Grenola UMC Sermons

On the night before His crucifixion, Jesus lifted His eyes to heaven and prayed—not only for His disciples, but for all who would believe through their word. He asked the Father to keep them in His name, to sanctify them in truth, and to make them one as He and the Father are one. Earlier, He had promised the coming of the Helper, the Spirit of truth, who would guide them into all truth and glorif...

Jesus declared, “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.” To abide in Him is to draw life from His love, and to bear fruit that reflects His Spirit. Paul reminds us what that fruit looks like—love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self‑control. And he calls us to carry one another’s burdens, fulfilling the law of Christ. Together, these passage...

Jesus declared, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.” Unlike a hired hand who runs when danger comes, the Good Shepherd knows His sheep by name and lays down His life for them. In this passage, we see the depth of Christ’s love and the security of belonging to Him. His voice calls us out of fear and into trust, reminding us that true life is found in His care an...

After His resurrection, Jesus appeared to His disciples by the Sea of Galilee. In the midst of their ordinary work, He filled their nets and invited them to breakfast on the shore. There, He restored Peter with a simple but profound call: “Follow Me.” This passage reminds us that discipleship is not about past failures or future plans, but about daily faithfulness to Christ. He meets us where we a...

On the road to Emmaus, two disciples walked in sorrow, unable to recognize the risen Christ beside them. As He opened the Scriptures and broke bread with them, their eyes were opened, and their hearts burned within them. What began as despair turned into joy, for the One they thought was lost was alive and present. This passage reminds us that Jesus Himself is our life—meeting us in our confusion,...

On the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found the stone rolled away. What seemed like loss gave way to the greatest victory—Jesus had risen, just as He said. In His resurrection, the true meaning of Passover is fulfilled: the Lamb who was slain has conquered death, and through Him we are set free. This passage reminds us that hope is not buried in the grave but alive in C...

As Jesus entered Jerusalem riding on a humble donkey, the crowds spread their cloaks and branches along the road, crying out, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” In that moment, prophecy was fulfilled, and the King arrived not with armies or power, but with gentleness and peace. Yet the same voices that shouted praise would soon e...

As crowds gathered in Jerusalem for the Passover, some Greeks came seeking Jesus, saying, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” In response, He spoke not of earthly glory, but of the hour of His glorification through the cross: “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.” The triumph of Jesus was not in political power or popular acclai...

Just as Moses lifted up the bronze serpent in the wilderness so that the people might look and be healed, Jesus declared that the Son of Man must be lifted up, that all who believe in Him may have eternal life. In these verses, we hear the heart of the gospel: “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” The li...

When Jesus entered the temple courts and saw them filled with merchants and money changers, He drove them out, declaring, “Do not make my Father’s house a house of trade.” His zeal revealed a heart wholly devoted to His Father’s will, not to self‑interest or convenience. In this moment, Jesus showed that true service to God is not about outward appearances or empty rituals, but about honoring Him...

When Jesus first spoke of His coming suffering, rejection, and death, Peter could not accept it. Yet Jesus made clear that the way of the Messiah is also the way of the disciple: “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” These words remind us that following Christ is not about comfort or self‑preservation, but about surrender, sacrifice, and trust....

At the Jordan, Jesus was baptized and affirmed as the beloved Son. Immediately, the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness, where He faced temptation and stood firm in obedience. Emerging in power, He began His ministry with a simple but world‑changing message: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” These verses remind us that God’s Kingdom is n...

On the mountain, Jesus was transfigured before Peter, James, and John—His clothes dazzling white, His glory revealed. Moses and Elijah appeared, representing the Law and the Prophets, bearing witness to the One who fulfills them both. Then the Father’s voice declared: “This is my beloved Son; listen to Him.” In this moment, the disciples glimpsed that righteousness does not come through law‑keepin...

Jesus pointed to the fig tree as a sign: when its branches grow tender and put out leaves, you know that summer is near. In the same way, He told His disciples to stay alert, for no one knows the exact day or hour of His return. The call is not to predict the time, but to live faithfully in the meantime—awake, watchful, and ready. This passage reminds us that discipleship is not passive waiting bu...

When Jesus taught in the synagogue at Capernaum, the people were astonished—not only at His words, but at the authority with which He spoke. That authority was soon revealed as He confronted an unclean spirit, silencing it and casting it out. In a single moment, the crowd saw the difference between human teaching and divine truth, between empty words and the living Word. This passage reminds us th...

After John was arrested, Jesus began proclaiming the good news of God: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” As He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He called Simon, Andrew, James, and John to leave their nets and follow Him. In that moment, ordinary fishermen became disciples with an extraordinary mission—to become fishers of men. This passage r...

At the Jordan River, Jesus humbled Himself to be baptized by John, and the heavens opened with the Father’s voice of approval: “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” Immediately afterward, the Spirit led Him into the wilderness, where He faced the tempter’s schemes. Each time, Jesus answered not with argument or compromise, but with the Word of God: “It is written.” This passage re...

As John the Baptist’s disciples worried about Jesus drawing larger crowds, John reminded them of his role: he was not the bridegroom, but the friend who rejoices at the bridegroom’s voice. His joy was complete because Christ had come, and now John must decrease so that Jesus might increase. This passage points us to the heart of every new beginning in faith—laying aside pride, envy, and self‑impor...

In the stillness of the night, shepherds keeping watch were startled by an angel’s announcement: “Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” What Isaiah had foretold centuries earlier—“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given”—was now fulfilled in Bethlehem. The birth of Jesus is the breaking in of light into a darkened world, the arrival of peace, hop...

Before the ministry of Jesus began, a voice was heard in the wilderness—John the Baptist, fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.” John made it clear that he was not the Light, but a witness to the Light; not the Christ, but the one sent ahead to point to Him. His humility and boldness remind us that preparing the way for Jesus...

Centuries before John the Baptist lifted his voice in the wilderness, the prophet Isaiah had spoken of one who would prepare the way of the Lord, making straight a highway for our God. Mark begins his Gospel by showing that this promise was being fulfilled: John came preaching repentance, pointing beyond himself to the One who would baptize with the Holy Spirit. In these words, we see God’s love r...

When the Son of Man comes in His glory, all nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate people as a shepherd separates sheep from goats. The difference is not in words spoken but in lives lived—whether love was shown to “the least of these.” This passage reminds us that faith is never abstract; it is revealed in compassion, mercy, and service. To follow Christ is to see Him in the hu...

In the parable of the talents, Jesus tells of a master who entrusted his servants with great responsibility before departing on a journey. Two invested what they were given and saw it multiply, while one buried his gift in fear and returned nothing. This story reminds us that faith is not passive—it is active, courageous, and fruitful. To be rooted in faith is to trust God enough to risk obedience...

In the parable of the ten virgins, Jesus paints a vivid picture of readiness and delay. Five were wise, carrying oil for their lamps, while five were foolish, unprepared when the bridegroom arrived. The door was opened to those who were ready, but closed to those who were not. This story is more than a warning—it is a call to live watchfully, faithfully, and expectantly, keeping our hearts prepare...

When the Pharisees and Herodians tried to trap Jesus with a question about paying taxes to Caesar, He answered with wisdom that cut through their schemes: “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” In a single sentence, Jesus revealed the difference between earthly obligations and eternal allegiance. This passage challenges us to discern what belongs to...