Category Archives: sermons

There’s nothing quite so delicious and refreshing as a wonderful fresh bowl of fruit on a warm summer day. Luscious strawberries or blueberries, fresh watermelon, crisp apples. Fresh from the farm, right from the tree or vine, if you can get it. But the thing about fresh fruit is that it only stays fresh for so long…

We in the U.S. like to think that we are a Christian nation. Our money says “In God We Trust,” and we pledge allegiance to “One Nation Under God.” Our politicians take their oaths of office while placing their hands on a Bible. And yet, how do we treat our most vulnerable citizens? How do we treat our neighbors, including those from our neighboring nations? And how do we treat those who are downtrodden and oppressed on the side of the road?

Naaman wasn’t healed because of his vast sums of money or because of his power or prestige, or because of the fact that he was favored by the king. Naaman was healed because he was willing to believe the testimony of a compassionate servant girl, and because he humbly obeyed the simple command of an Israelite prophet.

There are many people in our world who are drawn to power, but who don’t always understand the weight of responsibility that comes with it. This is why we read in Galatians 5 that the “fruit” of the Spirit is love, joy, peace…

Even as we celebrate the freedom that was granted to formerly enslaved people in our country, we are reminded that not all people in our world or even in our society are truly free. In so many ways and in so many forms there are still many people in our world today who are not granted equal freedom, or given equal access to resources.