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Hillsboro Methodist Church GMC, 16 Henniker Street, PO Box 643, Hillsborough, NH (2026)

05/23/2026

It's time for a Yard Sale. Come on down to the church for some great finds.

05/20/2026

Join us for the Hillsboro Methodist Church Annual Yard Sale Fundraiser!
Stop by from 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM in the side yard of the church at 16 Henniker Street — right across from Tooky Mills Pub!
You’ll find: • Brand new items at amazing prices, generously donated by local businesses
• Plenty of gently used treasures and bargains
• Great deals for pet parents
• A couple of beautiful John Deere collectibles
• Garden tools, new snow shovels for next winter, and so much more!
Come shop, browse, and support our church fundraiser while finding some great deals. We’d love to see you there!

05/13/2026

Unlikely Warriors
Ephesians 6:10-20; Matthew 15:21-28
[©Eric Feustel, Hillsboro Methodist Church, Hillsboro, NH May 10, 2026]

Ephesians 6:10-20 [NRSV]
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. 15 As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. 16 With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints. 19 Pray also for me, so that when I speak, a message may be given to me to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it boldly, as I must speak.

Matthew 15:21-28 [NIV]
Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.” 23 Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.” 24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” 25 The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said. 26 He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” 27 “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” 28 Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.

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For most of its history, Christianity has understood this world as a place of struggle and battle. Good versus Evil, Right versus Wrong. God, angels, and saints on one side; the Devil, hell and demons on the other. The fight was real, and it was expected to last a lifetime. How different today! It seems we no longer imagine ourselves in a battle, certainly not one of cosmic significance. Christianity has now become a form of recreation. One pop-psychologist called religion an “avocation,” a hobby like collecting stamps or coins. Church has become the domain of emotions and experience. Pastors must make the congregation leave feeling good. Another pastor described worship as “a singalong followed by a motivational speech.” Seventy-five years ago A.W. Tozer observed that “[We have come to] think of the world, not as a battleground but as a playground. We are not here to fight; we are here to frolic . . . the best we can do is to rid ourselves of our inhibitions and our frustrations and live this life to the full.” His words truer today than then.

But wait, this is Mothers Day! Why are we talking about battles and warfare? Because mothers are on the front lines of a spiritual war. Mothers can be warriors. Did you notice the mother in our Gospel reading who argued with Jesus—and won! Birds will defend their nests from predators. Many animal mothers will risk their lives to protect their young. Granted, mothers are unlikely warriors, but warriors you are. Fortunately, we have spiritual equipment for the battles we face. In his letter, St. Paul tells us to Be Strong in the Lord and in his power! The armor of a Roman soldier weighed 70 pounds. A wimp is not going to wear all that armor. We need the armor of God because we have enemies who are out to hurt us, even kill us, both physically and spiritually. Verse 12 reminds us that our enemies are rulers, authorities, cosmic powers, and spiritual forces in the spiritual realm. We must realize how big our enemy is, and we must refuse to be bullied by fear. In Franklin Roosevelt’s inaugural address he spoke those famous words “there is nothing to fear [but] fear itself,” because fear paralyzes us from turning retreat into advance.

Put on the Belt of Truth. Webster said, “There is nothing so powerful as truth.” Truth is consistent; truth holds it all together. Truth may be suppressed, but truth is never defeated. It will keep on coming around. There are multiple opinions and multiple interpretations, but only one Truth. The truth never fades or goes out of style. Kierkegaard said, “There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn't true; the other is to refuse to believe what is true.”

The Breastplate of Righteousness is the righteousness of Christ. We need to live righteously in our language and conduct. Jesus told us to “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness” [Mathew 6:33]. Psalm 112:6 promises us that “the righteous will never be shaken.”

We wear the Shoes of Peace. Footwear allows the soldier to stand firm. This reminds us that we are not to be offensive. We’re not looking to pick fights. To the contrary, “So far as it lies with you, be at peace with everyone” [Rom 12:18]. We are sharing the Gospel of Peace with everyone we encounter. If someone resists, there is no reason for conflict.

The Shield of faith is what we know and believe about God. A shield is defensive, and it is used to quench the flaming arrows of doubts, snide remarks, fear, scoffing, ridicule, deception and so on. In the famous 11th chapter of Hebrews, also known as the “Faith Hall of Fame,” the context is about persecution and hardship [Hebrews 10]. Those Heroes of Hebrews 11:35-38 “shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; they were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated—the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground.” These heroes were not having ‘their best life now,’ nor did they pray for relieve from their hardships. However, “These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better.” Faith is not about claiming victory, it is about enduring hardship. Is your heart breaking? Are you frustrated or grieved? Faith is your shield! Saving faith is a free gift offered to all people [Titus 2:11]; enduring faith is a shield we must take up ourselves!

The Helmet of Salvation means you can never suffer a spiritually mortal wound. As committed Christians, nothing can separate us from the love of God [Romans 8:38-39]. Salvation is a free gift, but it must be appropriated. Jesus died for the sins of the whole world, but only some will meet the conditions. Salvation is not a free ticket to Heaven when you die. The ‘ticket’ if you will, is repentance! That means to turn away from the world’s ways and to follow God’s ways. When you do so, you are enlisting in an army—that’s why you need the armor.

Finally, we come to the only offensive weapon: The Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. When we memorize scripture, we are internalizing God’s truth, we are learning the playbook. Jesus commissioned us to make more disciples. We have ground to conquer; there are people to be brought to faith. We must not spend our lives cringing like turtles in a shell, hoping those blows don’t get through. We must be on the offensive without being offensive. Athletic coaches tell their players, “The best defense is a good offense.” We must seek opportunities to put the enemy on defense.

Notice please, that there is No Armor for the Backside! We don’t retreat from the battle. The passage goes on to speak of prayer, and mothers, this is especially for you. Pray for your families. Pray for each other. Mothers, continue to pray for your children, even if they are adults now. They may be faithful Christians—pray for them to continue in the faith. They may be dormant Christians—pray that the fire of the Holy Spirit ignites their lives. They may be living in disobedience and rebellion—pray that they repent and come to faith. Don’t skip over verse 10 where Paul asks for his readers to pray for him. Pray for me, your pastor, too. Paul and I have something in common: we both need prayer. Pray that I am effective in drawing you to faith in Christ and obedience to the Word.

To misunderstand the battle is to miss the victory of the Cross. Jesus did not die a martyr’s death; he won a victory! We are still in the Easter season, so it is a good opportunity to reflect on the fact that Jesus took the sin of humanity on himself, took it to the grave, left it there, and came back from the dead. The Cross & Empty Tomb go together. The eternal victory is won, but we are still in a battle here on this earth. We probably don’t understand the cosmic dimensions of the battle we are in, and so we continue to be faithful warriors—mothers, fathers, sons and daughters

Benediction: Anyone who hikes in New Hampshire knows that the most dangerous thing we can encounter on the trails is a mother—a mother bear and her cubs! Mothers, defend your children with your prayers with the same ferocity as a mother bear protects her cubs. We have all the equipment we need, already provided by God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

05/06/2026

New and Improved
A New Covenant
Exodus 24:1-8; Hebrews 9:1-12; Luke 22:14-20
[©Eric Feustel, Hillsboro Methodist Church, Hillsboro, NH May 3, 2026]

Today’s Bible Readings:
Exodus 24:1-8 [NIV]
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Come up to the Lord, you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel. You are to worship at a distance, 2 but Moses alone is to approach the Lord; the others must not come near. And the people may not come up with him.” 3 When Moses went and told the people all the Lord’s words and laws, they responded with one voice, “Everything the Lord has said we will do.” 4 Moses then wrote down everything the Lord had said. He got up early the next morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain and set up twelve stone pillars representing the twelve tribes of Israel. 5 Then he sent young Israelite men, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls as fellowship offerings to the Lord. 6 Moses took half of the blood and put it in bowls, and the other half he splashed against the altar. 7 Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it to the people. They responded, “We will do everything the Lord has said; we will obey.” 8 Moses then took the blood, sprinkled it on the people and said, “This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.”

Hebrews 9:1-12 [NIV]
Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary. 2 A tabernacle was set up. In its first room were the lampstand and the table with its consecrated bread; this was called the Holy Place. 3 Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place, 4 which had the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. This ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant. 5 Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory, overshadowing the atonement cover. But we cannot discuss these things in detail now.
6 When everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered regularly into the outer room to carry on their ministry. 7 But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. 8 The Holy Spirit was showing by this that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still functioning. 9 This is an illustration for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper. 10 They are only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings—external regulations applying until the time of the new order.
11 But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. 12 He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption.

Luke 22:14-20 [NIV]
When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. 15 And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.” 17 After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. 18 For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” 19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.

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Maybe you’ve seen the comedy routine that begins, “Noah, build an ark,” and Noah answers, “Yeah, sure . . . uh, What’s an ark?” Today we’re talking about the Ark of the Covenant, but the humorous question to God still applies. However, the linguistic link between Noah’s ark and Ark of the Covenant is in English only, not Hebrew. The word for Noah’s ark would be translated “box,” while the Ark of the Covenant is translated from a higher word, like one might use to describe a jewelry box. Synagogues today keep their Torah scrolls in an ornate cabinet called an ark. The lexicon explains the word as “a theologically charged sign of covenant, presence, holiness, judgment, and grace.” The word is used many times in conjunction with the Ark of the Covenant and only a few other times, always containing something of high value.

In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus speaks of a New Covenant. It may help us to first learn about the original Ark of the Original Covenant. The Ark held something precious: the Covenant between God and the people of Israel. A covenant is a treaty, a testimony, or an agreement—the words are essentially synonymous. In our Bible we have two testaments, or agreements. For the ancient Hebrew people, the Ark of the Covenant symbolized the presence of God. It was made of wood overlaid with gold. For Christians, the people of the New Covenant, this symbolizes the two natures of Christ: the wood symbolizing the humanity of Jesus and the gold his divinity. Jesus is fully God and fully Divine.

Guarding the Ark were the Cherubim, whose special task in the divine order is to guard the holiness of sacred spaces. The Ark was only an object, but a sacred one. It was not even to be touched. For what happened when someone did, rear the story of Uzzah [2 Samuel 6; 1 Chronicles 13]. We in the Protestant church traditions lack a good theology of holiness, and I doubt most Christians of any tradition have a theology of holiness like the ancient Hebrews. Their Temple was a holy place and within it was the holiest place of all—where the Ark of the Covenant resided. Only the high priest and only once per year, was allowed there to make atonement for the people’s sin by sprinkling the blood of the sacrifice on the Mercy Seat of the Ark [Leviticus 16]. Atonement for sin was, and remains, the holiest interaction between Deity and God’s people.

Inside the Ark of the Covenant were the stone tablets that contained the Torah—God’s law and covenant with the people. For the people of the Hebrew Covenant, the Law was, and remains, the symbol of their identity. Loyalty to the Torah and its Ten Commandments and six hundred more regulations has maintained Jewish identity since the loss of the Ark in 586BC and the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD. For Christians, we have a New Covenant, a new Law, the Law of Love. Jesus tells us, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” [John 13:34-35]. In John 15:13 Jesus says, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends,” and that is what Jesus did for humanity when he died on the cross.

With the Ark of the Covenant was also that staff of Aaron that sprouted overnight, confirming God’s choice that for the priestly line to be established through Moses’ brother Aaron and his descendants. Under the Hebrew Covenant only priests had contact with God. The priesthood was originally intended for all of Israel [Exodus 19], but because of their idolatry that promise was negated. However, it was still through Israel that Jesus was birthed through the Virgin Mary. The Aaronic priesthood ended at the Crucifixion [Matthew 27:51], when the veil in the Temple that separated the holiest place was torn apart, and symbolically the barrier was removed and access to God became open to all. In the New Covenant, Jesus is our high priest [Hebrews 2:9], and all believers are priests, so in a way that original promise was re-established [2 Peter 2:9; Isaiah 66:20-21].

In the Ark was also a bowl of Manna. Manna was their heaven-sent food sustaining them physically while they wandered in the wilderness for those forty years [Exodus 16, Numbers 11]. We, the people of the New Covenant have the Sacrament that sustains us spiritually in the “wilderness” of this world.

At the Last Supper, Jesus said, “This is the New Covenant in my blood” [Luke 22:20]. Hebrews tells us that Jesus is the mediator of the New Covenant. Jesus is the New Ark. As said above, wood and gold remind us of his humanity and divinity. The Ark was not the Ark without the wood and the gold, nor could Jesus be our savior without being both fully human and fully divine. Humanity had to be saved, but humanity couldn't do it ourselves, so God in Christ did it for us. In a sense, Communion is an ark; a sacrament is a “vehicle of grace.” Christ is present in the elements and we “feed on him in our hearts by faith with thanksgiving” when we receive. St. Paul reminds us that the bread which we break is a partaking of the body of Christ; and likewise the cup of blessing is a partaking of the blood of Christ” [1 Corinthians 10:16]. Some well-intentioned Christians disagree, saying the Communion elements are only symbols, despite scriptural teaching in the affirmative [1 Corinthians 11:29]. As you come to the table this morning, I urge you to discern the body and blood of our Savior, shed for you and for the whole world [1 John 2:2]. Some may disagree. I suggest you claim Matthew 9:29, “As your faith, be it unto you.” Jesus made that statement in the context of healing two blind men. May you receive spiritual sight as you receive today. When you come to receive, you are participating in his death; when you leave you are participating in his resurrection!

Benediction: May you go in peace to love and serve the Lord, nourished and refreshed by his death and life, to mediate—yes, you are priests!—go mediate to all whom you meet, the Love, Truth, and Grace of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Amen.

04/23/2026

Men's Breakfast is this Saturday April 25th. Meeting starts at 8 am at the Hillsboro Umc

04/19/2026

Today's Sermon: 4/19/26 Part 2

Better By Far!
The End of the Path—2
Matt 10:26-31; Philippians 1:20-26; Psalm 90:1-10
[©Eric Feustel, Hillsboro Methodist Church, Hillsboro, NH April 19, 2026]

Today’s Bible Readings:
Matthew 10:27-31, 39 [NIV]
What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. 28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. 39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.

Philippians 1:20-26 [NIV]
I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; 24 but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me.

Psalm 90:1-10 [NIV]
1 Lord, you have been our dwelling place
throughout all generations.
2 Before the mountains were born
or you brought forth the whole world,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
3 You turn people back to dust,
saying, “Return to dust, you mortals.”
4 A thousand years in your sight
are like a day that has just gone by,
or like a watch in the night.
5 Yet you sweep people away in the sleep of death—
they are like the new grass of the morning:
6 In the morning it springs up new,
but by evening it is dry and withered.
7 We are consumed by your anger
and terrified by your indignation.
8 You have set our iniquities before you,
our secret sins in the light of your presence.
9 All our days pass away under your wrath;
we finish our years with a moan.
10 Our days may come to seventy years,
or eighty, if our strength endures;
yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow,
for they quickly pass, and we fly away.

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Despite the population explosion, the death rate has remained the same: one death for every birth, separated by about seventy years. As long as there has been life, there has been the fear of death. Before the fall, Adam & Eve were warned that the penalty for eating of the tree was death [Genesis 2:17]. Did they even know what death was? The ancient myth of Gilgamesh (among earliest of written documents) deals with matter of death and quest for eternal life. A recent article in Psychology Today began, “Death. It’s the one certainty we all share.”

We have ways of avoiding the actual word, using a plethora of metaphors. Most frequently, “Passed away,” or “Passed on.” I don’t know how “kicking the bucket” came about. There are more: “The end of the line,” or ‘”The end of the path” (today’s sermon sub-title). One of my favorites is “Pushing up daisies.” The military coined a phrase, “When your number comes up,” and there are others for an untimely death, such as “Wrote the last chapter,” “Lights out,” or from the pinball era, “Tilt—game over.” I’ve also heard “Checked out” and “Bit the dust.” A high school girlfriend was a semi-professional musician and her obituary said she “played her last performance.” I read another who was described by her sister as “Dancing among the stars.” Shakespeare spoke of “shuffling off my mortal coil.” Among Christians we might hear, “Gone to their reward,” “homegoing,” or one dear woman was described as “graduating” from this life.

Last week we had a series of Ps relating to preparing for death, or making the most of the last chapter of our life’s book: Physical Health, Purpose, Plan, Presence, Progress, Pleasure (Joy), and People. I promised you one more P this week and that is Promise. Christian believers have the Promise of eternal life. This week we will explain what Promise means with four Fs, Fear, Faith, Future, and Funny. What’s funny about death? You’ll see. Before we get to that we must deal with a Problem.

We start from a position of Fear. We know death will happen. Life is a terminal condition. Eternal life is a conditional terminus. That anyone is “saved,” implies there is something from which we are saved, and that is Hell. Jesus (gentle Jesus meek and mild; the Baby in the manger) talks about Hell. Jesus uses this word twelve times. When the Bible says something, take it seriously; when the Bible repeats itself, take it very seriously; when the Bible repeats itself a dozen times . . . !

The word for Hell that Jesus uses is Gehenna. Historically, this was a place where Israel had sacrificed their children in an unbelievably cruel way to an idol called Molech [Jeremiah 7; 2 Kings 23], and after Josiah’s reforms Israel turned that valley into the city dump where all the garbage, including dead animals and even executed criminals, were dumped and burned. Why is there a Hell? Because we need a Hell. It seems unfair that anyone ‘gets away with’ some of the things we hear about in the news. Yet we believe that God is merciful. How does a God who is perfect in justice balance being perfect in mercy? Justice says “the soul that sins shall die” [Ezekiel 18:20] and “the wages of sin is death” [Romans 6:23]. We know that everyone is guilty of sin (if you disagree, ask your spouse!). The situation might appear hopeless. Indeed, we know that we will all die.

This brings us to Faith. Thankfully, God is not only perfect in justice, God is also perfect in mercy. Romans 6:23 goes on to say, “the gift of God is eternal life.” Consider the context of Romans 6:23—“But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” These statements are predicated on faith, and this faith brings us two benefits: holiness, and eternal life. Holiness means that we are freed from sin itself (not just the penalty for sin) so we can lead holy lives that are very different from the world around us. Without holiness we cannot see God [Hebrews 12:14]. By receiving holiness, and leading holy lives (the results of repentance), we receive the gift of God which is eternal life.

But there is still the matter of our human death. What happens when we die? I suggest you think of it as getting on an airplane. You are out of control, but the Pilot of our plane is Jesus. He’s traveled this route before. You’ve done that; you can handle it! Live your life obediently so that fear of your sins is not a problem. We can’t live like Hell and expect to go to Heaven! But even well-intentioned Christians still commit sin and don’t feel worthy of Heaven. We still fear being punished. Some preachers quote 1 Corinthians 3:13 like it’s a threat, but I think it is actually consolation. “Fire will test the quality of each person’s work.” Not you! Only your works. God is angry, not at you but at some of the things you’ve done. Don’t worry, those things will be disposed of when we die. Jesus took our sin on himself when he died and went to the grave—and he left our sin there!

As a result we can face the Future. Paul says, “I desire to depart and be with Christ.” He desires this! That word for depart has many meanings that all should reassure us. It’s the same word one might use for striking a tent, a ship casting off, moving to a new location, heading out, or even going on a vacation. Paul says that for him “to live is Christ and to die is gain” [verse 21]. Can you think of death as gain—as an achievement? Death means you’ve finished life’s race, like you’ve finished high school or college, or punched out on a Friday night with a sense of satisfaction; the tests have been taken, the project is completed, and so on. What’s next? We have many Promises in Scripture (remember, our final P from last week was Promise) and I’ll quote a few promises from Scripture. The first one reminds us that we don’t/can’t know everything on this side of eternity. At the end of the famous “Love Chapter,” we are reminded that “for now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known” [1 Corinthians 13:12]. Beware of those who are certain of things that Scripture does not teach! Another promise comes through the prophet Jeremiah who said that God has “plans to prosper you and not to harm you; plans to give you hope and a future” [Jeremiah 29:11]. Christian believers can be confident that “he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion” [Philippians 1:6]. St. Peter ends his second letter with these words of hope we can claim when cultural values clash with what we know to be true: “We are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness is at home” [2 Peter 3:13]. We know that God loves us and has something better in store than we can imagine. “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor the human mind conceived what God has prepared for those who love him” [1 Corinthians 2:9]. Best of all, one day we will see Jesus face to face, and he won’t be angry with us. “It does not yet appear what we shall be, but we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is” [1 John 3:2].

Earlier I suggested there could be something Funny in this sermon. Yes, there is Good News, and there is even a humorous side to it. After Jesus’ audience was no doubt terrified about the threat of Hell in our gospel reading, Jesus tells about how God watches even a little bird perish, and then I can visualize Jesus giving them a one-sided smile and a wink, saying, “You are worth more than many sparrows.” You are worth a whole flock of sparrows! 😉 Paul’s words in verse 23 also have a humorous edge to them when he says, “I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far!” A literal translation of that last phrase in English is poor grammar, but I can imagine Paul sounding like a very excited child when he says to be with Christ is “very much more better.” I suppose he could have said it results in a “vastly improved situation,” but I prefer “very much more better!”

Benediction: Maybe you have a GPS in your car. I have a Garmin, and as I draw closer to my house, a little heart icon ❤️ appears on the screen where my home is. Home is where the heart is. Since our true home is in Heaven, we Christians should be the most light-hearted people on the planet. May you have a light-hearted journey toward our true home with God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Amen.

Hillsboro Methodist Church GMC

05/23/2026

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