First Presbyterian Church, Sterling IL

Galatians 5:1, 13-25, Luke 9:51-62 June 26, 2016 First Presbyterian Church, Sterling, IL As you’ve heard for the last several weeks, the Galatian Christians have been confused by some teachers who have told them, contrary to what Paul has taught them, that they need to follow Jewish practice as part of their faith. Paul has been sorting this out for them, explaining the importance of the law but emphasizing that faith is more important. Now, as his letter is coming to a close, he points the Galatians toward a more concrete understanding. You have been set free from slavish compliance with the law, he says, but you have been set free so that you may place yourself in servitude to a greater law – the law of love. If you live into that freedom, being led by the Spirit, Paul tells us, your life will demonstrate it with the fruits of the Spirit. Let’s listen for the message of Christian freedom in Galatians 5:1, 13-25: For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not s...

Galatians 3:23-29, Luke 8:26-39 June 19, 2016 First Presbyterian Church, Sterling IL Christina Berry We are about half- way through the book of Galatians, and we are about to see, in this text, the turn in Paul’s argument. He has written to the churches of Galatia because he is alarmed that they have been told they need to add something more to their faith. These former pagans have been told that they must become Jewish, too, and Paul wants to assure them that this is not necessary. In typical polemic Pauline fashion, he uses a kind of verbal shorthand to distinguish the two sides of the argument- “the law” on one hand, and “faith” on the other. This is a false dichotomy, frequently misinterpreted through our Western Christian lens of interpretation. The law itself is not the problem. The problem is that people can so easily derive their identity from so many things other than the grace of God though faith. Paul declares unequivocally where our identity truly rests. Let’s listen for...

Galatians 2:15-21, Luke 7: 40-50 June 12, 2016 First Presbyterian Church, Sterling IL Christina Berry Last week we began a look at the book of Galatians, one of the earliest letters from the Apostle Paul to the newly formed churches. In the verses that begin what we call chapter two (remember, Paul didn’t write his letters with chapters and verse numbers) Paul refers to an argument he’s had with other leaders. The argument concerned whether non – Jews -Gentiles – could follow in the Jesus way and if so, whether they needed to follow Jewish practice, tradition and law. There was a strong sense that if a Gentile wanted to join up, they needed to sign up for the whole covenant – circumcision, dietary restriction, and observance of the traditions. Let’s listen for what the Apostle Paul says about that, and for God’s word in Galatians 2:15-21 15 We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; 16 yet we know that a person is justified not by the works of the law but thr...

Galatians 1:11-24; Luke 7:11-17 June 5, 2016 First Presbyterian Church, Sterling, IL Christina Berry Our first reading for today comes from the first chapter of the Apostle Paul’s letter to the churches in Galatia. For the next few weeks we’ll be looking at this letter and thinking about what it might have to say to us today. The context of this letter is much like most of Paul’s letters to churches – it was occasioned by an issue in the church that Paul took great pains to address in writing. This particular letter was written not to just one congregation but to a cluster of house churches, and it was intended as a kind of circular for them to share. Paul is extremely distressed with the Christians in Galatia. He started the churches there, and has an almost parental feeling for them. Now he writes to say is astonished and perplexed by them – in fact, he is really quite angry and dismayed. One sign of his anger is that among all of Paul’s epistles, this is the only one that do...

Psalm 96: 1-4; Lamentations 3:21-25 May 29, 2016 First Presbyterian Church, Sterling IL Christina Berry We have two readings today, both from the Hebrew scriptures. Both are songs of hope. Our first reading is a song of joy and praise for our great and glorious God: Psalm 96: 1-4 O sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples. For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; he is to be revered above all gods. The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. The second scripture selection is from the book of Lamentations. That’s an Old Testament book of only five chapters. It rarely shows up in worship, rarely gets preached. It is a book that is exactly what its name describes: a series of laments. The reading is from the middle of the book, and the basis for the hymn “Great is Thy Faithfulness.” (You can hear a great renditi...

A Trinity Sunday sermon Psalm 8; Proverbs 8: 22-31; John 16: 12-15 May 22, 2016 First Presbyterian Church, Sterling, IL Christina Berry Today is Trinity Sunday. It is the only Sunday on the church calendar that addresses a doctrine rather than an event.If you are familiar, which many of you are by now, with the church year, we start with Advent, move on to Christmas and Epiphany, then Lent and Easter, and fifty days later, Pentecost. But on this Sunday, the Sunday after Pentecost, we celebrate the Trinity – a doctrine of the universal church. Not all who fall under the appellation of Christian are believers in the Trinity, and for some people, that makes them “not Christian.” Mormons, for example, believe in Father, Son and Holy Ghost, “united in purpose and separate in person.” [1] Jehovah’s Witnesses do not accept the doctrine of the Trinity, nor do Christian Scientists. But for the last several centuries –actually since the year 451, the year of the council of Chalce...

This is the last sermon in our series on the Acts of the Apostles: Who We Are. John 17:20-23; Acts 16:16-34 May 8, 2016 First Presbyterian Church, Sterling IL Christina Berry I mentioned last week that these chapters of John’s Gospel we’ve been looking at are part of what is called Jesus’ “farewell discourse.” Last week the content of that discourse was essentially instructions about what the disciples were supposed to do after Jesus had left them. In this reading, there are no more instructions or assurances or commandments or suggestions. Jesus is simply praying for the disciples. By extension, Jesus is also praying for us. Let’s listen to his prayer in John 17:20-23 "I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that th...