Sermons on Romans
Myth
What we think the Bible says leads us to develop deeply-held beliefs and those deeply-held beliefs are often the basis for relationships, families, vocation, and politics. So, it’s important that what we think the Bible says, is actually true. The second Path Point in PAX’s Scripture StoryArc: Myth. The Myth statement is: “The Bible says it. I believe it. That settles it.” In this message, Pastor T. C. explores three myths he believed about Scripture: 1. That the creation account…
I Find it Hard to Say by Lauryn Hill
In this message, Pastor T. C. talks about the themes of lament and formation for service in the midst of two epidemics: Covid-19 and Covid-1619 (the epidemic of anti-Black racism that has plagued the U.S. since the first slave ship arrived in 1619). The song for this week is “I Find it Hard to Say (Rebel)” by Lauryn Hill, from her “Unplugged” album. It was written after Amadou Diallo was killed by police in New York.
Grace & Giving
During the season of Christmastide, we give each other gifts in celebration of the greatest gift ever given to the world: Jesus. The advent of Jesus into the world is the greatest demonstration of God’s grace. However, we often misunderstand God’s grace when we think of it as a ‘one-way, unilateral donation.’ As we see in Romans 15 and II Corinthians 8, the apostle Paul thought about grace very differently. For him, grace creates a new social bond and reality,…
Worship Fully
This Advent, Roots is joining with hundreds of other congregations in conspiring against consumerism in our Christmas celebrations. The first theme of Advent Conspiracy is “Worship Fully.” In this sermon, Pastor T. C. explores the way we are formed by embodied practices. The apostle Paul teaches us to “offer our bodies as living sacrifices” to have our “minds renewed.” Every day in a thousand subtle ways we are being formed into individualistic consumers. Corporations don’t aim their ads primarily at…
