The faithful are in exile in America in 2025. It can be hard to be hopeful. We may want it to return to what was. But that's never been God's way. We are to live life and know that we are not abandoned. Jeremiah 29 is a letter written to those in exile. A message from God that still applies today.

Kings and the powerful have a long history of trying to use God's word for their own purposes or silencing it when it conflicts with their power. But they never prevail. God's word endures and liberates and sets people free. Pastor Matthew's sermon is based on parts of Jeremiah 36.

Divisions and separations define the world and often the church. Paul had a different idea about that based on everything that Jesus was about. The world and our churches still struggle with this. Our differences don't separate us, but instead help us to see a wider image of God. The sermon is based on Galatians 3:1-9, 23-29.

Grace is not fair. Thanks be to God! Paul addresses grace and works in his letter to the church in Galatia. The core of what he writes about is still relevant today. Do we earn our way to God, or does God come to us because of who God is? The sermon is based on Galatians 1:13-17, 2:11-21.

Membership has its privileges, as the saying goes. But there are two ways to look at that. One making faith something exclusive with the incentive to keep people out. And another where we have the privilege of inviting people to see how God is at work in the world and participate in what the Spirit is up to. The sermon is based on Acts 15:1-18.

Leviathan, that ancient description of chaos, evil, cruelty, and more shows up throughout Scripture and human history. It causes damage, destruction, and death. But it doesn't get the last word. Even in the stoning of Stephen that we hear about in Acts 7, death doesn't get the final say. Shalom does. We aren't called to take on the methods of Leviathan and we can't defeat it. only God can. And we are called to follow in Jesus' footsteps with his methods. The sermon is based on Acts 6 and 7.

Tyrants tell stories in order to maintain control through fear. They have done this for a long, long time. The resurrection of Jesus is a story that does the opposite - offers hope and new opportunities, setting people free. Pastor Matthew's sermon is based on Luke 24:13-35.

The world can feel like Jesus is still in the tomb. But the tomb and the world can't contain him and hold him hostage. Resurrection isn't about going back in time. It's about moving forward in a new way. And it's not just something that happened to Jesus 2000 years ago. We see it today in our communities. Resurrection gives us hope and healing here and now. Pastor Matthew's sermon is based on Luke 24:1-12.