Hyde Park United Methodist

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Questions Jesus Asked, Week 3 // The Rev. Justin LaRosa // August 15, 2021 Aug 15, 2021

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In Luke’s version of the Sermon on the Mount, he offers the same teaching as that in Matthew: Do not worry. God’s got this. If God is able to care for the flowers and the birds, who do not worry one day to the next about their provision and security, “how much more” does God care about us? It is the promise within that famous equivocation that we often take for granted. Flowers and birds might not worry because they are not conscious of the choice they have to make not to worry. We, however, have a choice. And rather than choose to worry, we can surrender ourselves to God and know that God is always by our side, providing for our every need.

Questions Jesus Asked, Week 2 // The Rev. Magrey deVega // August 8, 2021 Aug 08, 2021

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This passage is Matthew’s version of Jesus calming the storm. As the disciples were cowering in fear over the wind and the waves, Jesus seemingly rebukes them for their lack of faith. If we are honest, we would have very much the same reaction that the disciples did. We evaluate with our senses the conditions of the world, and come to a reasonable conclusion about the threats that are present around us. But Jesus calls us to extend our faith past our senses, and take heart in the presence of God. Trusting in God’s presence and power enables us to overcome our fears and alleviate our anxieties.

Questions Jesus Asked, Week 1 // The Rev. Justin LaRosa // August 1, 2021 Aug 01, 2021

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The Transfiguration of Jesus serves as the hinge or pivot point in Mark’s gospel. There are the teachings and miracles of Jesus that take place before then, followed by the predictions of Jesus’ death and promise of resurrection that take place after. Directly preceding the Transfiguration is an important conversation between Jesus and the disciples, whom Jesus asks about public opinion. Only Peter appears to answer the question correctly: “You are the Messiah.” That response is the key in Mark to understanding fully what Jesus came to earth to do, and is the gateway to eternal life. It is also the most important question we have to answer in our own lives.

The Boy Who Would Be King, Week 4 // The Rev. Magrey deVega // July 25, 2021 Jul 25, 2021

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David is nearing the end of his life, and he recognizes that because of his warlike nature, God has forbidden him from building the Temple. His final words therefore not only seal his achievements and summarize his life, they also serve as a transition to Solomon and his reign. More significantly, in the next chapter, David decides to build an altar of praise and confession to God, praying for an end to the plague. That act of contrition cements that location as the very place where the plague would stop and where the Temple would eventually be built. This story reminds us that God always has the bigger picture in mind. Where we see defeat and despair, God sees resurrection. Where we see an end, God sees a transition into a bright future. Where we see only the limits of our existence, God sees the enduring legacy that we can leave behind.

The Boy Who Would Be King, Week 3 // The Rev. Magrey deVega // July 18, 2021 Jul 18, 2021

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The very first thing we learn about David is that he is a worshiper. From his days out in the field to his final years on the throne, he worshiped God. Worship should be a whole-life expression for us, too. Many of the Psalms are attributed to him, and in them we see the intersection between human pathos (the breadth of the human experience) and divine pathos (the purpose and will of God). In 2 Samuel 6, we see David’s actions in relation to the entrance of the ark of the covenant. He exhibited a free-spirited, wholehearted praise of God, caring little of what people thought of him. His primary focus was on pleasing and thanking God. That can be a model for how we come to worship and express our praise to God.

The Boy Who Would Be King, Week 2 // The Rev. Magrey deVega // July 11, 2021 Jul 11, 2021

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David’s hubris and his inability to practice self-control led to his greatest downfall. He committed adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband Uriah. But his downfall began even before these events occurred. It began with his arrogance, his delusional belief that he was the source of his accomplishments and could therefore acquire and achieve anything he desired. He was so blinded by his delusion that Nathan’s indictment of him caught him completely off guard. Sin is like that. It convinces us that we are better than we are, and lures us away from vigilance and trust in God.

The Boy Who Would Be King, Week 1 // The Rev. Sally Campbell-Evans // July 4, 2021 Jul 04, 2021

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Every quintessential hero story has a “rite of passage” moment, in which the hero explodes onto the scene with a captivating, high-profile achievement. This is what the story of David and Goliath is. It is a story of good vs. evil, underdog vs. oppressor, hope vs. despair. David was able to conquer Goliath because of God’s presence and power. But even before that, he exhibited bravery based on his remembrance of what God had done for and through him in the past. We can learn how to conquer all that threatens us, by trusting in the same God who saw us through in the past.

Comeback: Faith to Move Forward, Week 4 // The Rev. Magrey deVega // June 27, 2021 Jun 27, 2021

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Peter is one of the more notable figures in the New Testament, in part because he represents us so well. Like him, we are impatient, ambitious, and think more highly of ourselves than we ought. It often got him into trouble. John’s gospel ends with a powerful, private conversation between Jesus and Peter, in which Peter gets a second chance. As a result, he preached the sermon of his life and became a pivotal figure in the birth and development of the church.

Comeback: Faith to Move Forward, Week 3 // The Rev. Sally Campbell-Evans // June 20, 2021 Jun 20, 2021

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No person had it worse in the Bible than Job. His story does not fit cleanly into the chronology of the Bible. He is a kind of helpless pawn between God and the forces of evil, maybe in a way that we sometimes feel so helpless. But even though Job’s world fell apart, God’s presence and power became more real to him in the middle of his suffering. Job teaches us how to trust in God.

Comeback: Faith to Move Forward, Week 2 // The Rev. Magrey deVega // June 13, 2021 Jun 13, 2021

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Since birth, Moses was fighting against the odds. He narrowly escaped murder by Pharaoh because of the sacrifice of his family. He lived a life of privilege but had to suppress his ethnic heritage. After committing murder, he was a lost soul on the run. But God found him, called him, and believed in him. The story of Moses is a reminder that each of us are part of God’s grand design. All we have to do is trust that God will help us do our part.

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