Community UMC Sermon Devotionals

  Day 1 — Do Not Let Your Hearts Be Troubled John 14:1 "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me." The disciples were sitting in shadow. The Passover meal was winding down. Jesus had already told them hard things — betrayal, denial, departure. The room was thick with grief and confusion. And into that silence, Jesus speaks first. He does not wait for them to collect themselves. He does not offer a plan or a timeline. He speaks directly to the condition of their hearts. Notice what he does not say. He does not say "don't feel afraid." He does not dismiss what they are feeling. He says: when you feel it, here is where to put your faith. Believe in God — and believe also in me. That small word "also" carries enormous weight. Jesus places himself alongside the Father as an equal object of trust. This is not a comforting teacher telling his students things will be fine. This is God in flesh telling his people: I am the so...

  Gatekeeping A Six-Part Devotional on John 10:1–10 “I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved.” John 10:1–10 “Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. ² The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. ³ The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. ⁴ When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. ⁵ They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.” ⁶ Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. ⁷ So again Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. ⁸ All who came before me are thieves and bandits, but the sheep did not listen to them. ⁹ I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved and wil...