Category: Sermons

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Voices: What Paul Is Asking Us to Imagine

In his book, Surprised By Hope, N. T. Wright shares a vision of the life to come that is more expansive, more dramatic, and more biblical than the common belief of immortal souls ascending to heaven.

“What Paul is asking us to imagine is that there will be a new mode of physicality, which stands in relation to our present body as our present body does to a ghost. It will be as much more real, more firmed up, more bodily, than our present body as our present body is more substantial, more touchable, than a disembodied spirit. We sometimes speak of someone who’s been very ill as being a shadow of their former self. If Paul is right, a Christian in the present life is a mere shadow of his or her future self, the self that person will be when the body that God has waiting in his heavenly storeroom is brought out, already made to measure, and put on over the present one—or over the self that will still exist after bodily death.” [1]

The Bible doesn’t teach that we have immortal souls (despite the impression given by some rather excellent hymns by Charles Wesley). Instead, it teaches that the core of who we are (what you could call our “souls”) dwells in paradise with God until we receive new, everlasting, Holy Spirit-powered, resurrected bodies that will not wear out or grow weary.

If that sounds confusing, please know that I’ll do my best to explain it in my sermon this coming Sunday. I’ll also try to explain why it makes a tremendous difference in how we perceive ourselves, the world, and our role in it.

[1] N. T. Wright, Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church (New York: Harper Collins, 2008), 154. Kindle Edition.

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The Lion, the Witch, the Wardrobe, and the Easter Sermon

For my sermon this coming Easter Sunday, I plan to include a reference to The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. You won’t need to know the story to understand the sermon, But, the book by C. S. Lewis is excellent and the 2005 movie adaptation (available on Disney+) isn’t bad either. When it was released in 1950, children were the target audience of the book, but it is beloved by seminary trained theologians who are all grown up as well.

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What Crosses Do You Bear?

I’m finishing up my sermon this coming Sunday, and I wanted to give examples of particular crosses that we may be called to take up and bear. I’m not finding very many concrete examples. I would love to know what crosses you all have experienced. You can email me at john@revcollins.com or text me at 620-252-9622.

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“Fast Car”

This coming Sunday, February 18, 2024, I plan to talk about Tracy Chapman and Luke Comb’s performance Chapman’s “Fast Car” at the Grammys two weeks ago. You won’t need to have heard the song to follow the sermon, but you can listen to it here:

The lyrics are powerful. If you have trouble catching them all you can read them here: Link

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Worship Tomorrow — August 5, 2023

Tomorrow, August 5, 2023, I’ll preach on Matthew 14:13-21 with a sermon titled “The Compassion of the Christ.” We’ll also celebrate the sacrament of Holy Communion and hear special music from Heather Landsdowne, Angela Bunger, and Mary Ann Buhler. Isaac Weyeneth will give the children’s message, and Grace Hutchinson will be with us one final time as the worship leader before returning to Kansas Wesleyan.

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Junia the Apostle

I’m excited to be preaching on Junia the Apostle this coming Sunday, July 9, 2023, and welcoming new members into College Avenue UMC. Hope to see you all there!

Art by Sarah Beth Baca. She has a whole series on women in the Bible at www.sarahbethart.com.

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Faith and Allegiance

This coming Sunday (March 12, 2023), I plan to preach on Faith and Allegiance. My texts will be Habakkuk 2:1-4 and Romans 1:1-6, 16-17.

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Mountaintops, Hilltops, and Plains

In my sermon yesterday, I preached on Matthew’s account of the transfiguration and talked about mountaintop experiences. I spoke with only a few notes and forgot to mention what to do if you haven’t had a mountaintop experience. I would like to address that oversight in this blog post.

Perhaps you haven’t had a mountaintop experience, but you’ve had what might be called a hilltop experience. You’ve felt or sensed an encounter with God that was meaningful to you, just not very dramatic. You’re good to go. God works in different ways in the lives of different people. Just take your experience and apply what we talked about yesterday. Let that experience be a source of energy and encouragement in your daily walk with Jesus.

Perhaps you haven’t had a mountaintop or a hilltop experience. In that case, I want to ask you to do three things. 1. Remember that God works differently in different people’s lives. 2. Be open to the possibility of God granting you such an experience. You won’t need to force such an experience, but being open to the possibility of one will hope you perceive it when and if it happens. 3. Either way, rest secure in the knowledge that God loves you. Jesus preached “The Sermon on the Mount,” but he also preached “The Sermon on the Plain.” Regardless of whether or not you’ve experienced God’s presence in a dramatic and memorable way, God’s love has been, is, and will be at work in your life.

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Of Preachers and Math Teachers

In my last sermon, I made a point about how math teachers have the answers in their books but don’t share them with their students. Instead, the teachers have their students figure out the answers for themselves. I meant this as a good thing, but not all the former math teachers heard it that way. The point I was trying to make is that in his letters to various churches, the Apostle Paul did the same thing. He was teaching early Christians (and those of us who still read his letters now) to think theologically. To do that, he couldn’t just give out the answers; he had to share his thought process with them and us.

I’m thankful for the math teachers who brought this up with me and gave me a chance to clarify. I’m grateful they felt like they could speak honestly and frankly with me. Please let me know if you ever find yourself in a similar place.