12/15/2013 “Earn This” Rev. Fairfax

December 15, 2013
15 Dec 2013

Sermon: “Earn This”

Scripture: Matthew 11:2-11; James 5:7-10

The strange question from John the Baptist about the identity of Jesus can be difficult to comprehend. How could John not know? Didn’t he baptize Jesus himself? Not surprisingly, this passage is about faith — enduring faith – and living up to one’s best self in the light of God’s great gifts. How is our faith being challenged in personal ways these days? How closely are each of us living up to his or her best self?

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12/8/2013 “Crossing the River” Rev. Fairfax

December 15, 2013
15 Dec 2013

Sermon: “Crossing the River”

Scriptures: Matthew 3:1-12; Romans 15:4-13

In this week’s advent focus on “peace”, our Gospel lesson focuses on the prophet John baptizing in the river Jordan, re-enacting the crossing of the Israelites into the “promised land”. It’s a powerful image of being called back to our spiritual roots as we engage in a renewal or re-direction in our journey homeward toward a God of infinite love — and therefore a perfect image for us to embrace during this time of advent waiting. What about our lives needs renewing or redirecting? How is God calling us to live lives of internal peace and to work for peace among those with whom we differ — both theologically and politically?

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12/1/2013 “Jesus is in the House!” Rev. Fairfax

December 15, 2013
15 Dec 2013

Sermon: “Jesus is in the House!” Rev. Fairfax

Scripture: Matthew 24:36-44; Psalm 122

We enter into Advent in a spirit of hopefulness, and our scriptures today proclaim a special presence of God/Christ that is coming into our individual and collective lives. What does it mean for Jesus to be present in your personal life? What does it mean to be prepared for Jesus coming to visit?! Do we really hope for these special moments where clarity is suddenly upon us, or times when we know (unexpectedly perhaps) that “all will be well”? I invite you to read these passages with a sense of expectation, in preparation for this week’s worship experience.

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11/24/2013 “Out of Place, Out of Time” Rev. Fairfax

December 15, 2013
15 Dec 2013

Sermon: “Out of Place, Out of Time”

Scripture: Luke 23:32-43

In this passage from Luke, there are many references that highlight the place of the cross as a place for shaming — not just for Jesus but for anyone accused of moral failure. The stage is set and all the actors take their place on this stage of shame. An ironic twist is involved in this “play”, one worthy of Shakespeare. The tables are turned, and the place of shame becomes a healing place. What role do we play in this drama? What is our relationship to God through this sacred space? What does it mean to enter into Paradise?

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11/17/13 Rev. Fairfax – This (age) and That (age): Part 2

November 18, 2013
18 Nov 2013

This (age) and That (age): Part 2

Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13

Last week’s scripture and sermon focused on how people tend to think of eternal life as a future “age to come”, while Jesus brought the concept of “that age” as a way of living that can transform “this age”. In the passage this week, Paul is addressing some people who thought of their Christian life as something that would really occur at the return of Christ (that age), and were therefore living in “idleness” in this age — …. What is Paul meaning when he uses the Greek word that is often translated as “idle” (it can also be described as disorderly or disruptive)? What does it mean to “work” in the church? I am reminded of Bonhoeffer’s notion of “cheap grace”….. What message does this offer for our “modern age” and how we find meaning (or not) through a work beyond ourselves?

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11/10/13 Rev. Fairfax – This and That

November 18, 2013
18 Nov 2013

This and That

Scripture: Luke 20:27-38

This scripture is often used as Jesus saying something about eternal life — and maybe it is about that, but it is also about something deeper I think. More importantly for us, however, may be what Jesus is saying about the Presence of God breaking into this life and into all the relationships that we make in this life. What does it mean to say the Presence of God is breaking into this earthly reality? How are our relationships transformed?

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11/3/13 Installation service for Rev. Allen Fairfax

November 18, 2013
18 Nov 2013
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11/3/13 Rev. Fairfax – Sight and Insight

November 18, 2013
18 Nov 2013

Sight and Insight

1st Lesson:   Ephesians 1:15-23
2nd Lesson:   Luke 19:1-10

In preparing one’s mind and heart for this week’s sermon, it is good to note the phrase Paul uses in Ephesians about the “eyes of the heart.”  This phrase was a cultural way in the Greek world for connecting emotions and understanding — they were not separate things.   Interestingly, there is a connection with the story of Zaccheus in Luke, when the scripture tells us he “could not see Jesus”, and then later when it says he “stood up” and revealed his new identity before Jesus and the crowd.   What happened to Zaccheus?  Note the context when he says this to Jesus (imagine all these people crowding his courtyard and house and him providing a dinner for all of the followers of Jesus).  What insights about the work of Christ have been key in your own life?
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10/27/13 “Making ‘I’ Contact” Rev. Fairfax

November 18, 2013
18 Nov 2013

Sunday Worship

Sermon: “Making ‘I’ Contact”

Luke 18:9-14; Isaiah 1:10-18

In preparing for this week’s readings, it is good to know that the traditional way to pray in the Jewish temple was to stand with one’s head and eyes looking up to God with hands raised – which is what the Pharisee is doing – and doing it in a public way. Who was he talking to? Notice the body language of the tax collector! Where was he standing? Who was the tax collector talking to? Similar to last week’s gospel lesson, this passage is also about prayer, but it is also about making connections, and it is the lesson preparing us for the real-life encounter in Luke 19 between Jesus and Zaccheus (next week’s gospel story).

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10/20/13 Rev. Fairfax – What’s In a Name?

November 17, 2013
17 Nov 2013

Sermon:  “What’s In a Name?”

OT Lesson:   Genesis 32:22-31
NT Lesson:  Luke 18:1-8
Call to worship:  Psalm 121

In the lesson from Luke, we find a judge who resists the pleas of a widow for help against someone who is exploiting her situation.   What does this story tell us about what it means to be faithful Christian?   Why did the judge finally give in to her requests (hint:  the literal translation from the Greek for “wearing out the judge” is “giving me a blackeye”)?  Jacob, in our story from Genesis, also fought with an adversary for a blessing, and through his efforts, received a new name.   What name are we growing into as we walk (and strive) with God?

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