Sermons

In his sermon titled “Drenched,” Pastor Wes reflects on Jesus’ baptism in Matthew 3:13-17, emphasizing the transformative and communal nature of baptism. He likens the twists and turns of the River Jordan to the meandering paths of our own lives and invites us to embrace God’s grace, which claims us as beloved even before we prove ourselves. Pastor Wes encourages us to remember our baptism daily, listening for God’s presence in the ordinary moments of life and opening ourselves to renewal and love.

Pastor Wes reflects on Matthew 2 and the journey of the Magi, exploring their unique gifts and the deeper truths of the Epiphany story. He highlights the Magi’s status as outsiders and how their search for the Christ child reflects our own spiritual journeys. Through humor and insight, Pastor Wes considers their mistaken visit to Herod’s palace and the dangers of power, contrasting it with the humility of Christ’s birth. He invites us to ask three guiding questions for the new year: “What are you searching for? Why are you searching for it? How are you searching?” Reminding us of God’s grace when we lose our way, he inspires us to follow God’s light with faith and purpose.

Pastor Wes explores the bold beginning of the Gospel of Mark, contrasting its message with the political “good news” of the Roman Empire. Unlike the festive narratives of Jesus’ birth in other Gospels, Mark launches with the declaration of good news amid the wilderness, a setting of struggle and transformation. Pastor Wes highlights the tension between the world’s headlines—stories of conflict, disaster, and personal challenges—and Mark’s announcement of God’s presence through Jesus Christ.

This good news confronts both external oppression and the internal stories we tell ourselves, offering hope and grounding in God’s transformative presence. Pastor Wes invites the congregation to reflect on their own “wilderness” experiences and examine the headlines of their lives, encouraging them to hear and live out the true good news that speaks to the heartlines of all people.

Pastor Wes reflects on the meaning of Emmanuel—“God is here”—reminding us of the gift of God’s presence in every moment, especially the imperfect ones. Using the imagery of Christmas gifts and the nativity story, he explores what it means to embody Mary’s courage, Joseph’s conviction, and the shepherds’ joy. Pastor Wes challenges us to nurture our inner innkeeper, embracing radical hospitality and spreading hope, peace, love, and joy in a world that desperately needs them.

Pastor Wes reflects on Isaiah 61:1-4, emphasizing God’s call for us to rebuild with justice, compassion, and love. Drawing on the image of being “oaks of righteousness,” he encourages the congregation to address oppression, comfort the grieving, and support the marginalized. Through stories and Advent themes, Pastor Wes invites us to light candles of God’s liberating love, bringing hope and renewal to our lives and the world.

Pastor Wes reflects on Isaiah 60:1-6, highlighting the imagery of God’s light shining on all people, including those in exile and those who remained in the rubble of Jerusalem. Using the often-overlooked camel as a metaphor, he emphasizes the beauty and resilience of God’s creation, urging us to recognize our role as carriers of God’s light. Drawing parallels between the Israelites’ return from exile and our own struggles with societal and personal “sandstorms,” Pastor Wes calls us to radiate God’s hope, peace, and goodness. He challenges the congregation to reflect on how they embody and share God’s light, offering the acronym HOW—Honest, Open, Willing—as a guide for living as bearers of hope and peace today.

Preaching on Isaiah 55:1-5, Pastor Wes invites us to a divine feast where all are welcomed without cost. Reflecting on the passage’s themes of bread, milk, and wine, he connects God’s provision in the Exodus with the hope offered during the Babylonian exile. Pastor Wes challenges us to ponder the deep thirsts and hungers in our lives this Advent season: for hope, connection, and purpose. He urges us to resist the distractions of consumerism and instead focus on constructing a present that reflects the future of God’s dream for the world. As we approach Christ’s table, we are reminded of God’s abundant grace and are called to bring that hope into our daily lives.

Pastor Wes reflects on Isaiah’s imagery of “beautiful feet,” challenging the conventional notions of beauty and perfection. Drawing parallels between cosmetically flawed produce and human imperfections, he emphasizes that beauty lies in purpose and message rather than appearance. Through Isaiah’s words, he connects the struggles of ancient exiles to our modern experiences of instability and uncertainty, urging the congregation to reflect on where they stand spiritually and where they are headed. The sermon concludes with an invitation to embrace faithfulness—growing in God’s image for the sake of others—even with life’s inevitable “bumps and bruises.”

Pastor Wes reflects on the centrality of water in scripture, from creation’s chaos to Christ’s baptism, connecting these images to our lives. Drawing from Isaiah 43, he reminds us we are both beloved and broken, living in a world of care and conflict. Water symbolizes life and struggle, while fire represents passion and destruction. Both invite us to examine where we’re thriving, struggling, or flickering. On Stewardship Sunday, Pastor Wes challenges us to consider where our “buckets” are full or empty and to embrace God’s call to give and serve generously.