Trinity Church of Portland - Sermons

This week we continue in our series Follow The Son from the Gospel of Mark. In this sermon Pastor Andrew Pack preaches from Mark 15:1-15. This text gives us the profile of individuals who respond to Jesus in different ways. First, we see Pilate who takes an agnostic approach toward Jesus. Then we see the crowd who are fully antagonistic demanding Pilate crucify Jesus. When it comes to what each person believes about Jesus, ambivalence or antagonism are not options, each person must be either for Jesus or not for Jesus. There is no neutral position when it comes to each person's belief in or rejection of Jesus Christ.

This week in our series Follow The Son, Pastor Thomas preaches from Mark 14:66-72. This sermon brings us to Peter’s denial of Jesus. God often uses unimpressive people to accomplish his work and will in the world. Peter is just this kind of person, a man who was untrained, yet trained and made ready by Jesus and the three years he spent with him. Peter's pride is likely the biggest cause of his denial and downfall but Jesus restored him and Peter went on to great ministry success, even writing two New Testament epistles. This should serve as an encouragement to people like us living in in a cancel culture world. God never cancels His children who have stumbled—rather once we repent in humility, God prunes us and restores us for service in His kingdom.

This week we continue in our series Follow The Son from the Gospel of Mark. This sermon preached by Pastor Andrew Pack is from Mark 14:12-25. Andrew unpacks The Last Supper Passover meal which was the first Communion. Passover is a reenactment and a reminder of God saving the people out of Egypt; Communion is a reenactment and a reminder for us of what Jesus has done for us, his death on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins. This should cause us to be serious when we come to the table and we should let the gravity of what God has done for us grow us in our devotion to Jesus.

Delving into contrasting themes of betrayal and devotion, the podcast explores the story of Judas and a woman anointing Jesus with expensive perfume. It challenges societal norms on gift-giving and emphasizes the significance of extravagant devotion to God. The narrative showcases the profound acts of sacrifice and love, highlighting the call to embrace radical love and generosity in response.

This week we continue in our series Follow The Son from the Gospel of Mark. This sermon from Pastor Andrew Pack preached from Mark 13:1-37 draws attention to Jesus’s discourse on the Mount of Olives. This text as well as much in our Bible has a lot to say about the future. The main takeaways for us is that Jesus wins, Jesus’s people win, and Jesus is coming—so we are to be ready as people who stay awake. If you’re a person who isn’t living in light of these truths ask yourself, what is the first and main thing you need to do to wake up and be ready?

This week we continue in our series Follow The Son from the Gospel of Mark. This week Pastor Thomas Terry preaches from Mark 12:28-40. This sermon draws attention to what it means to love. Jesus using the Old Testament lays out The “Who” and the “How” of what it means to love. The call from Jesus is to love God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength and to love our neighbor as ourselves. This command actually condemns us because we cannot do it perfectly. But God, has provided Jesus to give his life in order to save us from our lawbreaking, to rescue us from our lovelessness—forgiving all of our sins.

We continue in our series Follow The Son from the Gospel of Mark. This week Pastor Andrew Pack preaches from Mark 12:18-27. This sermon draws attention to a big question. What happens when you die? As the answer to this question gets unpacked we learn that Jesus is alive, Jesus makes dead people alive, Jesus makes living people live, and Jesus will make living people who have died live again.

This week we return to our series Follow The Son working our way through the Gospel of Mark. In this sermon Pastor Thomas Terry preaches from Mark 12:1-17. This sermon draws attention to the first time Jesus uses a parable to reveal truth to the religious leaders, in fact he tells a parable about them and they know it. The parable of the tenants is a call to recognize that God will remove and judge the religious authorities who refuse to submit to God. This parable also draws our attention to God’s long-suffering with sinners, and that he sent his one and only Son to save his people. After the parable discussion, the religious leaders withdraw from Jesus yet return to try to trap Jesus using a political strategy, that if successful would put Jesus in conflict with the Romans. But Jesus diffuses their strategy and leaves the people marveling at his answer and logic.

Andrew Pack preaching from Mark 11:12-26. In this text, Jesus curses the fruitless fig tree and cleanses the fruitless temple. Jesus then commands us to have faith in God, to pray for very large things, and to forgive one another. Apart from God and his power these things are impossible and it is right for us to ask for the impossible and seek his power and help to make sure our accoutrements match the foundation of God’s design.

Andrew Pack preaching from Mark 11:1-11 the story of Jesus’ triumphal entry when the people shouted, Hosanna—which means “Save Us.” This is a text that demands a response when we consider Jesus is our faithful Savior, our humble Savior, and our worthy Savior. What would it look like if we actually lived like we trust in Jesus's faithfulness, took more seriously His humility, and if we counted Him worthy of our trust? Instead of the frequent delays in trusting Jesus we would be quick to trust and obey Him, and it would change how we pray, how we evangelize, and how we spend the time and resources He has entrusted to us. Jesus is indeed our faithful Savior who longs to help His people, and to save sinners.