Episodes

  • Eshel: Almond | Preaching the Trees | FPC Dallas

    Eshel: Almond | Preaching the Trees | FPC Dallas
    Jul 5 2026
    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
    Show More Show Less
    27 mins
  • Eshel: Myrtle | Preaching the Trees | FPC Dallas

    Eshel: Myrtle | Preaching the Trees | FPC Dallas
    Jun 28 2026
    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
    Show More Show Less
    22 mins
  • Eshel: Acacia | Preaching the Trees | FPC Dallas

    Eshel: Acacia | Preaching the Trees | FPC Dallas
    Jun 21 2026
    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
    Show More Show Less
    Less than 1 minute
  • Eshel: Terebinth | Preaching the Trees | FPC Dallas

    Eshel: Terebinth | Preaching the Trees | FPC Dallas
    Jun 14 2026
    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
    Show More Show Less
    26 mins
  • Eshel: Broom | Preaching the Trees | FPC Dallas

    Eshel: Broom | Preaching the Trees | FPC Dallas
    Jun 7 2026
    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
    Show More Show Less
    27 mins
  • Eshel: Tamarisk | Preaching the Trees

    Eshel: Tamarisk | Preaching the Trees
    May 31 2026
    Abraham makes peace with a rival king, and the story ends with an unexpected act: he plants a tamarisk tree. The tamarisk is slow growing. Abraham will never live to see it reach maturity. Yet he plants it anyway. In the opening sermon of Eshel: Preaching the Trees, we explore the Hebrew word eshel, a word associated with eating, drinking, and lodging. A tree as an inn. A place of welcome. A sign of covenant. This sermon reflects on hospitality, reconciliation, and the kind of faithfulness that invests in a future beyond our own lifetime. Some acts of faith are not measured by immediate results, but by what they make possible for those who come after us. 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
    Show More Show Less
    27 mins
  • Pentecost Sunday | The Spirit Still Moves

    Pentecost Sunday | The Spirit Still Moves
    May 24 2026
    Pentecost is the story of a frightened and uncertain community becoming something new. In Acts 2, the Spirit arrives like wind and fire, disrupting fear, crossing boundaries, and drawing people together across language and difference. What begins as confusion becomes proclamation. What begins behind closed doors becomes a public witness. This sermon reflects on the movement of the Holy Spirit, not only as a dramatic moment in the early church, but as an ongoing invitation into courage, connection, and transformation. Pentecost reminds us that faith is not sustained by human effort alone. The Spirit continues to breathe life into ordinary people and gather them into a living community. Sermon by Rev. Dr. Charlene Jin Lee. Subscribe for weekly sermons from First Presbyterian Church of Dallas. fpcdallas.org
    Show More Show Less
    23 mins
  • Kiss of Love: Eccentrics

    Kiss of Love: Eccentrics
    May 17 2026
    What holds a community together after the excitement fades and ordinary life returns? In the closing sermon of Eccentrics: Keeping It Real After Easter, we turn to Peter’s final vision of the church. Not polished or perfect people, but a community learning how to remain together in grace, peace, and genuine love. Drawing from 1 Peter 5, this message reflects on the kind of relationships that can survive disappointment, difference, and time. A church shaped not by performance or appearance, but by the steady practice of peace. Resurrection does not simply change individual lives. It creates a new kind of community. Part of the Eccentrics: Keeping It Real After Easter series. Sermon by Rev. Amos J. Disasa. Subscribe for weekly sermons from First Presbyterian Church of Dallas. fpcdallas.org
    Show More Show Less
    24 mins