Life Before Us | Easter Sermon | Matthew 28:1–10

What if the resurrection is not only about what happens after we die—but about the life set before us right now?

In this Easter sermon, Life Before Us, Dr. Lewis Galloway reflects on the story of the women at the empty tomb, who arrive expecting death but are met with something entirely different. Their assumptions are shattered as they hear the words: "He is not here… he has been raised."

This message invites us to consider how our own assumptions—about what is possible, about how life turns out, and about what God will or won't do—can quietly shape the way we live.

In this sermon, we explore:

• How assumptions can limit hope, faith, and imagination
• Why we often settle for cautious, diminished lives
• What it means for the resurrection to disrupt what we think is final
• How Jesus meets us not just in extraordinary moments, but in the ordinary places of our daily lives—our own "Galilee"

Easter is not simply the end of the story.

It is an invitation to see differently, to live differently, and to trust that God's life is already at work in the world around us.

Preached at First Presbyterian Church of Charlotte on Easter Sunday, April 5, 2026.

Shaking the City | Palm Sunday Sermon | Matthew 21:1–10

What happens when Jesus enters a city—and everything begins to shift?

In this Palm Sunday sermon, Shaking the City, Dr. Lewis Galloway reflects on Jesus' entry into Jerusalem, where celebration and expectation quickly give way to something deeper. The crowds shout "Hosanna!", but beneath the surface, the whole city is stirred—unsettled, even shaken.

This message invites us to consider what it means for Jesus to enter not just a city, but our lives.

In this sermon, we explore:

• The difference between celebration and true transformation
• The temptation to settle for comfortable or convenient faith
• What it means to live fully rather than "partly living"
• How following Jesus may disrupt our routines and assumptions
• Why Christ becomes the only unshakable foundation in our lives

As we begin Holy Week, we are invited not just to observe the story—but to step into it. To follow Jesus in a way that may stretch us, challenge us, and ultimately reshape how we live.

Preached at First Presbyterian Church of Charlotte on March 29, 2026.

In today's video devotional, Rev. Anna Dickson reflects on the quiet, surprising ending to Jesus' triumphal entry: after the fanfare and palm branches, he simply returns to Bethany for the night. Rather than claiming power, Jesus chooses presence — resting, sharing meals, and tending to his companions before facing what lies ahead. Today's devotional invites us to do the same, remembering that before we confront difficult work, we, too, must be grounded in grace, relationship, and the steady care of God. Subscribe to daily devotionals sent to your inbox every morning in Lent at fpc.tiny.us/news.

Set Free for This? | A Sermon on Wilderness, Thirst, and Honest Faith

What do you do when faith doesn't feel like it's working anymore?

In this sermon, Set Free for This?, Rev. Anna Dickson reflects on Exodus 17:1–7, where the Israelites, newly freed from Egypt, find themselves in the wilderness—thirsty, frustrated, and wondering, "Is the Lord among us or not?"

Rather than dismissing their complaints, this message invites us to see them for what they are: not shallow grumbling, but honest cries from people in real need. Because this isn't about small inconveniences—it's about thirst. It's about the deep human longing for something more than we can provide for ourselves.

In this sermon, we reflect on:

• Why wilderness seasons are part of the life of faith
• The difference between surface complaints and deeper spiritual longing
• How Lent invites us into honesty rather than performance
• What it means to trust God when familiar signs of God's presence disappear
• The good news that God meets us even in the wilderness

In a culture of quick answers and easy spirituality, this message invites us to something deeper: to tell the truth about our lives, to acknowledge our thirst, and to trust that even in the most barren places, God is still at work—bringing living water from unexpected places.

Preached at First Presbyterian Church of Charlotte on March 22, 2026.

In today's video devotional, Rev. Lucy Crain reflects on the story from John's Gospel as a Lenten invitation to self-examination — urging us to resist judgment, acknowledge our need for mercy, and receive grace as a gift that transforms. The focus shifts away from the woman's sin and toward our own hearts, inviting us to live with deeper humility, compassion, and trust in God's grace. Subscribe to daily devotionals sent to your inbox every morning in Lent at fpc.tiny.us/news.

Boundless | Fifth Sunday in Lent

What happens when we discover that God's compassion extends far beyond the people we expect?

In this sermon, we explore the often-overlooked story of Hagar and Ishmael, a story of abandonment in the wilderness and the God who hears the cry of the forgotten. Again and again throughout Scripture, God's mercy reaches beyond the boundaries humans create.

Through the story of Hagar and Jesus' welcome of children, this message invites us to consider what it means for the church to embody the boundless compassion of God in a world marked by suffering, injustice, and division.

In today's video devotional, Rev. Lewis Galloway discusses how Jesus blessing the children becomes a lens for reflecting on God's habit of reversing human values. Where the world overlooks the small and powerless, Jesus stops, gathers the children close, and offers blessing and belonging. This act echoes a broader biblical theme in which God lifts up the lowly and calls care and attention to those on the margins. During Lent, we are invited to examine our own assumptions about importance and power, and to listen for how Christ is calling us to care for "the least of these." Subscribe to daily devotionals sent to your inbox every morning in Lent at fpc.tiny.us/news.

Holy Waste | A Sermon on Extravagant Grace

What if the most meaningful acts of faith look wasteful to the world? Reflecting on 1 Kings 17:7–16 and Luke 7:36–50, this sermon explores how God's grace moves us beyond careful calculation into lives of generous love and gratitude.

In this sermon, Holy Waste, Rev. Dr. Lewis Galloway reflects on moments when faith calls us beyond practicality into something generous, extravagant, and deeply sacred.

Drawing from the story of the widow of Zarephath who shares her last meal with the prophet Elijah, and the unnamed woman who pours costly perfume on Jesus' feet, this message invites us to consider how encounters with God's grace inspire acts of courageous generosity and devotion.

In this episode, we reflect on:

• The meaning of "holy waste" in the life of faith

• How gratitude for God's grace leads to extravagant love

• Why faith sometimes calls us beyond practicality

• How generosity and worship reshape our understanding of time and value

When we encounter God's grace, we are invited to pour out the "alabaster jar" of our lives—the gifts, time, and love we have been given—in acts of gratitude and compassion.

Preached on March 8, 2026, at First Presbyterian Church of Charlotte.

In today's video devotional, Rev. Anna Dickson reflects on the woman who interrupts a Pharisee's dinner to anoint Jesus with tears and costly perfume, crossing every social and religious boundary along the way. While others see only her sin and impropriety, Jesus receives her honest, unguarded love as a beautiful gift and blesses her without hesitation. Her bold vulnerability becomes a picture of grace—reminding us that we don't have to polish ourselves or earn our place at God's table. Subscribe to daily devotionals sent to your inbox every morning in Lent at fpc.tiny.us/news.

Bread for All | From Scarcity to God's Abundance

Is there ever enough?

In this sermon, Bread for All, Rev. Dr. Lewis Galloway reflects on Exodus 16:2–4, 9–15 and Mark 6:32–44, where God feeds the Israelites with manna in the wilderness, and Jesus feeds thousands with only a few loaves and fish.

Both stories begin in places of worry and scarcity — people who are hungry, tired, and unsure whether their needs will be met. Yet again and again, God responds not with limitation, but with provision. Before teaching, before instruction, Jesus feeds the crowd, reminding us that God's care is practical, embodied, and meant for everyone.

In this message, we reflect on:

• How scarcity shapes our fears and decisions

• What it means to trust God for daily bread

• The connection between compassion, generosity, and faith

• Jesus as both Good Shepherd and Bread of Life

• How sharing transforms communities from anxiety to abundance

As we journey through Lent, this sermon invites us to notice where fear tells us there is not enough — and to rediscover the freedom that comes from trusting in God's abundance.

Preached at First Presbyterian Church of Charlotte on March 1, 2026.

In today's video devotional, Lucy Baum reflects on Jesus' compassion for the crowd and the surprising abundance that unfolds in a deserted place. While the disciples see only scarcity and send people elsewhere, Jesus calls them to trust what they already have and share it. Whether through miracle or generosity, God turns small offerings into more than enough. The story reminds us that God's grace meets us right where we are, transforming even deserted places into spaces of grace, generosity, and unexpected provision. Subscribe to daily devotionals sent to your inbox every morning in Lent at fpc.tiny.us/news