Sermons by Rebecca Messman
How Does a Weary World Rejoice? “The Joy in Connection”
Luke 1:24-45 After those days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she remained in seclusion. She said, “This is what the Lord has done for me in this time, when he looked favorably on me and took away the disgrace I have endured among my people.” In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house…
How Does a Weary World Rejoice? “Joy Happens to Us”
Luke 1:8-20 Once when [Zechariah] was serving as priest before God during his section’s turn of duty, he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the sanctuary of the Lord to offer incense. Now at the time of the incense offering, the whole assembly of the people was praying outside. Then there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him,…
Balm In Gilead
Jeremiah 8:18-9:1 You who are my Comforter in sorrow,my heart is faint within me. Listen to the cry of my peoplefrom a land far away:“Is the Lord not in Zion?Is her King no longer there?” “Why have they aroused my anger with their images,with their worthless foreign idols?” “The harvest is past,the summer has ended,and we are not saved.” Since my people are crushed, I am crushed;I mourn, and horror grips me. Is there no balm in Gilead?Is there no physician there?Why then is there…
Do Not Be Alarmed
Mark 13:1-8 As he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher,what great stones and what great buildings!” Then Jesus asked him, “Do you seethese great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will bethrown down.” When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple,Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately, “Tell us, when will this be,and what will be the sign that all these things…
Grounded – Holy Ground
About this sermon series Mark 12:28-34 One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The…
Grounded – From the Ground Up
About this sermon series Mark 10:46-52 They came to Jericho. As he and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Jesus…
Grounded – Rooted and Grounded
About this sermon series Mark 10:35-45 James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” And he said to them, “What is it you want me to do for you?” And they said to him, “Appoint us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” But Jesus said to them, “You do not know…
Grounded – Grounded in Wonder: Creation, Communion, and the Glory of God
About this sermon series Psalm 8 O Lord, our Sovereign,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!You have set your glory above the heavens.Out of the mouths of babes and infants
you have founded a bulwark because of your foes,
to silence the enemy and the avenger.When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars that you have established;what are humans that you are mindful of them,
mortals that you care for them?Yet you have made…
The Art of Being Together: The Unauthorized Exorcist
About this sermon series Mark 9:38-50 John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him because he was not following us.” But Jesus said, “Do not stop him, for no one who does a deed of power in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. Whoever is not against us is for us. For truly I tell you, whoever gives you a cup of…
The Art of Being Together: Redefining Greatness
About this sermon series Mark 9:30-37 They went on from there and passed through Galilee. He did not want anyone to know it; for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him, and three days after being killed, he will rise again.” But they did not understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him. Then they came to Capernaum, and when…
The Art of Being Together: Be Opened
About this sermon series Mark 7:24-37From there he set out and went away to the region of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know he was there. Yet he could not escape notice, but a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately heard about him, and she came and bowed down at his feet. Now the woman was a Gentile, of Syrophoenician origin. She begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter.…
Doers of the Word
James 1:17-27 Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. In fulfillment of his own purpose he gave birth to us by the word of truth, so that we would become a kind of first fruits of his creatures. You must understand this, my beloved brothers and sisters: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow…