Sermons from 2026
Rediscovering a Sense of Wonder
Jesus meets Thomas and the other disciples in their fear and disbelief to reveal himself as the risen Lord, restoring a sense of wonder that the world’s thrills can’t supply. By showing his wounds, Jesus moves Thomas from disbelief to faith, offering a deeply personal encounter where Christ’s scars speak to our own pain. He then gives a durable, resurrection-shaped joy that persists even amid fear, suffering, and death. Finally, Jesus breathes the Holy Spirit into his followers, transforming them…
He Called Her Name
This Easter sermon centers on the resurrection story in John’s Gospel, especially the moment when the risen Jesus speaks Mary’s name—one word that changes everything. Just as we recognize a loved one by their voice, Mary recognizes Jesus, and her world is transformed. The sermon unfolds around three movements that flow from that single word: The sermon concludes by connecting resurrection hope with the Eucharist: where death once entered through “take and eat,” new life is offered through Christ’s self‑giving…
Jesus and the Grieving
This sermon explores how Jesus meets people in their grief through tears, truth, and grace, drawing from the story of Lazarus in John 11. It highlights how Jesus responds differently to Mary and Martha—offering compassionate presence to one and grounding truth to the other—showing his intimate understanding of human sorrow. Jesus points to the hope of resurrection, reminding listeners that he enters death itself so that everything sad might one day come untrue. Sermon preached by Peter Tepper at St…
When the Light Breaks In
In John 9, Jesus heals a man born blind—not only restoring physical sight but revealing a deeper spiritual reality. This miracle, or “sign,” exposes the contrast between physical vision and spiritual blindness. With our “small eyes,” we often try to make sense of the great mysteries of suffering, pain, and evil. But Jesus invites us into a larger story: God’s redemptive work in the world. The Pharisees, though physically sighted, cannot recognize the Light of the World standing before them.…
Good News in a Good Way
Jesus conversation with the the woman at the well in Samaria tells us how to share our faith, naturally, sensitively, and with clarity. Sermon preached by Michelle Tepper on 8 March 2026 at St Peter the Fisherman, New Smyrna Beach, Florida.
Born Again | Marvel, Mystery and Means
Jesus invites us to marvel at the cross, embrace its mystery, and recognize it as the means of our salvation—God’s unearned, life-giving grace.
The Way Back to the Garden
The Way Back to the Garden The sermon traces the biblical story arc from the Garden of Eden, through the wilderness of sin, to our return to the garden made possible through Christ. It highlights that Scripture both begins and ends in a garden—Paradise lost and Paradise restored. Humanity’s fall introduces four forms of death/alienation: After Adam and Eve are sent into the wilderness, humanity continues to wander there. Yet God does not abandon us—Christ enters the wilderness to find…
Love on Display
The transfiguration gives us a behind the scenes look at the heart of God. At the center of it all, love is what reveals itself supremely in Jesus Christ. The display of the Father’s love will culminate not on the mount of transfiguration, but on the mount of Calvary. Text: Matthew 17:1-9 Sermon preached by Peter Tepper on 15 Feburary 2026 at St Peter the Fisherman, New Smyrna Beach, Florida.
God Speaks by His Spirit
In a world that trusts reason, experience, and the five senses to explain reality, this sermon reminds us that we cannot truly know God unless He first reveals Himself. Drawing from 1 Corinthians, we see that God speaks through Scripture, illumined by the Holy Spirit, and lived out through the faithful obedience of His people. When we make space to listen, God’s voice not only transforms us but also flows through us to bring life, grace, and hope to others.…
The Church | One, Holy, and On Mission
Paul writes to the church and reminds them that there should be unity, holiness, hold to the faith once delivered and be on mission. Text: 1 Corinthians 1:10-18 Sermon preached by Peter Tepper on 25 January 2025 at St Peter the Fisherman, New Smyrna Beach, Florida.
Eureka, He Found Us
God speaks to us by drawing us into a conversation and encountering us personally and powerfully. Sermon preached by Peter Tepper on 18 Jan 2026 at St Peter the Fisherman, New Smyrna Beach, Florida.
God Speaks a Better Word
At Jesus’ baptism, before any miracles or achievements, the Father declares, “This is my Son, the Beloved.” Grace is received, not achieved. God’s word over us is not about performance but identity: Beloved. That word empowers Jesus for his ministry and can empower us too. Sermon preached by Peter Tepper on 11 January 2026 at St Peter the Fisherman, New Smyrna Beach, Florida.