Faith Presbyterian Church Tallahassee

Jesus doesn't seek out trained rabbis to be His disciples; instead, He calls a few Galilean fishermen to follow Him and join His ministry. What is the beginning of your faith story? When has God sought you out? Did you resist? Did you follow? 

Matthew 26:36-46, Dr. Brad Clayton

Acts 16:19-34

Luke 24:13-31

Peter is a heart-on-his-sleeve kind of a guy. When Peter sees Jesus, he puts on his outer garment in reverence, and then dives into the sea, not wasting a second to embrace his teacher, friend, and Messiah who then asks him three times, "Do you love me?"

We might expect that, after denying Christ, Peter would cower in shame -- or even run away. Instead, when he hears the news from the women, Peter gets up and runs to the tomb. When he finds it empty, he is filled with awe. Even after our biggest failures, may we live as Easter people, running towards hope!

As Holy Week begins, Peter is no longer front and center, and so we imagine he is with the rest of the disciples when Jesus enters Jerusalem on a colt. The disciples are confused as they witness crowds shouting hosannas. When they look back on the experience, they will remember the songs. Their singing is subversive, courageous, and contagious. Their praise shows the ripple effect of public displa...

When your world unravels and your beliefs are tested, you may cling to what you know. As Jesus foretells His death and resurrection, Peter protests. Peter is fixed upon the way he thinks things should go; he resists the pain of what will come. But Jesus is fixed upon His calling and calls Peter out. What does it look like to welcome complexity? Can you stay fixed upon your convictions while also e...

"Praise the mount I'm fixed upon it. Mount of God's unchanging love." Peter has a mountaintop faith moment, feeling the closeness of God. Peter claims his faith. If you had to speak your faith in a few phrases, what would you say? 

As a new disciple, perhaps Peter wants to prove himself. Boldly, in the middle of a storm, Peter steps out of the boat to join Jesus who is walking on top of the waves. He, too, walks on water until the wind shakes his trust and he begins to sink. Maybe this looks like doubt, unexpected change, too-busy seasons of life, devastating grief, or distance form God. In this story, we empathize with the...

  Christ's transfiguration circles back to an earlier revelation about His identity. While we may never fully understand our mysterious Messiah, we work to participate in His revelation to the world. 

Jesus continued to keep His identity a secret, but His action often freed others who had been living in secret. What secrets are keeping you from living fully? Jesus offers healing that frees us to live abundantly.

"What's this? A new teacher with authority?" Jesus makes Himself known to those gathered in the synagogue of Capernaum. How might we recognize with awe where God is at work now?

Immediately the disciples followed Jesus, not even knowing why. Jesus clearly has something to accomplish. What urgent mission might God be calling you to? 

We're invited to come, see, and recognize; a call that is rarely as clear as it may seem. 

Baptism is the beginning of Jesus' revealing His identity. What does Jesus' baptism tell us about our own? 

Matthew 2:13-23, Dr. Brad Clayton

Christmas Eve 2024, Dr. Brad Clayton

Luke 1: 26-38, Rev. Trinity Whitley "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most  High will overshadow you; therefore a child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God." 

"Your wife Elizabeth shall bear a son, and you will name him John. You will have joy and gladness and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord." 

A thank you note can be written and mailed in a matter of moments. Gratitude is a way of life. Paul describes how God's chosen ones live with kindness and humility and sing with gratitude to God. As we prepare for the season of giving, we will begin with a life of gratitude. 

Paul loved the people of Philippi. The Philippian church loved him and supported him. We have so many people in our own lives who have cared for us and loved us into being, but many of them have slipped our mind. Today we pause to think of those people once more and say, "Thank you." 

God's people have always brought offerings to God. In ancient Israel, these burnt offerings were sacrifices that restored God's relationship with God's people, offering forgiveness and grace. But these sacrifices were also offerings of thanksgiving -- opportunities for God's people to say thank you for grace. When we bring our offerings to church, those offerings are never a paymen...

We are often thankful after we have received a great gift or an answered prayer. But Jesus offers gratitude before He shares the food with the multitude. How can we begin each day with a posture of gratitude so that we are not always asking for more, but grateful for what we have? 

Dr. Brad Clayton, Psalm 23