Worship Sermons

“In Praise of Small Things,” the sermon by Pastor James Clarke for Sunday July 10, 2016. Did anyone else see the season finale of Game of Thrones!? And you believe that Tyrion Lannister became the Hand of the Queen. Kind of like the Vice President. It’s a long and convoluted […]

“A Holy and Living Sacrifice” the Sermon by Pastor James Clarke, 5th Sunday After Pentecost, June 19, 2016. The Scripture: Galatians 3:23-29, Luke 9:1-6. I got a real kick out of watching how fast Zack and Kevin Cooper became fathers. Usually parents have at least nine months to prepare; even adoptions […]

“We are Justified By Stories,” Pastor James Clarke’s sermon for Graduation Sunday, the 4th Sunday after Pentecost, June 12, 2016. The scripture: I Kings 21:1-21, Galatians 2:15-24, Luke 7:36-50. I just finished a book by one of my seminary professors, John B. Cobb Jr., Theological Reminiscences, an autobiography, but focused […]

The River of Life, Pastor James Clarke’s sermon for Sunday, May 29, 2016, is the fifth and concluding sermon in his series on understanding the book of Revelation. The scripture is Revelation 22: 1-17. Listen to the sermon here. A favorite movie of mine is “A River Runs Through It” for […]

Here is Pastor James Clarke’s fourth sermon in the series based on Revelation, “The Whore of Babylon,” for Sunday, May 22, 2016. Listen to the sermon here. Revelation has always been a little scary. It doesn’t make a good bedtime story. Beasts and dragons, fire and destruction. It has never […]

“Feel The Burn,” Pastor James Clarke’s sermon for the Day of Pentecost, Sunday May 15, 2016. The scripture: Acts 2:1-13 and John 14:8-17, 25-27. Read the sermon (below) or listen to the audio by clicking on this link: https://soundcloud.com/cedar-cross-umc/and-you-do-not-know-me   Well… I went to observe the United Methodist General Conference in […]

Here is the third sermon in Pastor James Clarke’s sermon series on Revelation: “A New Heaven and a New Earth” for Sunday, April 24, 2016. The scripture: Revelation 21:1-16. You may read the text, printed below, or listen to the audio recording by clicking on https://soundcloud.com/cedar-cross-umc/a-new-heaven-and-a-new-earth   A number of weeks […]

The first sermon in Pastor James Clarke’s sermon series on Revelation is “A Disturbance in the Force.” The scripture is from Revelation 1:9-20. Sunday, April 3, 2016. Revelation is a collection of visions experienced by John of Patmos (not to be confused with the author of the Gospel According to John). […]

Pastor James Clarke’s second sermon in the series about Revelation is “Warring Myths.” The scripture readings are: John 18:33-36 and Revelation 7:9-17. Sunday, April 17, 2016. Listen to this sermon here.  Revelation is a collection of visions experienced by John of Patmos (not to be confused with the author of the Gospel […]

Pastor James Clarke’s Palm Sunday sermon, the tenth and last sermon in his series “Slow Church,” is The Art of Conversation.” The scripture is I Corinthians 11:17-26 and Luke 20:29-40. You may listen to the sermon by clicking or this link https://soundcloud.com/cedar-cross-umc/the-art-of-conversation or by reading the following text:   I think we all […]