This week’s sermon explores the Sabbath not as a passive day of personal rest, but as an act of good and necessary work that makes rest possible for all. Drawing on scripture, we’ll consider how the command to keep Sabbath is not simply about stopping our own labors, but about creating the conditions in which our neighbors, families, workers, and even the land itself can breathe. True Sabbath is communal—it interrupts cycles of endless productivity and insists that everyone, from the most powerful to the most vulnerable, deserves the dignity of rest.

In this message, we’ll reflect on how Sabbath can reshape our daily choices, challenging us to think beyond self-care and toward community care. How do our habits of consumption, labor, and time either hinder or help others find rest?

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This Sunday, guest preacher (and dear friend of Pastor Jessie’s) Margaret Okada-Scheck brings a powerful message on courage in divisive times, drawn from the fiery words of Jesus in Luke 12 and the prophet Jeremiah’s image of God’s word as a blazing fire. With honesty, humor, and deep compassion, Margaret reflects on her own wrestling with righteous anger, the urgency of our moment, and the challenge of choosing faith-filled action when the world feels overwhelming. Through the story of Lutheran pastor and anti-Nazi resister Dietrich Bonhoeffer, she explores what it means to embrace “costly grace” and to live out Jesus’ teachings in tangible, everyday ways.

In a world awash with outrage, division, and constant bad news, Margaret invites us to ground ourselves in God’s unshakable love and to let that love fuel our courage. She reminds us that building bridges instead of walls, welcoming the stranger, and tending to one another’s hearts are not small acts—they are the work of God’s kingdom. This is a call to be lanterns for God’s light in the places only we can reach, trusting that together, our courage can spark healing, connection, and hope.

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In a time of uncertainty and fear, Esther found the courage to risk everything—not for her own gain, but for the sake of her people. This sermon explores the bold faith of Esther, a young woman thrust into a position of unexpected influence, who had to choose between comfortable silence and faithful action. With Mordecai’s stirring words—“Who knows? Perhaps you have come to royal dignity for such a time as this”—we are invited to reflect on the moments when God calls us to stand up, speak out, and act with courage.

As we face our own modern-day challenges—whether in our communities, nation, or personal lives—Esther’s story reminds us that courage doesn’t always roar; sometimes it’s a quiet “yes” to God in the face of fear. This message will challenge us to consider where we are being called “for such a time as this,” and how God might be positioning us, like Esther, to be vessels of justice, faithfulness, and hope.

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In a world where fear often roars louder than faith, the story of Daniel in the lions’ den reminds us that courage and conviction can still thrive in the face of danger. This sermon explores how Daniel’s unwavering trust in God led him to remain faithful despite political pressure, isolation, and the threat of death. He didn’t know if God would shut the lions’ mouths—but he chose faith over fear anyway. His witness offers a timeless challenge: to live with integrity even when it’s costly, and to trust that God’s presence goes with us into the hardest places.

Today, we face our own lions—polarization, injustice, economic uncertainty, and pressure to conform to values that don’t always align with God’s call. Remaining faithful isn’t always safe or simple, but like Daniel, we are called to stand firm in prayer, compassion, and truth. This sermon invites us to reflect on what it means to stay faithful not just in personal struggles, but also as we navigate the deep divisions and moral crossroads of our nation. What might it look like to choose faithfulness over fear in our time?

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Today’s sermon and worship theme explores the courage it takes to say “yes” to God’s call, especially when that call brings misunderstanding, rejection, or personal sacrifice. Drawing from the stories of the prophet Jeremiah—who was called to speak hard truths no one wanted to hear—and Mary, the mother of Jesus—who risked shame and uncertainty to bear the Son of God—the message highlights how faithful obedience often means stepping into discomfort for the sake of something greater.

We are reminded that God doesn’t just call us to what is easy or popular, but to what is faithful and transformative. Like Jeremiah and Mary, we may be called to carry a message or mission the world resists, but when we say “yes,” we join a long line of courageous people who trusted that God’s purposes are worth the risk.

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