Sunday Sermons from Trinity UMC Lincoln, Nebraska

Have you ever struggled with a difficult decision, wondering where God was leading? You're not alone! The Holy Spirit is everywhere, but it's always hardest to listen when we're all tied up in knots. This week we'll talk about how to spot the Holy Spirit in discernment, complete with tools you can use the next time you need them. Oh, and there's a 16th-century monk who might be able to help,...

No one likes change they didn't ask for. But change is a part of life, isn't it? Not all change is good, but I think more of it is good than we sometimes think at the time. Today we continue getting to know the Holy Spirit by looking at how the Spirit brings re-birth to us all. And, let's be honest— not only is the world in desperate need of new life, WE are, too.

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What if God was with you, right now, closer than you know? Helping you live your life? This week we start a brand new series on the Holy Spirit: God's presence with us for every step we take.

Sometimes all we need is a little push to open our eyes to something better, something wholesome, something… joyful. Join in for the grande finale of Let Us Play!

All this "play" stuff we've been doing is great. But what about when you just don't wanna? It's true; there are times when life's twists and turns have us down, and we don't feel like having a good time. But play takes many forms, and sometimes the RIGHT kind of play can be God's way of lifting you up.

Do you take your time off seriously enough? One thing that's clear in the Bible from beginning to end is that God always has to remind us to take Sabbath seriously. But resting well doesn't start when the clock says so— GOOD rest requires preparation.

Did you know the wise men drove a Honda to see the baby Jesus? The Bible says they were in one Accord. Yes, that's right, it's time for the Gospel of the Dad Jokes! Join in for many laughs, but also to see what's really going on "beneath the hood" of a good dad joke: the kind of play that totally ignores high horses to laugh together just as we are. (Oh, and don't worry about all the rain lately.....

It's time to play in church! Faith should be fun, so this week Pastor Jeff is starting a new series: "Let Us Play!" Join us for fun music, a sermon about coming to Jesus with an attitude of play. 😉

How is God's love growing in you-- right now? This week we celebrate Confirmation, as 9 of Trinity's young people claim their walk with God— their baptism— as their own. As we do, we'll hear the story of Timothy in the Bible, who had the love of God poured into him by many people, from his mother and grandmother to the Apostle Paul himself. How did YOU first come to faith? Who are you pouring God'...

Christ is risen! Easter has arrived-- at last! Christmas was about God coming to us, but Easter shows us that God is STILL at work through everything we do, transforming our struggles into LIFE.

There is incredible power in weakness. God, who knows our suffering, is willing to give all so that we might be whole.

If you were a coach, and you knew the game was going to get worse before it got better, what would you say? That's essentially Jesus at the Last Supper. He knows the "game" will be won, but he and the disciples (his "team") are going to have one heck of a rough quarter to get there. Basically, his pep talk starts like this: "Yeah, it's going to be rough. But I need you to go out there like THIS......

What would you say if you knew you had only one shot at passing on what you know? What wisdom would you pass on? How would you share it? What have you learned about life that it seems everyone else just doesn't get? This week our reading of the Gospel of John enters a new phase: Jesus' last chance to tell his disciples what really matters.

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As we read the Gospel of John as a church, today we come to the story of a crippled man relying on superstition to get healed. He probably figured he had no other choice and nothing better to do with his time anyway. It turns out most of the people around him were obsessed with the wrong things, too. But Jesus says, open your eyes: there's something WAY better out there, better than you can possib...

How would your life be different if you read just a little of the Bible each day? Maybe it seems daunting before you start. Maybe you worry it's hard to understand. Maybe you're afraid you'll feel guilty if you miss a day (it happens!) Maybe you're even just a little afraid of what God might do in you, even though it would be very good. Today is the first Sunday of the season of Lent. We are going...

Sometimes God comes to us through the needs of our hearts. But sometimes God blesses us— and there is no better word than "blesses" us— with a pure and simple glimpse of the divine. Maybe you see it in a child or a friend, maybe in art or music, maybe in a beautiful Nebraska vista. Or maybe it happens at the top of a mountain. Join us this morning as we bask in the story of the Transfiguration of...

What's in a name? This morning we read the story of Moses and the burning bush, in which Moses asks God his name. What really happened, though, was that Moses walked away with knowing his own identity, his own "name," in a way he never had before. Join us this morning as we gather around the fire to hear the story. (It's Camping Sunday , too... so make that "gather around the campfire!")

What do you want your obituary to say? Ok, now that I have your attention, I'll ask a more important question: what do you want your eulogy to say? Naturally, we all hope our last breath is a long way off. But when the time comes, will people say you were kind? Loving? Caring? Those are generic qualities… what specific traits do you hope you are remembered for? Today  we wrap up our series, "...

Have you ever known someone who cares more than they have to— a teacher who goes above and beyond, a repair person who honors the craft, or a coworker who really does want to know how your evening was? We each have our daily work, be it school, a job, retirement, or whatever. But as people of Christ, we're called to go deeper than that. But our real vocation isn't WHAT we do, it's HOW we do it.

No one hates love. But have you ever considered what the act of loving does to your soul? I’ll bet you’ve never thought about it, since the definition of “love” means we care about something outside ourselves. But the truth is, the very act of focusing “outside ourselves” is exactly what we need to deepen our connection to God, the world, and, ironically, ourselves.

Have you ever noticed how hard it is to let someone help you? We spend so much of our younger days striving for independence. But sooner or later, we all need help. Often we think of that as a bad thing, but what if it isn’t? What if our dependency on others is actually a blessing in disguise? Join us as we consider the blessing of needing others, inspired by a God who chose to be dependent on us...

So we admit we’re not perfect. Now what? In our heart of hearts, we all have a desire to be “more.” God loves us just as we are, warts and all, but isn’t it also wrong not to even try? What’s our responsibility even in the midst of our humility? This week we look at how to have a healthy spiritual life and why you should give it your all!

"I've never met a person of questionable character who was content." That's a line from Pastor Jeff's sermon that gets to the heart of our new series. Many are starting the year with new habits, and many of them are worthy goals. But in an age where most care more about their accomplishments than their character, well… maybe some have work to do. True character comes in partnership with God. Walk...