Palms Presbyterian Sermons

The Church in Exile (Part 4): Stewards of Grace

The Church in Exile (Part 4) Jonah 3:1 - 4:1 & 1 Peter 4:1-11 Sunday, May 24, 2026 Exile can be a necessary reminder to the church that God’s love and work are not limited to us and ours; they are extended to the whole world. Our job as exiles is not to withhold God's goodness from others, but to be good stewards of the love and grace of God—to bear witness by bearing fruit. Bryant Anderson preaching. Current Series: The Church in Exile In so many ways it feels today that the American church is not what it used to be: in terms of its visibility and influence, commitment and participation, attendance and activity. Many will experience this as a significant loss and describe it as "decline." But perhaps a better metaphor for the experience of the church today is exile. And there are rich biblical resources for understanding the experience of God's people in exile. If we see this moment through the lens of decline, we can easily become disheartened; but if we understand ourselves as living through a kind of exile, then perhaps we can see this as an opportunity for meaningful growth and renewal. Palms Presbyterian Church is a church of the Presbyterian Church (USA) located in Jacksonville Beach, Florida. To learn more about us, visit us at palmschurch.org [https://palmschurch.org].

The Church in Exile (Part 3): Free & Honorable

The Church in Exile (Part 3) Daniel 1:3-5, 8-17 & 1 Peter 2:11-17 Sunday, May 10, 2026 Daniel succeeds in exile not because he tries to succeed, but because he tries to be faithful. In the same way, the church doesn't become faithful by making a difference in the world; the church makes a difference in the world by being faithful. Bryant Anderson preaching. Current Series: The Church in Exile In so many ways it feels today that the American church is not what it used to be: in terms of its visibility and influence, commitment and participation, attendance and activity. Many will experience this as a significant loss and describe it as "decline." But perhaps a better metaphor for the experience of the church today is exile. And there are rich biblical resources for understanding the experience of God's people in exile. If we see this moment through the lens of decline, we can easily become disheartened; but if we understand ourselves as living through a kind of exile, then perhaps we can see this as an opportunity for meaningful growth and renewal. Palms Presbyterian Church is a church of the Presbyterian Church (USA) located in Jacksonville Beach, Florida. To learn more about us, visit us at palmschurch.org [https://palmschurch.org].

The Church in Exile (Part 2): Putting Down Roots

The Church in Exile (Part 1) Esther 7:1-6, 9-10; 9:20-22 & 1 Peter 2:2-10 Sunday, May 3, 2026 So much of our sense of who we are is linked to place—where we live, where we're from, where we feel we belong. To live in exile is to be placeless, which can be more than disorienting; it can undermine our very identity. If the church is living in a modern exile, how can we root ourselves so that we don't forget who we are, and so that we continue to cultivate our identity as the body of Christ in and for the world? Bryant Anderson preaching. Current Series: The Church in Exile In so many ways it feels today that the American church is not what it used to be: in terms of its visibility and influence, commitment and participation, attendance and activity. Many will experience this as a significant loss and describe it as "decline." But perhaps a better metaphor for the experience of the church today is exile. And there are rich biblical resources for understanding the experience of God's people in exile. If we see this moment through the lens of decline, we can easily become disheartened; but if we understand ourselves as living through a kind of exile, then perhaps we can see this as an opportunity for meaningful growth and renewal. Palms Presbyterian Church is a church of the Presbyterian Church (USA) located in Jacksonville Beach, Florida. To learn more about us, visit us at palmschurch.org [https://palmschurch.org].

The Church in Exile (Part 1): Our Modern Exile

Sunday, April 26, 2026 Psalm 137:1-4 & 1 Peter 1:1-2, 13-23 After the people of God suffer dislocation and exile at the hands of Babylon in the 6th century BC, exile becomes a key metaphor for how they understand their collective life in a challenging world, even long after they return to their homeland. For the Christian church today, exile remains a useful lens through which to view the challenges of faithful witness in a fast-changing world. Bryant Anderson preaching. Referenced in this sermon: * Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cost_of_Discipleship] (1937) * Søren Kierkegaard, "Judge for Yourself! For Self-Examination" [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judge_for_Yourselves!] (1876) Current Series: The Church in Exile In so many ways it feels today that the American church is not what it used to be: in terms of its visibility and influence, commitment and participation, attendance and activity. Many will experience this as a significant loss and describe it as "decline." But perhaps a better metaphor for the experience of the church today is exile. And there are rich biblical resources for understanding the experience of God's people in exile. If we see this moment through the lens of decline, we can easily become disheartened; but if we understand ourselves as living through a kind of exile, then perhaps we can see this as an opportunity for meaningful growth and renewal. Palms Presbyterian Church is a church of the Presbyterian Church (USA) located in Jacksonville Beach, Florida. To learn more about us, visit us at palmschurch.org [https://palmschurch.org].

The Rock Still Holds

Acts 2:14, 36-41 Sunday, April 19, 2026 Beverly Dempsey preaching. Palms Presbyterian Church is a church of the Presbyterian Church (USA) located in Jacksonville Beach, Florida. To learn more about us, visit us at palmschurch.org [https://palmschurch.org].