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A sermon by Rev. Grace Killian. New Testament Lesson Acts 16:11-15 We set sail from Troas and took a straight course to Samothrace, the following day to Neapolis, and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city for some days. On the Sabbath day we went outside the gate by the river, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and spoke to the women who had gathered there. A certain woman named Lydia, a worshiper of God, was listening to us; she was from the city of Thyatira and a dealer in purple cloth. The Lord opened her heart to listen eagerly to what was said by Paul. When she and her household were baptized, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my home.” And she prevailed upon us.
A sermon by Rev. Mitchell Hay and Rev. Barbara Lemmel. Hebrew Scripture Jeremiah 29, excerpts These are the words of the letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the remaining elders among the exiles, and to the priests, the prophets, and all the people, whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon . . . The letter read: "Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and husbands for your daughters, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. "But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare . . . For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope." New Testament Lesson Acts 1:1-11 In my earlier account, Theophilus, I dealt with everything that Jesus had done and taught, from the beginning until the day he was taken up, after he had given instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. After the Passion, Jesus appeared alive to the apostles — confirmed through many convincing words — over the course of forty days, and spoke to them about the reign of God. On one occasion, Jesus told them not to leave Jerusalem. “Wait, rather, for what God has promised, of which you have heard me speak,” Jesus said. “John baptized with water, but within a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." While meeting together, they asked, “Has the time come, Rabbi? Are you going to restore sovereignty to Israel?” Jesus replied, “It is not for you to know times or dates that Abba God has decided. You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes down upon you; then you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth.” Having said this, Jesus was lifted up in a cloud before their eyes and taken from their sight. They were still gazing into the heavens when two messengers dressed in white stood beside them. “You Galileans — why are you standing here looking up at the skies?” they asked. “Jesus, who has been taken from you — this same Jesus will return, in the same way you watched him go into heaven.”
A sermon by Rev. Mitchell Hay and Rev. Barbara Lemmel. New Testament Lesson Acts 2:1-18 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they all met in one room. Suddenly they heard what sounded like a violent, rushing wind from heaven; the noise filled the entire house in which they were sitting. Something appeared to them that seemed like tongues of fire; these separated and came to rest on the head of each one. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as she enabled them. Now there were devout people living in Jerusalem from every nation under heaven, and at this sound they all assembled. But they were bewildered to hear their native languages being spoken. They were amazed and astonished: “Surely all of these people speaking are Galileans! How does it happen that each of us hears these words in our native tongue? We are Parthians, Medes and Elamites, people from Mesopotamia, Judea, and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya around Cyrene, as well as visitors from Rome – all Jews, or converts to Judaism – Cretans and Arabs, too; we hear them preaching, each in our own language, about the marvels of God!” All were amazed and disturbed. They asked each other, “What does this mean?” But others said mockingly, “They've drunk too much new wine.” Then Peter stood up with the Eleven and addressed the crowd: “Women and men of Judea, and all you who live in Jerusalem! Listen to what I have to say! These people are not drunk as you think – it's only nine o'clock in the morning! No, it's what Joel the prophet spoke of: In the days to come – it is our God who speaks – I will pour out my Spirit on all humankind. Your daughters and sons will prophesy. Your young people will see visions, and your elders will dream dreams. On all my people, both women and men, I will pour out my Spirit, and they will prophesy.
April 30, 2023, sermon by the Rev. Andrew L. Heil, associate pastor of Home Moravian Church, Winston-Salem, NC. New Testament Lesson: Acts 2: 42-47
A Sermon by Rev. Barb Lemmel and Rev. Mitch Hay Hebrew Scripture Genesis 11:1-9 Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. And as they migrated from the east, they came upon a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks and fire them thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone and bitumen for mortar. Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves; otherwise we shall be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.” The Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which mortals had built. And the Lord said, “Look, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do; nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and confuse their language there, so that they will not understand one another's speech.” So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. Therefore it was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth, and from there the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth. New Testament Lesson Acts 2:1-11. When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability. Now there were devout Jews from every people under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. Amazed and astonished, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God's deeds of power.”
A sermon by Rev. Barb Lemmel and Rev. Mitch Hay Gospel Lesson John 14:25-27 “I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom Abba will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid." New Testament Lesson Acts 16:9-15 During the night Paul had a vision: there stood a man of Macedonia pleading with him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” When he had seen the vision, we immediately tried to cross over to Macedonia, being convinced that God had called us to proclaim the good news to them. We set sail from Troas and took a straight course to Samothrace, the following day to Neapolis, and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city for some days. On the sabbath day we went outside the gate by the river, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and spoke to the women who had gathered there. A certain woman named Lydia, a worshiper of God, was listening to us; she was from the city of Thyatira and a dealer in purple cloth. The Lord opened her heart to listen eagerly to what was said by Paul. When she and her household were baptized, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my home.” And she prevailed upon us. Gospel Lesson John 5:1-9 After this there was a Jewish festival, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate there is a pool, called in Hebrew Beth-zatha, which has five porticoes. In these lay many invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be made well?” The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; and while I am making my way, someone else steps down ahead of me.” Jesus said to him, “Stand up, take your mat and walk.” At once the man was made well, and he took up his mat and began to walk.
The ministry of the church is miraculous because the risen and ascended Christ has given her the Word and the Spirit. New Testament Lesson: Acts 1:1-11 http://media.urclearning.org/audio/tm-miraculousministry-08-15-2021.MP3
The ministry of the church is miraculous because the risen and ascended Christ has given her the Word and the Spirit. New Testament Lesson: Acts 1:1-11 http://media.urclearning.org/audio/tm-miraculousministry-08-15-2021.MP3
Sanity is restored when we worship only the one true God through Jesus Christ, His express image. New Testament Lesson: Acts 17:16-34 http://media.urclearning.org/audio/tm-choseserve-2020-08-30.MP3
Sanity is restored when we worship only the one true God through Jesus Christ, His express image. New Testament Lesson: Acts 17:16-34 http://media.urclearning.org/audio/tm-choseserve-2020-08-30.MP3
Through the wicked actions of men, God fulfills His plan of redemption. New Testament Lesson: Acts 2:22-24 http://media.urclearning.org/audio/tm.providence.MP3
New Testament Lesson: Acts 1:15-26 Gospel Lesson: John 17:6-19
New Testament Lesson: Acts 26:24-32