waste of Time  series. Drawing from Mark 4:35-41, she reflects on the tension between strict Sabbath laws and the liberating power of Jesus’ healing presence—even on the Sabbath. With honesty and depth, Vickie explores how true rest isn’t weakness, but a courageous act of faith. Sabbath...

This week on "A Holy Waste of Time," we dive into what might be the hardest part of truly resting: silence. In a world that glorifies busyness and noise, sometimes the most faithful thing we can do is pause, quiet our mouths and minds, and simply listen. Pastor Zach shares honestly about the struggle to sit in silence and invites us into the sacred practice of making space for God, ourse...

A Holy Waste of Time: Permission to Pause Scripture: Ecclesiastes 3:9-13 In a world that worships productivity, what if the most faithful thing you can do this week is... nothing? In this episode, Pastor Zach Bechtold invites us to take a deep breath and rediscover the holiness of rest. Building on the series  A Holy Waste of Time , this sermon explores how our culture has twisted Sabbath into som...

A Holy Waste of Time: "We Don't Waste Time Anymore" Sermon by Rin Sterns | Scripture: Deuteronomy 5:12-15 In this compelling message, Youth Director Rin Sterns invites us to rethink how we spend our time—and what it means to truly rest. Preaching from Deuteronomy 5:12-15, Rin explores the gift of Sabbath not as a burden or luxury, but as a sacred rhythm of restoration. In a world tha...

Sermon: The Holy Spirit Scripture: Acts 2:1-15 In the final installment of  The Third Day  series, we arrive at Pentecost—a day of wind, fire, and holy disruption. What began in resurrection now ignites into movement as the Holy Spirit descends, pushing the disciples from waiting to witnessing. Pastor Zach Bechtold invites us to hear this familiar story with fresh ears and ask ourselves:  What is...

Podcast Title :  The Third Day: Emmaus Scripture : Luke 24:13–35 Episode Description : On the very day of resurrection, two disciples walked a dusty road toward Emmaus, burdened by grief and lost hope. They didn’t recognize the stranger who joined them—but we know it was Jesus. In this powerful story from Luke’s Gospel, we explore what it means for Christ to walk with us unseen, to speak truth int...

Podcast Title:   The Third Day Episode Title:   Thomas Scripture:  John 20:24–29 Episode Description: In this week’s episode of  The Third Day , we continue our journey through the resurrection stories by walking alongside Thomas—the disciple so often reduced to a nickname: “Doubting Thomas.” But what if his story is less about doubt and more about honesty, yearning, and the deep human need for pe...

Sermon Series: The Third Day Sermon: Simon Peter Scripture: John 21:15-19 In this episode of  The Third Day  sermon series, we journey with Simon Peter as he encounters the risen Christ on the shoreline. After denial, doubt, and disappointment, Peter is met not with condemnation, but with breakfast, grace, and a call:  Do you love me? Feed my sheep.  Through this tender moment of restoration, we d...

Sermon Series: The Third Day Sermon: Mary Magdalene Pastor Mari-Emilie Anderson In this episode, we explore the powerful encounter between Mary Magdalene and the risen Jesus, inspired by John 20:11-18 and insights from Tom Berlin’s  The Third Day . As the first witness to the resurrection, Mary’s story is one of grief, hope, and transformation. We'll reflect on her deep love for Jesus, the pai...

Sermon Series: The Beginner’s Guide to the Good News Sermon: The Empty Tomb Scripture: Mark 16:1-8 Pastor Zach Bechtold Episode Description: Happy Easter! Christ is Risen! Today we reach the heart of our faith—the Good News that changes everything. In this Easter Sunday message, Pastor Zach Bechtold leads us through Mark 16:1-8, the original ending of Mark’s Gospel, where the story doesn’t conclud...

Episode Title:  The Beginner’s Guide to the Good News: Shouts of Hosanna Scripture:  Mark 11:1-11 Series:  The Beginner’s Guide to the Good News Preacher:  Rev. Zach Bechtold Church:  Bozeman UMC Episode Description: This Palm Sunday, we wave our palms and shout  Hosanna! —but what are we really saying? In this episode of  The Beginner’s Guide to the Good News , Pastor Zach Bechtold walks us throu...

Series:The Beginner’s Guide to the Good News Sermon: The Tenants Scripture: Mark 12:1-12 In this episode of *The Beginner’s Guide to the Good News*, we explore Jesus’ parable of the tenants in the vineyard. While it’s easy to see others as the problem, this story challenges us to look in the mirror. Have we, like the tenants, held too tightly to power and control? Have we caused harm instead of of...

Sermon Series: The Beginners Guide to the Good News Sermon: Authentic Discipleship Scripture: Mark 8:27-9:1 As we reach the midpoint of our Lenten journey through the Gospel of Mark, Jesus asks a question that still echoes in our souls today:  “Who do you say I am?”  In this episode, Pastor Zach Bechtold unpacks this pivotal moment where the disciples begin to grasp Jesus’ identity as the Christ—o...

Sermon Series: The Beginners Guide to the Good News Sermon: Reaching Out Scripture: Mark 5:24-34 As we continue our Lenten journey in  A Beginner’s Guide to the Good News , we encounter two powerful stories of healing and hope from Mark 5. This week, Pastor Zach explores the faith of a desperate father and a woman who dares to reach out in hope. Their stories remind us that the Good News is rooted...