The story of Abigail and Nabal reminds us that the prophets and scribes of old often remembered the women, left off the lists of kings, who made the events of…
The dichotomy of insecurity and inspiration that came into Jersualem's royal household serves as a model for our reactions to disruption throughout our lives--including in the national parks.
Throughout the Bible, we see women's stories subsumed into the stories of their sons and husbands. Taking them independently, we can glimpse pictures of the ways power is enforced upon…
Ruth and Naomi eventually find security in Boaz's house. But in linking this story to the story of Judah and Tamar, the writers remind us that pregnancies don't always lead…
Rehoboam inherits his throne, surrounds himself with princelings, and does not pay attention to the work required to keep a kingdom together. In his cruelty, he loses the prized status…
Sometimes, the moment when the story changes totally doesn't look like the moment when the story changes. Sometimes, it looks that way in hindsight, and sometimes we convince ourselves that…
One of the most important parts of Democracy is accountability. David's treatment of Uriah shows us the dangers of corruption to Democracy and leadership. Nathan's words remind us that we…
Ruth 4 gets into the weeds of redemption and marriage in ancient Israel. But there's a message for us: Boaz sees hope in the future, rather than in the past.…
Jesus's birth always reminds us that in darkness, in places we don't think matter, in the shadows cast by the bright lights to which we are all drawn, there is…
Solomon's exploitation of labor and subjects split the kingdom. Pope Leo X's exploitation of distant Catholics split the church. But as we Protestants stripped down sanctuaries in a move toward…
[audio mp3="https://www.ankenyucc.org/wp-content/uploads/sermons/2017/10/Reforming-Power-and-Prophets.mp3"][/audio] One of the unexpected consequences of the Reformation is the rise of national churches. This sometimes leads us to forget that Kings, Queens, Presidents, any individual leader will…
The sermon series on the early kings of Israel ends with the downfall of David's reign. We are reminded how important it is to remember the faults in our past, and the…
The new King David rebuilds the monarchy in Israel, rebuilds Israel into a united kingdom, rebuilds the fortress in Jerusalem after leaving his original capitol in Hebron. This is the…
The Bible contains many different kinds of stories. In this transition between the Bible as prehistory and the Bible as history, the parental relationship of God to God's children is…
