Christmas Eve 2019 + William Bradbury

Isaiah 9:2-7, Psalm 96, Titus 2:11-14, Luke 2:1-14(15-20)

On the order of the government, a pregnant girl and her fiancé travel 90 miles to his ancestral home, where she gives birth to her first-born son and places him in a manger. There is no celestial light and choir of angels; and in Luke’s story there are no kingly visitors who have traveled from afar. There is no health insurance and no hospital. Just one of a million refugee families suffering the cruelty of politicians and living off the mercy of strangers. Move along! Nothing out of the ordinary to see here. Yet Luke tell us something extraordinary does happen somewhere else that same night: to poor shepherds with their flock by night there is an eruption of angels, singing and celebrating the birth of the savior, who is Christ the Lord. The angel says there is a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.  

Sermon+Advent 4+December 22, 2019+ William Bradbury

Isaiah 7:10-16, Psalm 80:1-7, 16-18, Romans 1:1-7, Matthew 1:18-25

As a senior in high school I bought my first music system: It was made by Panasonic and had detachable box speakers to give that stereo sound we all craved. The gospels also give us stereo sound for the birth of Jesus: Luke, which we will read on Christmas Eve, gives us the story focusing on Mary:

      Sermon-December 8, 2019-William Bradbury

Advent 2-Isaiah 11:1-10, Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19, Romans 15:4-13, Matthew 3:1-12

In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” Well, if there is a kingdom coming there must also be a king close at hand—and that can be a very unsettling thing. It’s 1927 and word comes that King George V and Queen Mary are coming to visit Downton Abbey, in the recent movie of that name. The residents, both the Crawley Family that live upstairs and the servants who work downstairs are all in a tizzy. Some were thrilled with the honor, while others are overwhelmed with how this was going to change their lives over the next few weeks.

Sermon–Advent One+-December 1, 2019+William Bradbury

Isaiah 2:1-5, Psalm 122, Romans 13:11-14, Matthew 24:36-44

The word Advent means “coming”. Around here, facing a long winter, we say we can’t wait for the advent of spring. We usually think of the Season of Advent, as four weeks to prepare for our celebration of the first coming of Jesus, but the stronger focus is on the second coming of Jesus, when Jesus returns to fulfill the promise of the Kingdom of God, when, as Revelation 21 says, “God will wipe every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

Christ proclaims the arrival of the Kingdom of God: “Here comes God’s kingdom! Change your hearts and lives, and trust this good news!” CEB Christ describes the Kingdom of God: it is like a small lump of leaven in a large quantity of dough; it is like a shepherd who leaves the 99 sheep to save the one that is lost; the kingdom is like a father who has two sons; and like a Samaritan who saves a man left for dead in a ditch. The Kingdom is like a king who invites the poor to the wedding banquet of his Son. Christ also Demonstrates the Kingdom with Healings of body and healings of mind—setting people free from Mortal Mind’s false programs of happiness that run on fear, anxiety, greed, lust, jealousy, and anger. He demonstrates the Kingdom by eating meals with outcasts and sinners, sex workers and tax collectors.  

Last Pentecost/Christ the King, November 24, 2019 + William Bradbury. Jeremiah 23:1-6, Psalm 46, Colossians 1:11-20, Luke 23:33-43