Discipling Life

John begins his first letter with a joyful and deeply personal witness to Jesus Christ. He emphasizes that Jesus was not merely an idea, a spiritual vision, or a distant teacher, but the living “word of life” whom the disciples personally heard, saw, and touched. Christ entered fully into human life so that people could truly know God. John’s testimony reminds us that the gospel is rooted in real relationship and lived experience. The eternal life of God was revealed in Jesus, and through him we are invited into fellowship not only with other believers, but with the Father and the Son themselves. This passage reflects the gracious heart of God, who reaches out to humanity and invites all people into a restored and life-giving relationship through Christ. John proclaims that “God is light and in him there is no darkness at all,” (v. 5) revealing God’s pure and holy nature. This truth invites a response: those who claim fellowship with God are called to walk in the light, living w...

Psalm 90 is a prayer that holds together two truths we often keep apart: God is eternal, and our lives are short. “For a thousand years in your sight are like yesterday when it is past” (v. 4), yet our days “are soon gone, and we fly away” (v. 10). In Lent, this psalm invites us to face our limits honestly—not to frighten us, but to lead us into wisdom. It names the reality of sin and the weight of time. And yet, it also offers hope—a plea for wisdom, mercy, and the beauty of God’s favor resting on our lives. The psalm begins with an affirmation: “Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations” (v. 1). Before anything else existed, God was. That means we are never alone. Even when life feels uncertain or fleeting, God remains our home. Moses, the identified author of this psalm, doesn’t shy away from hard truths. He speaks of human frailty: “You turn us back to dust… our years come to an end like a sigh” (vv. 3, 9). He names the consequences of sin and the reality o...

In Matthew 27:15-23 , we see a strange and unsettling custom. To celebrate the festival, the governor would release one prisoner chosen by the crowd. Pilate gives them a choice that seems obvious on the surface. On one hand, there is Jesus Barabbas , a “notorious prisoner.” On the other, there is Jesus, the one called the Messiah , who had spent his days healing the sick and preaching about the kingdom of God. Now, let me make a note about the names. Barabbas (or Bar Abbas ) means son of the father. So, on the one hand you have Jesus, son of the father, and on the other hand you have Jesus, Son of the Father.  So, which ‘hand’ do you choose? Which Jesus do you choose? It is a heartbreaking moment. The crowd, stirred up by leaders who felt threatened by love and mercy, chose the way of violence over the way of peace. They shouted for Barabbas to be set free and for Jesus to be crucified.  This act represents a rejection of Jesus’s peaceful message in favor of a figure w...

This sermon was preached on March 22, 2026, at Ebenezer UMC and Black Creek UMC for the Fifth Sunday of Lent. The scriptures of the day are: Ezekiel 37:1-14, Psalm 130, Romans 8:6-11, John 11:1-45 . 1. Being Stuck Have you ever felt truly stuck? It is a sensation that defines so much of our human condition. We often use the word metaphorically—we are stuck in a career, stuck in a grief that won’t lift, or stuck in an old pattern of behavior. But whether it is emotional, mental, or physical, being stuck is a form of paralysis. It is that heavy, suffocating moment when something wraps itself around your heart or your spirit and simply refuses to let go. This state of being bound creates a barrier between the person you are and the life God intended for you to live. I remember when I was at Duke Divinity School and I was serving as a student pastor for three churches in Sampson County. It was a long two-hour drive between the two, and to maintain my sanity amidst the rigors of study...

There are days when the world feels heavy. News headlines, personal struggles, and uncertain futures can stir up anxiety in our hearts. There are moments in life when the heart feels crowded with questions. What will happen next? How will this turn out? Where am I going, and how will I get there? Sometimes those questions are small and everyday. Sometimes they come in hospital rooms, at kitchen tables, or in the quiet of the night when sleep will not come. Into that very human space of worry and uncertainty, Jesus speaks these words: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me” (v. 1). [ See all of John 14:1-6 here .] Jesus speaks these words to his disciples on the night before the cross. They sense that change is coming, and not the kind of change they want. He has just told them that he will be leaving them, and their hearts are shaken. Yet Jesus does not scold them for being afraid. Instead, he invites them to trust. Our faith in Christ does not re...

During Lent we often focus on the journey toward the cross. It is a time of reflection, repentance, and walking through the darkness of sorrow. However, the story of Jesus and his friend Lazarus reminds us that this journey does not end in death; it leads directly to the bright hope of resurrection . When Jesus arrived in Bethany, Lazarus had already been dead for four days. Martha met Jesus with a cry of honest grief that many of us recognize: “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” It is a prayer born from heartbreak—the wish that God had come sooner or that the pain could have been avoided. Jesus did not offer Martha empty words of comfort or some abstract theological lesson. Instead, he met her exactly where she was and pointed her toward a truth greater than her circumstances. He invited her to trust not just in what he could do, but in who he is . Jesus made a astonishing declaration: “I am the resurrection and the life.” This is a profound shift in ...

Where are you in your daily walk with God? Some people still feel lost or disoriented after COVID. Things in their home church may seem so unfamiliar that it is almost a different church than the one they called home. All the divisiveness in our society and congregations have only added to the feeling of ennui many of us have experienced. That brings us to today’s text: Ezekiel 37:1-14 Many churches today know what Ezekiel’s valley of dry bones feels like. After COVID closures, some congregations returned to sanctuaries that felt emptier than before. Pews that once held familiar faces now hold silence. Programs that once brought energy now feel harder to sustain. It is easy to look around and quietly echo the words of Israel: “Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely” (v. 11). Ezekiel is taken by God into a valley filled with bones—scattered, brittle, long forgotten. God asks him, “Mortal, can these bones live?” (v. 3). Ezekiel doesn’t pretend t...

We are coming up on the first Sunday in Lent. As we approach Sunday I am looking at the lectionary texts for the day. Yesterday I took a look at the Old Testament lesson (Gen. 2:15-17; 3:1-7). Today I look at the psalter (Psalm 32) which we use as a liturgical response to the first lesson. Blessed Are the Unburdened: A Lenten Reflection on Psalm 32 Lent has a way of slowing us down long enough to hear the truth we often spend most of the year avoiding. This Sunday our psalter is Psalm 32. This psalm meets us in that vulnerable space. It is an invitation to honesty—honesty about our sin, our self-deception, and the quiet relief that comes when we finally stop pretending. The psalm opens with a declaration that sounds almost like a sigh of relief: 1 Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven,     whose sin is covered. 2 Happy are those to whom the Lord imputes no iniquity     and in whose spirit there is no de...

In this message, I invite you to explore the Transfiguration of Our Lord, a profound event that reveals God’s radiant glory and challenges us to follow Christ into the heart of our daily lives. Drawing from my own memories of a confirmation retreat in State College, Pennsylvania, under the mentorship of Dr. Nelson Frank, I reflect on the Celtic concept of “thin places”—those sacred moments where the boundary between heaven and earth becomes porous and the divine presence feels especially near. By examining the experiences of Moses on Mount Sinai and the eyewitness testimony of Peter, we see how these mountaintop revelations are not meant for us to hide away in “shelters,” but to transform and equip us for the journeys through the valleys. Ultimately, I want to emphasize that our spiritual life hinges on the Father’s singular command to “Listen to him,” a call that requires us to pay attention to Jesus’ teachings and find direction in His Word even when the world feels chaotic. The Tran...

Today’s scriptures show us the Heart of True Religion. The prophet Micah presents a courtroom scene where God lays out his case against Israel. The people respond by asking what kind of sacrifice would please him—thousands of rams, rivers of oil, or even their firstborn. But the answer is surprising because God has already shown us what is good and what he requires: to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.  The Heart of True Religion Sermon Date:  January 18, 2026 Speaker:  Alan Swartz Scripture Lessons:   Micah 6:1-8; Psalm 15; 1 Corinthians 1:18-31;Matthew 5:1-20 The Illusory Measure of Success How do you measure success? How do you measure blessing? In our modern culture, the definition of a “blessed life” stands in direct opposition to the biblical narrative. We are surrounded by a world that prizes wealth, influence, and an unwavering sense of self-sufficiency. This creates a profound tension for us, as the values of the kingdom of God ...