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Some forms of change come through effort. Others begin when effort finally gives way. In Capitulation, we consider transformation through surrender, what happens when we stop trying to control the outcome, defend the old version of ourselves, or win the struggle on our own terms. Sometimes the way forward begins not by trying harder, but by releasing what we have been determined to hold. Part of Be Born Again. And Seven Other Ways to Change., a sermon series exploring the different ways transformation takes shape in Scripture and in us.

Change does not always require leaving the past behind. Sometimes it means returning to what has already happened and learning to understand it differently. In Revision, we consider how transformation can change the way we interpret our stories, our assumptions, and what we thought we already knew. Faith gives us a new way to read what came before and imagine what might come next. Part of Be Born Again. And Seven Other Ways to Change., a sermon series exploring the different ways transformation takes shape in Scripture and in us.

Nicodemus comes to Jesus at night looking for answers, and Jesus tells him that he must be born again. But transformation does not always happen all at once. In John 3:1–10, Jesus invites Nicodemus into a new way of understanding change, one shaped by the mysterious movement of the Spirit. Latency explores the space between when transformation begins and when we can finally see its effects. This sermon begins Be Born Again. And Seven Other Ways to Change., a series exploring the different ways transformation takes shape in Scripture and in us.

Jesus closes the Sermon on the Mount with an image of two houses. Both encounter rain, floods, and wind, but only one remains standing. In Matthew 7.24–27, Jesus reminds us that hearing his words is only the beginning. Faith becomes a foundation when those words are put into practice. Foundation in the Storm considers what it means to build a life capable of enduring when the storms inevitably come. This sermon concludes Hear These Words, a four-week series exploring what the words of Jesus ask of us today. Sermon by: Rev. Dr. Noel Schoonmaker

Jesus asks his disciples a defining question: “Who do you say that I am?” Peter’s answer leads to words about a rock, a church, a set of keys, and the power to bind and loose. In this sermon from Matthew 16.13–20, Loosed on Earth considers what Jesus entrusts to his followers and the responsibility that comes with it. What do we hold onto? What do we release? And what might our answers reveal about the kind of community we are becoming? Part of Hear These Words, a four-week series listening again to the words of Jesus and considering what they ask of us today. Scripture: Matthew 16.13–20 Sermon by: Rev. Amos Disasa

A Canaanite woman comes to Jesus asking for mercy, refusing to let silence, rejection, or boundaries end the conversation. In this sermon from Matthew 15.21–28, we encounter a persistent plea for healing and the remarkable exchange that follows. Crumbs of Mercy invites us to consider faith that keeps asking, mercy that reaches beyond expected boundaries, and what can happen when someone refuses to be ignored. Part of Hear These Words, a four-week series listening again to the words of Jesus and considering what they ask of us today. Scripture: Matthew 15.21–28 Sermon by: Rev. Dr. Charlene Jin Lee

What happens when faith takes a step and still ends in sinking? In the first sermon of Hear These Words, Peter steps out of the boat toward Jesus, only to become frightened by the storm and begin to sink. But Jesus does not condemn Peter for his insufficiency. He catches him. Through Peter’s story and the familiar image of a child learning to walk, this sermon explores fear, failure, and the grace that reaches us when we discover we cannot save ourselves. In the kingdom of God, falling is not failing. Part of Hear These Words, a four-week series that listens again to the words of Jesus and considers what they ask of us today. Scripture: Matthew 14.22–33 Sermon by: Rev. Amos J. Disasa

Isaiah imagines a future that seems impossible. A tree has been cut down, its strength gone, its future erased. Yet from the stump, a new shoot begins to grow. In the closing sermon of Eshel: Preaching the Trees, we reflect on one of Scripture's most enduring images of hope. God does not ignore what has been lost, but neither does loss have the final word. Even where life appears finished, God is already bringing forth something new. This message explores restoration, renewal, and the quiet promise of resurrection. The kingdom of God often begins where we least expect it, not from strength or success, but from what remains after everything else has been stripped away. The story of Scripture is not simply about endings. It is about God's faithfulness to bring new life from places that seem beyond repair. Part of the Eshel: Preaching the Trees series. Subscribe for weekly sermons from First Presbyterian Church of Dallas. fpcdallas.org

The cypress is one of Scripture's enduring evergreens, a tree that remains vibrant when other trees have lost their leaves. Through the prophet Isaiah, God promises to replace the thornbush with the cypress, transforming places marked by hardship into signs of lasting hope. In this sermon from Eshel: Preaching the Trees, we explore the cypress as a picture of God's renewing work. Hope is not wishful thinking or the denial of suffering. It is the confidence that God continues to bring beauty, faithfulness, and life where the world expects only barrenness. This message reflects on restoration, perseverance, and the promises of God that endure through every season. The cypress reminds us that God's faithfulness is not temporary. It remains steadfast, becoming a living witness to the work God is doing in and through God's people. Part of the Eshel: Preaching the Trees series. Sermon by Rev. Amos J. Disasa. Subscribe for weekly sermons from First Presbyterian Church of Dallas. fpcdallas.org

Before Amos was a prophet, he was a shepherd and a caretaker of sycamore fig trees. He did not come from the royal court or the religious establishment. He came from ordinary work. In this sermon from Eshel: Preaching the Trees, we consider the sycamore tree as a reminder that God's call often comes through everyday lives. Scripture repeatedly shows that faithfulness is not reserved for the powerful or accomplished. It is cultivated in ordinary places through ordinary people who are willing to respond. This message reflects on vocation, humility, and the dignity of honest work. God is not searching for extraordinary résumés. God calls people who are present, faithful, and willing to follow wherever that call may lead. Part of the Eshel: Preaching the Trees series. Sermon by Rev. Dr. Charlene Jin Lee Subscribe for weekly sermons from First Presbyterian Church of Dallas. fpcdallas.org

When God calls Jeremiah to be a prophet, the first question is surprisingly simple: "What do you see?" Jeremiah sees an almond branch, the earliest tree to bloom at the edge of winter. God responds, "You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to perform it." In this sermon from Eshel: Preaching the Trees, we explore the almond tree as a sign of God's attentiveness. Long before the landscape appears changed, the almond blossoms announce that something new is already beginning. This message reflects on spiritual attentiveness, calling, and the faith to recognize God's work before it becomes obvious. The God of Scripture is never absent or asleep. Even in seasons that seem quiet, God is watching, speaking, and bringing new life. Part of the Eshel: Preaching the Trees series. Sermon by Rev. Amos J. Disasa. Subscribe for weekly sermons from First Presbyterian Church of Dallas. fpcdallas.org

In Zechariah's vision, the angel of the Lord stands among the myrtle trees in a quiet valley. It is not a place of triumph or spectacle, but of waiting, listening, and hope. In this sermon from Eshel: Preaching the Trees, we explore the myrtle tree as a sign of God's consolation. While the world often celebrates what is large, impressive, and immediate, Scripture reminds us that God is also present in what is quiet, overlooked, and patiently unfolding. This message reflects on the comfort God offers in seasons of uncertainty and the steady hope that grows through ordinary faithfulness. Consolation is not the absence of hardship. It is the assurance that God has not forgotten us, even while we wait. Part of the Eshel: Preaching the Trees series. Sermon by Rev. Dr. Charlene Jin Lee Subscribe for weekly sermons from First Presbyterian Church of Dallas. fpcdallas.org

When God commands the construction of the ark of the covenant, the chosen material is not cedar from a distant forest or some rare and noble wood. It is acacia, a rough desert tree growing in the wilderness. In this sermon from Eshel: Preaching the Trees, we consider what it means that God builds holy things from ordinary materials. Again and again, Scripture reveals a God who works with what is already present, shaping the available rather than waiting for the ideal. The acacia tree reminds us that faith is always contextual. God meets people where they are, in the landscapes they actually inhabit, and forms something sacred from the resources already at hand. This message reflects on vocation, place, and the surprising ways God transforms the ordinary into a dwelling place for the holy. Part of the Eshel: Preaching the Trees series. Sermon by Rev. Amos Disasa. Subscribe for weekly sermons from First Presbyterian Church of Dallas. fpcdallas.org

Long before David and Goliath face one another in the Valley of Elah, the ground beneath them already carries a history. The terebinth tree stands as a witness to conversations unfinished, conflicts unresolved, and stories that continue shaping the present long after they seem forgotten. In this sermon from Eshel: Preaching the Trees, we consider how buried history influences the lives we live today. Scripture reminds us that no moment arrives in isolation. We inherit relationships, wounds, promises, and questions from those who came before us. This message reflects on memory, reconciliation, and the courage required to face what remains unfinished. Sometimes faithfulness begins not by moving on, but by paying attention to the stories that still live beneath the surface. Part of the Eshel: Preaching the Trees series. Sermon by Rev. Amos J. Disasa. Subscribe for weekly sermons from First Presbyterian Church of Dallas. fpcdallas.org

Elijah collapses beneath a broom tree with nothing left to give. There, God meets exhaustion not with demands, but with rest, nourishment, and presence. It is one of the most honest moments in Scripture. A prophet who has reached the end of his strength. A person who cannot imagine a way forward. In this sermon from Eshel: Preaching the Trees, we sit beneath the broom tree with Elijah and consider the difference between lying down and giving up. Before God offers direction, correction, or a new mission, God offers food, water, rest, and presence. This sermon reflects on weariness, despair, and the grace that meets us when we have nothing left to give. Sometimes faith is not found in pressing harder. Sometimes it begins with receiving what we need for the next step. Part of the Eshel: Preaching the Trees series. Sermon by Rev. Amos J. Disasa. Subscribe for weekly sermons from First Presbyterian Church of Dallas. fpcdallas.org