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bee-creek-umc/2020/a-bundle-of-need | https://sermons.wilsonpruitt.com/bee-creek-umc/2020/a-bundle-of-need/ | sermons | A Bundle of Need | Wilson Pruitt | 2020-12-24T00:00:00 | bee-creek-umc | 2020 | [
"incarnation",
"admitting-need",
"vulnerability-of-god",
"rest-in-christ"
] | Luke 2:1-7; Luke 2:6-7; Isaiah 9:6 | Preaching on the nativity in Luke 2:1-7, the sermon dwells on Jesus arriving as a helpless newborn, a 'bundle of need,' and on Mary and Joseph going to the land of their family yet finding no one to take them in. Against the Christmas impulse to seek the best and to project self-sufficiency, it argues that God enters t... | [
"en"
] | **Scripture:** Luke 2:1-7; Luke 2:6-7; Isaiah 9:6
**Series:** 2020
> Preaching on the nativity in Luke 2:1-7, the sermon dwells on Jesus arriving as a helpless newborn, a 'bundle of need,' and on Mary and Joseph going to the land of their family yet finding no one to take them in. Against the Christmas impulse to seek... | {
"method": "authored, not translated",
"corrected_against_scan": null,
"verified_on": null
} | null | null | CC BY-NC 4.0 | [] | 2026-09-18T00:00:00 | 1 |
bee-creek-umc/2020/advent-don-t-be-deceived | https://sermons.wilsonpruitt.com/bee-creek-umc/2020/advent-don-t-be-deceived/ | sermons | Advent: Don't Be Deceived | Wilson Pruitt | 2020-11-29T00:00:00 | bee-creek-umc | 2020 | [
"spiritual-deception",
"abiding-in-christ",
"truth-telling",
"prayer",
"witness-and-martyrdom"
] | 1 John 2:26-27; 2 Corinthians 2:17; 2 Corinthians 2:14-15 | An Advent children's/Evensong message built on 1 John 2:26-27 warning against those who would deceive believers, paired with 2 Corinthians 2:14-17 on being people of sincerity who spread the aroma of Christ. Using images of poker-table suckers and snake oil salesmen, the sermon urges staying close to God by abiding in ... | [
"en"
] | **Scripture:** 1 John 2:26-27; 2 Corinthians 2:17; 2 Corinthians 2:14-15
**Series:** 2020
> An Advent children's/Evensong message built on 1 John 2:26-27 warning against those who would deceive believers, paired with 2 Corinthians 2:14-17 on being people of sincerity who spread the aroma of Christ. Using images of pok... | {
"method": "authored, not translated",
"corrected_against_scan": null,
"verified_on": null
} | null | null | CC BY-NC 4.0 | [] | 2026-09-18T00:00:00 | 1 |
bee-creek-umc/2020/animals-and-god-s-promise-children-s-message-the-true-light-already-shines | https://sermons.wilsonpruitt.com/bee-creek-umc/2020/animals-and-god-s-promise-children-s-message-the-true-light-already-shines/ | sermons | Animals and God's Promise (Children's Message): The True Light Already Shines | Wilson Pruitt | 2020-09-01T00:00:00 | bee-creek-umc | 2020 | [
"light-and-darkness",
"presence-of-god",
"creation",
"victory-over-death",
"human-brokenness",
"faith-as-seeing"
] | 1 John 2:8 | A brief children's/Evensong reflection built on 1 John 2:8 ('the darkness is passing away and the true light already shines'). Using the shock of absolute darkness in Carlsbad Caverns and Plato's allegory of the cave, it presents light and darkness as ancient metaphors, then distinguishes a teacher who needs external l... | [
"en"
] | **Scripture:** 1 John 2:8
**Series:** 2020
> A brief children's/Evensong reflection built on 1 John 2:8 ('the darkness is passing away and the true light already shines'). Using the shock of absolute darkness in Carlsbad Caverns and Plato's allegory of the cave, it presents light and darkness as ancient metaphors, the... | {
"method": "authored, not translated",
"corrected_against_scan": null,
"verified_on": null
} | null | null | CC BY-NC 4.0 | [] | 2026-09-18T00:00:00 | 1 |
bee-creek-umc/2020/antichrist-becoming-the-villain | https://sermons.wilsonpruitt.com/bee-creek-umc/2020/antichrist-becoming-the-villain/ | sermons | Antichrist: Becoming the Villain | Wilson Pruitt | 2020-11-15T00:00:00 | bee-creek-umc | 2020 | [
"antichrist",
"self-knowledge",
"truth-telling",
"forgiveness",
"faithful-perseverance",
"god-is-love",
"repentance"
] | 1 John 2:21-22; Matthew 18:21-35 | An Evensong sermon on 1 John 2:21-22 paired with the parable of the unforgiving servant (Matthew 18:21-35). Pruitt unpacks the Greek meaning of 'antichrist' (anti- simply means 'against,' as in antidote) to argue that being an antichrist is not just other people's problem; like the forgiven-then-merciless servant, we c... | [
"en"
] | **Scripture:** 1 John 2:21-22; Matthew 18:21-35
**Series:** 2020
> An Evensong sermon on 1 John 2:21-22 paired with the parable of the unforgiving servant (Matthew 18:21-35). Pruitt unpacks the Greek meaning of 'antichrist' (anti- simply means 'against,' as in antidote) to argue that being an antichrist is not just ot... | {
"method": "authored, not translated",
"corrected_against_scan": null,
"verified_on": null
} | null | null | CC BY-NC 4.0 | [] | 2026-09-18T00:00:00 | 1 |
bee-creek-umc/2020/god-s-love-a-deal-too-good-to-be-true | https://sermons.wilsonpruitt.com/bee-creek-umc/2020/god-s-love-a-deal-too-good-to-be-true/ | sermons | God's Love: A Deal Too Good to Be True | Wilson Pruitt | 2020-04-11T00:00:00 | bee-creek-umc | 2020 | [
"grace-as-gift",
"god-is-love",
"conversion",
"receiving-grace",
"resurrection",
"faith-as-seeing"
] | 1 John 4:7-13; 1 John 1:1-4; Ephesians 2:8 | An Eastertide Evensong sermon on 1 John 4:7-13 arguing that God's love and forgiveness, offered freely by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8), can seem like a deal too good to be true. Using George Strait's ironic 'Ocean Front Property' and the Texas Hill Country as too-good-to-be-true comparisons, the preacher insists... | [
"en"
] | **Scripture:** 1 John 4:7-13; 1 John 1:1-4; Ephesians 2:8
**Series:** 2020
> An Eastertide Evensong sermon on 1 John 4:7-13 arguing that God's love and forgiveness, offered freely by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8), can seem like a deal too good to be true. Using George Strait's ironic 'Ocean Front Property' and t... | {
"method": "authored, not translated",
"corrected_against_scan": null,
"verified_on": null
} | null | null | CC BY-NC 4.0 | [] | 2026-09-18T00:00:00 | 1 |
bee-creek-umc/2020/hagar-sarah-and-the-birth-of-a-people | https://sermons.wilsonpruitt.com/bee-creek-umc/2020/hagar-sarah-and-the-birth-of-a-people/ | sermons | Hagar, Sarah, and the Birth of a People | Wilson Pruitt | 2020-08-01T00:00:00 | bee-creek-umc | 2020 | [
"covenant-with-abraham",
"grace-not-merit",
"name-of-god",
"salvation-history",
"scripture-interpretation",
"self-reliance-versus-trust"
] | Genesis 16:1-16; Genesis 17:1-27; Galatians 4:22-31; Hebrews 11:8-16 | Sermon notes on Genesis 16-17 read as a single unit: the birth of the people of Israel. Genesis 16 (Hagar and Sarah) is framed, via Rashi and Ambrose, as humanity's flawed self-reliant attempt to fulfill God's promise, akin to the golden calf, while Genesis 17 (the renewed covenant, name changes of Abram and Sarah, and... | [
"en"
] | **Scripture:** Genesis 16:1-16; Genesis 17:1-27; Galatians 4:22-31; Hebrews 11:8-16
**Series:** 2020
> Sermon notes on Genesis 16-17 read as a single unit: the birth of the people of Israel. Genesis 16 (Hagar and Sarah) is framed, via Rashi and Ambrose, as humanity's flawed self-reliant attempt to fulfill God's promis... | {
"method": "authored, not translated",
"corrected_against_scan": null,
"verified_on": null
} | null | null | CC BY-NC 4.0 | [] | 2026-09-18T00:00:00 | 1 |
bee-creek-umc/2020/half-a-world-away | https://sermons.wilsonpruitt.com/bee-creek-umc/2020/half-a-world-away/ | sermons | Half a World Away | Wilson Pruitt | 2020-12-23T00:00:00 | bee-creek-umc | 2020 | [
"praise",
"you-are-not-alone",
"self-revelation-vs-hiding",
"incarnation",
"great-commission",
"hymnody"
] | Matthew 2:1-12 | A short Christmas Eve Eve homily that uses music as identity (a 6th-grade Nine Inch Nails shirt, High Fidelity's top-five lists, and a song called 'Half a World Away' shared by Chris) to explore how we both hide behind and reveal ourselves through the stories and traditions we choose. Pivoting to the magi who came from... | [
"en"
] | **Scripture:** Matthew 2:1-12
**Series:** 2020
> A short Christmas Eve Eve homily that uses music as identity (a 6th-grade Nine Inch Nails shirt, High Fidelity's top-five lists, and a song called 'Half a World Away' shared by Chris) to explore how we both hide behind and reveal ourselves through the stories and tradit... | {
"method": "authored, not translated",
"corrected_against_scan": null,
"verified_on": null
} | null | null | CC BY-NC 4.0 | [] | 2026-09-18T00:00:00 | 1 |
bee-creek-umc/2020/having-the-son-living-a-more-real-life-by-faith | https://sermons.wilsonpruitt.com/bee-creek-umc/2020/having-the-son-living-a-more-real-life-by-faith/ | sermons | Having the Son: Living a More Real Life by Faith | Wilson Pruitt | 2020-05-30T00:00:00 | bee-creek-umc | 2020 | [
"testimony-of-water-blood-spirit",
"christology",
"eternal-life-now",
"faith-as-seeing",
"divine-economics",
"freedom-in-christ",
"idolatry"
] | 1 John 5:6-21; 1 John 1:1-4; 1 John 3:2 | Preached on 1 John 5:6-21 (Trinity Sunday season, May 30, 2020), this sermon explores what it means to 'have the Son' and thus have eternal life. Using the image of a child pretending to be a pirate who holds together a real and unreal world, Pruitt argues that faith is not pretending but seeing the deeper, more real w... | [
"en"
] | **Scripture:** 1 John 5:6-21; 1 John 1:1-4; 1 John 3:2
**Series:** 2020
> Preached on 1 John 5:6-21 (Trinity Sunday season, May 30, 2020), this sermon explores what it means to 'have the Son' and thus have eternal life. Using the image of a child pretending to be a pirate who holds together a real and unreal world, Pr... | {
"method": "authored, not translated",
"corrected_against_scan": null,
"verified_on": null
} | null | null | CC BY-NC 4.0 | [] | 2026-09-18T00:00:00 | 1 |
bee-creek-umc/2020/holding-the-faith-doing-what-you-say | https://sermons.wilsonpruitt.com/bee-creek-umc/2020/holding-the-faith-doing-what-you-say/ | sermons | Holding the Faith: Doing What You Say | Wilson Pruitt | 2020-08-09T00:00:00 | bee-creek-umc | 2020 | [
"faith-and-belief",
"doers-not-hearers",
"temptation",
"discipleship",
"christian-perfection"
] | 1 John 2:4-6; 1 Corinthians 10:13 | An Evensong sermon on 1 John 2:4-6 arguing that anyone can claim to be a Christian, but genuine faith is shown by holding to it and doing what one says (illustrated by the Seinfeld rental-car reservation bit). John generalizes sin as missing the mark; temptations differ by person and life stage, and 2020's compounding ... | [
"en"
] | **Scripture:** 1 John 2:4-6; 1 Corinthians 10:13
**Series:** 2020
> An Evensong sermon on 1 John 2:4-6 arguing that anyone can claim to be a Christian, but genuine faith is shown by holding to it and doing what one says (illustrated by the Seinfeld rental-car reservation bit). John generalizes sin as missing the mark;... | {
"method": "authored, not translated",
"corrected_against_scan": null,
"verified_on": null
} | null | null | CC BY-NC 4.0 | [] | 2026-09-18T00:00:00 | 1 |
bee-creek-umc/2020/how-to-live-our-story-2 | https://sermons.wilsonpruitt.com/bee-creek-umc/2020/how-to-live-our-story-2/ | sermons | How to Live Our Story | Wilson Pruitt | 2020-10-14T00:00:00 | bee-creek-umc | 2020 | [
"sacred-story",
"discipleship",
"power-in-weakness",
"generosity",
"suffering",
"christian-perfection",
"christian-community"
] | 2 Corinthians 4:7-10; Acts 2:42-47; Matthew 5:48; Luke 18:18-23; Genesis 2; Jeremiah 18; Luke 19:1-10 | Closing sermon in a 'Sacred Story' series. Using language-learning as an extended metaphor, Pruitt argues that living our sacred story is a daily practice, not a one-time intention. Drawing on Paul's treasure-in-clay-jars (2 Corinthians 4) and the early church's daily sharing (Acts 2), he insists faith is no get-out-of... | [
"en"
] | **Scripture:** 2 Corinthians 4:7-10; Acts 2:42-47; Matthew 5:48; Luke 18:18-23; Genesis 2; Jeremiah 18; Luke 19:1-10
**Series:** 2020
> Closing sermon in a 'Sacred Story' series. Using language-learning as an extended metaphor, Pruitt argues that living our sacred story is a daily practice, not a one-time intention. D... | {
"method": "authored, not translated",
"corrected_against_scan": null,
"verified_on": null
} | null | null | CC BY-NC 4.0 | [] | 2026-09-18T00:00:00 | 1 |
bee-creek-umc/2020/how-to-live-our-story | https://sermons.wilsonpruitt.com/bee-creek-umc/2020/how-to-live-our-story/ | sermons | How to Live Our Story | Wilson Pruitt | 2020-10-14T00:00:00 | bee-creek-umc | 2020 | [
"sacred-story",
"power-in-weakness",
"discipleship",
"generosity",
"suffering",
"christian-perfection",
"transformation"
] | 2 Corinthians 4:7-10; Acts 2:42-47; Genesis 2; Jeremiah 18; Luke 18; Matthew 5:48 | The final sermon in a four-part 'Sacred Story' series. Using language-learning and 'deceptive fluency' as a metaphor, Wilson argues that our sacred story has its own grammar and vocabulary that must be practiced daily rather than merely intended. From 2 Corinthians 4's image of treasure in clay jars, he insists faith i... | [
"en"
] | **Scripture:** 2 Corinthians 4:7-10; Acts 2:42-47; Genesis 2; Jeremiah 18; Luke 18; Matthew 5:48
**Series:** 2020
> The final sermon in a four-part 'Sacred Story' series. Using language-learning and 'deceptive fluency' as a metaphor, Wilson argues that our sacred story has its own grammar and vocabulary that must be p... | {
"method": "authored, not translated",
"corrected_against_scan": null,
"verified_on": null
} | null | null | CC BY-NC 4.0 | [] | 2026-09-18T00:00:00 | 1 |
bee-creek-umc/2020/jesus-our-advocate | https://sermons.wilsonpruitt.com/bee-creek-umc/2020/jesus-our-advocate/ | sermons | Jesus Our Advocate | Wilson Pruitt | 2020-08-30T00:00:00 | bee-creek-umc | 2020 | [
"holy-spirit-as-advocate",
"sin-and-grace",
"regret-and-counterfactuals",
"guilt-and-shame",
"justice-and-righteousness",
"logos-christology"
] | 1 John 2:1 | An Evensong sermon on 1 John 2:1 reminding hearers that though God does not wish us to sin, mistakes happen, and we are not left alone. Jesus Christ the righteous one is our advocate, and the Greek 'Iēsoun Christon dikaion' shows that our advocate is justice itself, the Logos and Torah of God. Drawing on the preacher's... | [
"en"
] | **Scripture:** 1 John 2:1
**Series:** 2020
> An Evensong sermon on 1 John 2:1 reminding hearers that though God does not wish us to sin, mistakes happen, and we are not left alone. Jesus Christ the righteous one is our advocate, and the Greek 'Iēsoun Christon dikaion' shows that our advocate is justice itself, the Log... | {
"method": "authored, not translated",
"corrected_against_scan": null,
"verified_on": null
} | null | null | CC BY-NC 4.0 | [] | 2026-09-18T00:00:00 | 1 |
bee-creek-umc/2020/keeping-the-fire-of-love-burning | https://sermons.wilsonpruitt.com/bee-creek-umc/2020/keeping-the-fire-of-love-burning/ | sermons | Keeping the Fire of Love Burning | Wilson Pruitt | 2020-10-04T00:00:00 | bee-creek-umc | 2020 | [
"walking-in-the-light",
"love-vs-hate",
"abiding-in-christ",
"spiritual-discipline",
"holy-spirit",
"everyone-matters"
] | 1 John 2:9-11 | An Evensong reflection pairing 1 John 2:9-11 with the image of building and tending a fire. The spark (like new friendship or sudden awareness of God's love) is exciting but fleeting; love and mercy are the fuel that keeps the fire burning. Walking in the light means continuing to love; when we stop loving we slip into... | [
"en"
] | **Scripture:** 1 John 2:9-11
**Series:** 2020
> An Evensong reflection pairing 1 John 2:9-11 with the image of building and tending a fire. The spark (like new friendship or sudden awareness of God's love) is exciting but fleeting; love and mercy are the fuel that keeps the fire burning. Walking in the light means con... | {
"method": "authored, not translated",
"corrected_against_scan": null,
"verified_on": null
} | null | null | CC BY-NC 4.0 | [] | 2026-09-18T00:00:00 | 1 |
bee-creek-umc/2020/learning-to-abide-the-means-of-grace | https://sermons.wilsonpruitt.com/bee-creek-umc/2020/learning-to-abide-the-means-of-grace/ | sermons | Learning to Abide: The Means of Grace | Wilson Pruitt | 2020-11-22T00:00:00 | bee-creek-umc | 2020 | [
"abiding-in-christ",
"means-of-grace",
"works-of-piety",
"works-of-mercy",
"the-gospel",
"gods-unconditional-love",
"advent-expectation"
] | 1 John 2:23-25; 1 John 1:1-4 | An Evensong sermon on 1 John 2:23-25 (and 1 John 1:1-4) exploring what it means to abide in God. Pruitt opens with learning to ride a bike as a picture of how God's love and forgiveness become internalized. Using The Dude from The Big Lebowski as a foil for the word 'abide,' he explains that the church has received the... | [
"en"
] | **Scripture:** 1 John 2:23-25; 1 John 1:1-4
**Series:** 2020
> An Evensong sermon on 1 John 2:23-25 (and 1 John 1:1-4) exploring what it means to abide in God. Pruitt opens with learning to ride a bike as a picture of how God's love and forgiveness become internalized. Using The Dude from The Big Lebowski as a foil fo... | {
"method": "authored, not translated",
"corrected_against_scan": null,
"verified_on": null
} | null | null | CC BY-NC 4.0 | [] | 2026-09-18T00:00:00 | 1 |
bee-creek-umc/2020/love-neighbor | https://sermons.wilsonpruitt.com/bee-creek-umc/2020/love-neighbor/ | sermons | Love Neighbor | Wilson Pruitt | 2020-08-19T00:00:00 | bee-creek-umc | 2020 | [
"love-of-neighbor",
"good-samaritan",
"contemplation-and-action",
"advent-expectation",
"radical-welcome"
] | Luke 10:25-37; Luke 10:21; Luke 10:38-42 | Concluding sermon in the 'Mapping the Future' series, preached during the COVID-19 pandemic on the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). Pruitt argues Jesus turns 'neighbor' from a noun (who is near me) into a verb (whom will I prove neighbor to). He gives the Samaritan, priest, and Levite their real biblical context, treati... | [
"en"
] | **Scripture:** Luke 10:25-37; Luke 10:21; Luke 10:38-42
**Series:** 2020
> Concluding sermon in the 'Mapping the Future' series, preached during the COVID-19 pandemic on the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). Pruitt argues Jesus turns 'neighbor' from a noun (who is near me) into a verb (whom will I prove neighbor to). He... | {
"method": "authored, not translated",
"corrected_against_scan": null,
"verified_on": null
} | null | null | CC BY-NC 4.0 | [] | 2026-09-18T00:00:00 | 1 |
bee-creek-umc/2020/love-of-god-love-of-neighbor | https://sermons.wilsonpruitt.com/bee-creek-umc/2020/love-of-god-love-of-neighbor/ | sermons | Love of God, Love of Neighbor | Wilson Pruitt | 2020-05-02T00:00:00 | bee-creek-umc | 2020 | [
"love-of-neighbor",
"love-of-god",
"self-giving-love",
"spiritual-discipline",
"works-of-love",
"loyalty"
] | 1 John 4:20-21 | Preaching on 1 John 4:20-21, the sermon uses game theory, John Nash's equilibrium, and Albert Tucker's Prisoner's Dilemma to set up a contrast: the 'rational' move is mutual betrayal, but the Christian life is not lived in such high-stakes traps. John insists that claiming to love God while hating one's neighbor makes ... | [
"en"
] | **Scripture:** 1 John 4:20-21
**Series:** 2020
> Preaching on 1 John 4:20-21, the sermon uses game theory, John Nash's equilibrium, and Albert Tucker's Prisoner's Dilemma to set up a contrast: the 'rational' move is mutual betrayal, but the Christian life is not lived in such high-stakes traps. John insists that claim... | {
"method": "authored, not translated",
"corrected_against_scan": null,
"verified_on": null
} | null | null | CC BY-NC 4.0 | [] | 2026-09-18T00:00:00 | 1 |
bee-creek-umc/2020/not-a-new-commandment-god-s-love-is-old-not-trendy | https://sermons.wilsonpruitt.com/bee-creek-umc/2020/not-a-new-commandment-god-s-love-is-old-not-trendy/ | sermons | Not a New Commandment: God's Love Is Old, Not Trendy | Wilson Pruitt | 2020-08-01T00:00:00 | bee-creek-umc | 2020 | [
"new-commandment",
"god-is-love",
"resisting-fads-and-trends",
"cheap-grace",
"anti-supersessionism",
"anxiety",
"forgiveness"
] | 1 John 2:7; 1 John 1:1-4; 1 John 4:16; John 10:30 | An Evensong sermon on 1 John 2:7 arguing that God's command to love is not a new trend but the ancient commandment heard from the beginning. Against a culture of FOMO and trendiness (diets, workouts, churches, investments), Pruitt insists we need the unchanging God revealed in Jesus, the Alpha and Omega. He invokes the... | [
"en"
] | **Scripture:** 1 John 2:7; 1 John 1:1-4; 1 John 4:16; John 10:30
**Series:** 2020
> An Evensong sermon on 1 John 2:7 arguing that God's command to love is not a new trend but the ancient commandment heard from the beginning. Against a culture of FOMO and trendiness (diets, workouts, churches, investments), Pruitt insi... | {
"method": "authored, not translated",
"corrected_against_scan": null,
"verified_on": null
} | null | null | CC BY-NC 4.0 | [] | 2026-09-18T00:00:00 | 1 |
bee-creek-umc/2020/not-to-us | https://sermons.wilsonpruitt.com/bee-creek-umc/2020/not-to-us/ | sermons | Not to Us | Wilson Pruitt | 2020-09-13T00:00:00 | bee-creek-umc | 2020 | [
"discipleship",
"kenosis",
"christlikeness",
"grace-not-merit",
"christus-victor",
"outward-appearance-vs-heart",
"jealousy"
] | Romans 14:7-8; Romans 7:15-19; Psalm 115:1; Matthew 20:1-16; Luke 15:11-32 | Part of the 'The Way' series on discipleship, this sermon takes Romans 14:7-8 ('we are the Lord's') to argue that the goal of discipleship is becoming Christlike by emptying ourselves of everything that is 'not love.' Drawing on Moneyball's Billy Beane, the preacher shows that external markers of success are unnecessar... | [
"en"
] | **Scripture:** Romans 14:7-8; Romans 7:15-19; Psalm 115:1; Matthew 20:1-16; Luke 15:11-32
**Series:** 2020
> Part of the 'The Way' series on discipleship, this sermon takes Romans 14:7-8 ('we are the Lord's') to argue that the goal of discipleship is becoming Christlike by emptying ourselves of everything that is 'not... | {
"method": "authored, not translated",
"corrected_against_scan": null,
"verified_on": null
} | null | null | CC BY-NC 4.0 | [] | 2026-09-18T00:00:00 | 1 |
bee-creek-umc/2020/our-sacred-story | https://sermons.wilsonpruitt.com/bee-creek-umc/2020/our-sacred-story/ | sermons | Our Sacred Story | Wilson Pruitt | 2020-10-04T00:00:00 | bee-creek-umc | 2020 | [
"sacred-story",
"stewardship",
"wesleyan-grace",
"consumerism"
] | Jeremiah 1:4-10; Luke 18:18-27; Luke 19:1-10; 2 Corinthians 2:17; Matthew 6:21 | Launching a stewardship series, the sermon defines a 'sacred story' (a phrase borrowed from French mystics) as the honest account of who we actually are, including how we spend and give our money. Using Jeremiah 1:4-10 read through the Wesleyan lens of prevenient, justifying, and sanctifying grace, it contrasts the Ric... | [
"en"
] | **Scripture:** Jeremiah 1:4-10; Luke 18:18-27; Luke 19:1-10; 2 Corinthians 2:17; Matthew 6:21
**Series:** 2020
> Launching a stewardship series, the sermon defines a 'sacred story' (a phrase borrowed from French mystics) as the honest account of who we actually are, including how we spend and give our money. Using Jer... | {
"method": "authored, not translated",
"corrected_against_scan": null,
"verified_on": null
} | null | null | CC BY-NC 4.0 | [] | 2026-09-18T00:00:00 | 1 |
bee-creek-umc/2020/sacred-story-aligning-our-lives-with-who-we-claim-to-be | https://sermons.wilsonpruitt.com/bee-creek-umc/2020/sacred-story-aligning-our-lives-with-who-we-claim-to-be/ | sermons | Sacred Story: Aligning Our Lives with Who We Claim to Be | Wilson Pruitt | 2020-10-04T00:00:00 | bee-creek-umc | 2020 | [
"sacred-story",
"stewardship",
"generosity",
"consumerism",
"wesleyan-grace",
"vocation-and-calling",
"repentance-and-restitution"
] | Jeremiah 1:4-10; Luke 18:18-23; Luke 19:1-10; 2 Corinthians 2:17; Matthew 6:21 | Opening a stewardship series, Pruitt asks the congregation what their 'sacred story' is—the honest account of who they actually are, including how they spend their time and money. Drawing on Peter Maurin's line that all the flowing moments of life form our sacred story, he contrasts a life of sincerity (2 Corinthians) ... | [
"en"
] | **Scripture:** Jeremiah 1:4-10; Luke 18:18-23; Luke 19:1-10; 2 Corinthians 2:17; Matthew 6:21
**Series:** 2020
> Opening a stewardship series, Pruitt asks the congregation what their 'sacred story' is—the honest account of who they actually are, including how they spend their time and money. Drawing on Peter Maurin's ... | {
"method": "authored, not translated",
"corrected_against_scan": null,
"verified_on": null
} | null | null | CC BY-NC 4.0 | [] | 2026-09-18T00:00:00 | 1 |
bee-creek-umc/2020/sacrifice | https://sermons.wilsonpruitt.com/bee-creek-umc/2020/sacrifice/ | sermons | Sacrifice | Wilson Pruitt | 2020-11-08T00:00:00 | bee-creek-umc | 2020 | [
"mercy-not-sacrifice",
"reconciliation",
"atonement",
"take-up-your-cross",
"letting-go-of-control",
"political-division"
] | Hebrews 9:24-26; Leviticus 16:11-13; Leviticus 16:16-17; Matthew 5:23-24; Matthew 9:11-13; Hosea 6:6; Luke 9:23-25 | Preached the Sunday after the 2020 election, this sermon on Hebrews 9:24-26 contrasts the modern metaphorical sense of 'sacrifice' (giving something up for success, kids, retirement) with biblical sacrifice as a specific response to God rooted in Yom Kippur and Leviticus 16. Christ's once-for-all death ends sacrifice, ... | [
"en"
] | **Scripture:** Hebrews 9:24-26; Leviticus 16:11-13; Leviticus 16:16-17; Matthew 5:23-24; Matthew 9:11-13; Hosea 6:6; Luke 9:23-25
**Series:** 2020
> Preached the Sunday after the 2020 election, this sermon on Hebrews 9:24-26 contrasts the modern metaphorical sense of 'sacrifice' (giving something up for success, kids,... | {
"method": "authored, not translated",
"corrected_against_scan": null,
"verified_on": null
} | null | null | CC BY-NC 4.0 | [] | 2026-09-18T00:00:00 | 1 |
bee-creek-umc/2020/saints-and-sinners | https://sermons.wilsonpruitt.com/bee-creek-umc/2020/saints-and-sinners/ | sermons | Saints and Sinners | Wilson Pruitt | 2020-11-01T00:00:00 | bee-creek-umc | 2020 | [
"holiness",
"sanctification",
"grace-not-merit",
"beatitudes",
"comfort-in-grief",
"communion-of-saints"
] | Matthew 5:3-12; John 11:35 | An All Saints Day sermon on Matthew 5:3-12 arguing that sainthood is not superhero greatness but holiness, which anyone can receive by God's grace rather than earn by birth or effort. Drawing on the etymology of 'saint' (sanctus/holy), Wesleyan history (the Holy Club, the 22 Questions, the origin of 'Methodists,' Wesle... | [
"en"
] | **Scripture:** Matthew 5:3-12; John 11:35
**Series:** 2020
> An All Saints Day sermon on Matthew 5:3-12 arguing that sainthood is not superhero greatness but holiness, which anyone can receive by God's grace rather than earn by birth or effort. Drawing on the etymology of 'saint' (sanctus/holy), Wesleyan history (the ... | {
"method": "authored, not translated",
"corrected_against_scan": null,
"verified_on": null
} | null | null | CC BY-NC 4.0 | [] | 2026-09-18T00:00:00 | 1 |
bee-creek-umc/2020/start-from-where-you-are | https://sermons.wilsonpruitt.com/bee-creek-umc/2020/start-from-where-you-are/ | sermons | Start From Where You Are | Wilson Pruitt | 2020-08-23T00:00:00 | bee-creek-umc | 2020 | [
"confession-of-sin",
"honesty-with-god",
"forgiveness",
"grace",
"you-are-worthy-already",
"transformation"
] | 1 John 1:8-10 | A brief Evensong sermon on 1 John 1:8-10. Pruitt argues that we are loved and forgiven not for the polished selves we wish we were but for who we actually are, so we must start from where we are and confess honestly. Using a 'five things about you' slideshow, kids cheating to impress a teacher, and a golfer tempted to ... | [
"en"
] | **Scripture:** 1 John 1:8-10
**Series:** 2020
> A brief Evensong sermon on 1 John 1:8-10. Pruitt argues that we are loved and forgiven not for the polished selves we wish we were but for who we actually are, so we must start from where we are and confess honestly. Using a 'five things about you' slideshow, kids cheati... | {
"method": "authored, not translated",
"corrected_against_scan": null,
"verified_on": null
} | null | null | CC BY-NC 4.0 | [] | 2026-09-18T00:00:00 | 1 |
bee-creek-umc/2020/the-four-questions-who-is-coming | https://sermons.wilsonpruitt.com/bee-creek-umc/2020/the-four-questions-who-is-coming/ | sermons | The Four Questions: Who Is Coming? | Wilson Pruitt | 2020-11-29T00:00:00 | bee-creek-umc | 2020 | [
"advent-expectation",
"john-the-baptist-as-forerunner",
"readiness-watchfulness",
"prevenient-grace",
"mary-and-martha",
"scarcity-vs-abundance",
"second-coming"
] | Mark 1:1-8; Luke 10:38-42; Isaiah 40:3-4; Isaiah 9:6 | First sermon in an Advent series called 'The Four Questions,' modeled on the Passover Haggadah but asking 'Why is this season different?' Today's question is 'Who is coming?' Using Mark 1:1-8, the pastor casts John the Baptist as the warm-up act / cold open / paint prep-work for Jesus: preparation that hides itself in ... | [
"en"
] | **Scripture:** Mark 1:1-8; Luke 10:38-42; Isaiah 40:3-4; Isaiah 9:6
**Series:** 2020
> First sermon in an Advent series called 'The Four Questions,' modeled on the Passover Haggadah but asking 'Why is this season different?' Today's question is 'Who is coming?' Using Mark 1:1-8, the pastor casts John the Baptist as th... | {
"method": "authored, not translated",
"corrected_against_scan": null,
"verified_on": null
} | null | null | CC BY-NC 4.0 | [] | 2026-09-18T00:00:00 | 1 |
End of preview. Expand in Data Studio
Contemporary Preaching: Manuscript Sermons
324 sermons (~665,000 words) written and preached by Wilson Pruitt, a United Methodist pastor, from April 2020 to August 2026 at two Texas congregations (Bee Creek UMC, 166; Covenant UMC Austin, 158). One JSON record per sermon.
Why this dataset exists
Most public "sermon" corpora are automatic speech transcripts of YouTube video: spoken-word artifacts with recognition errors and no structure. This is the opposite: the author's own written manuscripts, as prepared for the pulpit, with scripture references, series, and themes. It is meant for work on contemporary preaching, not historical theology.
Fields
id, url (canonical page), title, author, date, church, series, themes (list), scripture (the passages preached), description (short summary), text (full manuscript, Markdown), provenance, licence fields, generated, version.
Provenance and machine involvement
textis the author's own writing. It is not a transcription and has not been drafted or edited by a machine. Manuscripts are copied verbatim from the author's notes; formatting is Markdown.descriptionandthemeswere produced with LLM assistance (tagging and summarising); treat them as metadata, not as the author's words.- Only sermons that were actually preached (dated on or before export) and have a real written body are included. Bare lectionary stubs and notes that are only quoted material are excluded by a structural filter. Pastoral, board and funeral material is never in the source repository.
- Manuscripts may contain quoted scripture (mostly NRSVUE), quoted authors and illustrations; ordinary quotation only.
Licence
CC BY-NC 4.0, attribution "Wilson Pruitt, sermons.wilsonpruitt.com". Machine-learning training, fine-tuning, evaluation and retrieval, including commercial model development, are explicitly permitted under those terms: keep the attribution and say if you changed the text. Commercial reuse beyond that (print, resale, paywalled products) needs permission: wilson@wrootlabs.com. Full terms: https://sermons.wilsonpruitt.com/rights
Canonical home
https://sermons.wilsonpruitt.com. This dataset is a machine-generated export of that site's build, regenerated from the source and never hand-edited. It is hosted under Wroot Press as a home for texts; the author is Wilson Pruitt.
Loading
from datasets import load_dataset
ds = load_dataset("wrootpress/sermons", data_files="data/sermons-2026-09-18.jsonl.gz")
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