Village Pres Sermons

If you know about Joseph in the Bible, you know life does not come without challenges, difficulties and trauma. As we look at Joseph, we can draw out some insight about how we work through those difficult seasons, and we find a God who is willing to work both in us and for us, even in our darkest days. Our scripture reading is Genesis 37:18-28. Support the show Contact Village Presbyterian Church...

We engage with God’s creation through our senses, and connecting faith to our experiences often takes reflection. God shows up, mysteriously and surprisingly, when we open our senses in faith. As we finish our series, “Sensing Faith,” our students are sharing with us how they have sensed God over the summer. Our scripture reading is 1 Kings 19:11-13. Support the show Contact Village Presbyterian C...

Rev. Dr. Rodger Nishioka concludes his series, “Sensing Faith” with “Smelling Faith.” Of the five classes senses (tasting, touching, hearing, smelling, seeing) smelling is the strongest trigger for emotion and memory.  The write of the letter to the Ephesians calls upon us to be a “fragrant offering” to God and to the world. Rodger explores how we smell faith. Our scripture reading is Ephesians 4:...

Rev. Dr. Rodger Nishioka continues his three-part preaching series titled, "Sensing Faith." In this sermon series, we explore how faith comes through taste, sight and smell. In this sermon, we explore what it means to see faith around us and how that shapes and transforms our lives. Our scripture readings are John 20:24-29 and 1 John 1:1.  Support the show Contact Village Presbyterian Ch...

A bitter pill to swallow, sour grapes, savor the moment, whisper sweet nothings... words about taste are infused in much of our language. Based on the information that is transported from the tongue to the brain, there are five basic qualities of taste: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami, a Japanese word that is most closely associated with “savory.” Throughout the Bible, there are many moments...

When we behold magnificent mountain peaks, or new images of the universe, it can make us feel insignificant in the larger scheme of things. And in a way, we are. But we are significant, too—to the people we love, to the work we do, and especially to God. After all scripture tells us God knows the number of hairs on our heads. The mysteries of God and the universe can right-size us. They can also t...

“The Word became flesh.” We usually read this passage at Christmastime, but it has a different meaning outside the context of incarnation. Rev. Hallie Hottle preaches about the holiness of living in physical bodies in a physical world. Our scripture reading is John 1:14-16.  Support the show Contact Village Presbyterian Church villagepres.org communications@villagepres.org 913-262-4200 Have a pray...

Every time we tune in or show up to worship at church, we claim with our very bodies that God's love is real and present in this world. We gather each week to practice what it feels like to be satiated and surrounded by love. This may not happen each week, but we gather to practice loving God, loving each other and loving ourselves. Our scripture reading today is 1 John 4:7-11. Support the sh...

There is little that can disappoint us more than other people. People who are unjust and lack compassion. People who lie and take advantage of any weakness in another. People who just don’t get it. Don’t you just wanna smack ‘em?! As Rev. Tom Are preaches in this sermon, it’s no mystery that loving your enemies is hard work. Our scripture reading is Matthew 5:43-48. Support the show Contact Villag...

Half a year away, the holiday we celebrate is Christmas. On that December night, we celebrate that God loved this world so much God chose to live in the world, to dwell with us. Rev. Tom Are preaches God’s love for this world is the foundational reason people of faith love where we live. The love of God is the basis for faithful patriotism. Our scripture reading is Mark 12:28-34. Support the show...

Philosopher George Santayana said, “Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” But what happens when the remembered past is painful? The pains of yesterday have a way of claiming power today. Or as William Faulkner once said, “The past isn’t dead. It’s not even past.” Memory is a powerful thing; it is also a risky thing.  As Rev. Tom Are preaches, sometimes we need to learn fr...

Forgiveness is as common to Christian faith as prayer, hymns or love. Every week we remind ourselves that God’s forgiveness knows no limit. That is good news, until we meet those whom we wish God would punish for their sin. Grace can be amazing; it can also be offensive. Our scripture reading is Matthew 18:21-35. Support the show Contact Village Presbyterian Church villagepres.org communications@v...

Prayer meetings. Prayer chains. Prayer groups. Prayer requests. What happens in God because of these prayers? What happens in us? Rev. Tom Are digs into the nature of prayer in today’s sermon. Today’s scripture is Luke 11:9-14. Support the show Contact Village Presbyterian Church villagepres.org communications@villagepres.org 913-262-4200 Have a prayer request?  congregational-care@villagepres.org...

Prayer is the most basic spiritual practice. And yet, as Rev. Tom Are explains in today’s sermon, even those who pray with discipline and regularity seldom feel competent at prayer. We take comfort from the disciples who, even though they were with Jesus in person, pleaded with him, “Lord, teach us to pray.” Our scripture reading is Luke 11:1-4. Support the show Contact Village Presbyterian Church...

As the story goes in Matthew 13:24-30, there are weeds in the wheat field. Every life will know heartbreak and pain. No one escapes. The love of God offers no protection from the misery in the world. But the love of God does offer a way through, and love will win. Support the show Contact Village Presbyterian Church villagepres.org communications@villagepres.org 913-262-4200 Have a prayer request?...

One of the most moving moments in Paul’s letters is recorded in the opening verses of Philippians. Paul is in prison. The Philippian Christians have sent word to encourage Paul, to let him know that they are praying for him. What they hear back from Paul is his own words of encouragement to them: God is at work even in this dismal situation of prison. Therefore, do not be afraid. Rev. Tom Are jour...

Rev. Tom Are preaches about his own understanding of how Christian faith engages the larger community. How do we do that in a faithful manner? What should our attitude be towards politics? What are we supposed to talk about in church? Tom admits he doesn't have all the answers, but he shares with you how he thinks about this. Our scripture reading is Luke 4:16-30. Support the show Contact Vil...

The Sunday we announced this new sermon series (titled I Have a Question...), during the sermon Rev. Tom Are mentioned “the four things”—four pieces of advice he shared with his children. Since he failed to share what that advice was, many in the congregation inquired, “What are the four things?” Rev. Are begins this new series with a word on the four things. Our scripture reading is Deuteronomy 6...

Let us wonder together if Emmaus might demonstrate what the post-resurrection Christian faith journey is like. Tell the story. Welcome strangers. Offer a meal. Sometimes we do not know we have encountered Jesus until afterwards. Our scripture reading is The Message translation of Luke 24:13-35. Support the show Contact Village Presbyterian Church villagepres.org communications@villagepres.org 913-...

In Isaiah 43:16-20, God speaks through Isaiah the familiar words: “I am about to do a new thing—now it springs forth!” God then follows these words of hope and new life with the question: “Do you not perceive it?” Indeed, God knows—our perception is not always clear and sharp. Sometimes in life, we see God’s work only in hindsight. But in the creation around us, we have evidence that God is contin...

We conclude our series “Life in the Wilderness” walking through the Gospel of Mark. Mark has some encouragement, some affirmation, some wisdom to offer us about how we might encounter the risen Christ. Rev. Tom Are preaches Mark also knows that we can't come to Easter with certainty. We often have some questions. The news is so good, it's hard to take in without some doubt. Our scripture...

It was quite a parade. People were singing. Others were making sure the young donkey had a green carpet on which to trod. The crowd seemed to grow, as it often does with parades, particularly those that are unscheduled. But when Jesus reaches the city of Jerusalem, the crowds drop away. He enters the city alone. No doubt, he always knew he would have to do this part alone. Our Palm Sunday scriptur...

We welcome to the pulpit Rev. Jimmie Hawkins as our guest preacher. In our Gospel readings,  Jesus is a few days away from his arrest, torture, and crucifixion. Mary, a friend of Jesus, anoints his feet with precious oil. One of the disciples, Judas, complains about how Mary wasted the expensive perfume and says the money could have been given to the poor, but Jesus tells him, “You always have the...

Mark 10:46-54 is the last passage in a section of Mark’s Gospel that is all about discipleship. The section begins with Jesus opening the eyes of the blind man at Bethsaida. It concludes with Jesus opening the eyes of blind Bartimaeus. It suggests that discipleship is in part a matter of seeing things rightly…specifically, seeing what it is to be human.  Support the show Contact Village Presbyteri...

There was a man who came to Jesus with an important question. It’s a question, at one time or another, everyone probably thinks about. Typical of Jesus, he doesn’t really give an answer. More than anything, Jesus tries to change the man’s question. Our scripture reading is Mark 10:17-27. Support the show Contact Village Presbyterian Church villagepres.org communications@villagepres.org 913-262-420...