First Cary UMC

First Cary UMC's First Sanctuary Sermon "Palm Sunday: Turning Towards Jerusalem” –  Rev. Ben Alexander – Sunday, April 13, 2025 Scripture: Luke 19:28-40 On Palm Sunday, Jesus enters Jerusalem in a humble procession, not as the conquering kind that people expected, but as the one who comes in peace. As Jesus turns towards Jerusalem, we witness Jesus’ journey to the cross begin, where he will face r...

First Cary UMC's First on Chatham Sermon "Finding Our Way in the Wilderness: Turning Away from Loneliness” –  Rev. Kollin Absher-Baer – Sunday, April 6, 2025 Scripture: Luke 22:39:46 Throughout the season of Lent,  we have witnessed the devil’s temptation towards Jesus in the wilderness, and explored all of the ways that Jesus turns away from them. But how many of us would find ourselves clinging...

First Cary UMC's First Sanctuary Sermon "Finding Our Way in the Wilderness: Turning Away from Loneliness” – Rev. Martha McLean – Sunday, April 6, 2025 Scripture: Luke 22:39:46 Throughout the season of Lent,  we have witnessed the devil’s temptation towards Jesus in the wilderness, and explored all of the ways that Jesus turns away from them. But how many of us would find ourselves clinging to the...

First Cary UMC's First on Chatham Sermon "Third Temptation: Turning Away from Testing God” – Rev. Kollin Absher-Baer – Sunday, March 30, 2025 Scripture: Matthew 16:1-4 In the wilderness outlined in Luke 4, the devil is tempting Jesus for the third and final time saying, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here.” When we find ourselves in the hardships of the wilderness, it is easy...

First Cary UMC's First Sanctuary Sermon "Third Temptation: Turning Away from Testing God” – Rev. Ben Alexander – Sunday, March 30, 2025 Scripture: Matthew 16:1-4 In the wilderness outlined in Luke 4, the devil is tempting Jesus for the third and final time saying, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here.” When we find ourselves in the hardships of the wilderness, it is easy to te...

First Cary UMC's First on Chatham Sermon "Second Temptation: Turning Away from False Promises of Power” – Rev. Kollin Absher-Baer – Sunday, March 23, 2025 Scripture: Mark 10:35-45 In the wilderness outlined in Luke 4, the devil is tempting Jesus for the second of three times showing him all of the kingdoms of the world, and saying “To you I will give all this authority… If you will worship me, it...

First Cary UMC's First Sanctuary Sermon "Second Temptation: Turning Away from False Promises of Power” – Rev. Ben Alexander – Sunday, March 23, 2025 Scripture: Mark 10:35-45 In the wilderness outlined in Luke 4, the devil is tempting Jesus for the second of three times showing him all of the kingdoms of the world, and saying “To you I will give all this authority… If you will worship me, it will a...

First Cary UMC's First on Chatham Sermon "First Temptation: Turning Away from Worldly Desires” – Rev. Ben Alexander – Sunday, March 16, 2025 Scripture: Philippians 3:17-4:1 In the wilderness outlined in Luke 4, the devil tempted Jesus for the first of three times saying, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.” But we are not called to live on bread alone with a m...

First Cary UMC's First Sanctuary Sermon "First Temptation: Turning Away from Worldly Desires” – Rev. Anna Thornburg – Sunday, March 16, 2025 Scripture: Philippians 3:17-4:1 In the wilderness outlined in Luke 4, the devil tempted Jesus for the first of three times saying, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.” But we are not called to live on bread alone with a m...

First Cary UMC's First on Chatham Sermon "In the Wilderness” – Rev. Kollin Absher-Baer – Sunday, March 9, 2025   Scripture: Luke 4:1-13   Filled with the Holy Spirit from his Baptism, Jesus was led into the wilderness where he was tempted for forty days. Over and over again, the devil encouraged Jesus to turn towards worldly desires, power, and pride. However, Jesus experienced the wilderness as b...

First Cary UMC's First Sanctuary Sermon "In the Wilderness” – Rev. Ben Alexander – Sunday, March 9, 2025   Scripture: Luke 4:1-13   Filled with the Holy Spirit from his Baptism, Jesus was led into the wilderness where he was tempted for forty days. Over and over again, the devil encouraged Jesus to turn towards worldly desires, power, and pride. However, Jesus experienced the wilderness as both a...

Throughout the season of Lent, the 40 days between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday, we are invited to journey alongside Jesus’ own experience in the wilderness. May we wander and wonder together what it means to turn away from the temptations of this world towards the transformation that is offered through our faith.

First Cary UMC's First on Chatham Sermon "Here for the Transfiguration” – Rev. Kollin Absher-Baer – Sunday, March 2, 2025   Scripture: Luke 9:28-36   In both the fullness of divinity and humanity, the presence of God is with us. In Luke 9, we encounter God through the presence of Jesus amidst the transfiguration. On a mountaintop, humanity and divinity clearly meet. Glimmering. During this encount...

First Cary UMC's First Sanctuary Sermon "Here for the Transfiguration” – Preacher: Rev. Ben Alexander – Sunday, March 2, 2025 Scripture: Luke 9:28-36 In both the fullness of divinity and humanity, the presence of God is with us. In Luke 9, we encounter God through the presence of Jesus amidst the transfiguration. On a mountaintop, humanity and divinity clearly meet. Glimmering. During this encount...

First Cary UMC's First on Chatham Sermon "Here for God's Call” – Preacher: Rev. Kollin Absher-Baer – Sunday, February 23, 2025 Scripture: Matthew 14:22-33 The disciples found themselves battered by the sea while Jesus retreated to the mountainside to pray. After hours of struggling against the storm, Jesus made his way to the drifting disciples. They found him walking on water. Scared of his prese...

First Cary UMC's First Sanctuary Sermon "Here for God's Call” – Preacher: Rev. Ben Alexander – Sunday, February 23, 2025 Scripture: Matthew 14:22-33 The disciples found themselves battered by the sea while Jesus retreated to the mountainside to pray. After hours of struggling against the storm, Jesus made his way to the drifting disciples. They found him walking on water. Scared of his presence, P...

First Cary UMC's First on Chatham Sermon "Here for God's Presence” – Preacher: Rev. Anna Thornburg – Sunday, February 16, 2025 Scripture: 1 Kings 19:9-18 “What are you doing here?” While in a cave on the edge of a mountain, Elijah experiences his own downfall slipping deeper into disbelief. He finds himself walking an ancient path in the footsteps of the saints. When he shouts to the Lord that he...

First Cary UMC's First Sanctuary Sermon "Here for God's Presence" – Preacher: Rev. Ben Alexander – Sunday, February 16, 2025 Scripture: 1 Kings 19:9-18 “What are you doing here?” While in a cave on the edge of a mountain, Elijah experiences his own downfall slipping deeper into disbelief. He finds himself walking an ancient path in the footsteps of the saints. When he shouts to the Lord that he is...

First Cary UMC's First on Chatham Sermon "Here for God's Purpose” – Preacher: Rev. Kollin Absher-Baer – Sunday, February 9, 2025 So often, Jesus calls the unlikely towards holy purpose. This is the story of Simon and Andrew, James and John, as Jesus tells them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of people.” They all put down their nets, and prepare for the purpose Christ has in store for them...

First Cary UMC's First Sanctuary Sermon "Here for God's Purpose" – Preacher: Rev. Ben Alexander – Sunday, February 9, 2025  So often, Jesus calls the unlikely towards holy purpose. This is the story of Simon and Andrew, James and John, as Jesus tells them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of people.” They all put down their nets, and prepare for the purpose Christ has in store for them. But...

First Cary UMC's First on Chatham Sermon "Here for God's Promise" – Preacher: Rev. Kollin Absher-Baer – Sunday, February 2, 2025 God is present alongside God's people, generation after generation. Whether they are wandering in the wilderness or setting into cities, God provides a promise of presence and guidance along the way. Within the scripture of Exodus, God’s presence comes forth through the...

First Cary UMC's First Sanctuary Sermon "Here for God's Promise" – Preacher: Rev. Ben Alexander – Sunday, February 2, 2025 God is present alongside God's people, generation after generation. Whether they are wandering in the wilderness or setting into cities, God provides a promise of presence and guidance along the way. Within the scripture of Exodus, God’s presence comes forth through the person...