11.1.2026 - All Saints Sunday - Pastor Chris

I always wonder if All Saints is a day when folks come to church with expectations. Will they cry? Who will they light a candle for? Is there someone who may be close to death that they are thinking about? Does this text speak much to this day? When Sundays such as this one are out of the ordinary routine, sometimes the question is does the sermon focus on the passage or the day. Ideally we’re hoping we can do both. 

This well known passage from Matthew is comforting because it lists out the things that God cares about and it may be different from what the listeners think God cares about. I love how Matthew says that Jesus looks out before he speaks. I like to think that when Jesus looked out across the crowd he saw individuals who were dealing with exactly what he mentions. When the world’s values differ from the things that matter to God, how do we navigate those conflicting ideals? Or is this just a passage about comfort, which is totally OK. 

What brings you comfort? How has God supported you during times of loss, pain, and struggle? Maybe that’s why this is such an important passage for many, it comforts. The Bible is a library of books and each book, each chapter, each verse can relay something different. We may need different things from the bible at different times in our lives, but this day we hear words of comfort. We may not need comforting 24/7 but it is always there when we need it. May God continue to comfort us in difficult times.