Sermons
Sermons by Pastor John Castricum
Sermons during Epiphany
February 19, 2012 Transfiguration Sunday “A Mountain Top Conversation” Mark 9: 2-9
This sermon imagines what might have been said when Jesus was talking to Moses and Elijah on top of Mount Tabor.
February 12, 2012 “A Life of Discipline” I Corinthians 9: 24-27
A sermon on the need for self-discipline in the Christian life.
January 22, 2012 “United in Our Calling” Mark 1: 14-20
In the midst of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, this sermon seeks a new way of understanding church unity. Rather than believing all should belong to one church and believe in the same thing, we should celebrate the diverse ways Jesus calls each person to faith and worship, and find our unity in the same call of Jesus to “follow me.”
January15, 2012 “Come and See” John 1: 43-51
Based upon Jesus’ calling of Phillip and Nathaniel, Pastor John compares their discipleship with our own. With each step, we come to a deeper sense of God’s presence and understanding who Jesus is.
Sermons during Advent and Christmas
December 11, 2011 “The Prophecy Fulfilled: Rejoice” Zephaniah 3: 14-17
On “Joy Sunday” Pastor John describes the difference between the happiness our world offers and the deeper joy that comes from God.
December 4, 2011 “The Prophecy Fulfilled: Highway under Construction” Isaiah 40: 1-11
Pastor John’s Advent Sermon Series is looking at four prophecies from the Old Testament that are often heard during Advent and Christmas. This sermon reflects on what “prepare the way of the Lord” means.
Sermons in Ordinary time, 2011
November 20 “Remember” Luke 17: 11-19
For the Sunday before Thanksgiving, Pastor John makes a connection between our thankfulness and our memory.
November 6 “They in Glory Shine” Revelation 7: 9-17
For “All Saints Sunday”, Pastor John reflects on how the Saints encourage us to keep struggling with our faith.
October 23, 2011 “Loving God” Matthew 22: 34-46
On Stewardship Sunday, Pastor John reflects on what loving God with all your heart and soul and mind and strength really means.
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October 16 “Walking the Walk” I Thessalonians 1: 1-10
In order for the church to grow, thrive and attract new, young members, it must live with a deep sense of integrity.
Sermons in the Season of Easter, 2011
May 22, 2011 “The Good Shepherd” Psalm 23
During a service that included two baptisms, John compares the role of a Shepherd with that of a Parent.
Sermons in the Season of Lent, 2011
During the season of Lent, Pastor John is offering a Sermon Series entitled, “Golden Calves” reflecting on the idols we construct for ourselves in modern times and the harmful consequences that come from worshiping these modern “idols” versus worshiping God.
April 3 “Top of the Ladder” 2 Kings 5: 1-14
March 20 “The Man/Woman of Your Dreams” Genesis 29:15-30
March 13 “Your Heart’s Desire” Genesis 22: 1-15
Sermons in the Season of Epiphany, 2011
March 6, 2011 “Transformed Hearts” Matthew 17: 1-9
This sermon is a reflection on the meaning of Jesus’ transfiguration, just before the week of his suffering and death.
February 20, 2011 “Turning the Other Cheek” Matthew 5: 38-48
This sermon tries to get behind the meaning of one of Jesus’ hardest teaching.
February 13, 2011 “Salty Christians” Matthew 5: 13-16
This sermon reflects on Jesus’ saying, “You are the salt of the earth.”
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February 6, 2011 “Hanging Out with the Nerds” Matthew 5: 1-12
This sermon is a reflection on Jesus’ beatitudes that begin the Sermon on the Mount
January 23 ” United in Our Calling” Matthew 4: 12-23
The sermon, delivered during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity,” reflects on our being united by Jesus calling us.
January 16, 2011 “The Real Jesus” John 1: 29-42
This sermon reflects on the difficulty of “seeing” Jesus, in all his mystery.
Sermons in Season of Pentecost, 2010
November 21, 2010 “Bread for All” John 6: 1-14
The Thanksgiving Sunday sermon challenges the congregation to believe in God’s abundance rather than in scarcity.
November 14, 2010 “The Gift of Endurance” Luke 21: 5-19
The sermon talks about how Christians are given the power to endure the worst of times.
November 7, 2010 “The Pursuit of Happiness” Luke 6: 20-31
In the sermon for All Saints Sunday, the sermon reflects on how saints understood “happiness” in a totally different way from the culture around them, and urge us to do the same.
October 24, 2010 “I’m Okay”
Based upon Luke 18: 9-14, the sermon challenges the way we try to portray ourselves before others and God as “okay” even when we aren’t.
October 17, 2010 “Tell the Truth”
Based upon 2 Timothy 3:14 – 4:5, the sermon deals with the question of truth and scripture.
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September 19, 2010 “Desperately Searching”
Based upon Luke 15: 1-10, the sermon asks, “if God is in a desperate search for lost souls, why aren’t we?”
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September 5, 2010 “A Brief Letter”
Based upon the shortest book in the Bible, Paul’s letter to Philemon, this sermon challenges us to take the often challenging road of reconciliation.
August 29, 2010 “Laws of Hospitality”
Based on Luke 14: 7-14, this sermon meditates on Jesus’ new understanding of what hospitality is all about.
August 22, 2010 “Keeping the Sabbath ‘Wholly’”
Based on Luke 13: 10-17, the sermon focuses on the Sabbath as a time of healing and “wholeness.”
August 15, 2010 “Running the Race”
Based upon Hebrews 12 as well as my experience as a runner, the sermon compares our faith lives to running a road race.
August 1, 2010 “The Old Testament God”
Based on Hosea 11, the sermon meditates on the prophets metaphor of God as the loving parent of a rebellious child, addicted to things that are set to destroy him. Although the father gets hurt and angry, forgiveness overcomes all these emotions.
July 25, 2010 “Christmas in July” Luke 1: 26-38
For our first Christmas in July Sunday, the sermon reflects on what it must have been like for Mary to carry Jesus in her womb for nine months.
July 11, 2010 “Living with Blinders On” Luke 10: 25-37
Based upon the famous “Good Samaritan” parable, this sermon is a challenge to expand our understanding of “who is my neighbor?”
July 4, 2010 “Starting a Revolution” Luke 4: 16-30
Thinking of the birth of American, this sermon used the term “revolutionary war” and meditated on the nature of a revolution and revolutionaries, using Jesus as the model of a revolutionary.
June 27 – “Traveling Light” Luke 9: 57-62
Theme is on discipleship: discipleship does not come from our initiative, it comes from Jesus.
June 20, 2010 – “Get Back Out There!: I Kings 19: 1-4, 8-15a
Based on the story of Elisha hiding in the cave, the theme is how God often throws us into conflict.
May 23rd – Pentecost Acts 2: 1-21
Theme is how we don’t control the Holy Spirit, the Spirit controls us.
During the 2010 Season of Lent, Pastor John preached of series of sermons on “The Hymns of Lent.” Each Sunday, he took a traditional lenten hymn, and talked about the backround and meaning of these hymns. Here are the sermons from this series:
February 21 “In the Cross of Christ I Glory”
March 7 “Old Rugged Cross”
March 14 – “There Is a Fountain Filled with Blood”
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March 21 – “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross”
