Who Are We Rooting For?

Who Are We Rooting For?

What begins as a child’s question about the World Cup becomes a deeper question about identity, loyalty, and faith. On a weekend when many give thanks for the nation, this sermon asks what it means to celebrate with honesty, humility, and hope.   In Matthew 11 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2011&version=NRSVUE], Jesus speaks to people carrying real burdens: political burdens, religious burdens, economic burdens, and spiritual burdens. He does not promise them a life with no yoke at all. Instead, he invites them to take his yoke and learn from him, because he is gentle and humble in heart.   This sermon reflects on the Statue of Liberty, Emma Lazarus’s poem “The New Colossus,” and Jesus’ invitation to the weary. It considers how Christians can give thanks for their country without asking any nation to bear the weight only God can carry. The invitation is to live under the yoke of Christ: seeing the weary differently, holding truth and gratitude together, and remembering that while we may root for our country, we are rooted first in Christ.

Hospitality is Holy

What if following Jesus is not only about where we are sent, but also about who we are willing to receive? In Matthew 10:5-11; 40-42 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2010%3A5-11%3B%2040-42&version=NRSVUE], Jesus sends his disciples out to proclaim that the kingdom of heaven has come near. But he sends them without extra supplies, making them dependent on the hospitality of others. This sermon looks at the often-overlooked side of discipleship: the people who open the door, make room at the table, and offer even a cup of cold water. Jesus says that whoever welcomes his disciples welcomes him, reminding us that hospitality is not just kindness. It is a way of recognizing Christ in the person who comes near. Through everyday images of offering a drink, moving a bag from an empty seat, greeting a newcomer, or sharing fellowship after worship, this message invites us to see small acts of welcome as part of God’s larger work. The challenge is simple but holy: notice who is near, make room, and trust that no act of care is wasted.

Pep Talk

At first glance, Jesus’ words about self-denial, sacrifice, and taking up the cross hardly sound like a summer message. But what if Matthew 10 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=%20Matthew%2010%20&version=NRSVUE]is actually a kind of pep talk? In this sermon, “Pep Talk,” we explore Jesus’ challenge to his disciples as they prepare to go into the world proclaiming good news and embodying God’s kingdom. Like a coach preparing a team for a championship run, Jesus reminds his followers that meaningful achievements often require sacrifice. The path to a significant life is not found in comfort, acquisition, or self-protection—it is found in self-giving love. Drawing on examples from sports, business leadership, family life, and contemporary culture, the message reflects on Jesus’ surprising claim that those who try to save their lives will lose them, while those who give their lives away will find them. As summer begins, we are invited to consider how small acts of generosity, patience, service, and sacrifice might become seeds of goodness that bear fruit far beyond what we can imagine.

Making Vows in New Canaan

What do we owe God when life is good? In this Confirmation Sunday message, “Making Vows in New Canaan,” we explore Psalm 116 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%20116&version=NRSVUE] alongside Moses’ warnings to Israel as they prepared to enter the Promised Land. While hardship often drives people toward God, abundance can tempt us to forget the source of our blessings. The sermon reflects on the meaning of New Canaan’s name and its connection to the biblical land flowing with milk and honey. Against that backdrop, the Psalmist asks a profound question: “What shall I return to the Lord for all his bounty to me?” The answer is found in remembering God through faithful living and keeping the promises we have made. As confirmands affirm their baptismal vows, the entire congregation is invited to remember its own commitments—to follow Christ, pursue justice, grow in faith, and participate in the life of the church. Because faith is sustained not by occasional inspiration, but by daily practices of remembering.

The Physician and the Tax Collector

Matthew had wealth, security, and influence—but he may also have been imprisoned by the very life he had built. In this message, “The Physician and the Tax Collector,” we explore Matthew 9:9–13 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%209%3A9%E2%80%9313&version=NRSVUE] and Jesus’ surprising call to one of the most despised people in Capernaum. Looking beyond the familiar story, we consider how Matthew’s tax booth may have functioned as both a place of employment and a symbol of spiritual captivity. Jesus describes himself as a physician sent to those who are sick. Rather than avoiding broken people, he moves toward them with healing, holiness, and freedom. The sermon explores how many of us become trapped by identities, habits, relationships, fears, or choices that no longer reflect who God created us to be. The good news is that Jesus still stands at the door and calls people into freedom. Like Matthew, we are invited to leave behind what confines us and step into the life God intends for us.