Cape Elizabeth Church of the Nazarene - Weekly Sermon Podcast

Finding Our Prophetic Voice: Journey with Elijah – 1 Kings 19:1-14Text: 1 Kings 19:1-14We continue reading the story of Elijah, who fears for his life in this week’s passage after he is threatened. God does not always sweep away everything that is wrong in the world, but the evil that exists does not wipe out…

“Finding Our Prophetic Voice: Journey with Elijah – 1 Kings 18”Text: 1 Kings 18In today’s passage, Elijah is up against the prophets of Baal to prove to Ahab that the Lord is the one true God. Elijah names his faith by calling on God. As people finding our prophetic voice, we also must not forget…

Text: 1 Kings 17We begin a new sermon series entitled “Finding Our Prophetic Voice” where we will go through the story of the prophet Elijah and understand how he becomes a prophet and represents faithfulness to the mission and message of God has for him and his people. In this first installment, God uses Elijah…

Text: Psalm 19:12-14, 1 John 3:1-10Pastor Kim Richardson joins us this week to talk about overcoming temptation and the sin we commit knowingly as well as unintentionally. He suggests that through God's grace, we can have victory over sin by continually spending time with Jesus until in our hearts, it becomes natural for us to…

Text: Psalm 30:4-12Psalm 30 is an expression of praise to God despite the psalmist experiencing difficult moments of separation. His joy comes in the future and the expectation of God’s promises being fulfilled. We don’t always know the present and the “hows” or “whys” of what is happening in our lives, but with an eye…

Text: Psalm 2Psalm 2 is a psalm of might and was used in Old Testament times for coronating new kings.  In the early Church, it was used as a reminder and a warning against merging with the ways and the sins of the world.  It is also an invitation to seek the Lord, and to…

Text: 1 Corinthians 15:9-26He is risen! As we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, we are reminded through Paul’s letter to the Corinthians that we share in this hope. As one of us, Jesus Christ is where God is found and it is the grace of God that redeems and restores the One who was crucified…

Text: Isaiah 50:4-9aOn this Palm Sunday, we look at an Old Testament prophetic passage which talks about a vindicator who comes from God to remove us of our sin and shame. Jesus is the embodiment of this hope of God’s people; what He does on the cross is to make us right with God, removing…

Text: John 12:1-8This week, we read the story of Mary (the brother of Lazarus) anointing Jesus with expensive perfume. We live in a world that, like Judas, often doesn’t understand such acts of faithfulness and deems them as wasteful. This passage of Scripture is a reminder that we are also invited to be faithful to…

“The Enduring Love of God”Text: Lamentations 3:16-33The book of Lamentations is full of the very real depictions of hardship and struggles that are laid out before God by those people who were left behind after Israel was conquered by the Babylonians.  Despite their trials and struggles, through the Word of the Lord and the examples…

Text: Lamentations 1:1-22There are times in our life where we turn to God with hope and expectation for what He will do, but recognize that there are often seasons in which there is significant waiting. Lamentations is an emotive cry of a people who are in the midst of pain and tragedy. During this Lenten…

“Sure Signs of a Maturing Faith”Text: Philippians 3:15-4:1For the Christian, growth is not optional. Pastor Eric Larsen joins us again this week and talks about what it means to mature in the faith. The mature Christian knows what belongs in their life, and knows what needs to be left behind. The key to maturity is…

“Image of God: Part 2”Text: Colossians 1:3-23Last week, we explored what it means to be created in the image of God. This week, we look at Jesus, who is the clearest picture and articulation of who God is. As Paul says in his letter to the Colossians, Jesus is both the firstborn of the dead…

“Image of God: Part 1”Text: James 3:9, Genesis 1:24-31;5:1,9:6Scripture tells us again and again that humanity was created in the image of God. Over the next two weeks, Pastor Tim will be talking about this and what it means for us. We have a natural tendency to apply this inwardly to ourselves, but the image…

“3 Days Away but One Step Back”Text: Genesis 37:12-28When Joseph is sold into slavery by his brothers, all of them are at least three days away from their father’s influence. Using this story, guest Pastor Eric Larsen looks at the impact that distance and time can have when we are not as close to God…

Letters of God’s Love: 1 John 3:1-24Text: 1 John 3:1-24In today’s passage, John addresses those in the early Church who believed that the way we live our lives does not matter. He asserts that what Christ has done in our life has ongoing implications for who we are to be and how we are to…

Letters of God’s Love: 1 John 2:7-17Text: 1 John 2:7-17As we discovered last week, the theme of God’s love is not exclusive to the New Testament, but it is a foundational message of the early church. We begin a month-long series based on the letters of John entitled “Letters of God’s Love.” In this first…

Text: Psalm 36The theme of God’s steadfast love has been a defining mark of the relationship between God and His people. Psalm 36 can be seen as both a testimony of what God has seen the psalmist through as well as a prayer asking for help with the concerns of the present day. The hope…

Text: Psalm 29, Luke 3 : 15-17, 21-22Psalm 29 is a reminder of the greatness of our God; that He is above and greater than whatever comes our way. On this Sunday where we read about the baptism of Jesus, we recognize that God’s greatness and His voice and lordship over the Earth is found…

Text: Psalm 72We start the new calendar year by studying Psalm 72, which was a “coronation psalm” used for the leaders of Israel. It expresses a desire and hope for peace and righteousness in the land and uses hyperbolic language which far outlasts what is capable with a single human ruler. In this way, the…

“Who Will Intercede?”Text: 1 Samuel 2:12-26, Luke 2:41-52As we read the story about Samuel, Eli, and Eli’s sons, Eli’s question is left unanswered; who will intercede for you if you have sinned against the Lord? The Gospel of Luke presents Jesus as the answer to this question, having been described as priest-like in the same…

“Changed in the Waiting: Peace”Text: Luke 1:39-55We close this advent season with Mary’s song following her meeting with her relative Elizabeth, who was expecting the child that would become John the Baptist. Mary’s words are both a statement of faith and prophetically tell of how God will raise up those who are oppressed. As we…

“Changed in the Waiting: Joy”Text: Luke 3:7-18John the Baptist’s words of preparation can seem frightening at first, but his call to “produce fruit” is paired with the promise of Jesus coming with a baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire. This movement in our lives that changes, redeems, and restores us is able to remove…

“Changed in the Waiting: Love”Text: Luke 3:1-6The second Sunday in this season of Advent focuses on love. Love is not just found in our emotions and feelings, but it can also be a way in which we interact with each other. Advent is a season of waiting, and we remember that even in the midst…

“Changed in the Waiting: Hope”Text: Jeremiah 33:14-16We enter into Advent, a season of expectation, with words from the book of Jeremiah. God’s promise to establish the peoples Judah and Israel – a nation that had turned away from God – and raise up an eternal line of David provides hope that is grounded in His…

Text: Mark 13:24-37On this Christ the King Sunday, we wrap up our year-long study of the book of Mark. Jesus says to those who follow Him – His disciples then, and us now – to keep watch and be alert. We are called to be future-focused followers and to allow that, and not the fears…

Text: Mark 13:1-23In the penultimate sermon of our series on the Gospel of Mark, we study Chapter 13; a passage that has often been used to teach us to be fearful. As we read the passage in its original context, we hear Jesus calling for His followers to be faithful in the midst of hardship…

Text: Mark 12:35-44Today’s passage from Mark contains the familiar story of a widow giving her last two coins to the Temple as an act of sacrificial giving. It comes after Jesus warns against those in power who cause injustice by taking advantage of others, including widows and their possessions. The story shows us that there…

Mark 12:28-34To be close to the Kingdom of Heaven is to embrace the radical call of love that God has put on our life. This love is not only for the God who changes, redeems, restores, and liberates us from the power of sin, but it is also a love that forces us to not…

Text: Mark 12:1-27In today’s reading from the Gospel of Mark, Jesus is recognized as one with integrity and a sense of imparitiality, yet the Pharisees and Herodians try to trap Jesus with questions of loyality to Rome, the controlling power in the world. In the current day, we are in the midst of a political…

Text: Mark 11:11-13We continue our study of the Gospel of Mark after Jesus’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem (which we typically read on Palm Sunday). In this passage, Jesus curses a fig tree that looks healthy but does not produce, despite being out of season. This fig tree represents the brokenness of what happens when who…

Text: Mark 10:46-52Throughout our study of the book of Mark, Jesus often shows that the grace of God moves in powerful ways in and among the people who have been dealt a bad hand in life. In today’s passage, Jesus heals a blind beggar named Bartimaeus and is called the “Son of David” for the…

Text: Mark 10:32-45As Jesus foretells His death and resurrection while approaching Jerusalem, He also explains to His disciples that one must become a servant of all to become great. In learning what it is to be obedient and embrace holy living, we find that our lives are inextricably linked to the people we come into…

Text: Mark 10:17-31How is it that we are saved? In today’s scripture reading, a rich man asks Jesus the way to have eternal life. Jesus responds by issuing a call to live with a sacrificial faith. We must also accept God's grace, because the kingdom of God is not based on what we've accomplished or…

Text: Mark 10:1-16As we continue through the Gospel of Mark, Jesus is asked about divorce by the Pharisees. In the context of John the Baptist’s death which resulted from his disapproval of Herod’s divorce and remarriage, this question can be seen as an attempt to get Jesus in trouble as well. Marriage is one of…

Text: Mark 9:38‐50Today’s passage from Mark begins with someone who is not a disciple of Jesus casting out demons in His name. This follows the story of the disciples not being able to perform a similar act, and later arguing who among them was the greatest. This story shows that the power of God at…

Text: Mark 9:14-37In the story of Jesus healing a boy with convulsions, the boy’s father serves as a model of faith. He is someone with questions and concerns but despite this, Jesus accepts his faith with the words “I believe; help my unbelief.” We don’t have to have all of the answers before we come…

Text: Mark 8:27-38Who is Jesus for us? What do we see when hear or think about Jesus? Jesus asks His disciples this in today’s reading. Jesus reminds His disciples that who we are and how we live has everything to do with the God who has created us and the people He has put in…

Text: Mark 8:1-26Mark 8 begins with Jesus feeding another large crowd with only seven loaves of bread. Coming after the previous feeding of the 5,000 and the healing of the Syrophoenician woman’s daughter, this story is a continuation of showing that the power of God moves out in and among those in our world we…

Text: Mark 7:24-37Pastor Amanda Lawton continues our study of the gospel of Mark with two stories where Jesus heals those outside the Jewish faith. These stories challenge us as followers of Jesus to be boundary breakers and engage in the transformation of the marginalized so that those around us who are “outsiders” are welcomed to…

Mark 7:1-23When the Pharisees question Jesus about the practices of some of His disciples, He points out the ways in which their traditions are contrary to the commandments of God. Holiness is not a privatized concept about following earthly traditions or what we do or not do as individuals but instead is always about how…

“Provisions of Grace”Text: John 6:24-35Today’s sermon passage comes from shortly after John’s account of the feeding of the 5,000. Wanting more miracles to address more of their needs, a portion of the crowd asks Jesus what He is going to do for them next. Jesus responds to them by encouraging them to believe in Him…

Text: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27In today’s passage, Paul uses the still-recognizable illustration of running to win the prize in a race. What is the prize in this race of faith? The prize we are seeking to win is to be faithful barers of the Gospel to a world which still needs to hear who God is.…

Text: Mark 6:30-56Following last week’s scripture reading about Herod’s feast that resulted in the beheading of John the Baptist, we encounter the familiar story of another feast; Jesus feeding the five thousand. Recognizing that the crowd is “like sheep without a shepherd,” Jesus acts in a completely different way from Herod. Rather than seeking a…

Text: Mark 6:14-29Today’s passage from Mark tells of the John the Baptists’ death at the hands of Herodius and the powers of the world. Mark does this to foreshadow Jesus’ death, who, like John the Baptist, spoke prophetically and was not welcomed by the powers of the world. Pastor Tim also expresses some thoughts regarding…

Text: Mark 6:1-13Having just been rejected in His hometown of Nazareth, Jesus sends His disciples out two by two with a warning that they also may not always be welcomed. As we live out our faith, we may also encounter rejection but Jesus tells us to not let those moments linger; we are to continue…

Text: Mark 5:21-43Today’s passage from Mark has Jesus on a mission to visit the sick daughter of Jairus, a synagogue leader. Jesus’ trip is interrupted by a woman who touches His cloak without permission and is healed from a twelve-year illness. Despite the delay in arriving to Jairus’ home, Jesus is still able to raise…

Mark 5:1-20The story of Jesus healing the man with an unclean spirit reminds us that the grace of God follows us to wherever we’ve been cornered and offers help both now and forever more. This story is ours as well, and contains our mission; because God has loved us, we are not cast out from…

Text: 2 Corinthians 5:1-15In today’s reading from 2 Corinthians, Paul talks about two different kinds of dwellings; the first is an “earthly tent” where we live in this world. The other is a dwelling built by God. While it can be read that this second home refers to God’s eternity, Paul’s expectation is that the…

“Jesus, Prophet of Grace”Text: Mark 4:26-41We continue studying the Gospel of Mark. This passage, which echoes the Old Testament prophets Ezekiel and Jonah, reveals the prophetic power of Jesus Christ. The fullness of God’s message has been found in Jesus Christ; he is the embodiment and the fulfillment of God’s prophecies. Whatever the world might…

Text: Mark 4:1-25We return to our study of the gospel of Mark by hearing one of Jesus’ first parables – the parable of the sower. The sowing work is the spreading of God’s grace throughout the world. It is not limited to one particular area or just where we think it should be spread. Jesus…