Blue Ocean Church Ann Arbor Sunday Sermons
507 episodes — Page 10 of 11
21 May 2017—Free Martha
In her sermon, “Free Martha,” Pastor Emily Swan unpacks the story of Mary and Martha in Luke 10, emphasizing the value of both sisters’ actions. Learn more about Blue Ocean […]
14 May 2017—What Way?
Pastor Ken Wilson explores differing readings of John 14:6 in this week’s message, “What Way?” Learn more about Blue Ocean Faith, including service times and locations, at a2blue.org.  
30 Apr 2017—Altars and Wells
Pastor Emily Swan refers to the experiences of Isaac in Genesis 26 while encouraging us to examine our memories and practices and focus on those that are life-giving, enrich our […]
23 Apr 2017—The Shaping of a World View
Guest Speaker Rev. Dr. Renee Jackson preaches on the story of Jacob and Esau in examination of events and emotions that can shape our responses to life experiences in her […]
16 Apr 2017—Easter Sunday Service: Carl’s Question, Take 3
Pastor Ken Wilson takes another shot at explaining atonement and what it means that Jesus “died for our sins” in our Easter Sunday Service, “Carl’s Question: Take 3.” Learn more […]
09 Apr 2017—Palm Sunday Service: The Death of the Scapegoat
Pastor Emily Swan reviews how scapegoating promotes a false peace at the expense of the vulnerable, and presents Jesus as the ultimate innocent scapegoat in our Palm Sunday message, “The […]
02 Apr 2017—Jesus and the Disinherited: Love Lets the Other Blow Your Blinders Off
Pastor Ken Wilson explores how privilege, prejudice and oppression can keep us from full fellowship with others in the fifth week of our Lenten series, “Jesus and the Disinherited: Love […]
26 Mar 2017—Jesus and the Disinherited: Resisting Hatred
“Jesus and the Disinherited” author Howard Thurman talks about how hatred tempts both the powerful and the oppressed. In dissecting human tendencies and applying the teaching of Jesus, we can […]
19 Mar 2017—Jesus and the Disinherited: Deception
Pastor Ken Wilson calls out the deception—used by both the powerful and the disinherited—and lifts up the power of truth-telling fueled by the courage of being fully known and accepted […]
12 Mar 2017—Jesus and the Disinherited: Overcoming Fear
Rather than focusing on what the strong can do for the weak, Jesus among the disinherited overcomes fear with the profound self-worth that comes with being a child of God. […]
05 Mar 2017—Jesus and the Disinherited: Power for the Weak
Pastor Emily Swan presents an overview of Howard Thurman’s book and warns those with power and privilege against having contempt for those in need in the introduction to our Lenten […]
26 Feb 2017—Lenten Leap of Faith Introduction
In the Christian tradition, Lent is a community-wide retreat—a time to focus on Jesus. We call our communal Lenten experience “Leap of Faith” because growth on the Jesus path is […]
19 Feb 2017—Making Contact: Mercy NOT Sacrifice
Guest Speaker John West explains how the genius of Jesus’ hospitality undermines the purity impulse to sacrifice in the seventh sermon in our series, “Making Contact: Mercy NOT Sacrifice.” Learn more […]
12 Feb 2017—Making Contact: Straight Talk or God Talk
Pastor Ken Wilson calls attention to the power of art to move us, and references the parable of the sower to show how the Bible can move us to engage […]
05 Feb 2017—Making Contact: Jesus’s Anger at Injustices
Pastor Emily Swan reads from Jeremiah to highlight Jesus’s heart for justice and his warning against neglecting the poor, oppressed, and foreigners, in the fifth week of our sermon series, […]
29 Jan 2017—Making Contact: Luke 24 as a Model for Meeting Jesus Today
Pastor Ken Wilson explores how memories and imagination interact—and how they enhance our experience of God through Emmanuel Prayer—in the fourth sermon in our series, “Making Contact: Luke 24 as […]
22 Jan 2017—Making Contact: Emmanuel Prayer
Worship Director Cassie Brabbs shares her personal experiences with Emmanuel Prayer, and the importance it plays in her connection to God, in the third week of our series, “Making Contact: […]
15 Jan 2017—Making Contact: A Jewish Approach to Scripture
Guest Speaker Rabbi Dr. Mark Kinzer explains the significance and blessings of mitzvah in “Making Contact: A Jewish Approach to Scripture,” the second sermon of our series. Learn more about […]
08 Jan 2017—Making Contact: Epiphany and the Risen Jesus
If Jesus is alive (as the Scriptures testify) and he’s accessibly present to us with active agency and eager to lead anyone willing to follow, why wouldn’t we trust our […]
01 Jan 2017—Stephen’s Stoning: A Faith Perspective on How to be an Ally
Pastor Ken Wilson begins the new year with a look at the story of Stephen from Acts 6–7, in “Stephen’s Stoning: A Faith Perspective on How to be an Ally.” […]
18 Dec 2016—Advent Week 4: The Art of the Complaint
Pastor Ken Wilson draws from Matthew 1:18–25 and Psalm 80 to encourage us to be vulnerable in voicing our complaints to God, trusting in his love and gentleness, in “Advent […]
11 Dec 2016—Advent Week 3: Mary’s Song
In the third sermon of our Advent series, “Advent Week 3: Mary’s Song,” Pastor Emily Swan talks about the song of Mary in Luke 1 as she waits on the […]
04 Dec 2016—Advent Week 2: The Shoot from the Stump
Pastor Emily Swan highlights the hope of God’s presence in the midst of desolation from Isaiah chapters 6 and 11 in “Advent Week 2: The Shoot from the Stump.” Learn […]
27 Nov 2016—Advent Week 1: Hoping For and Working Toward a Better Future
Pastor Ken Wilson introduces our Advent series with a study of Isaiah 2:1–5 in “Advent Week 1: Hoping For and Working Toward a Better Future.” Learn more about Blue Ocean […]
20 Nov 2016—Election Distress: Home for the Holidays
In this time of distress and disorientation, Pastor Ken Wilson explores what it means to “love your neighbor as yourself”—including self-care—in the context of family holiday events. Learn more about […]
13 Nov 2016—Election Distress in the Company of Jesus
Pastor Ken Wilson reads from Luke 21 in warning us about the danger of crowds in this post-election sermon. Learn more about Blue Ocean Faith, including service times and locations, at a2blue.org. […]
06 Nov 2016—Election Distress in the Company of Jeremiah
Pastor Ken Wilson warns us against the blinding effects of ideological exceptionalism—believing we are exceptional/chosen by God, so what we do must be good—in this sermon leading up to the […]
30 Oct 2016—Connect & Renew, Week 6
Pastor Emily Swan gives an update on the health and vision of Blue Ocean Faith in Ann Arbor, and across the country, in the conclusion of our sermon series, “Connect […]
23 Oct 2016—Connect & Renew, Week 5
Pastor Emily Swan gives an update on the state of the church, discusses our goals for the coming year, and presents an overview of what it means to be “Solus […]
16 Oct 2016—Connect & Renew, Week 4
Pastor Ken Wilson encourages us to identify with Zacchaeus and to draw energy from connections in the fourth week of our sermon series, “Connect & Renew.” Learn more about Blue […]
09 Oct 2016—Connect & Renew, Week 3
Pastor Ken Wilson explains how our ability to resonate with people’s feelings helps us connect with others in the third sermon in our series, “Connect & Renew.” Learn more about […]
02 Oct 2016—Connect & Renew, Week 2
Pastor Emily Swan explores our brain’s inability to connect to others due to overactive feelings of rejection and judgment in week 2 of our sermon series, “Connect & Renew.” Learn […]
25 Sep 2016—Connect & Renew, Week 1
Pastor Ken Wilson looks at the effect of stress on relationships and suggests some exercises to reduce stress and refocus on connecting with others in the first sermon in our […]
18 Sep 2016—The Fourfold Path of Forgiveness, Week 4
Pastor Ken Wilson discusses our options to renew or release a relationship following forgiveness in the final week of our sermon series “The Fourfold Path of Forgiveness.” Learn more about […]
11 Sep 2016—The Fourfold Path of Forgiveness, Week 3
Pastor Emily Swan describes the process—and value—of “Granting Forgiveness,” in sermon three of our series, “The Fourfold Path of Forgiveness.” Learn more about Blue Ocean Faith, including service times and […]
04 Sep 2016—The Fourfold Path of Forgiveness, Week 2
Pastor Emily Swan explores Paul’s response to the believers in Corinth (2 Corinthians) and encourages us to “Name the Hurt” in the second sermon of our series, “The Fourfold Path […]
28 Aug 2016—The Fourfold Path of Forgiveness, Week 1
Pastor Ken Wilson introduces our new sermon series with the story of Hagar in Genesis, emphasizing the importance of telling your story as part of your forgiveness journey, in week […]
21 Aug 2016—Beyond Envy, Rivalry, and Violence, Week 9
Pastor Ken Wilson finishes up our discussion of scapegoat theory with a look at Paul as a recovering scapegoater in the ninth (and final) week of our sermon series, “Beyond […]
14 Aug 2016—Beyond Envy, Rivalry, and Violence, Week 8
Pastor Emily Swan tells the story of Jeremiah while encouraging us to imitate Christ—rather than the feelings and actions of the accusing crowd—in week eight of our sermon series, “Beyond […]
07 Aug 2016—Beyond Envy, Rivalry, and Violence, Week 7
Pastor Ken Wilson continues his examination of Peter, and the steps Jesus takes to reinstate him, in week seven of our sermon series, “Beyond Envy, Rivalry, and Violence.” Learn more […]
31 Jul 2016—Beyond Envy, Rivalry, and Violence, Week 6
Pastor Emily Swan continues her exploration of Jesus as the perfect (innocent victim) scapegoat in the sixth week of our sermon series, “Beyond Envy, Rivalry, and Violence.” Learn more about […]
24 Jul 2016—Beyond Envy, Rivalry, and Violence, Week 5
Pastor Ken Wilson looks at Peter in John 18 and discusses our innate capacity to passively go along with scapegoating, as well as suggesting ways to break the cycle, in […]
17 Jul 2016—Beyond Envy, Rivalry, and Violence, Week 4
Pastor Emily Swan looks at the story of Joseph and explores how the Bible narrative humanizes the scapegoat in order to overturn the cycle of envy and violence in week […]
10 Jul 2016—Beyond Envy, Rivalry, and Violence, Week 3
Pastor Emily Swan encourages us to join with Jesus in exposing and overturning the cycle of systematic injustice and violence that is driven by envy and rivalry in the third […]
03 Jul 2016—Beyond Envy, Rivalry, and Violence, Week 2
Pastor Ken Wilson considers the effects of rivalrous desires as the source of cascading violence in week two of our sermon series, “Beyond Envy, Rivalry, and Violence.” Learn more about […]
26 Jun 2016—Beyond Envy, Rivalry, and Violence, Week 1
Pastor Ken Wilson explores the dangers of borrowed desires in the first sermon of our new series, “Beyond Envy, Rivalry, and Violence.” Learn more about Blue Ocean Faith, including service […]
19 Jun 2016—Integrity & Influence: Lessons From a Vagabond, Week 4
Pastor Ken Wilson discusses forgiveness as an alternative to scapegoating in the fourth sermon in our series, “Integrity & Influence: Lessons From a Vagabond.” Learn more about Blue Ocean Faith, […]
12 Jun 2016—Guest Speaker Rev. Deborah Dean-Ware.
Guest Speaker Rev. Deborah Dean-Ware speaks on 2 Corinthians 4:1–9 and the danger of using political power to generate fear against the vulnerable. Learn more about Blue Ocean Faith, including […]
05 Jun 2016—Integrity & Influence: Lessons From a Vagabond, Week 3
Pastor Emily Swan explores the potential benefits of a wilderness experience, while contrasting the leadership style of David versus King Saul, in week three of our sermon series, “Integrity & […]
29 May 2016—Integrity & Influence: Lessons From a Vagabond, Week 2
Guest Speaker Hayden Carruth looks at integrity as a series of decisions with a focus on the story of David and Bathsheba in week two of our sermon series, “Integrity & Influence: Lessons […]