Sermons
MOST RECENT
After Covid
We welcome to the pulpit the Rev. Dr. Camille Cook, Senior Pastor at Georgetown Presbyterian Church in Washington, DC. The Scripture lesson is Joel 2:18-27.
An Easter Prayer
If the Gospel of Mark is “the beginning of the Good News of Jesus Christ,” Mark may be inviting each of us to “finish the story” of that Good News with our lives. But what if like the women at the tomb, our fear remains? The Longer Ending of Mark serves as an Epilogue that reminds us readers and hearers that no matter how the women felt and no matter where their fleeing took them, God’s presence and providence followed them unabated.
Rev. Larry Hayward preaches on Easter Sunday, the Resurrection of the Lord. The Scripture lesson is Mark 16:1-8, 12-20.
The Paradox of Palm Sunday
Today I am going to focus on Palm Sunday – specifically on the crowd who greeted Jesus with cries of “Hosanna!” on Sunday but whose cries morphed into “Crucify him!” by Thursday. In a matter of four days the crowd moved from joy to anger, from welcome to outrage, from celebration to vengeance. And it moved as one mind: intense, emotional, passionate.
Rev. Larry Hayward preaches on Palm Sunday. The Scripture lesson is Mark 11:1-11.
OPA!
Now, today may not be your birthday, and it’s not Christmas, either. But for all of us, John 12:25 is our text. The question is: will we see the gift in it for us?
Rev. Patrick Hunnicutt preaches on the Fifth Sunday of Lent. The Scripture lesson is John 12:20-27.
Wisdom from "Equus"
When we are aware of pain, most of us need something more than pleasure to move us to praise. In order to worship, in order to recover joy, we have to come to terms with our pain; accept it, incorporate its presence or its memory into our lives, let it become an appropriate part of us, neither oversized nor buried and hidden.
Rev. Larry Hayward preaches on the Fourth Sunday of Lent, at the 8:30am in-person service. The Scripture lesson is Psalm 107:1-3, 17-21.
After Times
It must be noted that today marks the one-year anniversary of the last time that Westminster worshipped in a pre-Covid reality in this space. It has seemed, at least for this preacher, that this last year has been an entire year in the wilderness. This particular season has challenged us all like none other.
Rev. Dr. Jacob Bolton preaches on the Third Sunday in Lent. The Scripture lesson is John 2:13-22.
The Simple Concept of Taking Up the Cross
Sometimes we get to choose the crosses we bear. At other times, our crosses choose us. But either way, we’d best bend down, take our cross up into our arms, place it over our shoulders, and begin our walk with it, because in God’s infinite wisdom, God has designed it to fit us, like a tailor designs a suit or dress and hangs it in our closet, awaiting our donning of it.
Rev. Larry Hayward preaches on the Second Sunday in Lent. The Scripture lesson is Mark 8:27-38.
Leaving the Ark
I realize this is a rather sad and dark portrait of Noah’s lengthy life. His overall story doesn’t ring true with the “Arky, Arky” of the children’s song. But in the grand sweep of God’s relationship with the human race – in which Noah plays a crucial role in God’s starting over – there is a redeeming feature to Noah’s life that comes to him even in his silence.
Rev. Larry Hayward preaches on the First Sunday in Lent. The Scripture lesson is Genesis 9:8-17.
Through Thick and Thin
We welcome the Rev. Evangeline Taylor, Director of Seniors Pastoral Care, to the pulpit on the Transfiguration of the Lord. The Scripture lesson is Mark 9:2-9.
"Many" Is Not "All"
In today’s sermon – the final in what has turned out to be an unintentional mini-series – I want to capture the spirit of hope in Mark’s gospel as many who seek Christ are healed of the maladies which lead them to turn to him in the first place and offer hope as well for those among the all who are not healed in the way they had hoped.
Rev. Larry Hayward preaches on the Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany. The Scripture lesson is Mark 1:29-39.
The Most Important Power Jesus Has
The title of this sermon is “The Most Important Power Jesus Has.” While it is not a memorable title, it is a bold one, because it claims that one power Jesus has is more important than his other powers. My claim is probably more personal than theological. I am not even sure that there needs to be a competition among the different powers we see in Jesus: we don’t need NFL “power rankings” each week. But for some reason I am wanting to argue for a preeminent place – a #1 ranking – for one of Jesus’ powers; and if I am going to make that case, I need to make it well.
Rev. Larry Hayward preaches on the Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany. The Scripture lesson is Mark 1:21-28.
At Hand: What the Coming of Christ Means and Doesn't Mean
"Since the great and majestic God of the Old Testament pitched his tent among us – was born in a manger, greeted by shepherds keeping watch over their flock by night, angels filling the heavens with glorious music, and magi from the mysterious East bearing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh – given all this that we are told has happened, why hasn’t the world become more fully redeemed, at least in ways we can see, touch, feel?" Rev. Larry Hayward preaches on the Third Sunday after the Epiphany. The Scripture lesson is Mark 1:14-20.
Eli and Ancestry
The Rev. Patrick Hunnicutt preaches on the Second Sunday after the Epiphany. The Scripture lesson is 1 Samuel 3:1-10.
In the Spirit
Rev. Jacob Bolton preaches on the Baptism of the Lord Sunday. The Scripture lesson is Mark 1:4-11 and Acts 19:1-7.
Now Made Known
"A few decades after his death and resurrection, as reflected in our Scripture for today, the earliest generation of leaders of the church seek to bear witness to God’s promise to “all the nations of the world” by sharing the good news and grace of Jesus Christ with Gentiles, people who were not part of the Jewish covenant, people who were among the 'nations of the world.' In our passage, the writer of Ephesians marvels at both the power and beauty of God who through Christ is reaching out to and including within his promise the formerly excluded Gentiles."
Rev. Larry Hayward preaches on the Second Sunday after Christmas. The Scripture lesson is Ephesians 3:1-12.
Check the Boxes
Rev. Jacob Bolton preaches on the first Sunday after Christmas. The Scripture lesson is Luke 2:22-40.
To Their Own Towns
Secondly, the details with which Luke describes Joseph’s journey to his home – And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem – serves as a reminder that as glorious, as spiritual, as salvific as is the event to which Mary and Joseph travel and in which they are direct participants – the birth of Jesus Christ – that birth is rooted to earth. Originating in the beyond, that birth occurs in history. At a particular place and time. Among a particular people. In a land of particular rulers. An event of heavenly origin, it occurs on earth, redeems the earth, transforms the earth, saves the earth. It is in turn welcomed on earth, glorified on earth, lived out on earth, sung to and about on earth by those who are drawn to it, touched by it, and moved to orient our lives toward it and from it. It is a heavenly event that shapes and molds who we are, how we live on the earth we all home. Rev. Larry Hayward preaches on Christmas Eve, the Nativity of the Lord. The Scripture lesson is Luke 2:1-7.
The Biography of the Virgin Birth
The Spirit of God hovering, brooding, sweeping over, overshadowing the watery chaos at Creation. That same Spirit hovering, brooding, sweeping over, overshadowing the watery chaos of Mary’s womb, and creating within it the Holy Child, the redeemer of the world. Is there anything more worthy of our wonder and worship than this? Rev. Larry Hayward preaches on the Fourth Sunday of Advent. The Scripture lessons are Genesis 1:1-5 and Luke 1:26-38.
All Decked Up
The words of the prophet emerge, saying this: “The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me.” For God’s blessings to be seen in this world, the world needs those who are willing to claim it for themselves. Rev. Patrick Hunnicutt preaches on the Third Sunday of Advent. The Scripture lesson is Isaiah 61:1–3, 10.
Keeping Watch
Rev. Patrick Hunnicutt preaches on the First Sunday of Advent. The Scripture lesson is Mark 13:32-37.
