God isn't loud. God is often hidden, but very present and active. The book of Esther shows us what living faithfully means in a practical sense. And on this weekend of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, it also reminds us that the Good News is not that America is great or doomed. Instead, the Good News is that God acts and the people society walks past survive. The reading comes from Esther 7:1-6, 9-10; 9:20-22, 29-32.

Life doesn't come with a manual of how things are supposed to go. And while that may be frustrating at times, it is also a blessing. Because if there was a manual, then we'd be judged on how well we stuck to it. Instead God gives grace freely and in unfair ways. The sermon is based on 1 Timothy 1:12-17.

The algorithms want your attention. So they feed your anger, frustration, and despair. The Gospel reminds us that we are not alone to face what the world offers. Our reading from 2 Timothy is a letter of encouragement for people facing difficulty - not the supposed persecution of people who are losing long held power, but rather the kind of hardship that drains life from people.

Humanity has a tendency to wrangle over words. Which means Good News gets twisted and becomes mediocre at best. People get put into a hierarchy and voices get silenced. But Good News is not any of that. Good News sets people free, makes room for them, sees humanity in one another, and more. Good News isn't there for when everything is going well. It's for real life. The sermon is based on 2 Timothy 2:8-15.

We started a four week series on the Ten Commandments. This Sunday was the foundation - what are they really about. And the key is if you hear the foundation, then the commandments shift from being a bunch of rules to something more meaningful. The sermon is based on Exodus 19 and 20:1-2.

As we move into the actual commandments listed in Exodus 20, it starts with a focus on our relationship with God. And each one builds upon the one before it. And while its easy to point fingers at how others are failing at these, the whole point is for us to look in the mirror to see what gods we still follow, how we just God for our own purposes, and more. Thankfully, that mirror is not the end of the story, because when we look in the mirror, we also see the image of God. The sermon is based on Exodus 20:3-11.

In Ruth 2 we hear about Ruth gleaning in the field. And Boaz goes beyond the requirements of the law. Gleaning isn't just a way to provide for the poor and marginalized. Gleaning also raises a question as to why there are poor among the community in the first place and what are we called to do in light of that reality. The sermon is in response to Ruth 2:1-23

We're starting a sermon series on the book of Ruth. Ruth's story is full of difficulties and blessings. And through it all, Ruth remains faithful. Given our own circumstances of difficulties, the book of Ruth offers us Good News. The sermon is based on Ruth 1:1-22.