First Presbyterian Church, Sterling IL

http://www.touchtalent.com/painting/art/PENTECOST--257540 Pentecost May 20, 2018 Romans 8:22-27; Acts 2:1-21 First Presbyterian Church, Sterling, IL Christina Berry Romans 8: 22-27 We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now, and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is in the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. Acts 2:1-21 When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from hea...

John 15:1-8, Acts 8:26-40 April 29, 2018 First Presbyterian Church, Sterling IL Christina Berry The gospel reading today comes from the farewell speech of Jesus, in which he reminds his followers of their relationship to him and to one another, and the life-giving connection that they share. It’s worth noting as Jesus reminds us of who he is, he shows us who we are, in relationship to him. We are the branches on the vine, where the fruit grows. The production of fruit depends on us as much as it does on him. Let’s listen for God’s word to us in John 15:1-8: 1 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. 2 He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. 3 You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. 5 I am the ...

John 10:11-18; Acts 4:5-12 April 22, 2018 First Presbyterian Church, Sterling IL Christina Berry Today’s gospel reading is from the poetic gospel of John. Unlike Matthew, Mark, and Luke, the gospel of John does not give a chronological account of the life of Jesus. His deeply theological narrative shows Jesus to be the light of the world, he tells of the signs that point to Jesus as Messiah and point us to Jesus. In the reading for today, Jesus identifies himself as the good shepherd. Like the shepherd in Psalm 23, Jesus provides care, guidance, sustenance and safety. Let’s listen for the voice of the shepherd in John 10:11-18 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away— and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my ...

April 8, 2018 John 20:19-31; Acts 4:32-37 First Presbyterian Church, Sterling IL Christina Berry Today’s gospel reading is traditional for the Sunday after Easter, the account of one of the post-resurrection appearances. Last week, we heard how Mary of Magdala reported that Jesus was alive, now our attention shifts away from the tomb and to the locked room where the men hid in fear. Although this is a significant gospel story, it is not our focus text today. But it does lay the groundwork for our reading from Acts, because it demonstrates for us the importance of faith in the risen Lord as the very foundation of the church that was going to come into being. Although they would not have said it this way at the time, those people hiding in fear in that locked room were Easter people. Let’s listen for God’s word to us in John 20:19-31: When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fea...

John 20:1-18 April 1, 2018 First Presbyterian Church, Sterling IL Christina Berry John 20:1-18 1 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. 2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him." 3 Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. 4 The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, 7 and the cloth that had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, als...

John 12:20-33, Psalm 51:1-12 March 18, 2018 First Presbyterian Church, Sterling IL Christina Berry Our gospel reading from the gospel according to John comes from the 12th chapter. In the verses just preceding this reading, Jesus has entered Jerusalem, riding on a donkey, accompanied by crowds shouting “Hosanna,” and waving palm branches. It’s worth considering that only in John’s gospel are the branches specified as palm branches. Since the Maccabean period of about 167-160 BCE, palm branches were symbols of national triumph and victory. The palm branches point us to the fact that the crowd greets Jesus as their national hero. [1] This only increases the discomfort of the Roman authorities. In this scripture, John points out that “some Greeks” have come up to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. They find Philip and ask him to take them to Jesus. Let’s listen for God’s gracious word to us in that encounter with Jesus in John 12: 20-33 20 Now among those who went up to worship a...

John 3:14-21; Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22 March 11, 2018 First Presbyterian Church, Sterling, IL Christina Berry We are again in John’s gospel this fourth Sunday in Lent. We heard last week about one of the events which John calls “signs,” as Jesus threw the moneychangers from the temple. John’s gospel is particularly focused on the incarnation – Jesus as God in human flesh, as a sign of God’s presence, and on the signs that point us to that reality. John’s gospel begins with a focus on Jesus as “the Word made flesh,” Jesus as the light of the world, shining in the darkness. In the verses that lead up to today’s reading, a man named Nicodemus has come in the dark of night to talk to Jesus. They discuss how a person needs to experience a new birth in the Spirit, and Jesus continues with a reference to the deliverance of the Israelites, and how an effigy of a snake lifted up effected their healing. Let’s listen for God’s word to us in John 3:14-21 And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in th...