Sermons on Matthew

Preacher: Pastor Liz MillerDate: April 9, 2023Text: Matthew 28:1-10 Every resurrection story begins with death. It feels weird on this beautiful Eastermorning, in this transformed sanctuary full of friends and family, familiar and new faces, fresh flowers in abundance, bellies full of Easter breakfast and kids buzzing from jelly beans -it feels weird to acknowledge that our story this morning begins with death, but it’s important to say out loud, to linger alongside death just a bit longer because resurrection…

Date: April 2, 2023, Palm Sunday Preacher: Pastor Liz MillerText: Matthew 21:1-11 NRSV When I think about the year we worshipped entirely online because of COVID, there is not a lot that I miss from that experience. There is not a lot that I would willingly bring back or continue in lieu of having the option to gather in our sanctuary. The one exception that I think we should bring back is how we celebrated Palm Sunday.Our socially distant Palm…

Preacher: Pastor Liz MillerDate: March 19, 2023Text: Matthew 26:6-13 It was never about helping the poor.The disciples watched the woman approach Jesus, witnessed her pick up the jar of oil and pour it out above him. The oil streamed across Jesus’ hair and dripped down his face. As the disciples watched this scene before them, they became angry.Their eyebrows scrunched. Their eyes narrowed. Their shoulders tensed. Their voices raised as their anger poured out of their mouth Their words dripped…

Preacher: Pastor Liz MillerDate: January 29, 2023Text: Matthew 5:1-12 There are weeks when the troubles of the world are pressing in so hard that it feels like all I can do to muster the energy to say, “Well God, what you have you got for us?” Come to think of it, that feels like a pretty good beginning of a prayer.What have you got for us, God? What have you got for Tyre Nichols and his grief-stricken family? What have…

Preacher: Pastor Liz MillerDate: January 8, 2023Text: Matthew 2:1-12 As part of our welcome and centering ourselves for worship each Sunday, we proclaim that “no matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here.” And frequently, through our prayers and liturgy and sermons we will specifically name different identities that may not have always been welcome or felt welcome in Christian community that we want to make sure hear an affirmation in this Christian…

Preacher: Pastor Liz Miller Date: November 27, 2022 Text: Matthew 1:1-17             If I was to ask the congregation right now to tell the Christmas story, we would craft a narrative that begins with an angel visiting Mary and then Joseph, and then we would describe their long, laborious journey to Bethlehem, inn keeper and all. It is a story we know well, one we have seen acted out by our children and youth in Christmas Eve plays. It is…

Preacher: Pastor Liz MillerDate: January 3, 2021 Text: Matthew 2:1-12 The coinciding of Epiphany and the New Year is my favorite pairing. The New Year is all about learning from the lessons of the previous year and setting our intentions for the months ahead. The New Year recognizes that we are on a journey – that surely much of last year will spill into the next, but that we have agency about what we do with it, and we can…