First Presbyterian Church, Sterling IL

Mark 10: 46-52 October 28, 2018 First Presbyterian Church, Sterling IL Christina Berry In a week when there was so much sorrow and violence in the news, I considered writing a new sermon, with a different text. But I remembered reading recently what a theologian had said about these times: now, more than ever, we need to hear words of hope. This text is a story of hope, and story of Jesus going up to Jerusalem for his last week, a week of sorrow and violence that ultimately ends in hope. So let’s listen for God’s hope in Mark 10:46-52. They came to Jericho. As he and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" Jesus stood still and said, "Call ...

Mark 10:35-45 October 21, 2018 First Presbyterian Church, Sterling IL Christina Berry The gospel reading for today comes from the tenth chapter of Mark. Mark’s gospel was written first, before the other three gospels, and provided source material for Matthew and Luke. His spare, urgent style moves us forward briskly through Jesus’ life. Mark’s stories engage us in such a way that we can see ourselves in the story, and if we are open to it, we can identify with the disciples. In this story, James and John, who have followed Jesus from the start, are looking ahead to the future, and wondering what their roles will be. They want to secure a promise from Jesus – not the promise of life abundant, or grace and mercy, but the promise that they will achieve greatness. They seek not a savior, or transformation, but to be made great. Jesus makes it clear that to be great in him is not what they hoped for. Let’s listen for the good news in Mark 10:35-45 James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came f...

The Book of Habakkuk September 30, 2018 First Presbyterian Church, Sterling IL Christina Berry The book of Habakkuk is the third in our series on the minor prophets. The book consists mainly of a dialogue between the prophet and God. Habakkuk begins with a lament, and then a complaint. God replies, but Habakkuk is not satisfied, and he continues to debate. The issue at hand is that of unexplained human suffering. Habakkuk asks God “why?” and “how long?” Why do the poor and lowly experience so much injustice and oppression? How long will the righteous suffer? Why isn’t God doing something to stop it, to change things, to bring justice? In the midst of the debate, in chapter 2, there is a section that focuses on those who are causing such suffering. They plunder the poor and weak, and carry their wealth away. Their towns and homes are built on bloodshed; they encourage others to drunkenness and then take advantage of them. The third chapter is a poetic hymn, a descr...

The Book of Micah September 23, 2018 First Presbyterian Church, Sterling IL Christina Berry Our scripture readings today are selections from the book of Micah. We’ve been looking at the minor prophets, those shorter books in the Old Testament that are so often overlooked. Since the lectionary includes only a few verses from the book every three years, most of us are unfamiliar with the themes of Micah. Here’s how one commentary describes the themes: “The situation of ordinary citizens was of great concern to Micah. He felt compassion for the poor and dispossessed, and held the leaders responsible for their suffering. We can learn something about the people’s social and economic situation from Micah’s condemnation of their rulers, merchants, and prophets. Similar words from Micah’s contemporary, Isaiah, add to our picture of a society where the rich and powerful used their influence to exploit the vulnerable and to create even greater inequalities of wealth and...

The Book of Jonah September 16, 2018 First Presbyterian Church, Sterling IL Christina Berry Our reading today is an abridged, condensed version of the book of Jonah. You can find the entire story, which is much better, in your Bible. Jonah appears amid the minor prophets, a book of only four chapters. We know little about Jonah, whose name means “dove,” apart from this story from about 500 years before Christ. Interestingly, the book is about him, not a prophecy from him. It’s generally agreed that this story is more parable than history, but it is rich with truths about God, people, and the nature of our relationship. Let’s listen for God’s word to us in this story of Jonah: Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai, saying, “Go at once to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before me.” But Jonah went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. But the Lord hurled a great wind upon the sea, and such a might...

1 Kings 8:1,6,10-11, 22-30, 41-43 September 2, 2018 First Presbyterian Church, Sterling IL Christina Berry Today is the third and final sermon in our series on King Solomon, whose story is told in the books of history in the Bible. The books of history in the Old Testament recount in detail the most crucial stories of God’s people during the era in which Israel was ruled by kings. Kings were selected by God at first, and anointed by the prophet. But as the house of David was established, kings were born into the role – descendants of the previous king were assumed to be the rightful heirs to the throne. No longer were kings chosen and anointed in the same way. The results were mixed. But King David’s son Solomon was a very good king in many ways. The book of First Kings describes his rule, and the building of the temple. The eighth chapter describes in detail how Solomon dedicated the temple to the glory of God. Let’s listen to that history in excerpts from the eight ch...

1 Chronicles 28: 1-10, 20; 1 Kings 6: 1, 7, 11-14, 37-38 August 26, 2018 First Presbyterian Church, Sterling IL Christina Berry Today is our second in the series on King Solomon, son of King David. Solomon was king around 970 to 930 BCE and is revered in all three Abrahamic religions. The Jewish tradition considers him to be the greatest king of ancient Israel. In the Muslim faith, he is called “Suleiman.” In Judaism, Islam, and Christianity, Solomon’s wealth, wisdom and wives – he had hundreds! – are the stuff of legend. When Solomon ascended to the throne of Israel, the Davidic dynasty was established. The kingdom under Solomon was organized, wealthy, and powerful. Last week, we learned about Solomon’s wisdom; today we learn about his legacy, particularly the building of the first temple in Jerusalem. King David had wanted to build the temple, but God forbade him, so he charged his son Solomon with the task. Let’s listen for God’s word to us in 1 Chronicles 28: 1-10, 20: David as...