First Presbyterian Church

SUNDAY'S sermon

Sunday, December 28, 2025

This sermon reflects on the contrast between Herod’s fear-filled response to Christ’s birth and the quiet trust of those who wait on God with faith. It reminds us that waiting alone is not enough; our waiting must be shaped by rightly ordered love and trust in God’s faithfulness. While Herod’s fear leads to control and violence, Joseph’s obedience in the wilderness reveals a God who works through vulnerability and trust. In the days after Christmas, the sermon invites us to consider how Christ longs to reorder our loves so that waiting becomes a place of hope, healing, and formation rather than fear.

Sermon: The Wilderness of Waiting: The King Who Feared Christmas

Scripture Readings: Psalm 33:1–12 | Matthew 2:1–15

Sermon series

gentle and lowly

september 14, 2025 - march 22, 2026

Christians can easily feel that Jesus is perpetually disappointed and frustrated, maybe even close to giving up on them. They know what Christ has done for them—but who is He? How does He feel about His people amid all their sins and failures?

In Matthew 11, Jesus describes himself as “gentle and lowly in heart,” longing for his people to find rest in him. This book reflects on His words, diving deep into Bible passages that speak of Christ’s affections for sinners and encouraging believers as they journey, weary and faltering, toward heaven.

Join us as we take a closer look at the heart of Jesus - gentle, lowly, and full of grace.

Copies are available for purchase directly from the publisher, with options available in print, audio, and eBook formats: Purchase from Publisher

READING SCHEDULE DISCUSSION GUIDE

Resource mentioned sunday, june 29

Global displacement and refugee crisis with myal Greene

conversing with mark labberton

“More of the church is committed to their immigrant neighbours than the media or politicians would like the public to believe.” (Myal Green, from the episode)

Myal Greene (president and CEO of World Relief) joins host Mark Labberton to discuss the global humanitarian crises, refugee resettlement, and the church’s responsibility to respond with courage and compassion. From Rwanda's post-genocide reconciliation following 1994 to the 2025 dismantling of humanitarian aid and refugee programs in the US, Greene shares how his personal faith journey fuels his leadership amid historic humanitarian upheaval. Rooted in Scripture and the global moral witness of the church, Greene challenges listeners to imagine a more faithful Christian response to suffering—one that refuses to turn away from the world’s most vulnerable. Despite the current political polarization and rising fragility of moral consensus, Greene calls on the church to step into its biblical role: speaking truth to power, welcoming the stranger, standing with the oppressed, and embodying the love of Christ in tangible, courageous ways.

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