Lakeshore Ave Baptist Church, Oakland

I’ve been a little tardy of late. Haven’t uploaded the audio of the sermons for the past few weeks. This post, consequently, contains 3 sermons (from March 30th to April 13th)

Pastor Tanner’s sermon (March 30th)

Pastor Myers’ sermon (April 06th)

Pastor Hopkins’ sermon (April 13th)

…. Darshan

On April 13 I begin a three part sermon series entitled “Good For Body and Soul.”  The series will make the point that there is a connection between faith and health, between participation in a faith community and physical well being.  This series will culminate with a service of healing during worship on April 27.

In John’s account of the discovery of Jesus’ resurrection Mary Magdalene sees Jesus but thinks he is the gardner. She pleads with him asking him to tell her where he has taken Jesus’ body. He speaks one word to her, “Mary” and she sees who it is she is speaking to. She calls him “Teacher” and he responds “Do not hold on to me but go to back to our community.” It seems that comprehending and interpreting the resurrection is not work best done alone.

Update: Audio

Our Palm Sunday tradition is to begin worship by gathering on the front steps of the church and processing into the sanctuary while singing “All Glory, Laud and Honor.”

The main point of my sermon that Jesus decision to enter Jerusalem was not a heedless act but a conscious decision, a decision that was representative of, and consistent with, the whole of Jesus life. It was was a decision to serve rather than be served. It was a decision to hang out with the common folk rather than to be seen with the captains and the kings. It was a decision to seek out places of struggle rather than avenues of escape. He made these choices in order to plant seeds of hope in the heart and mind of every person.

Three sentences sum up the essence of Palm Sunday. He walked toward us. He walked with us. He walked for us.

Update: Pastor Hopkins’ sermon is here.

Greetings…

The audio for the sermon by Sandra Lee is here. It also includes the introduction given by Pastor Hopkins.

March 2 is a Communion Sunday, the fourth Sunday of Lent, and the first Sunday of Women’s History Month. The Scripture is John 9: 1-41, the story of Jesus’ healing of the man born blind and the controversy surrounding this healing. This Scripture begins “As he walked along he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ Jesus answered, ‘Neither this man or his parents sinned: he was born blind that God’s works might be revealed in him’.”

What I hear Jesus saying is “if we get stuck fixing blame, finding fault, and ascribing guilt we are likely to miss out on the opportunities God gives us for love, hope and healing. It is my experience that human beings don’t seem to have the capacity to live both in the past and in the present, to both place blame and grasp hope, to both label people and experience God.”

Update: Audio of the sermon is here

Welcome to the Lakeshore Avenue Baptist Church sermon blog. On Sunday, February 24, we conclude our annual celebration of African American History month. The Reverend Dante Quick, Howard Thurman Doctoral Fellow and Instructor in Theology at the American Baptist Seminary of the West will be our preacher. The 24th is also our first “Hat Sunday.”

Update: The audio is here

Audio for the sermon is here. Text today was Psalms 121. Be advised that the first 50 seconds of the audio file are blank; we had mike issues this morning.

This past week we had a guest speaker, Erika Quinn. Here is her message. Click the link to downlod an mp3 file.