First Christian St. Paul Sermon Podcast

Sixth Sunday of Easter | John 14:15-21 | May 14, 2023 | Amy Bertschausen, preaching " In the gospel reading today, John is trying to make something abundantly clear. All Jesus asks all he asks, is that we recognize and accept his love, the love he has received from God, the love he has lived among us, the love that will remain with us through the Holy Spirit. "

First Christian Church of St. Paul is a small, open and affirming, and multicultural church located near St. Paul, MN in Roseville. We are a local expression of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Join us for worship Sundays at 11:00 AM.

Fifth Sunday of Easter | John 14:1-14 and Acts 7:54-60 | May 7, 2023 | Dennis Sanders, preaching " ...we worship the Risen Christ that defeated death and has created space for us heart of God in heaven. The hope in the resurrection, the aiming for heaven is what empowers the church to bring some of heaven into our world. "

Third Sunday of Easter | Luke 24:13-35 | April 23, 2023 | Dennis Sanders, preaching "Jesus gathers us and the scriptures are opened to us. We are reminded of the work of God in the world. God is active in our lives and in the lives of others. Then we come to the Table and the bread is broken and wine is poured we see God in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. Finally, we are then sent to tell the good news that Jesus is Risen, that hope is alive.

Third Sunday in Lent |  John 4:5-42 | March 12, 2023 | Dennis Sanders, preaching    

"We are called by God to go out of the walls of the church and connect with the world around us.  The church is the gathered community that comes together to learn to be disciples of Jesus and then we go out and carry God’s message of love to LGBTQ people and to everyone- gay, straight, liberal, conservative, Bernie Bro, Trump supporter."

Second Sunday in Lent |  John 3:1-17 | March 5, 2023 | Rob Hamilton, preaching  

"Ultimately, at the end of the day, as we go through Lent, that is the journey that we must be about, asking the questions about where is God in this moment, how we understand God, and how do we practice that faith in a wider community. Ultimately, as we develop that discipline, we can come to see Christ more clearly in our lives. And that's what I hope for each one of us now, and for all the days coming forward."   

First Sunday in Lent |  Matthew 4:1-11 | February 26, 2023 | Dennis Sanders, preaching 

 "In our day-to-day lives, we are called to live out our values as Christians which is a fancy way of saying that we are always tempted to betray our values.  In our own baptisms, we are claimed by God.  For Jesus, knowing who he was helped him when the time of testing came.  As followers of Jesus it is always vital to remind ourselves that we are children of God and that as Christ was led by the Spirit, so are we led by the Spirit which reminds us we don’t walk this walk of life alone."

Transfiguration Sunday |  Exodus 24:12-18; Matthew 17:1-9 | February 19, 2023 | Michael LeBuhn, preaching    

"As we head into the Lenten season today, we reflect on the transfiguration of Jesus, the opening of the eyes of His disciples... This new knowledge that changes the way we see God and changes the way we see ourselves, it must not stay in our churches. It must not stay in our minds. It must come with us when we descend from the mountaintop and with us as we travel back to our homes, places of business, communities, and the goings on of our lives."

Fifth Sunday After Epiphany |  Isaiah 58:1-9a (9b-12) and Matthew 5:13-20 | February 5, 2023 | Amy Bertschausen, preaching  

"Faithfulness to God is not a checklist of things to do in order to be righteous. Faithfulness to God is faithfulness to each other, to all people, especially those afflicted by poverty and injustice, illness and loss. No amount of Bible studies will suffice unless we are in right relationship with each other. " 

Fourth Sunday After Epiphany | Micah 6:1-18 and Matthew 5:1-12 | January 29, 2023 | Dennis Sanders, preaching  

"When Jesus tells the disciples and the crowd what God favors he is saying that God doesn’t want our curated lives.  God doesn’t want people that look good, but are ugly on the inside or think highly of themselves.  Instead, God wants people who are humble, who are merciful and who treat people justly. "  

Third Sunday After Epiphany | Isaiah 9:1-4 and Matthew 4:12-23 | January 22, 2023 | Dennis Sanders, preaching

  "So even in the land of Zebulun and Naphtali, we continue to gather as church, where the good news of Jesus is preached, where we break bread and drink the wine, where we pray for each other and the world and where we serve our sisters and brothers.  In this time when the tide is low, we continue to be faithful because the people who live in darkness have seen a great light."  

Second Sunday After Epiphany | John 1:29-42 and Isaiah 49:1-7 | January 15, 2023 | Dennis Sanders, preaching

"People have written the epitaph of this congregation for a long time.  We are still here.  I think we are still here to tell the good news of Jesus by fostering relationships outside of the walls of this church with the surrounding community.  God is still sustaining this ministry, inviting us to come and see and then to tell others to come and see."

January 1, 2023 | First Sunday of Christmas | Matthew 2:13-23 | Rob Hamilton, preaching

"We should not expect God to be we expect God to be."

Fourth Sunday of Advent | Isaiah 7:10-16 and Matthew 1:18-25 | December 18, 2022 | Dennis Sanders, preaching

December 11, 2022 | Third Sunday Of Advent| Isaiah 35:1-10 and James 5:7-10 | Amy Bertschausen, preaching

December 4, 2022 | Second Sunday Of Advent | Isaiah 11:1-11 | Rob Hamilton, preaching

November 27, 2022 | First Sunday Of Pentecost | Isaiah 2:1-5 and Matthew 24:36-44 | Dennis Sanders, preaching

"Jesus calls us into a state of watchfulness, not just in Advent, but in every aspect of our lives. What if we came to church expecting to see God?  What would happen if we believe that God can use this small church to do God’s work in the world and take part in active waiting; stepping out in faith to do what God calls us to do and finding God there already?"

Luke 23:33-43 | Christ the King Sunday | November 20, 2022 | Dennis Sanders,  preaching  

"This is the upside-down kingdom of Jesus.  Jesus wins by losing.  He saves by expending his own life."  

November 13, 2022 | Twenty-Third Sunday After Pentecost | Luke 21:5-19 | Dennis Sanders, preaching

This passage is for us today as we see a world that seems out of control and as we long to see God act and set the world to rights.  In these times we face, we are called to be faithful to put our trust in God and not listen to siren voices seeking to take the place of God.

November 6, 2022 | All Saints Sunday | 2 Thessalonians 2:1-17 | Rob Hamilton, preaching

October 16, 2022 | Nineteenth Sunday After Pentecost | Jeremiah 1:4-10 and Luke 4:21-30 | Amy Bertschausen, preaching

October 9, 2022 | Eighteenth Sunday After Pentecost | Luke 17:11-19 and Jeremiah 29:1-4-7| Dennis Sanders, preaching

October 2, 2022 | Seventeenth Sunday After Pentecost | Luke 17:5-10| Rob Hamilton, preaching

September 25, 2022 | Sixteenth Sunday After Pentecost | Luke 16:19-31| Dennis Sanders, preaching

September 18, 2022 | Fifteenth Sunday After Pentecost | Luke 16:1-13| Dennis Sanders, preaching

September 11, 2022 | Fourteenth Sunday After Pentecost | Luke 15:1-10| Dennis Sanders, preaching

September 4, 2022 | Thirteenth Sunday After Pentecost | Luke 14:25-33| Rob Hamilton, preaching

August 28, 2022 | Twelfth Sunday After Pentecost | Luke 14:1, 7-14 | Amy Bertschausen, preaching

August 21, 2022 | Eleventh Sunday After Pentecost | Luke 13:10-17 | Dennis Sanders, preaching

"This sabbath is a time to remember we are connected to each other and we are connected to God."

Luke 4:1-13 | First Sunday in Lent | March 6, 2022 | Rob Hamilton, preaching

Luke 9:28-36 (37-43) | Transfiguration Sunday | February 27, 2022 | Amy Bertschausen, preaching

Preparing for Sunday is a resource for clergy and the laity to get ready for the upcoming Sunday using a text from the Revised Common Lectionary.

Preparing for Sunday is a resource for clergy and the laity to get ready for the upcoming Sunday using a text from the Revised Common Lectionary.

What does it mean that Jesus wants Peter and his friends will now go and fish for people?  What does leaving their nets behind mean?

Luke 5:1-11 and Philippians 4:8-9 | Fifth Sunday After Epiphany | February 6, 2022 | Rob Hamilton, preaching

Preparing for Sunday is a resource for clergy and the laity to get ready for the upcoming Sunday using a text from the Revised Common Lectionary.  

How would you respond if someone told you good news?  Would you jump for joy? Would you shout in sheer happiness?  How about throwing someone off the cliff? Why in the world would the congregation where Jesus preached want to kill him?

Luke 4:21-30 | Fourth Sunday After Pentecost | First Christian Church | January 30, 2022 | Dennis Sanders, preaching

Jesus tells the synagogue in his hometown that the Spirit of the Lord is upon him.  Again and again, in Luke, Jesus is told that the Spirit is with him and at times even directing him.  What does it mean to be led by the Spirit?  What is the good news that Jesus preaches?

Luke 4:14-21 | Third Sunday After Epiphany | January 23, 2022 | Dennis Sanders, preaching

This past Thursday, January 6 was Epiphany, the day we remember the arrival of the Wise Men to meet Jesus. We focus a lot on those strangers from a distant land, but there was another character: King Herod.  How does Herod fit in the story?

Matthew 2:1-12 | Epiphany Sunday | January 9, 2022 | Dennis Sanders, preaching

Living in Fear, Living in Hope | Christmas Eve |December 24, 2021 | Dennis Sanders, preaching

Zephaniah 3:14-20  | Third Sunday of Advent | December 12, 2021 | Rob Hamilton, preaching

Few Are Guilty, But All are Responsible. | Luke 3:1-6 | Second Sunday of Advent | December 5, 2021 | Dennis Sanders, preaching

Luke 21:25-36 | First Sunday of Advent | November 28, 2021 | Dennis Sanders, preaching

John 18:33-37 | Christ the King Sunday | November 21, 2021 | Dennis Sanders, preaching

1 Samuel 1:4-20 and Hebrews 10:11-25 | Twenty-Fifth Sunday After Pentecost | November 14, 2021 | Dennis Sanders, preaching

Pastor Dennis Sanders invites people living in the Twin Cities to visit First Christian Church on Sunday morning at 10:00.  

If you plan to visit, please use the link below.  We look forward to seeing you on Sunday!

Mark 10:46-52 | Twenty-Second Sunday After Pentecost | First Christian Church | Dennis Sanders, preaching

Mark 10:35-45 | Twenty-First Sunday After Pentecost | October 17, 2021 | Amy Bertschausen, preaching

Mark 10:17-31 | Twentieth Sunday After Pentecost | October 10, 2021 | Dennis Sanders, preaching

Mark 10:2:16 | Nineteenth Sunday After Pentecost | October 3, 2021 | Dennis Sanders, preaching

Mark 9:30-37 | Seventeenth Sunday After Pentecost | September 19, 2021 | Dennis Sanders, preaching

Mark 8:27-38 | Fifteenth Sunday After Pentecost | September 12, 2021 | Dennis Sanders, preaching

Mark 7:31-37 | Fifteenth Sunday After Pentecost | First Christian Church | Rob Hamilton, preaching

John 6:51-58 | Twelfth Sunday After Pentecost | August 15, 2021 | Dennis Sanders, preaching

John 6:35-51 and Ephesians 4:25-5:2 | Eleventh Sunday After Pentecost | August 8, 2021 | Dennis Sanders, preaching

Ephesians 4:1-16 | Tenth Sunday After Pentecost | August 1, 2021 | Dennis Sanders, preaching

Ephesians 2:11-22 | Eighth Sunday After Pentecost | July 18, 2021 | Dennis Sanders, preaching

Ephesians 1:3-14 | Seventh Sunday After Pentecost | July 11, 2021 | Dennis Sanders, preaching

Isaiah 53:1-6 and Mark 6:1-13 | Sixth Sunday After Pentecost | July 4, 2021 | Rob Hamilton, preaching

How can a church be like a passenger plane that runs out of fuel 8 miles in the air?

For a plane to get off the ground, you need high air pressure to be great enough to give lift. For a plane to stay in the air, you need engines to keep the plane going at a proper speed. To keep going at a proper speed, you need fuel.  So what happens when there's no gas and then no engines on a Boeing 767 at 41,000 feet?  How is a church like an airplane?

Welcome to the weekly online worship service of First Christian Church of St. Paul a congregation of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).  We are worshipping in person again!  Join us at 10:00 AM on Sunday. You can also watch the live stream which is found on our YouTube Channel.

Just before he is arrested, Jesus offers a prayer to God for his disciples.  What does it mean that the Son of God prays for the disciples? What does that mean for us in the modern-day?

Welcome to the weekly online worship service of First Christian Church of St. Paul a congregation of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).  We are worshipping in person again!  Join us at 10:00 AM on Sunday. You can also watch the live stream which is found on our YouTube Channel.

Jesus called the disciples to abide in him.  What does that mean?  Is God calling us to abide.  Pastor Dennis will preach from John 15 about abiding and about a "galloping" bridge.

Welcome to the weekly online worship service of First Christian Church of St. Paul a congregation of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).  We are worshipping in person again!  Join us at 10:00 AM on Sunday. You can also watch the live stream which is found on our YouTube Channel.

Are you a dog person or cat person? I'm not really a dog person, but I if were to have a dog, it would be a German Shepherd.  I love these majestic dogs and I love the fact that they are hard-working dogs that guard against danger.  This Fourth Sunday of Easter is also called Good Shepherd Sunday.  On Sunday we will talk about what it means to be a shepherd, how God is a shepherd, and who isn't a good shepherd.

An encounter by two disciples teaches us how God can show up anywhere anytime.

Welcome to the weekly online worship service of First Christian Church of St. Paul a congregation of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).  During the coronavirus pandemic, join us each Sunday for worship at 10:00 AM. www.fccsaintpaul.org

How much do you trust second-hand information?  Or do you think you want to get your information from the source?  Thomas hears that Jesus is alive.  Thomas didn’t want to just hear about the Risen Christ, he wanted to see for himself.  How do we come to know Jesus?  How are we helping others know about Jesus?

Welcome to the weekly online worship service of First Christian Church of St. Paul a congregation of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).  During the coronavirus pandemic, join us each Sunday for worship at 10:00 AM. www.fccsaintpaul.org

Have you ever read a book that ends abruptly?  How did that feel?  Our Easter text comes from Mark and we never see an empty tomb. Instead, we see women who run away from the tomb in terror.  What’s up with that and how is this good news?

Welcome to the weekly online worship service of First Christian Church of St. Paul a congregation of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).  During the coronavirus pandemic, join us each Sunday for worship at 10:00 AM. www.fccsaintpaul.org

Who doesn't love a parade? It's Palm Sunday, so we see Jesus entering Jerusalem in what might be the oddest parade ever. The crowd shouts, "Hosanna!" which means, "Save us!"

How did Jesus save the people? Did they know how he was going to save them? Do we understand what it means that Jesus saves us? This Sunday, Rob Hamilton will preach on this most unusual parade.

Have you ever heard of the phrase "get right with God?" It seems to connote that we have to do something in order to get back into God's good graces.  But in the texts for this coming weekend from Jeremiah and Hebrews talks about God being the one that acts in order to get people right with God.  The response is not to do something for God to like us but to respond to God's love with discipleship.

We look to vaccines to save us from the dangers of COVID-19. Just like vaccines bring healing or salvation, Jesus explains in John 3 how God's love will bring healing to all of creation through his death on a cross. But how? We will find out.

Third Sunday of Lent: We go to John chapter 2 where we see that Jesus is just a bit angry. What does it mean that Jesus got angry? What was Jesus angry about? What does it have to do with hope? What does it say to us today?

Second Sunday in Lent: "Thoughts and Prayers." That can be a phrase of caring, but it can also be just mere words.  Jesus calls the disciples and the larger crowd to put words into action.  In Mark chapter 8 and Revelation 3 we learn that in God's Kingdom, words must be backed with acts of love.

First Sunday in Lent: What is hope? How is it different from optimism? This is the First Sunday in the Season of Lent.  We start our worship Series, Unafraid: Courage and Hope in an Uncertain Time.  We will look at the tales of Noah and the Ark found in Genesis 9.  Noah and his family finally get out of the ark after a long time inside. After all the death and destruction, God offers a symbol of hope and trust.

Notes for this sermon:

Transfiguration Sunday: This is the last Sunday before the Season of Lent. Jesus goes up on a mountain with three of his closest disciples and is transformed. A voice from heaven tells the disciples to listen to Jesus.  Why? What were the disciples not understanding? What are we not understanding.  Join us as we together enter into Mark 9.

We hear a lot about freedom in our culture.  The freedom of speech, the freedom to express ourselves, the freedom to choose.  But what does that mean if we are Christians?  What does freedom look like in the body of Christ?  Pastor  Rob will be looking at this question today from 1 Corinthians chapter 8.

January 31, 2021 (Fourth Sunday of Epiphany): Do we believe in God?  Really, do we believe that God is real, that God makes a difference in the world, in our lives?  In Mark 1 we encounter Jesus preaching in a local synagogue and casting out demons to the surprise of the crowd.  They saw God acting in a way they never had before.  What does that mean for us today? What does a living God mean for us now and what can it mean in our world today? Join us as we learn together.  

Jonah 3:1-10 | Third Sunday of Epiphany | For the Sake of the World Series | January 24, 2021 | Dennis Sanders, preaching

This Sunday (Third Sunday of Epiphany): If you felt that God was calling you to meet with the Klan and preach repentance, would you do it? Would you WANT to do it?  That's what is the case in today's passage in Jonah 3.  Jonah the prophet was called to preach the Ninevites, the sworn enemy of the Israelites.  He tried to run away from God, became a snack for a fish and then preached the repentance to the Ninevites who repented!  In real life, we hear the story of Daryl Davis an African American musician, who is known for starting up friendships with active Klansmen. When we hear that God so loved the world, we have to come to terms that God really does love the world. What does that mean when we profess to follow Jesus?

John 1:35-51 | Second Sunday of Epiphany | January 17, 2021 | For the Sake of the World Series | Dennis Sanders, preaching

Come and See.  The sentence sounds like someone inviting you over for warm chocolate chip cookies.  Jesus and Philip tell others to “come and see” what Jesus is up to. Inviting people to meet Jesus is not about shoving the Bible in people’s faces.  It’s about sharing what God means to us with our family and friends.  In John 1 we see how Christ invites us to follow him and it gives us insight into how we can invite people to follow Jesus today.

Mark 1:4-13 | Baptism of Our Lord | January 10, 2021 | For the Sake of the World Series | Dennis Sanders, preaching

"This is not who we are." It's hard to admit that we are sinners.  On this Sunday when we remember the Baptism of Jesus, Pastor Dennis talks about the insurrection this week at the United States Capitol, what it says about us as a nation and how in Christ through our baptisms, we have a new identity that allows us to be Christ's witnesses in these troubling times.

Isaiah 61:1-11 | Third Sunday in Advent | The World Is About to Turn Worship Series | December 13, 2020 | Dennis Sanders, preaching

"What Becomes of the Brokenhearted?" It's not just a song, it's also how the people of Israel felt after they returned from exile.  But in Isaiah 61, we hear of a prophet that will come to heal broken hearts.  Signs of hope abound on this Third Sunday in Advent.

Mark 1:1-8 | Second Sunday in Advent | The World Is About to Turn Series | December 6, 2020 | Rob Hamilton, preaching

Isaiah 64:1-11 | First Sunday in Advent | World Is About to Turn Series | November 29, 2020 | Dennis Sanders, preaching

From today's sermon: "Every year we sing O Come, O Come Emmanuel and don’t think about the fact that this song is a cry for help.  It is a cry for the Christ child to free us."

Matthew 25:31-46 | Christ the King Sunday | The Church Has Left the Building Series | November 22, 2020 | Dennis Sanders, preaching

We look at the Parable of the Sheep and Goats and wonder: do we see Jesus in the face of the people we meet in our lives?

Matthew 25:14-30 | Twenty-Fourth Sunday After Pentecost | The Church Has Left the Building Series | November 15, 2020 | Dennis Sanders, preaching

Matthew 25:1-13 | Twenty-Third Sunday After Pentecost | The Church Has Left the Building Series | November 8, 2020 | Dennis Sanders, preaching

Jesus will return, we just don't know when. While we are waiting, we are called to be faithful. This Sunday, we will hear from Matthew 25:1-13, the parable of the Ten Bridesmaids, continuing our fall worship series, "The Church Has Left the Building."