Sermons
Each week, we post Sunday’s sermon by Rev. Eric Anderson. If you can’t join us on Sunday morning, try following #3tweetsermon on Twitter.
Reflection for Maundy Thursday
April 18, 2019Maundy Thursday John 13:1-17, 31b-35 by Eric Anderson The Gospel reading leaves out a couple of things. In the section we skipped, verses 18 through 30, Jesus predicted that one of his disciples would hand him over. He even identified Judas, though in a way only one or two could recognize in the…
Reading of the Passion from Luke
On Palm Sunday, worship at Church of the Holy Cross began with an exultant march around the sanctuary, waving palms and singing. The children, of course, took the lead. Later in the service, four readers took on the task of sharing the story of Jesus’ last two days: his Passover dinner with his closest friendshis…
Sermon: God’s Not Done with Me
April 7, 2019Fifth Sunday in Lent Philippians 3:4b-14John 12:1-8 by Eric Anderson Preacher's Note: The recording includes brief comment on a verse I essentially ignored in preparing the sermon: John 12:8, which reads, "You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me." We had just sung the first three verses…
Sermon: This Fellow Welcomes Sinners
March 31, 2019Fourth Sunday in Lent Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32 by Eric Anderson I think my favorite new perspective on this parable this morning was literally this morning. It was a tweet from JesusofNaz316. If you're on Twitter, you should follow Jesus. OK, you should follow Jesus anyway. But his tweet this morning went something like…
Sermon: Fresh Figs
March 24, 2019Third Sunday in Lent Luke 13:1-9 by Eric Anderson Something just feels right about retributive justice. It’s got a pleasing simplicity to it. It feels fair. Do this bad thing, and that bad thing happens to you. It’s the logic of discipline for a child, a logic straightforward enough that they can follow…
Sermon: Steadfast
March 17, 2019Second Sunday in Lent Luke 13:31-35 by Eric Anderson They came to keep him safe, these Pharisees. It’s one of the ways we know that Jesus and the Pharisees of his day were not implacable enemies. Oh, there were certainly some among them who disliked Jesus intensely. There were some who were convinced…
Sermon: Change the Test
March 10, 2019First Sunday in Lent Luke 4:1-13 by Eric Anderson There were a couple of things that came out of our Bible Study of this passage this week. One was the insight that this was not the last time Jesus experienced temptation. As human as we are, Jesus no doubt felt the pull to…
Sermon: Oooo! Scary!
March 3, 2019Transfiguration Sunday Luke 9:28-43a by Rev. John Madsen-Bibeau Greetings from the mainland. If you haven’t met me yet, my name is John Madsen-Bibeau. I’m a friend of Eric’s from seminary and when I’m not doing this, I do psychotherapy in Massachusetts. I am happy to be here preaching for you this morning. Eric…
Sermon: Hard Love
February 24, 2019Seventh Sunday after the Epiphany Luke 6:27-38 by Eric Anderson “Love your enemies,” said Jesus. Do I have to? Can’t I just go home and hide instead? This is one of the times when Christianity seems wildly impractical. It’s also one of the times when Christianity seems to favor the oppressor over the…
Sermon: Live Aloha
February 23, 2019Hawai’i Conference UCC Church Leaders Event Opening Worship Nu’uanu Congregational Church UCC, Honolulu, HI Ephesians 4:29-5:2 by Eric Anderson Aloha! Live aloha: That’s the instruction of the sixth initiative of our Hawai’i Conference Strategic Plan, the title of this sermon, and the challenge of Christian discipleship. I came to the topic with the…
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