Love in Common - Episode 4154
In Episode #4154, Rev. Ginger Gaines-Cirelli from Foundry United Methodist Church in Washington, D.C., shares a powerful message on the call to love in her sermon titled "Love in Common." Drawing from Mark 12:28-34, Rev. Gaines-Cirelli explores the importance of loving God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and loving our neighbors as ourselves. She reflects on how love can break down barriers and bridge the deep divides in today’s world. Tune in to discover how this message of love resonates in our current moment of polarization and disconnection.
Let Me See Again - Episode 4153
In this episode of Day1, Rev. Dr. Baron Mullis from First Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia reflects on the healing story of Bartimaeus in Mark 10:46-52. Through illustrations from literature and personal stories, Rev. Dr. Mullis explores the spiritual journey of opening our eyes to the miracles in life that are often hidden in plain sight. He challenges us to move past our blind spots and to learn to see the world through the lens of faith. Tune in for this message of hope and encouragement!
Preferential Treatment - Episode 4152
In this inspiring episode, Rev. Dr. J. Peter Holmes of Yorkminster Park Baptist Church in Toronto explores the deep meaning of service and humility through his sermon titled "Preferential Treatment." Reflecting on Mark 10:35-45, Rev. Dr. Holmes reminds us that true greatness in the Kingdom of God is found not in seeking recognition but in serving others with grace. Through personal anecdotes and scriptural insights, he challenges us to abandon self-centeredness and embrace the calling to love and serve as Jesus did. Tune in for an uplifting message that invites reflection on discipleship and the true meaning of leadership in faith.
What Neighborhood Does God Live In? - Episode 4151
In this episode, Rev. Tyler Sit, founding pastor of New City Church in Minneapolis, explores a deeply resonant question: "What Neighborhood Does God Live In?" Drawing from Amos 5:6-7, 10-15, Rev. Sit reflects on the spiritual and social implications of income inequality and justice. His personal stories—ranging from his father’s immigrant experience to the impact of systemic poverty—shed light on how the Holy Spirit resides among the marginalized. Listen in as Rev. Sit and host Rev. Dr. Katie Givens Kime delve into themes of justice, faith, and radical change for our communities. Tune in for a thought-provoking conversation and sermon that will inspire you to consider how God’s justice calls us to action.
Holy Union - Episode 4150
Join Rev. Amy Gopp, senior pastor of Kent United Church of Christ in Kent, Ohio, as she delves into the complex themes of divorce, relationships, and holy union in her sermon, "Holy Union," based on Mark 10:2-16. Through personal stories and deep faith insights, she explores how God’s love meets us in our brokenness and leads us toward healing and unity.
Here Comes the Judge! - Episode 4149
The Right Rev. Eugene Taylor Sutton, senior pastor of the Chautauqua Institution, delivers a compelling sermon titled "Here Comes the Judge!" Reflecting on Numbers 11:4-29 and Mark 9:38-50, Bishop Sutton confronts the age-old tension between judgment and discernment within the Christian faith. "Judgmentalism is a social sin: it is the habit of constantly finding fault with what others say and do." In this message, he calls us to seek understanding with humility and love, urging us to discern as God discerns.
From Childish to Childlike - Episode 4148
Join The Rev. Carla Jones Brown as she delves into Mark 9:30-37, where Jesus speaks of servanthood and the heart of discipleship. Using a thought-provoking narrative from Grey's Anatomy, Rev. Brown challenges us to reflect on our faith journey with three vital questions: "Do you know who you are? Do you know what has happened to you? Do you want to live this way?" This episode also features a compelling interview with Day1 host Rev. Dr. Katie Givens Kime, where they discuss The Ministry Collaborative, her experience growing up in the Baptist tradition, and her current ministry serving a Presbyterian church. This sermon and conversation invite listeners to embrace a life of compassionate faith, intentional discipleship, and spiritual growth. Tune in for this transformative episode filled with inspiration, theological insight, and the journey from "Childish to Childlike." Click play to explore these rich themes and deepen your faith journey.
Real ID Required for Travel - Episode 4147
In this episode, Rev. Carla Jones Brown delivers a thought-provoking sermon titled "Real ID Required for Travel," inspired by Mark 8:27-38. Join us as Rev. Brown explores the profound question Jesus posed: "Who do you say that I am?" and how it challenges our understanding of Jesus' true identity. Rev. Brown delves into the implications of knowing Christ beyond titles, inviting us to consider what it means to follow a Messiah who chooses compassion over power and grace over grandeur.
We Are Poor Indeed If We Are Only Sane - Episode 4146
Join The Rev. Matt Fitzgerald as he explores an intriguing moment in Jesus' ministry from Mark 7:24-37. This episode unpacks a surprising encounter between Christ and a gentile woman, shedding new light on faith, grace, and God's unpredictable ways. Rev. Fitzgerald offers fresh insights on how divine compassion shows up in unexpected places, inviting listeners to reconsider their ideas about faith. Tune in for a thought-provoking discussion that balances biblical depth with everyday relevance, and might just leave you seeing your spiritual journey in a new light.
So That You May Live - Episode 4145
On this episode of Day1, The Very Rev. Martin Fair of the Church of Scotland unpacks Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-9 in his sermon, 'So That You May Live.' Martin's sermon explores how God transformed Moses’ doubts into confidence, revealing how we too can find strength in our weaknesses. His inspiring message encourages you to embrace God’s guidance. Tune in for this uplifting reminder that we are all called to live fully and faithfully.
Looking for Home - Episode 4144
The Rev. Dr. Eric Barreto, Weyerhaeuser Associate Professor of New Testament at Princeton Theological Seminary, delivers a powerful sermon, 'Looking for Home,' exploring God's promises in John 6:56-69. Barreto reflects on Jesus's challenging words about the bread of life, the followers' reactions, and how true home is found in Christ. He emphasizes that it is God's initiative to draw close to us that changes everything, making His abiding presence our true home.
Real Food - Episode 4143
The Rev. Scott Hoezee, director of the Center for Excellence in Preaching at Calvin Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, draws his sermon "Real Food," from the declaration of Jesus that he is the living bread from heaven found in John 6:51-58. Hoezee explores what would have been a shocking statement to those surrounding Jesus. “A lot of the time the sacrament has about all the wonder of making out a grocery list,” he says. “What we need is to be stretched, to be pushed out of our comfort zone, to be shaken out of our complacency so as to see again the radical nature of faith and of the union with Christ it makes possible by the grace of God.”
A Walk In Beauty - Episode 4142
The Rev. Winnie Varghese, rector of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Atlanta, draws her sermon “Walk in Beauty” from the story of Elijah’s wilderness journey to Mount Horeb found in I Kings 19.4-18. Starving and exhausted, he asks to die, but is twice awakened from sleep to hot bread and water. “So let us watch for bread on hot stones. Seek out some pita or fry bread or a tortilla if you can. Especially on those days when you have nothing left. When even the miraculous power of God has somehow not won the day,” she says. “Food for the journey. From the people of the land. Enough.”
Wilderness Memory - Episode 4141
The Rev. Dr. Kimberly Wagner draws her sermon “Wilderness Memory” from Exodus 16:1-4, 9-15. This passage tells of the Israelites in the wilderness where water is scarce and they are hungry. Questioning the whole exodus plan, they ask if their leaders have brought them into the wilderness to die. Their memory of Egypt is distorted by their panic. “And we, too, like the exodus Israelites, may find ourselves inclined to distorted memory—to remembering a golden age that never was or a gilded recollection that is not quite true. How many times have you, like me, found yourself referring back to the good old days?” she says. “And, friends, the danger of such gilded or distorted memory is not only that it is untruthful or makes us feel like we have fallen further than we have. Most significantly, such false memory shuts us out from being attentive to God’s work in the present and closes down the possibility of any imagination for the future.”
Miracles Reconsidered - Episode 4140
The Rev. Dr. Joanna Adams sermon, “Miracles Reconsidered,” is based on the two miracles of Jesus in John 6. “Sometimes our modern minds have a hard time believing in the miraculous as it comes to us from the ancient texts of Scripture, which were written, after all, by and for people who had no trouble believing in the miraculous. We likely lean more in the direction of incredulity. We cook up rational explanations to explain them away. Maybe there was a big stash of fish and bread hidden behind a tree or a bush, which Jesus used to feed all those people,” she says. “Do you believe in miracles?”
Counterfeit Clergy - Episode 4139
The Rev. William E. Flippin, Jr., ecumenist, political activist, grassroots organizer, and pastor, is the featured preacher July 21st. He draws his sermon, “Counterfeit Clergy,” from Jeremiah 23:1-6, where he says, “Jeremiah’s warning to the kings of Judah should hit us present-day shepherds about six inches above the clerical collar whether we’re mega-church or mini-church shepherds.” In the interview with Rev. Dr. Katie Givens Kime that accompanies this sermon, Flippin Jr. also talks about how the game of chess informs his ministry, and what he would be excited to learn if he ever had the chance to play chess with Dietrich Bonhoeffer.
Truth and Consequences - Episode 4138
“Truth and Consequences,” Lundblad’s sermon for July 14, is based on Mark 6:14-29. This is the story of Herod’s banquet and the beheading of John the Baptist. Lundblad reminds us that John was beheaded because he told the truth and notes that others throughout history were truth tellers. It cost them dearly. “God calls you and me to tell the truth about whatever diminishes life and wholeness for any person,” she says. “We don't speak up because we want to be martyrs. We speak and act because we believe God's kingdom has come near and that makes all the difference.”
Appreciated But Not Always Wanted
“Appreciated But Not Always Wanted,” Qualls’ sermon for July 7, is based on Mark 6:1-13, the account of Jesus’s teaching in the synagogue in his hometown. “I wonder how we wrestle with disbelief in our faith?” he says. “When a truth comes bursting into our lives whose timing is so bad, so inconvenient that we just don’t want it to be so . . . then we wrestle with our own disbelief.”
Healing Faith
“Healing Faith,” Dr. Kim Buchanan’s sermon for June 30, is based on the encounter of Jesus with the woman who suffered from hemorrhages found in Mark 5:21-43. “Over the centuries this woman’s story has been told, many people — perhaps especially other women — have found courage in her gutsy faith,” she says. “Looking at her actions through the lens of community and isolation, though, the question comes —What if her faith didn’t have to be gutsy? How might the story have gone differently if the woman had had a community of friends and family?”
Is Jesus in Your Boat?
Dr. Quincy Brown says the good news of this gospel story is that Jesus tells the disciples to cross to the other side of the late, meaning that he will be present with them - and us - when we are crossing over the obstacles, problems, and uncertain situations in our lives.