St James Presbyterian Church

Courage and cost in discipleship

Jesus calls and restores through mercy

Sent in God’s Name

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them…

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who became obedient to death.

Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God every time I remember you, constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all…

Sermon at Athens: What you worship as unknown, I proclaim to you.

One day, as we were going to the place of prayer, we met a slave-girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners a great deal of money by fortune-telling. While she followed Paul and us, she would cry out, “These men are slaves of the Most High God, who proclaim to you a way of salvation.”…

Paul and Ananias, each called into Christ’s service (locally and globally)

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we…

Do the Passion narrative.

We pick right back up in the middle of the Holy Week action today, moments after Jesus’ encounter with Pilate. Remember, last week, Jesus and Pilate discussed authority, empire, and found Jesus as the scapegoat for the people’s anger. And before I read our scripture, I want to say this: Empire feeds…

My kingdom is not from this world.

Let’s bow our heads for the prayer of illumination. God, whom we know through the scriptures and creation, speak to us in this hour. Show us the wisdom and joy of your ways, that we may know what is good and do what is right. Jesus Christ, your Word. Amen. And our scripture this morning, if you want…

Our Gospel reading today is a quintessential Lenten text. The cross is squarely in Jesus’ sites. As we considered on Ash Wednesday, now he is staring death in the face. The evil one’s work is unfolding. As well, in this text we have some of the main cast of characters in the Jesus stories. There is a…

Then he came again to Cana in Galilee where he had changed the water into wine. Now there was a royal official whose son lay ill in Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went and begged him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. Then Jesus said…

Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. He came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.” Jesus answered him, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see…

This week we are in the early days of Jesus’ public activity, where he is baptized and performs his first miracle in the book of John. Remember, last week, we heard Jesus put out the all points bulletin — Come and See. Come and see what God is doing, come take part, come serve and give and receive and…

In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city…

On this Third Sunday of Advent, we tell of joy! Joy, joy, joy! While we are yet in the season of waiting, Joy bubbles up in us as we rest assured of God’s promises. Joy is an active word. In the sense that joy takes place in the present moment. While hope anticipates the coming of God’s peace, shalom,…

Now when Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and proclaim his message in their cities. When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?”…

First Sunday of Advent