Central United Methodist Church (knoxville, Tn)

A sermon for Epiphany Sunday. Matthew 2:1-12. We know very little about the visitors from the east in today's story from Jesus' birth. We do know they looked for signs of God's presence, stretched their boundaries, and took risks. Things we can challenge ourselves to do in the coming year.

Advent 3

Advent 2 Isaiah 11:1-10 & Matthew 3:1-12

Advent 1 Matthew 24:36-44

Colossians 1:11-20 and Matthew 23:33-43 Reign of Christ Sunday How is the Kingdom of God set apart from the kingdoms of this world?

Coming at the end of a long and tense week in the United States, Pastor Jimmy's sermon focuses on how we can attempt to move forward, find places of healing and forgiveness, while at the same time remembering our call as a people of faith to hold those in leadership accountable for what they say and what they do. The scriptures are Isaiah 2:1-4;11:6, Matthew 5:9, John 14; 15-28.

In the final sermon of this series, our focus turns to All Saint's Sunday and the legacy that those who have gone before us leave to us. We also reflect on how our lives are changed in remembering and reflecting.

The Apostle Paul encourages Timothy to remind those with much to grab hold of life that is really life. On Commitment Sunday, we remember Jesus call to focus on what is most important.

Continuing the series "A Church Made for Saving", Pastor Jimmy invokes the words of Paul in Romans 12:1-3;9-21 and Jesus in Matthew 5:43-48 when he encourages us to bear the marks of a Christian and honor one another -- even in the midst of a disagreement. As the 2016 Presidential election comes to a close, these words are, perhaps, never more important for us to hear in the United States.

Using the story of Philemon and Onesimus in the New Testament, we kick off our fall stewardship series by talking about how God works through the church to set people free.

Using the story of Joseph and his topsy-turvy journey, we explore the mysterious ways in which God works.

Following the narrative lectionary, we come to our next story of faith: Abram. Often, we've thought about Abram's faithfulness in this passage. But what does it really say about who God is, and so what?

Using the narrative lectionary, we'll take three weeks in September to look at some of the earliest faith stories. This week, creation and fall from Genesis 2 and 3.

We bring our series Hope for the Weary Soul to a close by thinking about how wisdom/the Holy Spirit danced with delight at creation -- how our sabbath play (holy play) can help renew, energize, recreate and sustain us in weary times. Provers 8:27-31 and Matthew 11:28-30

Continuing in our series, Pastor Jimmy looks at rest -- and how our spirits, minds, bodies --- ALL of us needs rest and what that looks like in light of God's work/rest rhythm in creation.

Using Psalm 139 and the Pixar film Finding Dory, we'll explore how we are each made in the image of God. Because of that, we are all people of sacred worth.

Rev. Nathan Malone reminds us of Jesus question to Peter, "Do you love me?"

In the first of four sermons, Pastor Jimmy focuses on Jesus' call to put aside differences, rivalries and legalistic nonsense and simply come to him. Matthew 11:28-30

We begin our faith and film series actually drawing from the musical Big River. The images and songs from the show help to illustrate the sin of racism and how, as people of faith, might approach this issue. **Due to technical difficulties, the first two minutes of the sermon had to be re-recorded, so you will notice a difference in the audio at the 2:00 (after two minutes, it's the original audio from the worship service). The texts used were I John 2:7-11 and Luke 10:25-37.