Sermons from First United Presbyterian Church

First United Presbyterian Church “Resolve: Impossible” Rev. Amy Morgan January 28, 2018 Listen to audio Genesis 14:17-20 17 After his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley).  18 And King Melchizedek of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was priest of God Most High.  19 He blessed him and said, "Blessed be Abram by God Most High, maker of heaven and earth;  20 and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!" And Abram gave him one tenth of everything. Mark 10:17-27 17 As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"  18 Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone.  19 You know the commandments: 'You shall not murder; You shall not commit a

First United Presbyterian Church “Resolve: Pour on the Salt” Rev. Amy Morgan January 21, 2018 Listen to audio Isaiah 58:1-12 Shout out, do not hold back! Lift up your voice like a trumpet! Announce to my people their rebellion, to the house of Jacob their sins. 2 Yet day after day they seek me and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that practiced righteousness and did not forsake the ordinance of their God; they ask of me righteous judgments, they delight to draw near to God. 3 "Why do we fast, but you do not see? Why humble ourselves, but you do not notice?" Look, you serve your own interest on your fast day, and oppress all your workers. 4 Look, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to strike with a wicked fist. Such fasting as you do today will not make your voice heard on high. 5 Is such the fast that I choose, a day to humble oneself? Is it to bow down the head like a bulrush, and to lie in sackcloth and ashes? Will you call this

First United Presbyterian Church “Resolve: Renew Your Mind” Rev. Amy Morgan January 14, 2018 Listen to audio Proverbs 8:1-11 Does not wisdom call, and does not understanding raise her voice?  2 On the heights, beside the way, at the crossroads she takes her stand;  3 beside the gates in front of the town, at the entrance of the portals she cries out:  4 "To you, O people, I call, and my cry is to all that live.  5 O simple ones, learn prudence; acquire intelligence, you who lack it.  6 Hear, for I will speak noble things, and from my lips will come what is right;  7 for my mouth will utter truth; wickedness is an abomination to my lips.  8 All the words of my mouth are righteous; there is nothing twisted or crooked in them.  9 They are all straight to one who understands and right to those who find knowledge.  10 Take my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold;  11 for wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you

First Sunday After Christmas, B After a Lifetime of Waiting 31 December 2017 Listen to audio Revs. Samuel B. and Janice M. Lamott Adams Isaiah 61:10-62:1-3, Luke 1:25-38 Samuel: A week ago many of you gathered here to celebrate the long awaited birth. You heard again the familiar lessons and sang the carols that many of us know by heart. And many of you went out to celebrate with families and friends. Now the ruined Christmas paper is in the trash, most of the leftovers are gone, and I’ll lay odds that a fair number of us are wearing what was still wrapped and under the tree last Sunday. And here we are back, but the celebration is not over. Today is the seventh of twelve days in the season of Christmastide. The Christ candle is still lighted, but the church is a much quieter place. The angels have gone away to wherever God’s terrifying messengers go. The skies are quiet. The shepherds are back in their fields. But the star is not gone. Epiphany is still ahead. January 6

First United Presbyterian Church “Resolve: Glorify God in Your Body” Rev. Amy Morgan January 7, 2018 Listen to audio Genesis 1:26-31 26 Then God said, "Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth."  27 So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.  28 God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth."  29 God said, "See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food.  30 And