Second on the Mount

"Who Goes With You?" – Revelation 21:1-6 Sermon by the Rev. Ben Brannan from Senior Recognition Sunday, May 18, 2025. "'I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.' And in that declaration, God makes a claim—not just over cosmic history, but over your story. "When your beginning feels uncertain, or your ending unclear, God still speaks: 'I am with you. I am your beginning and your end.' "There has not been a place in your story where God has not already been. And there is not a moment ahead where God will not be waiting for you." Read the manuscripts of our latest sermons at: https://www.spres.org/worship/sermons/

"Teach Me How to Pray" – Luke 11:1-4 Sermon by Dr. George C. Anderson from Sunday, May 11, 2025. "What difference would it make to remember God is in the room? "It doesn't necessarily mean you stop being frustrated or stop being angry. That awareness doesn't mean silencing conviction. Stay honest. Keep caring about what you believe is right and true. But remembering God's presence might also slow your speech. Open your ears. Inspire humility. Help you see your own blind spots. Soften your heart just enough to wonder what grace might ask of you." Read the manuscripts of our latest sermons at: https://www.spres.org/worship/sermons/

"A Calling Passed On" – Micah 6:6-8, Matthew 6:19-20 Sermon by Dr. George C. Anderson from Legacy Sunday, May 4, 2025. "What does it mean to live well when you believe in a God who loves selflessly—and calls you to love others the same way? The boy, in his conversation with the mole, leaps right to Micah's answer. "'What do you want to be when you grow up?' "The boy doesn't say he wants to be a superhero or famous athlete, astronaut, jet pilot, race car driver, or train conductor, general, or president, or veterinarian. "He knows the question isn't about doing. It is about being. And he wants to be… kind." Read the manuscripts of our latest sermons at: https://www.spres.org/worship/sermons/

"Ready for New Lenses?" – John 20:19-31, Revelation 1:4-8  On the occasion of the 2025 Kittye Susan Trent Symposium for Newly Ordained Ministers, Dr. Ken McFayden, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Academic Dean of Union Presbyterian Seminary, was invited to preach at the 8:45 and 11:00 a.m. worship services.

"Wisdom Resurrected" – Luke 24:13-27 Part VII of the Lenten Sermon Series "Wisdom" Sermon by Dr. George C. Anderson from Easter Sunday, April 20, 2025. "Friends in Christ, much of the wisdom we need right now is the wisdom we've forgotten. But it's an old wisdom that can be resurrected. Just as Jesus rose from a tomb, this wisdom can be resurrected from Scripture.  "And because Jesus is risen, he is with us even when we do not recognize him, talking to us if we will listen. He is teaching us… reminding us… what we know to be true: That God so loves the world." Read the manuscripts of our latest sermons at: https://www.spres.org/worship/sermons/

"Wisdom Crucified" – Matthew 27:45-50, Acts 3:14-18 Part VI of the Lenten Sermon Series "Wisdom" Sermon by the Rev. Ben Brannan from Palm Sunday, April 13, 2025. "This is not for someone else. This is for us. For those of us who follow Jesus, who sit in pews, who pray unceasingly and sincerely and yet still carry assumptions and perspectives that betray the very Gospel we claim and the very Jesus we love. . . . And like Peter, we are not called to shame each other, to point fingers, blame and deflect—but to tell the truth, the God's-honest truth to each other. To acknowledge our ignorance so that grace can do its work. To confront our illusions so that real transformation can begin." Read the manuscripts of our latest sermons at: https://www.spres.org/worship/sermons/

"New Wisdom" – Matthew 5:1-12, 38-45 Part V of the Lenten Sermon Series "Wisdom" Sermon by the Rev. Elizabeth N.H. Link from Sunday, April 6, 2025. "'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.' This idea was meant to limit the escalation of violent retaliation. It was intended to break the cycle of violence by ensuring the punishment never became greater than the crime. The concept was about seeking true justice. But justice in God's kingdom brings about something greater than quid pro quo. In God's kingdom, justice is about restoration and healing. It's an entirely different way to relate to each other—relationships governed not by power, but by vulnerability and love." Read the manuscripts of our latest sermons at: https://www.spres.org/worship/sermons/

"Broken Wisdom" – I Corinthians 1:18-25 Part IV of the Lenten Sermon Series "Wisdom" Sermon by Dr. George C. Anderson from Sunday, March 30, 2025. "There is a phrase that might be over-used, but I think is so helpful in talking about how to move forward. It is living into a “new normal.” Your old wisdom about how to live in the world won't serve you anymore because your world has changed. The only healthy way forward is to figure out how things are now and deal with them well.  "The Bible is all about this. Some say it isn't, that when it comes to the Bible as the Word of the Lord, wisdom doesn't get broken. It is fixed. Only then you read the Bible and you see that wisdom is not something fixed but is fluid. That fluidity has been called the work of the Holy Spirit, the dynamic presence of God that speaks new words for each new day." Read the manuscripts of our latest sermons at: https://www.spres.org/worship/sermons/

"A Chorus of Wisdom" – Psalm 150, Luke 18:9-14 Part III of the Lenten Sermon Series "Wisdom" Sermon by the Rev. Ben Brannan from March 23, 2025. "If we want to reach Psalm 150's unshackled praise, we must not only humble ourselves before God—we must also release the false belief that others are beyond God's mercy, set free our notion that some people are just too far gone from God's love, and swing open the prison doors of our hearts that so often commodify God's grace. The praise of Psalm 150 is not exclusive; it's not reserved for only those we deem worthy. It does not say, 'Let all who have lived rightly,' or 'Let all who have been faithful in every season' praise the Lord. No! It is an all-encompassing, all-inclusive invitation to 'everything that has breath.'" Read the manuscripts of our latest sermons at: https://www.spres.org/worship/sermons/

"Forgotten Wisdom" – Hosea 4:1-6, Luke 16:19-31 Part II of the Lenten Sermon Series "Wisdom" Sermon by Dr. George C. Anderson from Sunday, March 16, 2025. "Jesus uses his stark parable about eternity to make a point about life right now… his now, and our now. He reminds us that in any life-giving, community-enhancing moral tradition, there is a conservative streak. We need to conserve the moral tradition that has brought us this far, the tradition that demands justice and compassion. No matter how fast things change, no matter what popular influencers are telling us should be acceptable, it is dangerous to ignore old wisdom about how to live in a way that is responsible and compassionate. "Later in the sermon series, you're going to hear about the progressive streak that has to be in any healthy wisdom tradition. Wisdom adapts as the world changes… and, I guess, as time speeds up.  . . . but today, I want to remind us that most of the best wisdom for how to live good and faithful lives has already been figured out, if we will only remember it." Read the manuscripts of our latest sermons at: https://www.spres.org/worship/sermons/ 

"Honor Your Grandparents" – Proverbs 1:1-7 Part I of the Lenten Sermon Series "Wisdom" Sermon by the Rev. Elizabeth N.H. Link from Sunday, March 9, 2025. "Wisdom isn't about having all the answers. Wisdom is about having the courage to question the status quo. It is the willingness to question, reflect, and remain open to God's Spirit. It is about listening and remembering where we come from—not this kingdom, but God's." Read the manuscript: https://www.spres.org/wisdom-honor-your-grandparents/ 

"Daily Duties – Romans 7:14-25 Sermon by Dr. George C. Anderson from Sunday, March 2, 2025. "Here is how I would, today, boil down Paul's perspective on how to live the best life in following Jesus, with falling short being part of the equation: Be humble because you cannot be God, Be stubbornly grateful even in hard times (sometimes for the hard times), Be honest about yourself and accept, not deny, your flaws and mistakes, When you have wronged others, ask for forgiveness…, and be ready to forgive, Deal with others with the grace with which God deals with you." Read the manuscript: https://www.spres.org/daily-duties/

"Love as an Action Verb" – Luke 6:27-38  Sermon by the Rev. Elizabeth N.H. Link from Sunday, February 23, 2025. "Friends, love of enemies, forgiveness as we have been forgiven, these actions, these decisions do not always come swiftly. They often do not come easily. "This is where and why I think it's important to note – I think it's important for you to remember – that Jesus preached this sermon to a great number. This command wasn't to one or even to a few. It was to the community. There is no way we'd be able to live the commands of  Luke 6 on our own. . . .  set yourself in a community that helps do this with you, that can help do this for you. "When you can't find the strength to do it on your own, look around you, look within you, seek God's help to find it for you." Read the manuscript: https://www.spres.org/love-as-an-action-verb/ 

"One" – John 8:12 Sermon by Dr. George C. Anderson from Sunday, February 16, 2025. "Not that I know what I'm talking about, but it seems to me that checking out a church online is like using a dating app. It is a way to check out a church from a safe distance before taking the risk of an in-person meeting. The rest of my sermon is for everyone, but I have those online visitors especially in mind. As an introduction for them and as a reminder for the rest of us, I want to describe the kind of church community we are..."

"Deep Dive: Part 2" – Luke 5:1-11 Sermon by the Rev. Ben Brannan from Sunday, February 9, 2025. "Yet if we go even deeper, we find that casting our nets for our own sake is not enough. There is more. It is in the deep waters of transformation that our purpose is redefined: 'From now on you will be catching people.'  "So, I wonder if the invitation and call to deeper waters and to cast our nets is not about us at all. I wonder if it is more about lifting others up from the deep waters they are experiencing. And if so, looking at this passage, we see the need for two things: proximity and praxis." Read the manuscript: https://www.spres.org/deep-dive-part-2/   

"Deep Dive" Youth Sunday Sermons 2025 – Ephesians 3:14-21 Sermons by graduating seniors McLure Bailey (2:12), Sebastien Croteau (6:08), Kylie Young (13:58), Kit Polly (18:53), and Cara Wardell (23:19). Our Youth Group theme for the year is "Deep Dive." May God's spirit touch the deepest parts of you are, that you might experience the breadth, length, height, and depth of God's love made known in Jesus Christ.

"A Prophet in His Hometown" – Luke 4:16-30 Sermon by the Rev. Elizabeth N.H. Link from Sunday, January 26, 2025. "When we approach scripture, we ought to do it with the intelligence, wisdom, and insight God has given us. And when we interpret scripture, it should be with the heart of Jesus Christ himself who extended welcome, healed without question, loved with abandon, and calls us to do likewise. "When Jesus preached his inaugural sermon to his home congregation, he made people he loved uncomfortable. Perhaps we need to accept the possibility, the nudge of holy discomfort. . . . It's one thing to look out on the horizon for the someday of God's kingdom, but it's another to live boldly in that kingdom now. "This is where we are called to be countercultural. This is where it gets tricky to be a Christian in the midst of a crowd that values privilege for some and not love and grace for all. Living, extending, testifying to that kingdom now—Jesus never said it would be easy; he never promised we would be comfortable. But he did say we'd never have to go alone. Jesus walks that road before us. Jesus calls us to follow."

"Preacher Paul" – Acts 20:7-12 Sermon by Dr. George C. Anderson from Sunday, January 19, 2025. "And what is Paul's message? All those idols are promising something they cannot deliver. Because here's the deal: There is no deal! While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. We are saved by the unmerited grace of God. There are no political leaders, not even Caesar himself, who should be given the status of gods. There is no Law of rules that can be followed that will secure your place in God's good graces. There is nothing you can buy that will buy out your guilt or buy you a better seat in heaven. Be Roman or not be Roman, be Jewish or not be Jewish. Whatever you are, be loving, be kind, be compassionate because while we were yet sinners and deserving no place in God's good company, God showed in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus that there is room for us." Read the manuscript on our website: https://www.spres.org/preacher-paul/ 

"God's Nickname" – Exodus 3:7-17 Sermon by Dr. George C. Anderson from Confirmation Sunday, January 12, 2025. "God knows each of us by name… which is to say that God knows what makes you 'you' and knows what makes me 'me.' I hope you understand that. I hope you understand that you specifically matter to God for specific reasons. And . . . I hope you understand that you matter specifically to the world because you are going to have a specific impact on it. The good that you do, and the harm you do—to yourselves, to others, and to the world—is very specific to who you have been, who you are, and who you will become." Read the manuscript on our website: https://www.spres.org/gods-nickname/ 

"What's Next" – Jeremiah 31:7-14 Sermon by the Rev. Ben Brannan from Sunday, January 5, 2025. "Nobody wants to hear that pain comes before healing, or darkness comes before light, or dishonor before glory. But it is a pattern that is repeated in all aspects of faith. . . . Beloved, no matter where you are in that cycle, hear this: God is there with you. God is in the pain. God is in the darkness. God is there, wherever you are, extending grace and love." Read the manuscript on our website: https://www.spres.org/whats-next/ 

"Simeon and Anna" – Luke 2:22-40 Part VI of the Advent Sermon Series "Sing in Exultation" Sermon by the Rev. Elizabeth N.H. Link from Sunday, December 29, 2024. "What is it that makes us feel like worth, value, specialness are a matter of comparison? That in order for one person to be really special, they have to be more special than other people." Read the manuscript: https://www.spres.org/sing-in-exultation-simeon-and-anna/ 

"A New Song" – Psalm 96 Part V of the Advent Sermon Series "Sing in Exultation" Sermon by the Rev. Ben Brannan from Christmas Eve, December 24, 2024.

"Angels" – Luke 2:8-14 Part IV of the Advent Sermon Series "Sing in Exultation" Sermon by Dr. George C. Anderson from the fourth Sunday of Advent, December 22, 2024. 

"Mary" – Luke 1:46-50 Part III of the Advent Sermon Series "Sing in Exultation" Sermon by Dr. George C. Anderson from the third Sunday of Advent, December 15, 2024. "So, what does Mary's song mean for Christians who are to bear the image of Christ and we as the church that is called to be the body of Christ? It means that we are called to bear the heart of Mary and of Jesus—that we are to be the intercessors for the poor, advocates for the oppressed, and bearers of good news to those who need it most. We are to offer the sanctuary of worship, the kindness of those who care, and the assistance of those who offer signs of God's grace. That is why our ministries of outreach and compassion matter so deeply. They are the ways we echo Mary's song and offer evidence of her joy."

"Elizabeth" – Luke 1:39-45 Part II of the Advent Sermon Series "Sing in Exultation" Sermon by the Rev. Elizabeth N.H. Link from the second Sunday of Advent, December 8, 2024.

"Zechariah" – Luke 1:67-79 Part I of the Advent Sermon Series "Sing in Exultation" Sermon by Dr. George C. Anderson from the first Sunday of Advent, December 1, 2024. "Within the classroom of silence, Zechariah's faith is reconstructed. The one who kept the rituals of faith but lost confidence in God working salvation regains the faith of a child who can sing with awe and wonder. He has the headspace of someone for whom God's love is miraculously real despite the circumstances of his times. He sings as someone so convinced of God's reign that he sings as if Israel's messiah has already come, that God has already saved Israel from her enemies and brought relief from all that burdens Israel's people. For him, the miracle of the saving grace of God is as real as what he can see right in front of him..." Read the manuscript on our website: https://www.spres.org/sing-in-exultation-zechariah/ 

"Stretch the Truth" – John 18:33-38 Sermon by the Rev. Ben Brannan from Sunday, November 24, 2024. "Beloved, the truth is both a gift and a calling. It is a gift in that Christ himself is the truth, a truth that stretches from eternity to eternity. It is also a calling in that we are invited to pause and listen to and follow the voice of truth. "As we find ourselves in the liminal moments of life, I wonder what truth God is calling you to live into and where you might pray, 'Lord, stretch me'?” Read the manuscript on our website: https://www.spres.org/stretch-the-truth/   

"Illusions and Dreams" – Isaiah 43:19-21 Sermon by Dr. George C. Anderson from Sunday, November 17, 2024. "... we should always be asking these questions of ourselves: • Who am I now?  • What do I now believe?  • What, by grace, can I become? "And ask the same kinds of questions of our relationships and communities:  • Who are we now?  • What beliefs are we now living by?  • What, by grace, can we become? "These questions are good guides for prayer that could be summed up to be this: 'Help me, Lord, surrender my illusions and dream what can be knowing that whatever the future holds, you are in it.'" Read the manuscript on our website: https://www.spres.org/illusions-and-dreams/ 

"Christ Alone" – Colossians 1:15-23 Sermon by Dr. George C. Anderson from Sunday, November 10, 2024. "There will be those who will speak of Jesus as if he is a chaplain of their certainty—the chaplain of whatever social or political agenda they are pushing. "So, what are we to do but—again—be reminded. Go to the Jesus of the Gospels. Pay attention to what Jesus does and who he is with. Remember how he attends to the needs of the masses when they are hungry, and how he ignores the masses when one hurting and ignored woman grabs the hem of his garment. Remember how he heals the sick without judgement of their need, and how he argues with the self-righteous without rejecting them. Remember how he honors the Law of the Jews, and how he praises the theological insights of the Samaritan woman.  "Watch him. Watch him and listen to him." Read the manuscript on our website: https://www.spres.org/christ-alone/ 

"Jesus Wept" – John 11 (selected verses) Sermon by the Rev. Elizabeth N.H. Link from All Saints' Sunday, November 3, 2024. "The good news of the Gospel is that the God who weeps for us and with us is also the God who resurrects. God is not finished yet. May we be instruments of God's resurrection power and life here and now." Read the manuscript on our website: https://www.spres.org/jesus-wept/ 

"Chaos, Passion, and Pause" – Job 42:1-6, 10-17 Sermon by Dr. George C. Anderson from Sunday, October 27, 2024. "God responds [to Job] out of the calm center of a chaotic whirlwind. In the middle of the storm of chaos, in the stillness of its eye, there is a pause.  What a gift a pause can be in the middle of chaotic conversations. . . . What the pause can give you is perspective. Not answers. Not explanations. Not resolution. Perspective." Read the manuscript on our website: https://www.spres.org/chaos-passion-and-pause/ 

"What Story Are You Telling" – Job 38:1-7, 34-41 Sermon by the Rev. Ben Brannan from Sunday, October 20, 2024. "So, what story are you telling? To your children? To yourself?  "Beloved, may the story you tell be one of God's vast and mysterious love, a love that has been with you and has held you since the beginning of time! And may you believe the story of God's love to be true for you, as well." Read the manuscript on our website: https://www.spres.org/what-story-are-you-telling/ 

"The Witness of Hope" – Romans 8:24-25, Matthew 13:24-30 Part V of the Sermon Series "Invest in Hope" Sermon by Dr. George C. Anderson from Commitment Sunday, October 13, 2024. "Wheat among weeds is what Jesus wants Second Presbyterian Church to be. . . . Our calling is to bear witness to the hope that God's grace is real and shows itself when we resist what is unjust, work to mend what is broken, and heal what is hurt... when we show evidence that lives can be lived with purpose, meaning and joy." Read the manuscript on our website: https://www.spres.org/invest-in-hope-the-witness-of-hope/ 

"Hope for the World" – Matthew 5:38-48 Part IV of the Sermon Series "Invest in Hope" Sermon by the Rev. Elizabeth N.H. Link from World Communion Sunday, October 6, 2024. "Violence persists in this world, and so what are we, the Body of Christ, to do? "In our passage, Jesus is trying to tell his disciples—Jesus is trying to tell us what to do. We get this piece of wisdom in Matthew 5 about loving our enemies because Jesus cares deeply how we, disciples then and now, practice this thing he calls the 'kingdom of heaven.' This sermon of his is about bending, bending, bending that arc towards justice, all while pointing to a new heaven and a new earth made possible through the hope of Jesus Christ. " Read the manuscript on our website: https://www.spres.org/invest-in-hope-hope-for-the-world/ 

"Hope in Action" – Matthew 5:14 Part III of the Sermon Series "Invest in Hope" Sermon by Dr. George C. Anderson from Sunday, September 29, 2024. "• When we feed the hungry, house the homeless, provide help to those who need medical care, but hunger, homelessness and the untreated sick remain... • When we try to help with addiction and mental illness, but half of what we try doesn't work, and half of what does work helps only for a while... • When we try to address those collective illnesses of the soul—those “isms” like classism, racism, nationalism—ways that the vulnerable are manipulated and the weak are dominated, and those sins remain, or return, or, like adaptive viruses, find new ways to spread... "we can't think that what we do doesn't matter because we failed to be God and save the world.   "No. We are not saviors, we're servants. What we do matters because we are expressing our faith, we are showing our love, we are witnessing to the grace of God. God is using us to witness to hope… ultimately the hope of the resurrection." Read the manuscript on our website: https://www.spres.org/invest-in-hope-hope-in-action/ 

"Lived Hope" – Acts 1:1-11 Part II of the Sermon Series "Invest in Hope" Sermon by Dr. George C. Anderson from Sunday, September 22, 2024. "Actively wait. Invest yourself in a community of those who will wait with you. Be open. Listen. Try things. And since I'm talking about the church, I'll add worship, learn, pray, be there for others, and meet needs when you can. You see, so often the direction one is looking for is not found in isolation. It is found in being a part of a community of people seeking direction together while waiting for the Holy Spirit to provide it. It is so often in relationship with others, and with God, that life finds its purpose and hope. " Read the manuscript on our website: https://www.spres.org/invest-in-hope-lived-hope/

"Hope in Christ" – Romans 8:18-25 Part I of the Sermon Series "Invest in Hope" Sermon by the Rev. Elizabeth N.H. Link from Sunday, September 15, 2024. 

"Getting to Know Jesus" – Luke 24:13-35 Sermon by Dr. George C. Anderson from Sunday, September 8, 2024. "This is the God that sees us for all that we are capable of being—the best and the worst of us—and who loves us anyway. With this God in our lives, we can be and do better because this God's love meets us at our very worst. This is the God of the cross, where his son who is dying asks that God forgive the world that is doing this to him." Read the manuscript on our website: https://www.spres.org/getting-to-know-jesus/ 

"The How of Jesus" – Matthew 10:1-4, 22:15-22 Sermon by Dr. George C. Anderson from Sunday, September 1, 2024. "In a way, Jesus is forming his own party, but here is how he goes about doing it. He doesn't start with ideology. He starts with the person. He starts with making a relationship with the person in front of him: Jew or Gentile, Samaritan or Roman, somebody or nobody, acceptable or unacceptable. Jesus gets to know the one in front of him. Then through meals, through conversation, through study and prayer with them and through other spiritual practices, he builds a community around him. He embraces debate among them as they try to figure out together what it means to keep the command of God to love God and others. They do not ignore the issues or the needs of the day. Of course they don't. But it is on the basis of relationships and as a community that they do so. It is not ideology first. It is not issue first. It is relationship first." Read the manuscript on our website: https://www.spres.org/the-how-of-jesus/ 

"Stay in the Boat" – Matthew 14:22-33 Sermon by the Rev. Ben Brannan from Sunday, August 11, 2024. "Faith isn't about performing miracles or achieving the impossible on our own. Faith is seeing the boat for what it is: a shared experience in community, where we lean on one another, find support, and face adversity together, all while trusting that God is with us." Read the manuscript on our website: https://www.spres.org/stay-in-the-boat/ 

“Just One More Thing…” – Micah 6:8, Mark 10:17-23 Sermon by Dr. George C. Anderson from Sunday, August 4, 2024. "Can we catch a glimpse of God's will in what Micah tells us to do—to do justice and show kindness without separating the two? When we are wronged, or see wrongs in the world, can we remain kind? That's a hard question to ask of us as individuals, and certainly a hard question to ask of us as communities of people. But should we ever deny the lifeline to others that we need when we have been understood and rightly judged for having failed?" Read the manuscript on our website: https://www.spres.org/just-one-more-thing/ 

"Penetrable Souls" – Acts 10, selected verses Sermon by Dr. George C. Anderson from Sunday, July 28, 2024.