The Sterling Sermons

Pastor Bert delivers an Ash Wednesday sermon focusing on the wedding at Cana, emphasizing the theme of "divine exchange" where Jesus transforms our brokenness into something beautiful. Using the miracle of turning water into the finest wine, he reminds the congregation that even as we confront our mortality and need for repentance during Lent, Jesus offers us His very best in exchange fo...

Pastor Bert explores the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well from the Gospel of John, emphasizing how Jesus disrupted her ordinary routine and challenged social taboos by speaking with her. He encourages the congregation to be open to miracles that go beyond what seems reasonable, sharing his own testimony of surviving multiple heart defibrillations as an example of God's miracu...

Pastor Bert explores the nighttime encounter between Nicodemus and Jesus, using the powerful metaphor of gathering around a campfire to illustrate how Jesus draws us from darkness into light. He emphasizes that John 3:16-17 reveals God's love and salvation rather than judgment, calling us to be born again and choose the light of Christ over the darkness of our struggles and fears.

Pastor Bert shares his reflections on this season and this upcoming Sunday at Sterling UMC!

Pastor Bert explores Jesus cleansing the temple from John's Gospel, emphasizing that Jesus had righteous anger and passion for what is morally right, not just religiously acceptable. He challenges the congregation to consider what tables Jesus might flip today, calling believers to stand with Christ in matters of spiritual and moral significance while avoiding political partisanship.

In this Sunday forecast, Pastor Bert speaks with our own Randy Ashby (who has a lot of experience in forecasting!) about preparing for an upcoming snowstorm, drawing parallels between weather forecasting and spiritual preparation.

Pastor Bert Cloud offers his reflections and a preview of what you can expect in church this Sunday.

Guest preacher Rev. Katherine Malloy explores how the stories we tell ourselves have tremendous power to shape our lives and communities. Using her personal journey from being cut from sports teams to eventually finding joy in fitness again, she illustrates how negative narratives can limit us for years, while rewriting our stories can lead to transformation and hope. She challenges Sterling UMC,...

Pastor Bert explores the Epiphany story of the Magi visiting Jesus, emphasizing how their journey represents a bold political act that defied empire and chose love over fear. He connects this ancient narrative to contemporary fears and uncertainties, calling the congregation to follow God's light like the Magi did—returning home "by another way" and refusing to let fear have the last...

Pastor Bert shares his weekly forecast, including what you can expect for Sunday worship at Sterling United Methodist Church!

Pastor Bert shares his forecast for what you can expect in worship this week at Sterling United Methodist Church!

Pastor Bert explores how fear serves as information in our lives, encouraging us to "go scared" rather than letting fear paralyze us. Drawing from Jeremiah's call story and Mary's response to the angel, he demonstrates how God doesn't say "go and good luck" but rather "I'm going with you," inviting us to discern between fears that protect us and fears...

Pastor Bert shares his weekly reflections and offers a preview of what you can expect this week at Sterling United Methodist Church.

On this second Sunday of Advent, Pastor Bert explores how John the Baptist, imprisoned and awaiting execution, sent disciples to ask Jesus, "Are you the one?" Rather than offering platitudes or changing John's circumstances, Jesus pointed to evidence of God's work happening around them. The sermon redefines hope not as a filter that blurs reality, but as the decision to keep aski...

Pastor Bert shares his weekly reflections and offers a preview of what you can expect this week at Sterling United Methodist Church.

In Pastor Bert's sermon, he explores how fear and heartbreak are natural human experiences, using the Biblical story of Zechariah and Elizabeth living "in the days of King Herod" and a modern testimony of infertility and adoption. While our natural responses to fear—fight, flight, freeze, or fawn—don't disqualify us from God's grace, Pastor Bert encourages us to name our fear...

Pastor Bert shares a preview of what you can expect in worship this Sunday at Sterling UMC (plus some bonus ideas about how to use that leftover Thanksgiving turkey!)

Pastor Bert shares how surviving two near-death experiences in 2023 led to establishing "Thankful Thursday" as a weekly practice of gratitude, though acknowledging how easily we become distracted from thankfulness. Drawing from Paul's letter to the Philippians and Jesus's communion instruction to "do this in remembrance of me," the sermon emphasizes that gratitude is a...

Pastor Bert shares a preview of what you can expect in worship this weekend at Sterling United Methodist Church!

In this sermon, Pastor Bert explores the question "What is important?" through the story of the rich young ruler in Mark 10, emphasizing Jesus' challenging command to "sell everything, give to the poor, and follow me." While acknowledging this call to surrender is "humanly impossible," Sam reminds the congregation that "with God, all things are possible,&quot...

Pastor Bert shares a preview of what you can expect this Sunday morning!

Pastor Bert explores Jesus's parable of the Pharisee and tax collector, contrasting the spiritually arrogant Pharisee with the humble tax collector who recognized his need for grace. Through this parable and his personal story about stubbornly keeping a giant pumpkin, Pastor Bert challenges us to examine our attitudes toward the gifts we've been given and our relationship with God.

Pastor Bert offers his weekly podcast with a preview of what you can expect this Sunday!

Pastor Bert explores the Biblical story of the ten lepers healed by Jesus, emphasizing how only one returned to give thanks while the others simply enjoyed their gift without acknowledging the giver. Through this narrative, he invites us to cultivate an "attitude of gratitude," recognizing that everything from our breath to our resources are undeserved gifts from God rather than possessi...

Pastor Bert shares a preview of what you can expect in worship this Sunday!