Community Universalist Church
Community Universalist Church
Subscribe
Sermons and other talks given at Community Universalist Church.
Available episodes
Newest first
Oldest first
May 8, 2022
The Conversion of Saul - 2022-05-08
In this week's sermon we look at he reading in Acts that discusses Saul's persecution of the early Christians and his conversion to Christianity after seeing a vision of Jesus Christ. What does it mean to convert to Christianity and how do we share that experience with others when it is so deeply personal?
playlist_add
Apr 24, 2022
The Risen Christ - 2022-04-24
In this week's sermon we look at the stories of the risen Christ that we find in the gospel, especially his interactions with the apostle Thomas. In the person of Thomas we can often see ourselves, doubtful of the stories we've heard and always questioning what we haven't seen with our own eyes. If we doubt, does that mean we don't have faith? How can we hear the story of the risen Christ and understand it in a way that makes sense to us in our modern context? How can we embrace the mystery of the risen Christ without the need to rationalize and explain away everything that we're taught?
playlist_add
Apr 17, 2022
The Empty Tomb - Easter - 2022-04-17
How should we understand the story of the empty tomb and the death of Jesus as Christian Universalists. Reading: John 20:1-18 (CEB)
playlist_add
Apr 15, 2022
The Crucifixion of Christ - Good Friday - 2022-04-15
In this Good Friday sermon we examine the story of the Crucifixion of Jesus and how John's version of the story has led to problematic interpretations of the events by Christians over the years. As Christian Universalists, how can we understand Christ's crucifixion as an event that proved God's victory over sin and death instead of a sacrifice to an angry God?
playlist_add
Apr 10, 2022
The Triumphant Procession - Palm Sunday - 2022-04-10
Palm Sunday celebrates the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem for Passover and the procession that occurred when that happened. The original hearers of this story would have understood this procession differently than many modern hearers because they would have been familiar with the processions of those in power during the Roman Empire. In this week's sermon we look at this context and the ways that Jesus subverts people's expectations as he asks us to become servants of others rather than conquerors.
playlist_add
Mar 27, 2022
The King of the Jews: The Meaning of the Cross - 2022-03-27
In this week's sermon we look at the story of Jesus's trial before Pontius Pilate as it is described in John's Gospel. What did it mean when Pilate called Jesus the King of the Jews? How can we read this text in a way that does not breed antisemitism in our community? What was the context of the author and how did that affect the way the story was told? These are the sort of questions that we will attempt to address.
playlist_add
Nov 7, 2021
Elijah Flees to Horeb: Burnout and Recommissioning
In this sermon we look at Elijah’s escape to Mount Horeb and how God helps him overcome his fears by giving him a new task and showing him that he is not alone.
playlist_add
Oct 24, 2021
David and Saul: The Best Laid Plans
In this sermon we look at the story of David and Saul and what it can tell us about God’s plans for us.
playlist_add
Oct 10, 2021
Manna From Heaven: Trusting God
This sermon looks at the story of the Israelites’ jouney through the wilderness and their unwillingness to trust that God will provide for them. Human beings like to be in control of their own lives, and letting go and trusting in God can be very difficult.
playlist_add
Oct 3, 2021
Please, My Lord, Just Send Someone Else
In this sermon we look at the story of Moses and the Burning Bush and what it means to be called by God even when we think we aren’t good enough.
playlist_add
Sep 19, 2021
The Command to Sacrifice Isaac: Does Got Test Us?
In this sermon we look at God’s command to Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac and what it tells us about the nature of God and the nature of faith.
playlist_add
Sep 12, 2021
The Nature of Creation: Created in the Image of God
This sermon looks at the creation story in Genesis and talks about what it is trying to tell us about the nature of reality and what it means for us to be created in the image of God.
playlist_add
Sep 5, 2021
The Lost Sheep
This sermon looks at the parable of the lost sheep and how it might apply to us in our modern context.
playlist_add
Aug 22, 2021
I Can Do All Things Through A Bible Verse Taken Out of Context
We often hear individual bible verses used to support various positions, but it can be dangerous and even harmful to quote bible verses without understanding the context that surrounds them.
playlist_add
Aug 15, 2021
The Bread of Life: A Universalist Perspective
In this sermon we look at John’s description of Jesus as the bread of life and what that means to us as Christian Universalists.
playlist_add
Aug 1, 2021
What is the Church? (and what does it mean to be a church member?)
In this sermon we look at what the church is and at what God asks of us as members of a local church community.
playlist_add
Jul 25, 2021
The God Who Suffers With Us
How do we deal with all of the evil and pain and grief in the world? What do we do when we find ourselves overcome with guilt? How do we reconcile the realities of life with our trust in a loving God?
playlist_add
Jul 18, 2021
Do Justice
When we are told by God to “do justice”, what does that mean exactly? What did justice mean to the biblical authors and what does God expect of us when we are told to do justice?
playlist_add
Jul 11, 2021
Baptism: A Universalist Perspective
In this week’s sermon we look at baptism and why it is important from a Christian Universalist perspective. If all are forgiven, why do we still need baptism?
playlist_add
Jul 4, 2021
The Lord's Supper: We Are All Guests at Jesus's Table
In this sermon I discuss some of the history of the Lord’s Supper, also called Communion or the Eucharist, and the meaning it has to us as Christian Universalists.
playlist_add
May 23, 2021
The Gift of the Spirit
The Book of Acts describes the arrival of the Holy Spirit as it descended on the apostles like fire. It was an event that changes the early community and brought the church into being. What does it mean for us today to say that we have received the Holy Spirit?
playlist_add
May 16, 2021
The Role of the Law
In this sermon we continue our previous look at Paul's letter to the Galatians and what Paul says about justification through faith and the role of the law in Christian life.
playlist_add
May 9, 2021
Justification by Faith
In the first of three sermons on Paul’s letter to the Galatians and what Paul says about the gospel, his own authority to preach the gospel, and what the gospel says about justification by faith and God’s grace.
playlist_add
Apr 4, 2021
The Empty Tomb
playlist_add
Mar 28, 2021
The Procession Into Jerusalem
playlist_add
Mar 14, 2021
Lazarus and the Rich Man
playlist_add
Mar 7, 2021
God's Forgiveness: The Prodigal Father
The parable of the prodigal son and the two parables that precede it, the parable of the lost sheep and the parable of the lost coin, are central to the gospel message of God’s love and forgiveness, and yet that message was offensive to the original audience and is often offensive to us today. What does it tell us about the nature of God and where should we look for ourselves in the story?
playlist_add
Feb 21, 2021
Who Is My Neighbor?
playlist_add
Feb 7, 2021
The Faith of a Centurion: A Universalist Perspective
playlist_add
Jan 24, 2021
Don't Be Afraid
playlist_add
Jan 17, 2021
The Good News: The Ministry of Jesus
playlist_add
Jan 3, 2021
The Child Jesus: God With Us
In this week’s sermon I look at the time that Mary and Joseph lost Jesus and found him at the temple and what the story says about the humanity of Jesus.
playlist_add
Dec 27, 2020
Good Tidings of Great Joy Which Shall Be to All People
playlist_add
Dec 20, 2020
God is With You
playlist_add
Dec 6, 2020
Prepare for God's Forgiveness
This week we look at the book of Joel and the how he was preparing the Judeans for the coming of the Messiah and the forgiveness that the Messiah will bring with him.
playlist_add
Nov 29, 2020
Daniel and the Lions
In this sermon I look at the faith of Daniel and our own faith in God during both good times and bad.
playlist_add
Nov 24, 2020
The New Covenant
In this week's sermon I compare the experience of the Judeans in exile to our own communities in this pandemic and the new covenant that Jeremiah announces and what it means to us as Christians as we head into the advent season.
playlist_add
Nov 15, 2020
I'm Here, Send Me
In this week’s sermon we look at how our own feelings of worthlessness can keep us from living into the calling that God has placed on our life.
playlist_add
Nov 8, 2020
Patriotism and Selfishness: Jonah and Ninevah
In this sermon I look at the Book of Jonah and how we can see Jonah in ourselves during this time of worldwide political turmoil.
playlist_add
Nov 1, 2020
The Universalism of Elijah: The Widow of Zarephath
In this week’s sermon we look at Elijah, his interaction with the widow of Zarephath, and how this interaction demonstrates God’s love for all people.
playlist_add
Oct 25, 2020
Accepting God's Timing: God's Covenant with David
This week we talk about how sometimes God works on a very different time scale than we do. Often we have to accept that God may take longer to answer our prayers than we hope for.
playlist_add
Oct 18, 2020
The Faith of Hannah: Prayer and Intercession
This week we look at the prayers and faith of Hannah. How do we embrace a spiritual practice of prayer in our lives? How do we know that God hears our prayers?
playlist_add
Oct 10, 2020
The Golden Calf: Idolatry and Forgiveness
In this sermon we look at the story of the golden calf and what it means to us today to worship idols.
playlist_add
Oct 4, 2020
The First Passover: Does God Kill Our Enemies?
Should we pray for the death of our enemies? We start by looking at the narrative of the Passover and the Death of the Firstborn of Egypt. Then we look at the biblical narrative as a whole and what it tells us about divine judgement, retribution, and oppression.
playlist_add
Sep 26, 2020
Joseph and His Brothers: Jealousy, Betrayal, and Forgiveness
In this sermon we look at the story of Joseph and his brothers and look at how God was able to turn an act of betrayal into an act of salvation. We also look at what it means to repent and to forgive.
playlist_add
Sep 19, 2020
God's Promise to Abram: Descendants as Numerous as the Stars
Who was Abraham and why was he important? What does it mean for us as Christians and Christian Universalists to say we are descendants of Abraham?
playlist_add
Sep 12, 2020
The Foolishness of the Cross: A Universalist Perspective
Paul tells us that it is not through the wisdom of the world or through signs that we come to have faith in God and the saving work of Jesus Christ but through the foolishness of preaching that God's anointed one has been crucified and resurrected. What does Jesus's death on the cross mean to us today, especially as Christian Universalists?
playlist_add
Sep 5, 2020
The Fulfilling of the Law: Love Your Neighbor as Yourself
This is sermon we look at Paul's understanding of the Law and how the redeeming power of Christ has freed us from the Law of Moses. How does this affect us as Christian Universalists and how do we understand the idea of God's justice and punishment with this verse in mind?
playlist_add
Aug 29, 2020
Marks of a True Christian: According to Paul
This week we look at Paul's letter to the Romans and how he describes how the Christians in Rome should behave towards one another and towards those outside the church.
playlist_add
Aug 22, 2020
One Body with Many Members
Paul describes the church as one body with many members. Each member has something different to contribute to the whole, but without all of those different members the church would not be complete. How can we contribute our gifts to the church? Can we embrace diversity in the church and in our lives?
playlist_add