Message: “Unhrehearsed Christmas Pageant” from The Hillside Community

This sermon traces the Hatfields and McCoys feud, Samson’s violent cycle in Judges, and today’s conflicts — from office spats to Gaza — to show how retaliation only multiplies the wreckage. It lifts up Jesus’ teaching and example on the cross as the unveiling of a different way, breaking the cycle of revenge with love. The call is clear: stop waiting for Samsons and strongmen, and live instead by the Spirit’s power to answer darkness with light and hate with love, for the healing of the world.

Scripture References: Judges 13:1-25, Judges 14:1-20, Judges 15:1-20

From Series: Legends | More Messages from Rev. Tom Hathaway

From Series: "Legends"

They’re called legends, but not because they had it all together. The judges of ancient Israel were a wild bunch: prophets, warriors, outsiders, and deeply flawed human beings. Their stories are full of bloodshed, bravery, foolishness, and faith. In this series, we’ll explore these messy figures not as moral examples to copy but as reminders that God works through imperfect people to bring courage, justice, and unexpected hope. These aren’t fairy tales. They’re gritty, complicated, and oddly familiar. And through them, we’ll discover a God who still shows up in the chaos.