From The Pulpit of DUMC

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#250. Rev. David Hockett - November 20, 2022 Jan 05, 2023

Show notes

The Christian year revolves around the life of Jesus, beginning with his promised coming and birth in the seasons of Advent and Christmas, moving toward his passion, death, and resurrection marked by the seasons of Lent and Easter, turning towards the birth of the Church at Pentecost, and then to a long reflection on the life and witness of his followers in the months following Pentecost, throughout the summer and Fall. The journey culminates this week with what is known as Christ the King Sunday or the Reign of Christ Sunday, where we focus on the Lordship or reign of Christ. Using the crucifixion narrative from the gospel of Luke (23:33-43) and Paul’s letter to the Philippians (2:1-11), we’ll see how Christ’s power is markedly different from the rulers of this world. In Christ we encounter a kingdom where power is expressed in humility and love, and that makes all the difference for those who follow Christ as Savior and Lord.

#249. Bishop Ken Carter - November 13, 2022 Jan 05, 2023

Show notes

Bishop Kenneth H. Carter, Jr. will be at Davidson UMC on Sunday, November 13 for all three services. His sermon, The Peaceable Kingdom will be the text from Isaiah.

Bishop Carter is the resident bishop of the Western North Carolina Conference. He earned degrees from Columbus College, Duke Divinity School, the University of Virginia, and Princeton Theological Seminary. He has served as president of the Council of Bishops, a moderator of the Commission on a Way Forward, the chair of the Board of Ordained Ministry and the Committee on Episcopacy, and as a conference delegate. He is the author of 18 books. He was a local church pastor for 28 years and has preached in 20 countries on 4 continents. Bishop Carter’s hope for the church is that she will rediscover an orthodox Christian faith that offers the radically inclusive grace of God to all people and that calls every follower of Jesus to inner holiness, missional compassion, justice rooted in the gospel, and a hopeful story of transformation.

#248. Rev. David Hockett - October 30 Nov 09, 2022

Show notes

Last Sunday, we heard a story about gratitude. A story about how the world, the landscape of our lives is changed when Jesus and the Kingdom draw near. The story of the 10 lepers points to the transformation and renewal that Christ brings, and how the corresponding awareness that all of life is a windfall should move us to a life of joy and thanksgiving This week that theme continues as we hear the story of Jesus’ encounter with a tax collector named Zacchaeus.(Luke 19:1-10) Christ’s table fellowship with Zacchaeus, who the good religious folk were sure was beyond the love and welcome of God, points to God’s strange Kingdom where forgiveness, love, welcome, and grace are offered to all. God, in Christ redefines who’s “deserving” of a seat at the table and that changes how we relate to our neighbors and our possessions.

#247. Rev. David Hockett - October 23 Nov 09, 2022

Show notes

Henri Nouwen wrote, “Gratitude… claims the truth that all of life is a pure gift. In the past I always thought of gratitude as a spontaneous response to the awareness of gifts received, but now I realize that gratitude can also be lived as a discipline. The discipline of gratitude is the explicit effort to acknowledge that all I am and have is given to me as a gift of love, a gift to be celebrated with joy.” Luke’s telling of the story of the ten lepers (Luke 17:11-19) points us in the direction of Nouwen’s observation. Ten are healed, one returns. It’s likely that all are grateful, but one seems to understand that all of life is a windfall, and that understanding changes everything.

#246. Rev. David Hockett - October 16 Nov 09, 2022

Show notes

This week we conclude our study of Mike Slaughter’s Dare to Dream, by reflecting upon what Slaughter calls, “a no-quit perseverance.” He suggests that the way we persevere in pursuing God’s dream for our lives is not by mustering up some superhuman strength, it is by maintaining our focus on the mission. This is what Jesus means when he says, “The eye is the lamp of the body. Therefore, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how terrible that darkness will be! No one can serve two masters.”(Matthew 6:22-24) Jesus is speaking here about the importance of maintaining clarity and focus on that which is most important – the dream of God’s Kingdom. Our eyesight, our vision has to have clear focus on God’s mission. We can’t serve competing visions for our lives and if we lose sight of the vision we are likely to perish, that is, we will miss out on living a life that really is life. Moses succeeded because he remained focused on the God-sized dream he had been given. He was able to persevere because he was clear that it was God’s mission, and not his own, to which he was called. “Perseverance means remembering who empowers the mission” and trusting God to sustain us knowing that the mission is not ours to begin with and the mission is possible because God is with us.

#245. Rev. Jim Humphries - October 9 Oct 12, 2022

Show notes

As we continue our study this week of Mike Slaughter's Dare to Dream, we are encouraged to see our lives not simply with our own eyes, but with God's vision for us. What are the gifts of my head and my hands, and what is the passion of my heart? These are questions we should ask ourselves as we try to determine God's purpose for our lives. We continue this Sunday to look at the life of Moses and how he might be a model for us all. Read Exodus 4: 1-5 to prepare for Sunday.

#244. Rev. Dianne Lawhorn - October 2 Oct 04, 2022

Show notes

This week, we continue in our Church-Wide Study of the book Dare to Dream written by Mike Slaughter. We'll be looking at Chapter four, which discusses the barriers to discerning and answering God’s call. We'll continue examining Exodus 3- the Story of Moses' calling, as we look at the excuses he makes, as he questions God's call to bring the Israelites out of Egypt. God reminds him in this passage of who He is and that He will go with Him in this mission. Join us today as we consider what stands in the way of our discerning and answering God's call for our lives. We'll look at what barriers compromise our confidence in ourselves and our confidence in our God.

#243. Rev. Jim Humphries - September 25 Sep 27, 2022

Show notes

One of the most gripping stories in all of scripture comes from Exodus 3, when Moses encounters a bush on Mt. Horeb. The bush is ablaze, but not consumed by the fire. When Moses sees this odd occurrence, he draws near to hear God speak, giving him a commission to deliver the Israelite people from their oppression in Egypt. Over the centuries, we have come to speak of "burning bush experiences" to refer to those moments when we have felt especially close to God, and perhaps even heard God speaking to us in some way. As we continue our study of Mike Slaughter's Dare to Dream, chapter 3 suggests that we can discover our own burning bush if we look for it, and that our burning bush will help us determine God's purpose for our life. Read Exodus 3: 1-10 to prepare for worship this Sunday.

#242. Rev. David Hockett - September 18 Sep 20, 2022

Show notes

This week we continue our journey through Mike Slaughter’s book Dare to Dream, focusing on chapter 2. Here Slaughter reminds us that God is inviting us to an adventure, to live the dream, to live a life that honors God, blesses others, and brings us joy. As we listen for the guidance of the Holy Spirit in prayer, searching the Scriptures, and in the voice of others, we discern where we see the greatest need in our neighborhood, our community, and in the world. We see more clearly how we can cooperate with God in meeting those needs, and, we understand what giftedness we bring to the work, to the mission. In this way we mature in faith, uncover our “change the world purpose”, and become a part of God’s hope and dream for the world. (Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-13)

#241. Rev. David Hockett - September 11 Sep 15, 2022

Show notes

Have you ever wondered, “What does God want me to do with this life I’ve been given? What difference can I make? How can I live more fully the abundant life Jesus came to bring” If so, you’re asking questions about God’s dream for your life. We all have goals - get an education, make money, spend time with family, travel more - but goals can change with each season. God’s dream, God’s hope for your life never changes. This week we’ll begin a six-week sermon series designed to help you discern God’s dream for the gift of your life. Using Mike Slaughter’s book, Dare to Dream, as our guide, we’ll consider how we might respond to God’s claim on our lives and experience the life God created us to live. In week-one we’ll spend some time reflecting on Jacob and Jacob’s dream (Genesis 28:10-13). Here Jacob is confronted with God’s hope and dream for his life and how he was caught up in God’s dream in ways he could not comprehend. Purchase a copy of the book, read along, and we’ll see you on Sunday.

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