College Wesleyan Church Sermons

Eric Crisp - 2 Kings 5:1-16. Naaman's successful life is summarized in a few sentences but the final phrase, "he suffered from leprosy," overshadows everything else. What do we do when one monumental phrase looms over the sentence of our life? Naaman's story shows us that God's seemingly simple instructions for our monumental problems aren't always easy.

Steve DeNeff - Esther 3:1-6; 4:1-17. When God seems absent, look for Him in the negative space, in the places between the other things you’ve been looking at.

Matthew Beck - 1 Kings 17:7-24. Israel has lost her way. Her kings are evil; her prophets, rejected; widows, abandoned; and sons, without breath. A devastating drought appears to be her end. But just as the brook dries up and only crumbs remain in the flour jar, Yahweh brings a sudden joyous turn. Miraculous meals are provided, sins are forgiven, a child resuscitated, as Yahweh tells the story of...

Steve DeNeff - Genesis 45:1-11; 46:1-7. How do we manage the many transitions we’ve been asked (required?) to make in the last year of our lives?  Toward the end of his life, Jacob was forced to gather his possessions and head to Egypt, where he would remain for the rest of his life. Many times, we’ve made that journey, leaving what we know, for what is unfamiliar; foregoing what we love, for what...

Ethan Linder - Exodus 1:22, 2:1-10. From Moses’ life, we learn that the world is littered with possibilities of divine intervention (burning bushes, plagues on enemies, waters parted, God’s people delivered). But if we zoom in on Moses’ first days, we learn from another figure (Moses’ mother) that sometimes, God doesn’t remove suffering or give clear direction, and we’re left to make the most of a...

Steve DeNeff - Genesis 37:2-11; 12-13, 17b-28. “Then he remembered the dream…”. We’ve all had dreams, at one time or another, but where did they come from? And what are they for? Joseph’s dreams are an example of what God intends for ours. Like Joseph, we have them and forget them, but on the day we remember them, everything changes and everything comes together.

Eric Crisp - Genesis 16:1-16. Protagonists of many stories have to survive wilderness experiences. We watch them overcome struggles of circumstance or injustice. The story of Hagar, Sarai, and Abram challenges our assumptions about how to overcome the wilderness while simultaneously showing us how God’s unfailing love and faithfulness is unexpected good news in our own stories of struggle.

Steve DeNeff - Genesis 12:1-7. The Bible is full of stories that convict and inspire, but what if we read them again, this time as fairy tales, each with a sudden and unexpected turn that brings sudden relief, or even joy to the one caught in that predicament? What if we read these stories in the Old Testament as gospel? What if we read them as good news instead of good advice? What if they were a...

Matthew Beck - Acts 12:6-17. The book of Acts, more than any other book in the Bible, tells the Story of God with humor. The Holy Spirit-filled apostles are mistaken for drunks. A young man falls asleep and out a third story window as Paul preaches late into the night. After Peter is miraculously freed from prison, he is precariously left locked-out, knocking at the door of his friends’ house. If...

Lenny Luchetti - Acts 1:1-11; 2:1-13. Most of us wonder what will or should happen when the Holy Spirit comes upon the church. But according to Acts, when the Spirit comes chains of bondage are broken. First, the disciples are set free from the chains of self-centered self-absorption (addictions and attachments). Then, the Holy Spirit hands the church the chain cutters inviting us to a mission of...

Ethan Linder - Luke 19:1-9. The story of Zacchaeus shows us how an ordinary day can be transformative for our values. In one meal, Zacchaeus transitioned from a swindling tax collector to a vibrant “son of Abraham.” In this sermon, we’ll talk about how (at our tables, in our conversations, and along the road of our life, as in Zacchaeus), Jesus invites us to an “after” that’s better than our befor...

Steve DeNeff - Psalm 46:1-11; John 20:19 ​-23. Things are changing quickly in our world (Psalm 46) but in the midst of all that change is a Community of like-minded disciples (John 20), gathered around a Table, and wherever they gather in his name, Christ is Present (Luke 24). This Community is anti-fragile and so it’s attractive to those still caught in the storm. How does this Community gather a...

Steve DeNeff - Psalm 119:97-105; Luke 24:13-16, 28-32, 36-37, 44-45. What is written in the Scriptures? How do we read them?  Why do some have more success than others in hearing the Voice of Jesus through them?  Here are some things you can actually do to improve your chances of hearing God’s Voice in the Scriptures.

Steve DeNeff - Psalm 19:7-11; Luke 24:25 ​-32, 44-48. When the Scriptures are read and interpreted in the company of good companions, Christ is present and his voice can be heard.

Steve DeNeff - Proverbs 2:1-11; Luke 24:13-19a. In our Christian journey we need the right people and the right conversations. This is trickier than it seems. Indeed many who have the right friends, have the wrong conversations. What are the conversations we should have, when Christ is Present, and how do the right friends help discern His Presence?

Steve DeNeff - Isaiah 32:1-4; Luke 24:28-35. At the heart of Easter is the message that Christ is alive and Christ is present, active in our midst. Yet because of our blindness we often miss him, we can’t recognize him even when we see him (v. 15-16). Still he comes to us, again and again, in at least four ways, all present on the road to Emmaus and each one practiced in the Church today. By putti...

Steve DeNeff - Luke 24:13-36. On the road to Emmaus the disciples are overwhelmed and running from Easter. But an encounter with Jesus reunites them to their faith and to their community. Today more than ever, people need an encounter with Jesus that reunites them with their community. What can they do? And what can we do for them?

Chris Bounds - Matthew 21:18-22. When Jesus curses the fig tree at the beginning of holy week, he is “shaming” the shame incurred by humanity in the Fall, when they used “fig leaves” to cover their nakedness. When we think about salvation in Christ Jesus, we often address our guilt before God; alienation from God; and bondage to the power of sin. However, we rarely talk about the problem of shame...

Steve DeNeff - Matthew 20:20​-28, Psalm 42:1-11. The unfaithful are those who betray us. Like Judas and Peter, these are people who are supposed to be our allies. What do we do with people close to us (in our homes, on our teams, in our workplaces, at our church, etc.), but we cannot trust them?

Steve DeNeff - Matthew 20:20-28, Psalm 42:1-11. As we continue to look at the uninvited companions who fill Jesus’ life and ours, this week we turn to those who disappoint us. These are the “followers” who are difficult to lead.

Joanne Solis-Walker - Exodus 13:17-18. Sometimes God delivers us from difficult circumstances, and we walk in the valley, but not through the shadow of death (like COVID, oppression, illness). Sometimes God delivers us from ourselves because of our circumstances or our foolishness (our insecurities, lack of confidence/entitlement, blindness, narrow-mindedness, pride, biases, or because of what opp...

Steve DeNeff - John 11:47 ​-54, 12:1-3, 9-11; Psalm 57:1-11. As we continue the “Me to We” journey we’ll be looking at our “uninvited companions.” This week, we’ll look at corrupt people - those who mislead us (i.e. the Chief Priest; High Priest). They are powerful, but we cannot follow them. So how do you live with, work for, answer to, support and love someone who abuses power?

Steve DeNeff - Psalm 3; John 8:31 ​-43, 48-59. Each of us have critics that we can’t impress. We should stop trying because the key to dealing with our critics lies in us, not in them.

Steve DeNeff - Luke 6:27 ​-36; Psalm 23. Central to Jesus’ Community is the right disposition toward one’s enemies. The sons and daughters of God – the siblings of Jesus – prove it when they “bless those who persecute… turn the other cheek… (and) give to everyone who asks.” Strong families forebear and forgive one another.

Steve DeNeff - Nazareth: The Purpose of a Family - Isaiah 61:1-3; Luke 4:14 ​-22. When Jesus returns to his hometown, the Spirit is on him and the purpose becomes clear. From now on, he will be “anointed… and sent.” Strong families have a collective mission that involves each of them, and that mission is to redeem what was once lost.