Sermons and Such

January 14, 2018 Sermon at Southern Heights Presbyterian Church - Lincoln, Nebraska. Rev. Leanne Masters PreachingOld Testament Reading: 1 Samuel 3:1-20New Testament Reading: John 1:43-51

What burdens do you carry? How do they keep you from living the life that you were intended to live? How can we let go of that which holds us down, and live fully into who God has created us to be? Old Testament Reading: Jeremiah 1:4-10, Read by Suzie Harder New Testament Reading: Hebrews 12:18-29 Gospel Reading: Luke 13:10-17, Read by Rev. Leanne Masters Sermon preached by Rev. Leanne Masters, Pastor.

Jesus tells us to keep our lamps burning and be ready for action. What does that mean for our daily living and our daily being? How and who are we to be while we are waiting for God's call in/to our lives? Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 1:1, 10-20 - Read by Suzie Harder New Testament Reading: Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16 Gospel Reading: Luke 12:32-40 - Read by Rev. Leanne Masters Sermon preached by Rev. Leanne Masters, Pastor. References: Invisibilia (Specific episode, "The Personality Myth") New York Times article about Olympic Swimmer Yursa Mardini

What does it entail to follow Christ...really? Hint: It's not all rainbows and unicorns. But it may just be worth it! --- Old Testament Lesson: 2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14. Read by Carolyn Murphy. New Testament Lesson: Luke 9:51-62. Sermon Preached by Rev. Leanne Masters - Pastor, Southern Heights Presbyterian Church

There are days...Oh, there are days...when the road seems too rough and the journey too hard. What do we do when we just want to give up? In the wake of a week of horrible news, (yet another mass shooting where innocent lives were lost, a small child from a neighboring community lost while happily splashing on vacation, hate, hurt, anger and vitriol streaming across the airwaves into our homes and into our minds), we are tired and hurting and...just looking for God to speak to us in these moments. Today, we look for God's grace and mercy in a world where it is hard to see. --- Old Testament Lesson: 1 Kings 19:1-15a. Read by John Dahm. New Testament Lesson: Luke 8:26-39. Sermon Preached by Rev. Leanne Masters - Pastor, Southern Heights Presbyterian Church

We want what others have...but it isn't so much about the stuff, is it?

The disciples wanted to be great, and don't we all? We all want to be recognized and respected, if not just thanked, for the work that we do in this world. And yet, it's about so much more...Join us as we explore Mark 10:35-45 and ask ourselves the question: Just what is it that we are called to do and to be in this world? Preached by Rev. Leanne Masters, Pastor at Southern Heights Presbyterian Church.

This week, we explore the most difficult of times that we face, personally and communally, and ask the question: Where is God in this? Join us as we ask that question, and seek God in the midst of the whirlwind. Scripture this week is Job 23:1-9, 16-17 and Psalm 22:1-15. Preached by Rev. Leanne Masters, pastor at Southern Heights Presbyterian Church.

After a hiatus, our Podcast is back with this Sermon from October 4, 2015. Here, we explore the relationship between Jesus' answer to the Pharisees' questions regarding divorce and his exhortation to allow the little children to come to him...all while asking the question: What does this mean for us today? Based on Mark 10:2-16, this sermon was preached by Rev. Leanne Masters, pastor at Southern Heights.

In the wake of the shooting at Emmanuel AME church in Charleston, SC, Pastor Leanne discusses the insidious nature of racism, and what we need to do about it. Scripture readings were 1 Samuel 17:1a, 4-11, 19-23, 32-49 and Mark 4:35-41.

Scripture Readings were 2 Corinthians 5:6-10, 14-17 and Mark 4:26-34

Scripture Readings were Isaiah 6:1-8 and John 3:1-17

Scripture Readings were Acts 2:1-21, John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15, and Ezekiel 37:1-14

Scripture Readings were Acts 1:15-17, 21-26 and John 17:6-19

Scripture Readings were Acts 10:44-48 and John 15:9-17

Sermon for Easter 5B - May 3, 2015 Scripture Passages were 1 John 4:7-21 and John 15:1-8

Sermon for April 26, 2015. Scripture Passages were Acts 4:5-12 and John 10:11-18

"Community." It's a word that we use a whole lot, in a whole lot of different contexts, to mean a whole lot of different things. But what does it mean for us, as Christians, to live in Community, with each other and with our neighbors? What can the Acts Church teach us about living in community? Inspired by Pastor's experiences living and working in Intentional Christian Community, and the recent On Being interview with Fr. Greg Boyle, this sermon explores living in community, and how it can impact our lives and our relationships. Scripture readings are Acts 4: 32-35 and John 20:19-31. Preached by Rev. Leanne Masters, Pastor

The Easter Story speaks for itself...so what else can I say? We invite you to reflect on the Easter story with us, as we seek to understand how the Easter story speaks in our lives today. Scripture readings for the day were Isaiah 25:6-9 and Mark 16:1-8 Preached by Rev. Leanne Masters, Pastor

This week, we started Holy Week with the story of Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem (not included here), and the story of his final days, arrest, trial, and crucifixion as told through the words of Mark in chapters 14 and 15 (read here from the Common English Bible). Join us on the journey to the cross as we ask ourselves an important question... Preached by Rev. Leanne Masters, Pastor

In this week's sermon, Pastor Leanne reflects on some of the lessons from her Continuing Education event that she attended the previous week through some thoughts on gardening and failing. We do apologize for the delay in the upload! Preached by Rev. Leanne Masters, Pastor.

What do we do when we see injustice happening in the world around us? To people around us? To us? What do we do when the injustices that are being done are perfectly within the bounds of what is legal, even if not ethical? How do we respond? What do we do? How shall we hear the call of God to work for justice in our world? What Would Jesus Do? Join us this week as we explore all of this as we delve into the scripture readings for the day, Exodus 20:1-7 and John 2:13-22. Preached by Rev. Leanne Masters, Pastor

Speaking, standing, staying, going, doing...it can all come with a high and heavy personal cost. We know that there are things that we are called to do and say in this world, but sometimes the personal risk seems to outweigh the call, and we are frozen. This week, we explore that sense of self-preservation that sometimes prevents us from following God's call, and are encouraged, perhaps, to have the courage to go where God calls us, no matter what the risk.. This week's scripture readings are Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16 and Mark 8:31-38. Sermon preached by Rev. Leanne Masters, Pastor.

Sometimes, signs and symbols can speak more fully to what is on our hearts and minds than mere words can. This is particularly true whenever we start talking about our relationship with God, or how that relationship impacts, guides, or directs us. In this week's sermon, we talk about those signs that God has given us to remind us of the promises that we have been given, and to remind us of the promises that we, too, have made. Scripture passages are Genesis 9:8-17 and Mark 1:9-15. Preached by Rev. Leanne Masters, pastor

In the life of the church, we tend to talk mostly about what we used to do, how it used to be...or what we hope things will be in the future. But all too often, we forget to look at the here and now, and what we are doing, and how we are responding to God's call to us in the moment. In this this week's sermon we explore a bit of what that means for us as members of a church and as people struggling to understand and to know what and where and how God is calling us to serve and act in this world. Scripture passages are 2 Kings 2:1-12 and Mark 9:2-9 Preached by Rev. Leanne Masters, Pastor

Sometime we get tired. So very, very tired. How can we possibly respond to God's call when we are just. plain. tired.? In this week's sermon, we explore this thought in conjunction with the promises heard in Isaiah 40. Scripture passages for the week are Isaiah 40:21-31 and Mark 1:29-39.

There's a sense of immediacy and urgency all throughout scripture, but especially in regards to following God's call. There's also a recurring theme up packing up, packing in, and giving all up in order to follow where God leads you. In this sermon, we unpack what those things mean for us in our lives and in our world today...and how we can understand the call to follow, and follow now, where God is calling us. Preached by Rev. Leanne Masters, pastor

Jonah 3:1-5, 10, 1 Corinthians 7:29-31, Mark 1:14-20. Readings are from the NRSV translation of the Bible

We talk a lot about call and calling in the life of the church. We talk a lot about finding your call or what God is calling you to do....but what happens when our lives and situations shift and we are no longer able to do what we have been called to in the past? Join us for a conversation about how to find the possibilities and promise of call in the midst of changes in our lives and circumstances. Preached by Rev. Leanne Masters, pastor

1 Samuel 3:1-20 and John 1:43-51. Readings are from the NRSV translation of the Bible.

It seems that our culture has perfected the art of pushing us to perfection, or at least presenting the image of perfection. But the reality is that we are imperfect people living in an imperfect world. What does that mean for us in the church, and what does it mean for us as people of faith? And what role does our baptism play in all of that? Join us as we explore what it means to be living as an imperfect person of faith in the world that we live in today. Preached by Rev. Leanne Masters, pastor

Genesis 1:1-5 and Mark 1:4-11. Readings are from the NRSV translation of the Bible.

The prologue to the Gospel of John provides a glimpse into John's claims about who Jesus is, and what that means for those who would trust in him. Join us as we explore what his statements about Jesus mean for us as people of faith living long after the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and how they can help us find hope in the world that we live in today. Preached by Rev. Leanne Masters, pastor.

Jeremiah 31:7–14 and John 1:1–18. Readings are from the NRSV translation of the Bible.

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