Begin Again
FCCO Sermons: Take 2
(Sermon preached April 5, 2026 - Easter Sunday) In Mark 16:1-8, Mark tells the story of Jesus' resurrection only his ending leaves us scratching our heads....until we see what Mark is doing. The sermon concludes with the candle re-lighting liturgy used in worship as we relit all the candles we extinguished during the Lenten Season as we named the darkness. Happy Easter!
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Exposing the Truth
FCCO Sermons: Take 2
(Sermon preached March 29, 2026) This is the final sermon in our Lenten series The Way of Resistance. Each sermon in the series has focused on a day in the last week of Jesus' life as told by the gospel of Mark. Mark 15:22-39 narrates Jesus' death and exposes the lie that fuels empire.
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Committed to Nonviolence
FCCO Sermons: Take 2
(Sermon preached March 22, 2026) The fifth sermon in The Way of Resistance series. The series tells the story of Jesus' last week (as told by the Gospel of Mark), day by day. Mark 14:12-72 describes the events of Thursday which ends with Jesus' prayer in the garden and arrest by the temple authorities.
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Love Poured Out
FCCO Sermons: Take 2
(Sermon preached March 15, 2026) Mark 14:1-11 contrasts the woman who anoints Jesus' head with oil with the failed discipleship of Judas and the other disciples. She understands what the disciples do not. Looming over the story is the darkness of contempt.
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Claiming Your Power
FCCO Sermons: Take 2
(Sermon preached March 8, 2026) This sermon is third in the series, The Way of Resistance. Mark 11:27-33 is one episode from Tuesday of the last week of Jesus' life. The authorities in the temple want to know who Jesus thinks he is to challenge them? Who are we to speak out?
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Interrupting Business as Usual
FCCO Sermons: Take 2
(Sermon preached March 1, 2026) This is the second sermon in The Way of Resistance Series which follows Jesus through the last week of his life. Mark 11:12-19 is the beginning of Monday and tells the story of Jesus overturning the tables in the temple, sandwiched between a story about a fig tree. In both places, when Jesus looks for fruit, there is none.
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The Way of Resistance: Joyful Protest
FCCO Sermons: Take 2
(Sermon preached February 22, 2026) When Jesus entered Jerusalem, it was the beginning of his last week. In Jerusalem, he confronts the powers of darkness that have loomed over his ministry. This series will focus on each day of Jesus' last week according to the Gospel of Mark beginning with the text for this sermon, Mark 11:1-11. Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem wasn't a spontaneous celebration; it was an organized act of resistance.
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Rest: Recharging and Reconnecting
FCCO Sermons: Take 2
(Sermon preached February 15, 2026) This is the seventh and last sermon in the series: The Way of Love. Jesus and the disciples were surrounded by unending need, yet Jesus knew the importance of taking a break to rest (Mark 6:7-13, 30-32). Rest sustains us as we live the way of love.
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Go: Getting to Yes
FCCO Sermons: Take 2
(Sermon preached February 8, 2026) This is the sixth sermon in a series titled "The Way of Love." Remembering how Jonah said, "No!" to God's call but eventually went to the place he didn't want to go, this sermon invitation to wonder about where God may be calling us to go, and our resistance to that call. The scripture is Jonah 3:1-10. I apologize for the audio quality. I have also included a version of the song I reference in the sermon, sung by Shelter Creek Revival.
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Enclircling With Love
FCCO Sermons: Take 2
(Sermon preached February 1, 2026) The practice of blessing can condition our hearts and minds for living the way of love. In Romans 12:9-18, Paul instructs the earliest followers of Jesus to bless, even their enemies, and to be a blessing as a community.
info_outline(Sermon preached December 1, 2024) Isaiah 40:1-11 and Mark 1:1-15 both speak of preparing a way forward toward the Kindom of God that God imagines for creation. And yet, sometimes a hope this big can seem too out of reach and become discouraging. We need our big hope for direction, but our journey is one of doing the next right thing, one after another. We can build our resilience and find joy as we "micro-dose" on hope.