Sermons on Holidays

Sermons on Holidays

The Triumphant Entry | Matthew 21:1-11 & 15

This Palm Sunday, we received a message from Mark Maclean to help us understand how Jesus was perceived and who he really was and what he came to do. Discussion Questions 1. When Jesus rode into Jerusalem, the crowd treated him like a king. What were they expecting of him? 2. What was correct about the crowd’s description of Jesus? What was incorrect (or incomplete)? 3. What kind of Jesus am I following? One of my own devising or one…

Joy | Luke 2:8-14, Isaiah 53:1-6

On the third Sunday of Advent, Alex DiBisceglie shared with us a message about the joy that we can experience with God. Discussion Questions Icebreaker:  What is one of your favorite Christmas traditions? 1.  How does culture define joy? 2.  What are some obstacles that prevent us from experiencing joy? 3.  What are some ways the Suffering Servant joy helps you transcend sorrow in your life? 4.   What does it mean that Jesus bears our griefs and carries our sorrows?

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel | Isaiah 7:14; Luke 1:78 (Christmas Eve Homily)

O come, O come, Emmanuel, And ransom captive Israel, That mourns in lonely exile here Until the Son of God appear. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel. I tried to lead our college and young adults group to sing this song last weekend, and while the words were beautiful, my rendition was pretty awful. Part of the reason for that is because there’s a bunch of different verses, and I wasn’t always sure which one to sing.…

Awkward Christmas | Matthew 1:18-25 (Shameful Christmas)

One of the annual traditions of the town I grew up in was to host a day-after-Thanksgiving Day parade, which was really a Christmas parade. Now they call it the “Catch the Glow” parade. There were lots of rides and floats, people marching, colorful Christmas decorations. But every year, at the end of the parade, Santa and his reindeer came parading down the main street. It was Santa, and presents, on a slay, on a semi, with fake reindeer. Rudolf…

A Message of Hope | Isaiah 40:1-5

Ethan Wormell was born and raised in Massachusetts. He is married to Catherine and has a son named Henry. He served for five and a half years in the U.S. Marine Corps and is a graduate of Westminster Seminary in California. He is pursuing pastoral ministry and church revitalization in New England. Please enjoy his Christmas message from Isaiah 40:1-5. A Message of Hope | Isaiah 40:1-5 At Christmas time we often reflect on the birth of Christ and the…

Something Better | Matthew 28:1-10

Do you ever go to the store to buy one thing, but come home with something else? Back during the start of Covid my wife Monica was seven months pregnant and I went grocery shopping. This was new for me. I’m not usually the one to go to Market Basket. It was kinda fun. You learn where things are, the dairy section, the cereals, the meats, the frozen vegetables. I got the hang of it, but as I was walking…

Ode to a Donkey | Matthew 21:1-11 (Jesus’ Triumphal Entry)

Today is Palm Sunday, the day the church celebrates Jesus’ triumphant entry into the city of Jerusalem, only to be crucified by the end of the week. There’s one character in the story of Jesus’ ride into town that has just captured my imagination. This character shares the spotlight with Jesus, but I don’t think we give him or her enough time. Can you guess who I’m talking about?… The donkey! I was reading a book for my Doctorate of…

Christmas Eve Sermons | Luke 1:26-38, 2:1-21 (Bernie & Jonathan)

Pastor Bernie and Pastor Jonathan each preached a short message (a homily) on Christmas Eve on the Westford Common. Please enjoy both messages here (watch Facebook video or YouTube video here). Luke 1:26-38 – Pastor Bernie Michaud This is how it all began. God sent an angel to a young virgin, Mary. The word angel just means messenger. Someone sent to relay a message. But, this was no ordinary message and this was no ordinary messenger. The message was that…

The Light of Christmas | Isaiah 9:2

I love Christmas lights. After Thanksgiving my wife and I decorated our front yard with Christmas lights. We actually got into a bit of a contest. She decorated the bushes on one side of the house, and I decorated the other side. Which side you think is better? That’s right. The right side! My side. Now which house do you think is better? Our house? Or this house in Wilmington that won $50,000 for their Christmas lights display? They won…

Easter Transforms Us | John 20:11-18

Easter is a happy day. It’s the happiest day in the church calendar. But it didn’t start the way. That first Easter morning Jesus’ followers were grieving and heartbroken because the one they loved died. Our story today starts with a grieving woman, Mary Magdalene, as she stands outside Jesus’ tomb crying. She is mourning his death and that someone has stolen his body. In the gospels this word for “weep” is a bitter, loud, wailing (Matt 26:75; Mark 6:38).…