Sermons on Hebrews
Out of the House of Bondage
Out of the House of Bondage Hebrews 2:15; Exodus 20:1 Sunday, March 3, 2024 at The First Congregational Church of Marshalltown, Iowa The anxiety I felt after a few months in Ohio. The Spirit-if you stay long enough, then you’ve come to the place where you will die. Many years ago, I moved to Ohio and lived there for a number of years. After about four years, roughly around 2023, I experience this strange sense of anxiety that I…
What Was Denied Moses…
Deuteronomy 34:1-12; Hebrews 12:18-24 Sunday, October 29, 2023 at The First Congregational Church of Marshalltown, Iowa I wept when I saw Jerusalem for the first time. What are some things that you have yearned to see for your whole life? It takes roughly one hour to drive from Jericho to Jerusalem, and the drive is mostly uphill the whole way. As we came close to the crest of the mountain, the tour guide, per instructions, played “Jerusalem” on the sound…
A Permanent Kingdom
A Permanent Kingdom Hebrews 12:25-27 Sunday, August 21, 2022 at The First Congregational Church of Marshalltown, Iowa Today’s sermon is called “A Permanent Kingdom” because one of the purposes of church is not only to point us toward what will never change but in gathering as church, we participate in it. What you do with regards for Christ never ceases to be relevant. Business endeavors, social mores, political intrigues and all the rest will become dusty relics of…
Pilgrims
PilgrimsHebrews 11:8-16; Genesis 15:1-6Sunday, August 7, 2022 at The First Congregational Church of Marshalltown, Iowa • IntroductionWay back in 16th century England, the original Congregationalists were meeting in people’s homes and calling themselves “pilgrims”. It had a special connotation back then. The Church of England, or Anglican Church (Episcopalian is the US version of the same) was the official state church and refusal to attend left one in danger of the charge of treason, or of at least insulting the…
He Partook of Flesh And Blood
He Partook of Flesh and Blood Hebrews 2:14-18 Sunday, July 24, 2022 at The First Congregational Church of Marshalltown, Iowa Introduction Today, in this series of worship services that involves Christmas in July, I wanted to reflect on the participation of Jesus in terms of what He did for us. Now, before I say anything more, let me apologize for the clumsy title of this message. In seminary we were taught to try to make the sermon titles clever…
Going to Church
Going to Church Hebrews 10:19-25; 1 Samuel 4:19-22 Sunday, November 14, 2021 at The First Congregational Church of Marshalltown, Iowa Introduction: Our need for the glory of God When I began preparing this sermon, I planned to focus on the end of the passage in Hebrews: the part that tells us to be steadfast in gathering together, as is the habit of some, in order to encourage each other, especially as we see the day approaching. The “day” meaning…
The Long March
The Long MarchHebrews 11:10; Genesis 12:1-4Sunday, September 19, 2021 at The First Congregational church of Marshalltown, Iowa• Intro. the journey of the people of God is a journey to heaven. Or maybe it is a journey through time to return to our home.“When the world my heart is rending With its heaviest storm of care, My glad thoughts to heaven ascending, Find a refuge from despair. Faith’s bright vision shall sustain me Till life’s pilgrimage is past; Fears may vex…
Why Jesus Came
Why Jesus CameHebrews 2:17 “Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.”Sunday, February 7, 2021 at The First Congregational Church of Marshalltown, Iowa Introduction: Mark Twain toward the end of his life wrote a story, The Mysterious Stranger in which the ending has people awaiting word from an angel about forgiveness for…
Beyond Our Understanding
Isaiah 64:4 1st Sunday of Advent Introduction: The once and future king Today marks the first day of the Season of Advent, recalling the events preceding the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. It has an ancient history and marks a wondrous theological truth; that in His birth Jesus, the eternal Son of God who is Creator of all things is Himself now part of Creation. He has joined the human race, and when He resurrected and ascended to heaven, He…
From Every Nation
Hebrews 8:4-5; Revelation 7:9–10 9 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands,… IntroductionEvery year, except this year, we have a Rally Sunday worship service that is prepared and led by the children and the Youth Groups. It is not spontaneous, but designed and rehearsed in order to…
The High Priest
Scripture: Hebrews 2:17