Understanding the Jesus of the Gospels

Sermons from the Gospels

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  • THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS LIKE THIS…

    Matthew 22: 1-14 Offered to the First Presbyterian Church of Succasunna, NJ, 2012 Mel Prestamo, Elder, PCUSA “The kingdom of God is like this..” This is the second time I have gotten an opportunity to speak about this passage from Matthew. The first time must have been four years ago, the last time that it…

  • “When You Pray…”

    Luke 18: 9-14 with references to Matthew & John Offered to the Kitchell Memorial Presbyterian Church, October 26, 2025 Mel Prestamo, Elder PCUSA Now it would be easy in today’s message to do some Pharisee bashing. But instead, I want to begin my message today by sharing with you something that happened to me just…

  • Say Thank You

    Luke 17: 11-19 Offered to the First Presbyterian Church of Franklin NJ – October 12, 2025 by Mel Prestamo, Elder, PCUSA In Psalm 103, which I read the beginning verses to you earlier, the Psalmist is telling God’s faithful to be thankful for all the blessings that God has bestowed upon them. He tells them…

  • On World Communion Sunday

    Offered to the congregation at Mine Hill Presbyterian Church on World Communion Sunday October 5, 2025 John 17: 20-24 / 1 Corinthians 12 [selected verses] World Communion Sunday is meant to be a special day in the life of our denomination and for Christians around the world. It is meant to symbolize a gathering together…

  • Who Will listen if Someone Is Raised from the Dead?

    Luke 16: 19-31 Offered by Elder Mel Prestamo PCUSA to the congregation of the Wharton United Community Congregation Today’s lectionary begins with another of Jesus’ many parables which in one way or another deal with affluence and wealth. This series of parables begins in Luke 12 with a person calling out to Jesus from the…

  • The Dishonest Steward or To Whom Do You Belong?

    Luke 16: 1-13 Offered to the Rockport Presbyterian Church on Sunday, September 21, 2025 by Mel Prestamo, Elder PCUSA This parable in Luke is a difficult one to understand – especially if we run Luke’s text all together as the lectionary does. If we look at this reading today as one single unit it is…

  • All Are Welcome In my Father’s House

    Gospel Lesson: John: 14-1-14 Offered to the Highlands Presbyterian Church on November 7, 2021 by Mel Prestamo, Elder PCUSA This morning is Reformation Sunday and perhaps a preacher with a stronger background in the Reformation and Martin Luther would be speaking to you today about the great history and theological meaning of the Reformation. Or…

  • Sell It All

    Luke 14: 25-33 / Offered to the Rockport PC, Port Murray, NJ Well, there you have it. If you want to be a disciple of Jesus, you have to hate your father and your mother, and your spouse and children, and your brothers and sisters, and even your life itself. You have to measure the…

  • “I”, “my”, and “myself”

    Mel Prestamo, Elder PCUSA Taken from Luke 12: 13-21, offered on August 3, 2025, at Hilltop Presbytery Church, Mendham, NJ The Story of the Greedy Farmer [I am providing the text from the Message – of particular interest is the transcription of verse 21] 13 Someone out of the crowd said, “Teacher, order my brother to…

  • Jesus is Tested in the Wilderness

    Mel Prestamo, Elder PCUSA This message was delivered at a Vesper’s service back in 2014. My reference and commentary resources were from William Barclay’s writings on the Gospel of Mark. This is quite a turnaround, isn’t it? Just two weeks ago, we were celebrating Jesus’ victory over death and God’s great gifts of mercy and…