Village Pres Sermons

In the first sermon in the series “There’s a Call for You,” Rev. Tom Are preaches from a very familiar story—the calling of the disciples from Matthew 4:18-22. To be called by God is something that we all share. Every Christian is called to follow.  Support the show Contact Village Presbyterian Church villagepres.org communications@villagepres.org 913-262-4200 Have a prayer request?  congregationa...

In this week’s sermon message, Rev. Dr. Rodger Nishioka preaches that imagination is the ability to see beyond the tangible, the concrete that's around us, and to envision new ways to envision and dream new ways of what it means to be faithful followers of Jesus Christ in these days.  John 5:2-9.  Support the show Contact Village Presbyterian Church villagepres.org communications@villagepres....

There was a moment in Jesus's ministry where a scribe asked Jesus, “What is the most important commandment?” Jesus said to love God with all that you are and love your neighbor as yourself. Rev. Dr. Rodger Nishioka lifts up this moment in the ministry of Jesus to preach on what it means to be God’s resilient people,something that is important to reflect on in this particular season. Mark 12:2...

During this time of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important for us to know that God does not forget us. Rev. Dr. Brandon Frick, site pastor at Village Presbyterian Church on Antioch, preaches that it is just as important that we remember like God does—recalling our past, to meet the needs of the present, to give hope for the future. Psalm 136:23-25. Support the show Contact Village Presbyterian Chu...

As we celebrate Easter while social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic, Rev. Tom Are preaches on the first word of Easter, do not be afraid. Mark 16:1-8  Support the show Contact Village Presbyterian Church villagepres.org communications@villagepres.org 913-262-4200 Have a prayer request?  congregational-care@villagepres.org Facebook @villagepres Instagram @villagepreschurch YouTube @villa...

As we celebrate Palm Sunday during the coronavirus pandemic, Rev. Tom Are preaches from 1 Corinthians 13:4. Holy Week teaches us that love is always what is needed. And when times are hard, love shows up and love endures.  Support the show Contact Village Presbyterian Church villagepres.org communications@villagepres.org 913-262-4200 Have a prayer request?  congregational-care@villagepres.org Face...

In these uncertain days of the coronavirus pandemic, Rev. Tom Are preaches from Psalm 131 that reads...I have calmed and quieted my soul like a weaned child with its mother... Rev. Are reminds us there is never a day that we are without hope. And there is never a day that we can be devoid of calm. We can choose to calm our souls.  Support the show Contact Village Presbyterian Church villagepres.or...

In these uncertain days of the coronavirus pandemic, Rev. Tom Are preached when times are challenging, sometimes memory can be our friend. Finding God in the world is not easy. But sometimes God is clearest to us when we are in trouble. 2 Timothy 1:3-7  Support the show Contact Village Presbyterian Church villagepres.org communications@villagepres.org 913-262-4200 Have a prayer request?  congregat...

As the coronavirus pandemic spreads in the United States, Rev. Tom Are talks about a new term he’s learned this week…social distancing. It’s a behavior that is new to us. But social distancing is not new as we look at a letter the Apostle Paul writes from prison. Philippians 1:3-7. Support the show Contact Village Presbyterian Church villagepres.org communications@villagepres.org 913-262-4200 Have...

In this second sermon in the series “What Freedom Looks Like,” Rev. Tom Are turns to the conversation that Jesus has with Satan in the wilderness. We call this text the temptation of Jesus. Matthew 4:1-11 Support the show Contact Village Presbyterian Church villagepres.org communications@villagepres.org 913-262-4200 Have a prayer request?  congregational-care@villagepres.org Facebook @villagepres...

In his first sermon in the Lenten Series “What Freedom Looks Like,” Rev. Tom Are considers the attributes of our freedom and some threats to freedom, particularly in our time and place. Mark 5:1-20 Support the show Contact Village Presbyterian Church villagepres.org communications@villagepres.org 913-262-4200 Have a prayer request?  congregational-care@villagepres.org Facebook @villagepres Instagr...

This sermon series “Who Do People Say That I Am?” has keenly focused our attention on the identity of Jesus Christ. Jesus asked his disciples who others say that he is. Then he turned to them and asked, “Who do you say that I am?”  Rev. Dr. Rodger Nishioka  shares his own answer. Through Jesus’ three parables in Luke 15 we discover that Jesus is the one who finds the lost and brings them home. Luk...

Rev. Hallie Hottle extends our series “Who Do People Say That I am?” with her sermon “But What About You?” Jesus asked his followers to reflect on how other people were thinking of him. And then, Jesus wants to know…but what about you? Who do you say that I am? Mark 8:27-30 Support the show Contact Village Presbyterian Church villagepres.org communications@villagepres.org 913-262-4200 Have a praye...

In the fifth sermon in the series “Who Do People Say That I Am?” Rev. Tom Are turns to the Book of Acts, the story of the early church. What we discover is that sometimes, Jesus’ followers live so faithfully that they appear to be, what one scholar has called, “repeating Jesus.” Could that happen here? Acts 3:1-10 Support the show Contact Village Presbyterian Church villagepres.org communications@...

In the fourth sermon in the series “Who Do People Say That I Am?” Rev. Tom Are turns to John who states clearly that the purpose of Jesus was to give his life for the world. This act of sacrificial devotion glorifies God. John 12:12-24 Support the show Contact Village Presbyterian Church villagepres.org communications@villagepres.org 913-262-4200 Have a prayer request?  congregational-care@village...

In the third sermon in the series “Who Do People Say That I Am?” Rev. Tom Are turns to Jesus of Luke. An aspect of Jesus that Luke knows about is Jesus’ insistence that things need to change. Luke 10:25-37 Support the show Contact Village Presbyterian Church villagepres.org communications@villagepres.org 913-262-4200 Have a prayer request?  congregational-care@villagepres.org Facebook @villagepres...

In the second sermon in the series “Who Do People Say That I Am?” Rev. Tom Are looks at Matthew’s witness to Jesus as a teacher. Matthew believed in order to become a mature, gracious and faithful person, we need an example. Jesus was the best teacher. Matthew 5:1-12. Support the show Contact Village Presbyterian Church villagepres.org communications@villagepres.org 913-262-4200 Have a prayer requ...

In the first sermon in the series “Who Do People Say That I Am?” Rev. Tom Are preaches about the many names attributed to Jesus: “Immanuel,” “Savior,” “Son of God,” even “Christ.” Each Gospel writer identifies Jesus, but they do so a little differently from one another. In this sermon, Rev. Are examines how Mark describes Jesus. Mark 1:9-13. Support the show Contact Village Presbyterian Church vil...

On Epiphany Sunday we celebrate God revealing Jesus to the Magi, and to all of us, as the Light of the World. The Magi offered gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. In this sermon, Rev. Melanie Hardison asks what else did they bring? What might we bring? Matthew 2:1-12 Support the show Contact Village Presbyterian Church villagepres.org communications@villagepres.org 913-262-4200 Have a prayer re...

Rev. Zach Walker considers the story of Zechariah from a different perspective. What might this curious story say to us after Christmas, and as we close the year and reflect on what the past months have meant to us, and what will be the lasting effects?  Luke 1:57-64 Support the show Contact Village Presbyterian Church villagepres.org communications@villagepres.org 913-262-4200 Have a prayer reque...

In the final sermon in the series “I Won’t Be Home for Christmas,” Rev. Tom Are preached about the Christmas story and encouraged us to look for the good in the world, because that is where you will find God’s fingerprints. Matthew 1:18-25 Support the show Contact Village Presbyterian Church villagepres.org communications@villagepres.org 913-262-4200 Have a prayer request?  congregational-care@vil...

In the fourth sermon in the series “I Won’t Be Home for Christmas,” Rev. Tom Are preached about Mary and her conversation with the Angel Gabriel, which would change the whole world. We may not be home yet, but Mary is showing us the way.  Luke 1:46-56 Support the show Contact Village Presbyterian Church villagepres.org communications@villagepres.org 913-262-4200 Have a prayer request?  congregatio...

In the third sermon in the series "I Won’t Be Home for Christmas,” Rev. Tom Are preached about the return of Christ on the clouds, which may seem a strange thing to contemplate. However, unless this story is trustworthy, most of the rest of the story of Jesus matters very little. Matthew 24:36-44 Support the show Contact Village Presbyterian Church villagepres.org communications@villagepres.o...

In the second sermon in the series "I Won’t Be Home for Christmas,” Rev. Tom Are preaches about John the Baptist, a hero who stood tall in the wilderness. Folks from near and far were drawn to him. For the same reasons people loved him, he had enemies and was put in prison. There he asked the most important question of his life: Jesus, was I wrong about you? Matthew 11: 2-15  Support the show...

In the first sermon in the Advent series "I Won’t Be Home for Christmas,” Rev. Tom Are preaches about how Advent is our declaration that the world is not as God intends it to be. There is plenty of good in this world, but we are not home yet. As such, Advent expresses our impatience—a holy impatience with the way the world is today. Psalm 137:1-6 Support the show Contact Village Presbyterian...