In no time at all Peter goes from hearing Jesus say "upon this rock I will build my church" to "get behind me Satan." Can we be disciples if we don't really know who Jesus is? Sermon Title: From Confession to Confusion (and Back Again) Preache

Just Answer the Question (#238)

Sep 6th, 2017 22m 55s

"Who do you say that I am?" Jesus asked. It is the single most important question that any disciple of Jesus can answer. It's important because the answer shapes your life and transforms the world. So, let's make sure we know this Jesus of whom

They Never Saw It Coming (#237)

Aug 29th, 2017 23m 7s

In this text from Matthew, Jesus is approached by a gentile woman who is desperate to obtain healing for her daughter. Jesus seems to not even care one little bit about her plight. Is it his mind that needs changing or ours? Sermon Title: Lear

It's Scary Out There (#236)

Aug 17th, 2017 25m 29s

This recording includes Pastor McGraw's response, early in the service, to the racism and violence on display in Charlottesville, VA over the weekend. Following that is a shortened sermon on the text from Matthew. In today's text from Matthew,

Feeding the Multitude (#235)

Aug 10th, 2017 17m 54s

The "Feeding of the Multitude," the only miracle included in all four Gospels, reveals the necessity for human cooperation with God in transforming the world. "You give them something to eat" is our mission directive. Sermon Title: Feeding the

Mixing Metaphors (#234)

Jul 31st, 2017 19m 48s

Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52

Wheat and Weeds (#233)

Jul 27th, 2017 22m 3s

In this text from Matthew, Jesus likens the kingdom of heaven to a field where both wheat and weeds are growing. Are you wheat or are you a weed? The answer may be more complex than you think. Maybe the answer has more to do with our conception

One Cup at a Time (#232)

Jul 5th, 2017 17m 49s

Jesus sends out his disciples with the reminder that those who support them with even a "cup of water" will not "lose their reward." Is this merely a reminder to support God's ministers or is this something more? Could it be a blueprint for bui

Daring to be Disciples (#231)

Jun 26th, 2017 16m 58s

What does it mean to acknowledge Jesus before others? It means "going where Jesus goes and doing what Jesus does." Sermon Title: Daring to be Disciples Preacher: Allen McGraw Date: 6/25/2017 Time: Morning Worship Service Location: First United

The Kingdom Of Heaven Has Come Near (#230)

Jun 21st, 2017 20m 43s

Jesus sent his disciples out into the world with a simple message: "The Kingdom of Heaven has come near." This is a message that is more than mere words, it requires world changing action. Sermon Title: The Kingdom Of Heaven Has Come Near Prea

Trinity Sunday: Trinity is Still My Name (#229)

Jun 13th, 2017 23m 6s

The doctrine of The Trinity is one of the most fundamental confessions of the Christian faith. However, it is also one of the most difficult to understand. But, maybe that's the way it's supposed to be. You can view the diagram of The Trinity t

Ascension Sunday: Who Are We Now? (#227))

May 30th, 2017 19m 4s

In the Apostle's Creed, we affirm that Christ has "ascended" and now sits at the "right hand of God the Father Almighty." What does this mean for us as we seek to live as Christians in the world today, especially considering that Jesus left us

Christ Our Shepherd (#224)

May 8th, 2017 18m 8s

The Fourth Sunday of Easter is also known as "Good Shepherd Sunday." On this day we recognize that Jesus is the Good Shepherd, we are the sheep, and he leads us to green pastures and still water. What else can we learn from this text in The Gos

Why Don't We Know Him? (#223)

May 3rd, 2017 13m 58s

In today's text, we encounter two disciples of Jesus on the road to Emmaus. Jesus approaches them and strikes up a conversation, yet they don't recognize him. What is it that keeps us from recognizing Jesus in our own lives? Sermon Title: Why

Easter Sunday: It Takes More Than That (#221)

Apr 19th, 2017 17m 22s

It's Easter! In the text from John, two of the twelve disciples, along with Mary Magdelene, encounter the empty tomb. But it's Mary Magdelene who becomes the first evangelist, sharing the Good News of the Risen Christ. What made the difference?

Is This Your King? (#220)

Apr 11th, 2017 21m 17s

It is Palm Sunday, where we celebrate the "triumphant" entry of Jesus into the holy city of Jerusalem. But it won't be long until the cries of "hosanna" turn to "crucify him." All that we say and do should be filtered through the lens of the Cr

Lent 5: Do You Believe? (#219)

Apr 3rd, 2017 23m 28s

This is the fifth and final sermon in our Lenten Sermon Series, "Living Our Baptismal Calling." Martha is faced with the faith-altering death of her brother Lazarus. Yet in the midst of her grief, she still finds a reason to believe. What does

Lent 4: Include These Persons Now Before You (#218)

Mar 27th, 2017 23m 32s

This is the fourth sermon in our Lenten Sermon Series, "Living Our Baptismal Calling." Jesus sees a blind beggar and heals him. The "blind" beggar may not have been able to see physically, but is that the only kind of blindness we need to worry

Lent 3: Confess, Trust, Promise (#217)

Mar 20th, 2017 21m 54s

This is the third sermon in our Lenten Sermon Series, "Living Our Baptismal Calling." Jesus spends time with a woman at a well in a Samaritan town. This is a remarkable scene of acceptance that would have appeared scandalous to many 1st century

Lent 2: Resist Evil, Injustice, Oppression (#216)

Mar 13th, 2017 18m 9s

This is the second sermon in our Lenten Sermon Series, "Living Our Baptismal Calling." Jesus said we must be "born again" or "born from above." What does this mean for us as we seek to live as Christians in the world today? Sermon Title: Lent

Lent 1 – Renounce, Reject, Repent: Sermon Audio

Mar 6th, 2017 23m 54s

This is the first sermon in our Lenten Sermon Series, “Living Our Baptismal Calling,” where we walk the way of temptation with Jesus and learn from him what it means to continue to renounce the spiritual forces of wickedness, reject … Continue

God On The Mountain Is God In The Valley: Sermon Audio

Feb 27th, 2017 26m 47s

The account of the transfiguration gives us a glimpse of God’s glory, revealed in Jesus Christ, but is that dramatic display of God’s power the most significant way in which God’s glory is revealed? How is God’s glory revealed deep … Continue

Turning the Other Cheek: Sermon Audio

Feb 20th, 2017 27m 3s

Concluding our series on The Sermon on the Mount, we come to what may be the most challenging of all the commandments of Jesus. Turning the other cheek and loving our enemies doesn’t come easy. So, what are we to … Continue reading → The post

Hospitable and Then Some: Sermon Audio

Feb 14th, 2017 25m 5s

In a follow-up to last week’s sermon, we explore what it means to be salt and light in the world today. It starts with a focus on Christian hospitality that flows from the heart of God that “so loved the … Continue reading → The post Hospitab

You Are Salt and Light: Sermon Audio

Feb 8th, 2017 21m 26s

In The Sermon on the Mount from Matthew 5, Jesus calls us “the salt of the earth” and “the light of the world”. Have we these phrases to the point where they are meaningless cliche or can we reclaim these descriptions … Continue reading → The