United Methodist Church of Kent Sermon Podcast

Using Psalm 46 as inspiration, Dr. Palmer reminds us how we can look to God in faith during the darkest of times.

Rev. Douglas Denton examines the story of Mary anointing Jesus’ feet and its message for our own acts of humility and love.

The past two days in Crisis Counsels we considered the story of King Jehoshaphat, one of the most faithful of the kings of Judah, who confronted an enormous crisis when his country was subjected to a powerful invasion of foreign forces. II Chronicles chapter 20 describes how Jehoshaphat went to the temple in Jerusalem to pray. In the first part of the prayer, Jehoshaphat looks to God in faith, and...

Yesterday in Crisis Counsels we considered the story of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah in the ninth century B.C., who faced an enormous crisis when his country was invaded by an outside power. His first and central response was to look to God in faith, trusting that in all times God is at work with power. His prayer, which he uttered in the temple in Jerusalem, is found in II Chronicles chapter 20. In...

The Bible recounts many times of crisis in the story of the people of Israel. One of those is described in II Chronicles 20. During the reign of Jehoshaphat, the people of Judah were subjected to an enormous invasion. The Scripture reports, “Messengers came and told Jehoshaphat, ‘A great multitude is coming against you.’” (II Chronicles 20:2) We of course are experiencing an enormous invasion toda...

For this year’s Youth Sunday, Katie Kulis delivers a heartfelt message about shaken faith and the love of God.

People often struggle with financial debt; how wonderful if it were all suddenly paid off! We struggle even more with our “spiritual debt”; but through Christ we are set free.

Jesus joins fully in our human weakness and our brokenness. No matter what you are experiencing, you are not alone. Christ is with you.

In the midst of suffering, Jesus acts in compassion. We can find an answer to our own pain when we join with Jesus and turn outward in love toward others.

This sermon was delivered as part of the 2020 United Methodist Women’s Sunday celebrating the women of our church and involving members across the church.

The first amazing word of Jesus from the cross is to answer terrible human wrong with forgiveness. He invites us to receive and display that kind of mercy in our own lives.

How are we finally “set right” with God? We can never quite put ourselves right through our own efforts, but the answer comes to us in Jesus Christ.

The Biblical prophets declared that God is concerned about the entire society—whether a society is in line with God’s will for humanity. Too often human societies have gotten badly “out of plumb.” God calls us to join with the movement of His Spirit to set things aright.

We often like to think that we are pretty good people, at least better than some of the neighbors! But spiritual healing comes when we acknowledge our need for forgiveness and renewal, and open ourselves to the healing power of Christ.

The story of Epiphany has an important message for us today.

Just as God “dwelled among” the Israelites by means of the tabernacle, so now in a far greater way God dwells among us in Christ (John 1:14). Jesus is the new temple – the point where we experience and connect with God. This does not eliminate the need for church! (contrary to what some would want to think) Rather, Jesus is at the center of the worship of the gathered community of faith. Centering...

The first place Jesus goes (taken by his parents) after his birth is to church! They go to the temple to fulfill the sacrificial requirements of the Old Testament law. There they are met by Simeon and Anna, who have been in the temple awaiting what God would do. It is in the context of worship that God reveals Jesus’ destiny (declared in the blessing of Simeon). The next story Luke reports is the...

God dominates our lives like a majestic mountain. As we are drawn to the mountain, we are even more drawn to God. It is this God who sends us Jesus Christ, the ultimate source for peace within, as well as amongst us.

Thanksgiving! Psalm 100 says to “enter God’s gates with thanksgiving,” and numerous Psalms are an expression of thanks to God. Psalm 65 is a thanksgiving psalm, depicting the joy of coming into God’s temple with an appreciation for God’s blessings. Colossians likewise urges us to “be thankful.” Thankfulness makes us aware of our blessings, but most of all raises our hearts to the Source of blessin...

Psalm 100 says to come into God’s presence with singing. Biblical worship has always included song. Music in worship is not for entertainment, but is a profound form of expressing our praise and glorifying God. Significantly, the book of Revelation repeatedly depicts scenes of heavenly beings singing before God’s throne. We are invited to join in the eternal song.

Water in the Bible is a symbol for cleansing and purification. It was used in this way in the Old Testament tabernacle/temple, and again was instituted by Jesus as a profound symbol of salvation in the sacrament of Baptism. It is also a symbol of life. Water in worship reminds us of how God cleanses and restores us, and brings us into life.

The book of Hebrews says that Biblical people of faith saw themselves as temporary sojourners on earth, and were looking forward to “a better country, that is, a heavenly one.” As we join in worship, we always look with expectant hope toward what God will do, and we trust in our everlasting future with all the saints.

In the building of the tabernacle, as described in Exodus, the people offered their very best—their best talent, and their best materials. So much that Moses had to tell them to stop bringing offerings! In worship we are inspired to bring God our best. This does not mean that we bring to God “the best” but “our best.” In the community of faith God uses people who may be far less than perfect; but...

The vision of Ezekiel (as well as the passage from Job) shows that God is beyond our comprehension and beyond words. Worship helps us to embrace the mystery of God, to be receptive to a deep level of Reality that is beyond our understanding. We often want to have everything figured out and everything under control, but we need to “make room for mystery” in our encounter with God.

People throughout the ages have sensed that they should bring offerings to God. We are moved through worship to honestly give, and to do so generously, with sincere hearts.