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The Root of All Evil: Economic Systems in Biblical Perspective
Guest Speaker: Dr. Ken Barnes…
Rejoice in the Lord
Psalm 100
Guest Speaker: John Kegley…
It’s Time for a Heart Exam
Genesis 44
Pastor Vawn Edele…
Everlasting Father
Isaiah 9:1-7
Pastor Vawn Edele…
Prince of Peace
Isaiah 9:1-7
Pastor Vawn Edele…
Grappling with God
Genesis 32:22-32
I wonder if any of you remember what happened on January 23, 1984? It was a cataclysmic event that changed American pop culture forever—it was the night Hulk Hogan defeated the Iron Sheik for the World Wrestling Federation Heavyweight Championship! I was only six years old, but I remember it like it was yesterday! …
Fear versus Faith–And the winner is…?
Genesis 32:1-21
Pastor Vawn Edele …
The Making of a Godly Man
Genesis 31
by Max Bayard…
The Trickster is Tricked
Genesis 29:1-30
Call to Worship – Psalm 148 1 Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise him in the heights above. 2 Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his heavenly hosts. 3 Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars. 4 Praise him, you highest heavens and you waters above the skies. 5 Let them praise the name of…
Living the Dream
Genesis 28:10-22
Call to Worship – Psalm 23 The Lord Is My Shepherd – A Psalm of David. 23 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. 3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no…
Family Disintegration
Genesis 27:41-28:9
Call to Worship – Psalm 34:4-10 I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. 5 Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. 6 This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles. 7 The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear…
Family Dysfunction
Genesis 27:1-40
Call to Worship – Psalm 103 Of David. 1 Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. 2 Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits— 3 who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, 4 who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, 5 who satisfies your desires with good things…
Like Father, Like Son
Genesis 26
Call to Worship – Deuteronomy 6:1-9 Love the Lord Your God 6 These are the commands, decrees and laws the Lord your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, 2 so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the Lord your God as long as you live by keeping…
Family Drama
Genesis 25:19-34
Call to Worship – Heidelberg Catechism (Question 1) What is your only comfort in life and death? That I am not my own, but belong with body and soul, both in life and in death, to my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all my sins with His precious blood, and has…
Abraham’s Death: The “I’s” Have It
Genesis 25:1-11
Call to Worship – Psalm 34 Of David. 1 I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. 2 I will glory in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. 3 Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together. 4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. 5 Those who look…
Providence in the Particulars:
The Astonishing Account of My Arranged Marriage
Genesis 24
Call to Worship – Psalm 145:1-7, 17-21 A psalm of praise. Of David. 1 I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever. 2 Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever. 3 Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. 4 One generation commends your…
Buying Burial Plots
Genesis 23
Call to Worship – Psalm 103 1 Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. 2 Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits— 3 who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, 4 who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, 5 who…
A Test of Faith
Genesis 22:1-19
Call to Worship – Hebrews 11:8-19 8 By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9 By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in…
Restoring Fortunes
Psalm 126
Call to Worship – James 1:2-12 2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously…
Turning Our Enemies into Allies
Genesis 21:22-34
VBS Needs: Call to Worship – Romans 12:9-21 9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in…
Two Mothers, One Father, Two Boys, and One God
Genesis 21:1-21
Call to Worship – Psalm 111 1 Praise the Lord I will extol the Lord with all my heart in the council of the upright and in the assembly. 2 Great are the works of the Lord; they are pondered by all who delight in them. 3 Glorious and majestic are his deeds, and his righteousness endures forever…
Half-Truths and a Whole Life
Genesis 20
GOD, the BUILDER! – VBS 2020 Call to Worship – Matthew 22:34-40 34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question:36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your…
Lewd & Lascivious Conduct:
Lessons from a Regrettable Life
Genesis 19:30-38
Antonio Bellucci (1654–1726) was an Italian soldier who became a painter of the Rococo period and was best known for his work in England, Germany, and Austria. He was one of the many Venetian-trained artists of his time, including Ricci, Tiepolo, Amigoni, and others, who sought commissions north of Italy, providing patrons with the then-popular…
Sin City, O What a Pity!
Genesis 19:1-29
John Martin (1789 – 1854) was an English Romantic painter, engraver and illustrator. He was celebrated for his typically vast and melodramatic paintings of religious subjects and fantastic compositions, populated with minute figures placed in imposing landscapes. Martin’s painting shows the biblical story of the destruction of the two cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, which…
Lessons from Abraham’s Conversation with the Lord
Genesis 18:16-33
VBS 2020 Promo Call to Worship – Joy of the Redeemed Isaiah 35 35 The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, 2 it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon;…
That Time My Wife Lied to the Lord
Genesis 18:1-15
Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (1606–1669) was a Dutch draughtsman, painter, and printmaker. An innovative and prolific master in three media, he is generally considered one of the greatest visual artists in the history of art and the most important in Dutch art history. Unlike most Dutch masters of the 17th century, Rembrandt’s works depict a wide…
What’s in a Name
Genesis 17
For modern artist Deborah Nell, every painting begins with a prayer. Her art is an expression of her connection and communication with God. Her father, Herman Sillas, instructed her while the two of them painted side by side at their easels when she was a child growing up in her native Southern California. After graduating…
Baby Mamas, Sugar Daddies, and Sister-Wives
Genesis 16
Sir Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) was a Flemish artist and diplomat. He is considered the most influential artist of Flemish Baroque tradition. Rubens’ highly charged compositions reference scholarly aspects of classical and Christian history. His unique and immensely popular Baroque style emphasized movement, color, and sensuality. Rubens specialized in making altarpieces, portraits, landscapes, and history…
Cutting Calves and Chasing Crows
Genesis 15
Modern artist Lisa Turtz’s favorite part of painting is the beauty of combining colors and the creativity of ideas and humor in the worlds she creates. She sees whimsical connections between things and they make her smile. Inspired by her work with Torah and Hebrew study groups, she created a series of 15 paintings exploring…
Of Monarchs and Rescue Missions
Genesis 14
Frans Francken the Younger (1581 – 1642) was a Flemish painter and the best-known member of the large Francken family of artists. Francken created altarpieces and painted furniture panels, but his reputation chiefly relies on his small and delicate cabinet pictures with historical, mythological, or allegorical themes. He played an important role in the development…
Living by Faith, Not by Sight
Genesis 13
Claes Corneliszoon Moeyaert (1592-1655) was a Dutch painter, etcher and draughtsman. He was the most prolific of the history painters now called the Pre-Rembrandtists, whose representations of biblical and mythological narratives, as well as of more recent history, give particular emphasis to dramatic and psychological effects. After Rembrandt arrived in Amsterdam in 1632, Moeyaert’s style…
Abram: A Man of Faith and a Man of Fear
Genesis 12
Abraham’s Journey from Ur to Canaan, by József Molnár, 1850 (Hungarian National Gallery, Budapest) József Molnár (1821-1899) was a Hungarian painter. He was born in Zsámbék and studied in Venice, Rome and Munich. After his studies, he settled down in Stuttgart, Germany, where he earned money by painting portraits. He returned to Hungary in 1853…
The Resurrection and the Life
John 11:1-37
The British artist Edward Coley Burne-Jones began this painting in 1882 but he did not complete it until four years later. The scene depicts Mary Magdalene’s visit to the empty tomb, where she encounters the resurrected Christ, accompanied by two angels. The painting falls at the end of Burne-Jones’ Mantegnesque phase, and the regular horizontals…
Rebuilding the Tower of Babel
Genesis 11
Marten van Valckenborch (1535-1612), was a Flemish Renaissance painter, primarily known for his landscapes with religious or allegorical themes and agricultural or mining scenes. Later in his career, he developed towards a Mannerist idiom (landscapes characterized by dramatically agitated clouds and large mountains) as is scene in “The Building of the Tower of Babel.” Unlike…
Family Ties
Genesis 10
Call to Worship – Isaiah 42:1-9 “Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will bring justice to the nations. 2 He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets. 3 A bruised reed he will…
Indecent Exposure
Genesis 9:18-29
Drunkenness of Noah by Giovanni Belllini *If image does not appear, click Here Drunkenness of Noah was Giovanni Bellini’s (1430-1516) last masterpiece, painted in 1515, a year before he died. The painting depicts the story in Genesis 9:18-29, where Noah becomes drunk and naked after drinking too much wine from one of his vineyards. The…
God’s Peace in Times of Panic
Philippians 4:2-9
A number of years ago a man sought the perfect picture of peace. Not finding one that satisfied, he announced a contest to produce this masterpiece. The challenge stirred the imagination of artists everywhere, and paintings arrived from far and wide. Finally, the great day of revelation arrived. The judges uncovered one peaceful…
Capital Punishment and the Preservation of Human Life
Genesis 9:1-17
After Dustin Lee Honken graduated from high school in Arizona, he attended a community college, where he was noticed for his chemistry skills. He began manufacturing methamphetamines and sold them to two drug dealers from Mason City, Iowa, Greg Nicholson and Terry DeGeus. In 1993, law enforcement began to investigate Nicholson. In exchange…
The Raven & the Dove
Genesis 7-8
Years passed, and many generations of people lived and died, until a time came when people had forgotten God. They did not resist evil but allowed it room in their hearts. They began to hate, and hurt, and cause each other misery and pain. God looked at what had become of the people he made—made…
What a Wonderful World
Genesis 6:1-8
I see trees of green, red roses too I see them bloom for me and you And I think to myself what a wonderful world I see skies of blue and clouds of white The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night And I think to myself what a wonderful world The colors of the…
Walking Through a Cemetery
Genesis 5
Have you ever walked through a cemetery? People go to cemeteries to visit the gravestones of their deceased loved ones. They do this to feel some connection with the person who is gone and to help us remember the times they shared together. When I was growing up…
The Fall of the Human Family
Genesis 4
Listen to this poem titled “Highway Patrolman.” My name is Joe Roberts I work for the state I’m a sergeant out of Perrineville barracks number 8 I always done an honest job as honest as I could I got a brother named Franky and Franky ain’t no good Now ever since we was…
Sculpting the Human Race
Genesis 2
In 1505, the Italian artist Michelangelo was invited back to Rome by the newly elected Pope Julius II. He was commissioned to build the Pope’s tomb, which was to include forty statues and be finished in five years. But under the Pope’s patronage, he experienced constant interruptions to his work to pursue other…
God, the Original Artist
Genesis 1
And God stepped out on space,And he looked around and said:I’m lonely –I’ll make me a world And far as the eye of God could seeDarkness covered everythingBlacker than a hundred midnightsDown in a cypress swamp. Then God smiled,And the light broke,And the darkness rolled up on one side,And the light stood shining on the…
Beholding Beauty in Aesthetic Extravagance
Mark 14:1-11
Mokoto Fujimura is a renowned Japanese American author and painter. In his recent book Culture Care: Reconnecting with Beauty for Our Common Lives, he tells an interesting story about the time his wife infuriated him by bringing home a bouquet of flowers. Listen to the story in his own words: “As newlyweds, my wife and…
Blue Christmas
Psalm 13
As usual, Jay Johnson was running late. He had was slow getting started that morning, and the cold rainy weather wasn’t helping at all. On top of that, his green 1939 Mercury convertible had developed a huge rip just above the driver’s seat, and water was pouring through the growing hole onto his head. Pulling…
The Second Coming of Christ
On Thanksgiving morning 1983, three Baltimore teenagers woke up to a policeman’s pistol starring them in the face. Alfred Chestnut, Ransom Watkins, and Andrew Stewart were arrested and later convicted for the first-degree murder of fourteen year DeWitt Duckett, who was gunned down in the hallway of Harlem Park Junior High—the motive for the murder—Duckett’s…
Final Judgment & Final Destiny
The last judgment of Jesus Christ was one of the most popular topics for painters during the renaissance. Michelangelo painted the last judgment on the wall of the Sistine Chapel in Rome in the 1530’s. Raphael painted the last judgment in the town hall in the city of Ghent, Belgium in 1600. But my favorite…
The Origin & Activity of Demons
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. After he completed his masterpiece, he stepped back to gaze upon the marvelous landscape and menagerie of living creatures. It was all very good. Human beings, whom he created in his own image, were the pinnacle of his creation. He placed them in the Garden…
Angels Among Us
If you pay attention to American pop culture, you could learn a lot about angels! For instance, in film, you may remember George Baily’s guardian angel, Clarence, from Frank Capra’s 1946 Christmas classic “It’s A Wonderful Life.” Some of you may also remember angels from films like “Angels in the Outfield,” Disney’s “All Dogs Go…
Election & Predestination: Who Does God Save?
How many of you remember seeing the Publisher’s Clearing House Sweepstakes commercials on television? For those of you don’t remember, Publisher’s Clearing House was (and maybe still is) a marketing company that peddles merchandise and magazine subscriptions with sweepstakes and prize-based games. There was no purchase necessary; all you had to do was fill…
The Anatomy of a Human Being
Leonardo da Vinci’s drawing of the “Vitruvian Man” was created around the year 1487 and is still one of the most popular world icons. It is accompanied by notes based on the work of the famed architect, Vitruvius Pollio. The drawing, which is in pen and ink on paper, depicts a male figure in…
The Work of the Holy Spirit
Roald Amundsen was a Norwegian explorer of polar regions and a key figure of the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration. He was the first person to traverse Canada’s Northwest Passage in 1906 and he led the first expedition to the South Pole in 1911. He also led the first expedition proven to have reached…
Eulogizing God: A Reflection on the Divine Attributes
A number of years ago I got a call to officiate a funeral for an old farmer whom I’d never met before. When I went to visit his widow and gather information for the eulogy, I asked her to tell me about her late husband. She paused for such a long time that I…
The Canon of Scripture:
Which Books Should be in the Bible?
One winter evening, the president sat at his desk in the White House. He’d finished his work for the day and was ready to do something to help him get his mind off government. He took out two Bibles and opened them to the story of Jesus. Then he grabbed a knife—or perhaps a razor—and…
The Book that Understands Me:
The Inspiration & Authority of Scripture
2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21
For a number of years, Jennifer and I looked forward to our Christmastide tradition of going to theNotre Dame Basilica to hear the Montreal Symphony Orchestra perform George Fredric Handel’s magnificent oratorio “The Messiah.” The words of sacred Scripture are majestically orchestrated with measures for violin, cello, oboe, and harpsichord! In my humble opinion, “The…
Terrific Servant, Terrible Master: Keeping Tech in Check
Genesis 4
Neil Postman begins his thought-provoking book Technopoly: The Surrender of Culture to Technology by retelling Plato’s ancient legend titled “The Judgement of Thamus.” Thamus was the king of the great city of upper Egypt. He once entertained the god Theuth, who was the inventor of many things, including number, calculation, geometry, astronomy, and writing. Theuth exhibited…
The Coronation of the King
John 12:12-19
On June 2, 1953, Elizabeth II was coronated as the new Queen of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. The 25-year-old princess ascended the throne upon the death of her father, George VI. The coronation ceremony was held at Westminster Abbey in London and it contained all the…
Restoring the Ruins
Amos 9:11-15
When I was in high school, I worked part-time for a contractor named Dale, who specialized in flipping houses. He would buy the most run-down and dilapidated house in a neighborhood and restore it to its original beauty. He liked to hire a crew of high school students like me to do the grunt work…
You Can Run, but You Can’t Hide!
Amos 9:1-10
It’s always interesting to know the origin of common idioms. Most of you are familiar with the phrase, “You can run but you can’t hide!” This saying originated in the United States in the 1940s, and is attributed to the American boxer Joe Louis, who was quoted thus on the eve of his fight with…
The Hollow Priest & the Holy Prophet
Amos 7:10-17
Have you ever gotten into argument over who would win in a fight? Kids often debate over which super hero would win in a duel—Superman or the Incredible Hulk—Bat Man or Spiderman—Iron Man or Thor—or the proverbial “My dad can beat up your dad!” Sports fans often get into the same types of arguments. Who…
The First Shall be First
Amos 6:1-14
Do you remember when you were in elementary school—when the teacher made the whole class walk in a single file line? Whether it was a bathroom break, a trip to the cafeteria for lunch, or a walk to the playground for recess, elementary teachers make their students walk in single file lines to maintain order…
A Lamentation for a Nation
Amos 5:1-17
A long, long time agoI can still remember how that music used to make me smileAnd I knew if I had my chanceThat I could make those people danceAnd maybe they’d be happy for a while But February made me shiverWith every paper I’d deliverBad news on the doorstepI couldn’t take one more step I…
The Bullseye on Your Back
Amos 2:4-16
At a country church in Kentucky, two elderly women were sitting together in the front pew listening to a fiery guest preacher. When the well-dressed parson started lambasting the use of liquor, the two ladies cried out at the tops of their lungs, “Amen brother! Come on now!” For they knew that about a…
Handling the Truth
Amos 1:1-2:3
Some of you may remember Rob Reiner’s 1992 film “A Few Good Men.” It contains one of the most iconic scenes in American cinematic history, when Lieutenant Daniel Kaffee (played by Tom Cruise) cross-examines Colonel Nathan Jessup (played by Jack Nicholson) about his involvement in a “Code-Red,” a term for harsh, unsanctioned physical punishment…
An Unexpected Visitor
Luke 1:25-38
Has an unexpected visitor ever showed up at your house? Have you heard someone knocking on your door and you thought to yourself, “Hmn, I wonder who that could be?” Do you like receiving unexpected visitors? Well, I suppose it depends on who it is and why they are there! Perhaps you get…
The Silence of the Priest
Luke 1:5-25
First Sunday in Advent
Have you ever experienced a deep disappointment in your life? I’m not talking about a minor disappointment like your husband forgetting your anniversary or your wife making a salad for supper when you were expecting lamb chops (although that would be pretty disappointing). I mean a major disappointment like not getting the job you were…
Teach Your Children Well
Psalm 78
The chilling photograph “Child with Toy Hand Grenade in Central Park, N.Y.C. 1962,” by Diane Arbus, shows a boy, with the left strap of his shorts awkwardly hanging off his shoulder, tensely holding his long, stringy, thin arms by his side. Clenched in his right hand is a toy replica hand grenade (a Mk 2…
All’s Well that Ends Well
Romans 16:17-27
“All’s Well that Ends Well” is one of William Shakespeare’s lesser known plays. It tells the story of Helena, the low-born servant of a French countess, who is in love with the countess’s son Bertram, but he has no absolutely no interest in her. When Bertram goes to Paris to replace his late father…
The Story in a Name
Romans 16:1-16
Have you ever thought about the fact that every name contains a story? Last summer when my family and I were on sabbatical, we took a tour through the Jewish Quarter in Prague, Czech Republic. Among the many wonders we witnessed there, the 500-year-old Pinkas Synagogue was the one that moved me the…
A Heart for Christian Missions
Romans 15:22-33
George Scott was a one-legged school teacher from Scotland. He once approached the legendary missionary J. Hudson Taylor and offered himself for service in China. “With only one leg, why do you think of going as a missionary?” asked Taylor. Scott simply said, “I don’t see those with two legs going,” He was immediately…
A Serious Call to Christian Civility
Romans 12:9-21
The term civility means “formal politeness and courtesy in behavior or speech.” It is a word rarely uttered in American society today; and unfortunately, it is even more rarely practiced. On one hand, we seem to be living in an era where people either err on the side of oversensitive political correctness where the…
Stairway to Heaven
Romans 10:14-21
Earlier this week, as I was studying Romans 10 for this morning’s message, the sermon title “Stairway to Heaven” popped into my mind. At the same moment, it also occurred to me that this would be a brilliant title for a rock song. So, I grabbed a guitar and began fiddling around with a few…
The Heart of the Gospel
Romans 9:30-10:13
According to the dictionary, the word “heart” has about 19 different definitions in the English language. Heart is most commonly used in the anatomic sense. It is a hollow four-chamber organ that pumps blood through the human body. This is what the band Bon Jovi meant when they sang: “Shot through the heart and you’re…
Election Day
Romans 9:1-29
In the United States, Election Day is the day set by law for the general elections of federal public officials. It is statutorily set as “the Tuesday after the first Monday in the month of November” or “the first Tuesday after November 1.” Have you ever wondered why Election Day is on a Tuesday in…
Celebrating Our Security in Christ
Romans 8:31-39
The story is told of a monastery in Portugal, perched high on a 3,000-foot cliff and accessible only by a terrifying ride in a swaying basket. The basket is pulled with a single rope by several strong men, perspiring under the strain of the fully loaded basket. One American tourist who visited the site…
Curfew Must Not Ring Tonight
Romans 8:1-17
When Oliver Cromwell served as Lord Protector of England, a young soldier by the name of Basil Underwood was sentenced to die when the curfew bell rang. Basil’s fiancé, Bessie, begged Cromwell to save his life by giving him a pardon, but he refused. As the church sexton over and over pulled the rope at…
A Confession of a Sinful Saint
Romans 7:7-25
Without a doubt, Saint Augustine is one of the most influential figures in the history of Western civilization. In late August of A.D. 386, at the age of 31, his mother’s prayers were answered and he converted to Christianity. His conversion was prompted by a childlike voice he heard telling him to “take up and…
Liberated from the Law
Romans 7:1-6
My 8th grade algebra teacher, Mr. Lanza, had the illustrious reputation of being Blairsville Junior High’s strictest educator. His stringent rules and hot-temper evoked terror in students, faculty, and even the principal. Stories of his ballistic outbursts got passed down from year to year and were collated in an oral tradition called “Lanza Legends.” …
Freedom in Slavery
Romans 6:15-23
We are all slaves to something! The Oxford English Dictionary defines a slave as “a person who is excessively dependent upon or controlled by something.” Some people are slaves to chocolate—they simply cannot resist! These self-professed chocoholics keep secret stashes of Hershey’s Kisses in their cupboards to satisfy their cocoa-cravings. And now that…
Slaves No More
Romans 6:1-14
Greta was a bright and beautiful girl. Although she grew up in a Christian family and attended church regularly, she became more and more rebellious as she progressed through high school. It started with a bad attitude toward her parents and then led to a life of lies, promiscuity, and experimentation with various drugs. As…
But Instead
Romans 5:12-21
Bryce Bachelder
So, I’m not exactly a “health and fitness guy”. And really anyone who’s ever put a piece of pie in front of me could tell you that. But I’ve recently started to try and work out a little more. I’m lucky enough to work a place that has an on-site gym, and not only that…
Believing the Unbelievable
Romans 4:13-25
Do you believe the unbelievable? The Guinness Book of World Records contains many unbelievable facts. For instance, did you know that the heaviest man in the world weighed 1,235 pounds? It’s hard to believe, but it’s true! A Mexican man named Manuel Uribe reportedly hit this staggering weight before he died in 2014…
The Frog in the Milk Pail
Romans 4:1-12
A preacher, long-departed from the truth of the gospel, told the following story to summarize the faith he taught. It seems that a frog one day fell into a pail of milk, and though he tried every conceivable way to jump out, he always failed. The sides were too high, and because he was floating…
The Gift of God’s Grace
Romans 3:21-31
The world was covered in snow! The white witch, posing as the queen, had ruled for 100 years, and she used her magic to keep the kingdom frozen in a perpetual winter. And in her castle, she kept a chilling collection of creatures which she had turned into stone. Aslan, the majestic lion and rightful…
Utopia Dismantled: The Depths of Human Depravity
Romans 3:9-20
Many decades ago when Britain was ravished by war, the government called for citizens to evacuate the country as quickly as possible. In the midst of the mayhem, a pilot was able to board a small group of school boys onto an airplane and escape. Tragically, the plane crashed, killing the pilot and stranding the…
I Fought the Law
Romans 2:12-29
When I was a kid, I spent many weekends driving around town with my dad in his white 1976 Ford Pinto. Whether we were heading to Begman’s hardware store to pick up supplies or to the Dairy Queen for a banana split on a warm summer evening, you could bet that the windows were rolled…
The Good News/Bad News Gospel
Romans 1:18-32
I am going to tell you a story and I would like for you all to play along. When I give a line of good news, you shout, “Alright!” But when I share a line of bad news, you say, “Oh no!” A man went up in an airplane (Alright!) But the airplane didn’t…
Not Ashamed of the Gospel
Romans 1:8-17
Two weeks ago on Friday I was honored to lead morning devotions for the House of Representatives at the Vermont Statehouse in Montpelier. There is always a bit of added pressure when preaching to people in positions of power, but it is especially unnerving to do it on their turf. You can imagine how…
Greetings with the Gospel
Romans 1:1-7
How many of you have ever written a letter to a friend? Good, then you are all familiar with the process! How many of you have ever written a letter to a stranger? Good, then you know that the way you compose a letter to a friend is different from the way you would…
Pride Before a Fall
Obadiah 1:1-21
Once there were two cocks living in the same farmyard, but they couldn’t stand the sight of each other. At last one day they flew up to fight it out, beak and claw. They fought until one of them was beaten and crawled off to a corner to hide. The Cock that had won…
Responding to the Redeemer
Matthew 2:1-23
After the miraculous events of Christmas were over, Joseph and Mary had their baby boy circumcised on the eighth day and gave him the name Jesus. After this, they took baby Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem and dedicated him to the Lord according to the Jewish custom. While they were in the temple courts…
Filled with the Holy Spirit: Charles Fox Parham & the Pentecostal Tradition
Acts 2:1-11
How many of you have ever attended a Pentecostal church before? If you have, you know that they are drastically different from other Protestant traditions. Contrary to the high and tight liturgical forms we find in the Episcopal, Lutheran, and Presbyterian traditions, Pentecostal churches are typically described by words like spontaneous, unpredictable, boisterous, free-flowing, music-driven…
Puritans and Pilgrims: Robert Browne & the Congregationalist Tradition
Revelation 2:14-22
While walking down the street one day, a senator was tragically hit by a truck and killed. St. Peter met him at the pearly gates, and said, “Welcome to Heaven! But before you settle in, it seems there’s a problem. We seldom see politicians around these parts, so we’re not sure what to do with…
Christian Perfection: John Wesley & the Methodist Tradition
Matthew 5:38-48
In late 1735, a ship made its way from England to the New World. On board was a young Anglican minister, John Wesley, who had been invited to serve as a pastor to British colonists in Savannah, Georgia. When the weather went sour, the ship found itself in serious trouble. Wesley, also chaplain of the…
The Baptism Labyrinth: The Radical Reformation & the Anabaptist Tradition
Romans 6:1-11
A man, a woman, and a redneck were scheduled to be baptized. The man was baptized first. When he came out of the water, he shouted, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want!” Then the woman was baptized. She came out of the water and exclaimed, “I can do all things through…
The Righteous Shall Live by Faith: Martin Luther & the Lutheran Tradition
Romans 1:8-17
Martin Luther was born on November 10, 1483 in the small town of Eisleben, Germany (about 120 miles southwest of Berlin). His parents, Margaret and Hans Luder, gave him the name Martin for the simple reason that he was born on St. Martin’s Day, the day the Roman Catholic calendar reserved for celebrating the feast…
Predestined for a Purpose: John Calvin & The Presbyterian/Reformed Tradition
Ephesians 1:1-14
The story is told of a group of theologians who were discussing the tension between predestination and free-will. The conversation became so heated that the group broke up into two opposing factions. But one man, not knowing which to join, stood for a moment trying to decide. At last he joined the predestination group…
Control Freaks: Henry VIII & The Anglican/Episcopal Tradition
Proverbs 16:1-9
He had failed to see what was coming, He wondered where he had gone wrong. He thought that he’d been very careful, He made sure he was right all along. They knew he had been far too rigid, They knew he was always this way. They knew it was his fault it happened, They knew…
The Goose is Cooked: Jan Hus & the Hussite Tradition
Ephesians 2:1-10
How can we live a life that is pleasing to God? How can we attain forgiveness for the sins we have committed throughout our lives? What do we have to do to get into heaven? These are some of the most important questions that we can ever ask ourselves. I am sure most of…
The Morning Star of the Reformation: John Wycliffe & the Lollard Tradition
2 Peter 1:16-21
Before the sun rises in the morning to drive away the darkness of the night, a bright star often shines beautifully in the eastern sky. We call it the morning star. It tells us that the sun will soon appear above the horizon. The Protestant Reformation was like the sun rising on the church after…
United Though Feeble: The Story of the Franklin United Church
Psalm 90
Martha Towle, in her book “The History of Franklin,” tells us that the Congregational Church of Franklin organized on October 9, 1817 with 14 charter members. Deacon John Webster’s family of six made up almost half of the congregation. Back in those early days, the church did not have an installed pastor, but instead relied…
More Desired Than Gold: Peter Waldo and the Waldensian Tradition
*Reformation 500: Exploring the Traditions of Protestantism – Part 2* For just a moment, imagine that it’s a little past 9 a.m. on a lazy Saturday morning. You are sitting at your kitchen table with a steaming cup of coffee and your favorite newspaper in hand. NPR’s “Morning Edition” is playing in the…
One, Holy Catholic, and Apostolic Church
1 John 2:15-17
*Reformation 500: Exploring the Traditions of Protestantism – Part 1* As most of you already know, there are three main branches of the Christian church: The Roman Catholic, the Eastern Orthodox, and the Protestant Church. Many of you grew up in the Roman Catholic Church and you are familiar with the language of Pope, priests…
There’s No Place Like…
Hebrews 11:1-16
Perhaps some of you are familiar with a story that took place years ago on the Great Plains of Kansas. It was a sweltering summer day on the farm when a cluster of dark clouds drifted across the sky and soon eclipsed the afternoon sun. The wind whipped up from the west and sent a…
Murdering a Mockingbird
Luke 22:66-23:25
“The defendant is not guilty. But somebody in this courtroom is.” “One more thing, gentlemen, before I quit. Thomas Jefferson once said that all men are created equal, a phrase that the Yankees and the Executive branch in Washington are fond of hurling at usWe know all men are not created equal in the…
The Coward’s Crow
Luke 22:54-65
Before I say what I need to say to you today, I want you all to know how much I love you and care for you, and how immensely blessed I have been during my time of ministry with you all. I could not have asked for a better group of people with whom to…
The Judas Kiss
Luke 22:47-53
Even though the old English poet Robert Herrick remained a bachelor throughout his life, kissing was a common topic in his poetry. This little verse, titled “Her Legs” was a bit risqué for the 1640’s, but here goes: Fain would I kiss my Julia’s dainty leg, Which is as white and hairless as an egg…
A Pressing Prayer
Luke 22:39-46
A tale is told about a small town that had historically been “dry,” but then a local businessman decided to build a tavern. A group of Christians from a local church were concerned and planned an all-night prayer vigil to ask God to intervene. It just so happened that shortly thereafter lightning struck the…
The Special Meal
Luke 22:7-38
It is customary to offer a condemned death row prisoner one last meal of his or her choice just prior to execution. Various countries have different traditions in this regard. Historically, the “little glass of rum” is granted to the condemned in France. In America, most states give the meal a day or two…
The Bitterness of Betrayal
Luke 22:1-6
And he’ll tell her – He’s working late again, But she knows to well there’s something goin’ on. She’s been neglected – and she needs a friend, So her trembling fingers dial the telephone. And Lord, it hurts her – doin’ this again, He’s the best friend that her husband ever knew. When she’s lonely…
The Beginning of the End
Luke 21:5-8
Last April, Jennifer and I went to New York City for a few days to celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary. We had a wonderful time at the opera, Broadway, and exploring the many treasures in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The only disappointing part of our trip came when we visited the Cathedral Church of…
Rest in Peace (R.I.P.)
Matthew 11:25-30
A poem by Bryon Cottee titled “Rest in Peace”: A face we love is missing a voice we know is still, a place is vacant in all our hearts, that only you could fill. Tears in our eyes they won’t go away, we wish you were here with us today. We know you never…
Politics & Religion
Luke 20:19-26
A little boy wanted $100.00 very badly, so he prayed for two weeks but nothing happened. Then he decided to write God a letter requesting $100.00. When the postmaster received the letter addressed to God, U.S.A., she decided to send it to the President. The President was so impressed and amused that he instructed his…
The Crying King
Luke 19:28-44
How many of you remember the television show M*A*S*H (Mobile Army Surgical Hospital)? When I was a kid, I hated M*A*S*H, but my Dad loved it, which meant that we watched the show all the time. In one of the earlier episodes of M*A*S*H, the doctor known as “Trapper John” gets diagnosed with a stomach…
A Life That Pleases God
Micah 6:1-8
Just the other day, one of my children (I won’t mention names but he is about five years old), was reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag, and as soon as he uttered “with liberty and justice for all,” he paused, looked up at me, and with a crinkled face said, “I don’t like…
Use It or Lose It
Luke 19:11-27
How many of you have heard the expression “use it or lose it?” This common idiom obviously refers to the phenomenon whereby if you don’t continue to practice or use a skill, you might lose the ability altogether. This phrase can apply to many facets of life. For instance, if you have learned a foreign…
Was Blind But Now I See
Luke 18:31-43
A judge was interviewing a woman regarding her pending divorce, and asked, “What are the grounds for your divorce?” She replied, “About four acres and a nice little home in the middle of the property with a stream running by.” “No,” he said, “I mean what is the foundation of this case?” “It is…
Of Babies & Bank Accounts
Luke 18:15-30
The name Karl Barth might not mean much to most of you, but he is widely regarded as the greatest theologian of the 20th century. Pope Pius XII called him the most important Christian theologian since St. Thomas Aquinas, 800 years earlier. But his influence expanded well beyond the academic realm to mainstream culture…
The Audacity of Humility
Luke 18:9-14
Before we read this morning’s Bible passage, let’s begin with a word of prayer: O Sovereign Lord, I thankest thee that I am not like other pastors in your vast world, who are often absent-minded, careless, lazy, socially awkward, emotionally insecure, and spiritually out of touch; who preach boring sermons, pray confusing prayers, exhibit…
Persistence in Prayer
Luke 18:1-8
Back in the summer of 1994, I worked as a park supervisor through the Indiana County Youth Employment Program. It was the cushiest job in the world. I got paid to play basketball, kickball, softball, and pitch horseshoes with kids all day. My only real responsibilities were to make sure that the equipment was put…
Thy Kingdom Come
Luke 17:20-36
During the past 2000 years there has been a considerable captivation with the coming of the end of the world, and throughout the centuries, many people have obsessed their souls on predicting when it will come. Here are a few of my favorite false predictions: In the year AD 44, a man by the name…
The Two Hands of Gratitude
Luke 17:7-19
When Jennifer and I were college sweethearts in Chicago, we would periodically pack a picnic basket and drive north along the shore of Lake Michigan until we got to the town of Evanston, IL, the home of Northwestern University. The large boulders along the shore provided a romantic setting for us to watch the sun…
Money Talks
Luke 16:1-15
Allow me to read a poignant poem about the allure of monetary wealth. This was written by the Scottish-Australian poet Angus Young: Tailored suits, chauffered cars Fine hotels and big cigars Up for grabs, up for a price Where the red hot girls keep on dancing through the night The claims on you The…
When the Roll is Called Down Here
Adapted from Fred Craddock
Romans 16:1-16
I hope you will not feel guilty if your heart was not all-aflutter during the reading of the text. It’s not very interesting. It’s a list, a list of names, a list of strange names. My professor always told us students in preaching class, “When you’re preaching from the biblical text, avoid the lists. They’re…
Walking with the Wise
Proverbs 13:20
John and Tina began dating in the ninth grade and remained high school sweethearts all the way through their graduation. Theirs was a classic American tale. John was the quarterback of the football team and Tina was the captain of the cheerleading squad. They both grew up in good families, were immensely popular, and they…
Lost and Found
Luke 15:1-10
Back when I was in high school, I spent my summer evenings pitching and playing first-base on a men’s beer league softball team. Our club was young, inexperienced, and flat-out terrible! We lost most of our games, but we sure had a lot of fun. I remember one steaming hot Saturday afternoon when we lost…
The Cost of Discipleship
Luke 14:25-35
Ding Cuimei, a peaceful and devout Christian woman, was killed April 14, 2016 (just three weeks ago) when she and her husband Li Jiangong stood in front of a bulldozer poised to destroy their home, where they had been hosting a house church in central China’s Henan Province. A government-backed company had sent the demolition…
Table Talk
Luke 14:1-14
The Pharisees never watched Francis Ford Coppola’s film The Godfather Part 2, but they must have been familiar with an early form of Michael Corleone’s famous words “My father taught me to keep my friends close, but my enemies closer” because that is exactly what they did with their archenemy Jesus Christ. Even though they…
The Fox & the Hen
Luke 13:31-35
One bright evening as the sun was sinking on a glorious world a wise old Hen flew into a tree to roost. Before she composed herself to rest, she flapped her wings three times and crowed loudly. But just as she was about to put her head under her wing, her beady eyes caught a…
A Small Seed, a Little Leaven, and a Narrow Door
Luke 13:18-30
At sixteen she quit high school to make a fortune in the Promised Land She got a job behind the counter in an all-night hamburger stand She wrote faithfully home to mama, “now mama don’t you worry none” From small things, mama, big things one day come It was late one Friday, he pulled in…
Cruelty & Compassion on the Sabbath
Luke 13:10-17
There are millions of people around the globe who deal with disabilities on a daily basis. There are people who cope with physical disabilities like blindness, deafness, dumbness, and paralysis—mental disablements like down syndrome, autism, and Asperger’s—psychological disorders like schizophrenia, paranoia, bipolar, and post-traumatic stress—and there are many other people who struggle with other more…
In a Blaze of Fury
Luke 12:49-59
The God that holds you over the pit of hell, much as one holds a spider, or some loathsome insect over the fire, abhors you, and is dreadfully provoked: his wrath towards you burns like fire; he looks upon you as worthy of nothing else, but to be cast into the fire; he is of…
Ready or Not, Here I Come!
Luke 12:35-48
Do you remember playing the popular children’s game “Hide and Seek?” Usually, a group of the children go out to find hiding place, while the seeking child hides his or her eyes and waits for the others to hide After the seeking child counts to one-hundred, he or she alerts the hiding children by…
The Senselessness of Selfishness
Luke 12:13-21
John Grisham’s novel The Testament opens with the dying words of a man who will soon be parted from all his money. Here are his last thoughts on earth: Down to the last day, even the last hour now. I’m an old man, lonely and unloved, sick and hurting and tired of living. I…
Authentic Discipleship
Luke 12:1-12
“Real isn’t how you are made,” said the Skin Horse. “It’s a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real.” “Does it hurt?” asked the Rabbit. “Sometimes,” said the Skin Horse, for he was always…
Dirty Dishes & Unmarked Graves
Luke 11:37-54
What is the greatest threat to the Christianity in the 21st century? Is it widespread secular hostility to biblical truth? Is it the spread of radical Islam through terrorist groups like Al Qaeda or ISIS? Is it the pervasive immorality in modern American culture? Is it the rapid erosion of religious freedom? These are all…
Culture, Community, and Civility
(Various Scriptures)
I believe that last year’s faith and work initiative was incredibly successful. I have heard positive feedback from the leadership boards at both churches and have received encouraging remarks from many parishioners and community members at-large. I hope that we have all gained a new perspective on our own work, increased our appreciation for other…
Faith and Work
(Various Scriptures)
“At most you will spend about 5 percent of your waking hours in church. 95 percent of your life you spend in the world. The scorecard is about the 95 percent out in the world—Pastor Victor Penz 1.) Ethics Philippians 1:27– Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ…
An Indecent Proposal (or A Meddling Mother-in-Law)
Ruth 3
Third Sunday in Advent
Over the past two weeks we have been hearing a story about a little family from the little town of Bethlehem. A famine forced Elimelech and Naomi and their two sons to flee their hometown and become refugees in the country of Moab on the other side of the Jordan River. Although they found food…
Fields of Gold
Ruth 2
Second Sunday in Advent
You’ll remember me when the west wind moves Upon the fields of barley You’ll forget the sun in his jealous sky As we walk in fields of gold So she took her love For to gaze awhile Upon the fields of barley In his arms she fell as her hair came down Among the fields…
Bitterness & Blessing in Bethlehem
Ruth 1
First Sunday in Advent
Life is like a rollercoaster ride! If we pause and think about it for a moment, we will realize that our lives are filled with eager ascents, dreadful dips, triumphant twists, and tragic turns. And we are usually flown for a few unexpected loops along the way. Some of us have enjoyed the blessings of…
A Pedagogy of Prayer
Luke 11:1-13
I would like to begin today’s sermon by reading two juxtaposing prayers. If you listen to them closely, you will hear a distinctive difference in the author’s approach to prayer. Here is the first one: Grant, Almighty God, that as thou hast once adopted us, and continues to confirm this thy favour by calling us…
Rescued from the Flames
1 Thessalonians 1:1-10
On Friday, September 8, 2015, a perfect storm was brewing over north western Texas. With most of the area suffering from months of severe drought conditions, combined with wind gusts of 65 mph, all that was needed was a spark to create a nightmare. That spark came at 9:40 a.m., when the Iowa Park Fire…
Serving & Sitting
Luke 10:38-42
I’m in a hurry to get things done, I rush and rush until life’s no fun All I really got to do is live and die, but I’m in a hurry and don’t know why! Maybe some of you remember hearing this refrain on country radio back in the 1990’s. Every time I…
Lawyers, Loopholes, and Neighborly Love
Luke 10:25-37
During cross examination, an experienced attorney was taking great delight in forcing witnesses to admit that they did not remember every single detail of an automobile accident. While the lawyer knew that no witness has a perfect memory, he was skilled at exploiting minor inconsistencies in order to challenge the credibility of honest witnesses. After…
Making Hay
Luke 10:1-24
Most of you, even if you didn’t grow up on a farm, have heard the common cliché: “Make hay while the sun shines.” This old agricultural adage refers to the reality of farmers having to cut, bail, and store hay while it is dry. If the hay is harvested wet, it will develop mold be…
Flame Throwers & Fox Holes
Luke 9:51-62
Luke 9:51 marks a major transition in the gospel story. Thus far, Jesus’ ministry has been centered in Galilee, the northern region of Israel. From here until 19:44, Luke traces Jesus’ journey through Samaria to Jerusalem, where he would ultimately be “delivered into the hands of men.” This section is like separating wheat from chaff…
Dimwitted Disciples
Luke 9:37-50
An airplane was on its way to Detroit when a woman in economy class casually got up and moved into an open seat in the first class section. The flight attendant watched her do this, and politely informed the woman that she must sit in economy class because that’s the type of ticket she had…
My Favorite Teacher
Mark 12:28-34
If you pause for a minute and reminisce back to your school days, I would be willing to bet that most of you had a favorite teacher—that is, a teacher who either said or did something that profoundly affected your life. Who was your favorite teacher? For me personally, I had so many wonderful teachers…
God’s Majesty in China
Psalm 8
As we boarded the bus in Beijing on the first morning of the Ockenga Fellows trip to China, our fearless leader, Dr. David Horn, director of the Ockenga Institute at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, led us in a devotional from Psalm 8. This Psalm of David testifies to the majesty of God throughout the earth. As…
A Paradoxical Christianity
Luke 9:18-27
One bright day in the middle of the night, Two dead boys got up to fight. Back to back they faced each other, drew their swords and shot each other. A deaf policeman heard the noise and ran to save the two dead boys. And if you don’t believe this lie is true, ask…
An Impossible Picnic
Luke 9:10-17
Today’s Scripture reading recounts the famous story of the feeding of the 5000 or as I like to call it, “An Impossible Picnic.” Ministry Retreat (10) When the twelve disciples returned from their ministry internship of preaching about the kingdom of God and healing people from diseases, they gave Jesus a full report about…
The Aggravation of Interruption
Luke 8:40-56
It was a sunny Saturday morning and the smell of freshly cut grass filled the air. Mike was beginning his pre-shot routine, visualizing his upcoming shot, when a voice came over the clubhouse speaker–”Would the gentleman on the Ladies Tee please back up to the Men’s Tee!” Mike, still deep in his routine…
The Gale and the Graveyard
Luke 8:22-39
In today’s Scripture reading, Luke tells us the stories of Jesus’ encounter with the gale and the graveyard! The Gale (22-25) Jesus and his disciples had been preaching and teaching in the fishing villages on the west side of the Sea of Galilee. One day, Jesus decided to go to the other side…
Jesus’ Harem
Luke 8:1-3
Throughout the history of the world, kings were famous for their harems. A harem is a group of women, consisting of wives, concubines, and servants, who live in the king’s court. Among other things, the purpose of the harem was to satisfy the desires of the king. The Egyptian pharaoh’s had harems. The Sultans…
Weddings & Funerals
Luke 7:18-35
A number of years ago I encountered the uncommon experience of conducting a wedding and a funeral on the same day. Although I was able to wear the same suit and tie to both events, the radical emotional swing was from one event to the other left my head spinning. On one hand, weddings…
Dead Man Talking
Luke 7:11-17
Many years ago in a far away land among the parched pastures of a little hillside hamlet in the middle of nowhere, there lived a woman who was known to everyone as “the weeping widow.” There always seemed to be a steady trickle of tears flowing down her grief-filled face. The source of her…
A Jewish Teacher & a Gentile Soldier
Luke 7:1-10
If we stop to think about it for a moment, most of us have seen some pretty amazing things in our lives! I remember the first time I saw the United States Navy’s Blue Angels perform at the Chicago Air and Water Show. I was astounded by the squadron of F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets…
Sawdust and a Sturdy Stone
Luke 6:37-49
I want to tell you all a story about a Harper Valley widow wife Who had a teenage daughter that attended Harper Valley Junior High Well her daughter came home one afternoon and didn’t even stop to play And she said, “Mama, I’ve got a note here from the Harper Valley PTA” Well the note…
Amazing Love
Luke 6:27-36
Most of us find it hard enough to love our friends! If we are brutally honest with ourselves, our desire for self-protection and self-advancement is so strong that we often fail to love the people we say we love as well as we should. We are willing to help our family up to a…
The Dream Team
Luke 6:12-16
The 1992 United States Men’s Olympic Basketball Team was infamously nicknamed “The Dream Team.” It was the first American Olympic team to feature active NBA players, and with the likes of Michael Jordon, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Karl Malone, and Sir Charles Barkley on the team, it is no surprise that they shredded all…
Being Right vs. Doing Right
Luke 6:1-11
Ladies and gentlemen, I have some really bad news to share with you this morning. Rosco P. Coltrane is dead! He passed away last Monday from complications from pneumonia. He was 88 years old. For those of you who may not be familiar with Rosco P. Coltrane, he was the two-bit county sheriff…
Profit & Loss
Philippians 3:1-11
For a lot of people, winning the lottery is the epitome of the American dream. But for many actual lottery winners, the reality is more like a nightmare. Evelyn Adams won the New Jersey lottery not just once, but twice, in 1985 and then again in 1986, to the tune of $5.4 million. Today the…
Desperate Faith & Divine Authority
Luke 5:12-26
Today’s Scripture reading recounts two miraculous healing stories. Even though the details of the two stories drastically differ, they share a main purpose of displaying desperate faith and divine authority. Let me begin by explaining what I mean by “desperate faith.” Desperate Faith Both of these stories convey desperate faith! Even though…
Soils of the Soul
Luke 8:4-15
A young enthusiastic soul-winning preacher came upon an old farmer working in his field. Being concerned about the farmer’s soul, the preacher asked the man, “Are you laboring in the vineyard of the Lord my good man?” Not even looking at the preacher and continuing his work the farmer replied, “Naw, these are soybeans.”…
An Exorcism & My Mother-in-Law
Luke 4:31-44
If you read the sermon title in this morning’s bulletin, a bit of curiosity may have crept into your mind. Any time a preacher titles his sermon “An Exorcism & My Mother-in-Law”, it tends to furl a few eye brows. There is a certain amount of risk involved in choosing a title like this;…
The Family Tree
Luke 3:21-38
Over the past year I have caught a few episodes of the PBS program Finding Your Roots, where noted Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. helps celebrities discover long-lost relatives hidden for generations within the branches of their family trees. Professor Gates utilizes a team of genealogists to reconstruct the paper trail left behind by their…
Prepare the Way of the Lord
Luke 3:1-20
“Do you know what you people are? You’re a bunch of hypocrites! You worship God on Sunday, but you live like the devil the rest of the week. You say that you love God, but then you secretly indulge in all kinds of sinful practices. You sing hymns at church, but you use filthy…
Of Prayer & Politics
I Timothy 2:1-7
Years ago in a relatively small Green Mountain community, a few Democrats decided to make the highly irregular move of holding a Democratic meeting, and issued an invitation to the public. The town minister was a staunch Republican, but he had a Democrat in his congregation and decided to attend as an observer to…
Work Matters:
A Biblical Theology of Vocation
Genesis 1 & 2
“The two men sat silent for a little, and then Lord Peter said: “Do you like your job?” The detective considered the question, and replied: “Yes—yes, I do. I know it to be useful, and I am fitted to it. I do it quite well—not with inspiration, perhaps, but sufficiently well to take pride…
Coal for Christmas
Coal for Christmas An adaptation of Pearl S. Buck’s Christmas Day in the Morning By Jason R. McConnell Country music legend Loretta Lynn used to sing that she was “proud to be a coal miner’s daughter.” Even though I can’t carry a tune in a bucket, I have always been proud to be a…
Breaking the Silence
Luke 1:57-80
The opening chapters of Luke are like a duet from an oratorio. One voice begins to sing, followed by another, and then the two verses harmonize. For a while the second voice is silent while the first verse sings alone. Then the first voice leaves off and the second voice breaks the silence and…
Preparations for Christmas
Luke 1:1-25
For the past ten or so years, there has been a new holiday trend that has literally turned the traditional Christmas celebration upside down. Hammacher Schlemmer, a retail company based in New York, has pioneered a unique yuletide decoration: the Upside-Down Christmas Tree. Standing at 7-feet tall and pre-lit with over 800 commercial…
The End of the Innocence
Judges 21:1-25
Remember when the days were long And rolled beneath a deep blue sky Didn’t have a care in the world With mommy and daddy standing by But “happily ever after” fails And we’ve been poisoned by these fairy tales The lawyers dwell on small details Since daddy had to fly O’ beautiful, for spacious skies…
Casualties of War
Judges 20:1-48
Over the years there have been a handful of Hollywood films that have profoundly affected me. The 1989 military movie Casualties of War is one of them. Starring Sean Penn and Michael J. Fox, the film is based on the actual events that happened on Hill 192 in 1966 during the Vietnam War. It…
Inhospitable Hospitality
Judges 19:1-30
“In the criminal justice system, sexually based offenses are considered especially heinous. In New York City, the dedicated detectives who investigate these vicious felonies are members of an elite squad known as the Special Victims Unit. These are their stories.” These words comprise the introduction to every episode of the NBC television show Law…
Danite Decadence
Judges 18:1-31
How would you like to live in a land without laws? Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in a nation with no government, ethical codes, or moral standards? Can you imagine living in a society where everyone does whatever they want? The double conclusion of the Book of…
Memoirs of a Tragic Life & a Triumphant Death
Judges 16:23-31
One year, one month, and one day ago I was standing in my hometown of Blairsville, Pennsylvania conducting my grandfather’s funeral service. As I delivered his eulogy and my family reflected on his life, our hearts were overcome with mixed emotions. On the one hand, we were deeply grieved by what the lung cancer…
Blinded by Seduction
Judges 16:1-22
Some people just never seem to learn their lesson! They get caught in the same old traps and repeat the same mistakes over and over again! They refuse to reckon with the dangers in their decisions and their desires dominate their discretion. Even though they know that they are heading down the wrong road…
Fiery Fox-Tails & a Jackass Jawbone
Judges 15:1-20
Perhaps, some of you remember the film The Runaway Bride, where Julia Robert’s character achieves tabloid status for leaving a long trail of grimacing grooms standing alone at the altar. In Samson, we have the story of a runaway bridegroom. As we saw in Judges 14, Samson became infatuated with a gorgeous young Philistine…
An Appetite for Destruction
Judges 14:1-20
“The ego lusts for satisfaction. It has a prideful ferocious appetite for its version of ‘truth’. It is the most challenging aspect to conquer; the cause for most spiritual turmoil.” This insightful observation about the human ego and appetite was authored by former mobster T.F. Hodge in his book From Within I Rise: Spiritual…
Somebodies & Nobodies
Judges 12:8-15
I was born to be famous But I can’t act, dance or sing And I’m also quite shy So I probably couldn’t bring A room to a standstill Or a crowd on their feet But I was born to be famous I don’t admit defeat. This little poem epitomizes the mindset of many young…
Failure to Communicate
Judges 12:1-7
“What we’ve got here is failure to communicate. Some men you just can’t reach… So, you get what we had here last week, which is the way he wants it! Well, he gets it! I don’t like it any more than you men.” Some of you may recognize these words spoken by the prison warden…
The Unsung Heroes
Judges 10:1-5
A song for the unsung heroes who rose in the country’s need, When the life of the land was threatened by the slaver’s cruel greed, For the men who came from the cornfield, who came from the plough and the flail, Who rallied round when they heard the sound of the mighty man of the…
Sons of Anarchy
Judges 9:1-57
Have you ever noticed how children often repeat the sins of their parents? Some of you remember the old 1980’s television commercial where a father confronts his teenage son about using drugs and asks, “Where did you get this? Who taught you how to do this stuff?” and the boy shouts back at his…
Living Like a King
Judges 8:1-35
Most of you have heard the expression “to live like a king.” It means to live a comfortable life with all of the luxuries you desire—power, authority, wealth, pleasure, and most of all, glory! Few people ever truly achieve the life of a king, but that certainly doesn’t stop many people from trying. And…
Fear Factor
Judges 7:1-25
Some of you may remember the popular reality television show from a few years ago called “Fear Factor.” On the show, contestants would compete with one another in a variety of fear-evoking stunts for a cash prize. The stunts usually compelled contestants to face such common fears as heights, darkness, water, speed, or unpleasant…
Gideon: The Coward of the County
Judges 6-8
Everyone considered him the coward of the county He’d never stood one single time to prove the county wrong His mama named him Tommy but folks just called him yellow But something always told me they were reading Tommy wrong Kenny Roger’s “Coward of the County” is a classic country song. The song tells the…
Deborah: A Mother in Israel
Judges 4:1-5:31
In 1907, Anna Jarvis, a Philadelphia schoolteacher, had an idea. She wanted to do something special to honor her mother, Ann Maria Reeves Jarvis. So, she solicited the help of hundreds of legislators and prominent businessmen to create a special day to honor mothers. The first Mother’s Day observance was a church service honoring Anna’s…
Othniel: The First Judge
Judges 3:7-11
Steve Rogers was born during the Great Depression and grew up in a poor family. His father died when he was a child, his mother when he was in his late teens. Horrified by newsreel footage of the Nazis in Europe, Rogers was inspired to try to enlist in the Army. However, because of…
The Lost Generation: A Symposium on Cyclical Sin
Judges 2:6-3:6
Marchers filed past the reviewing stand hour after hour. The day was Thursday June 6th, 1946; the place, Prospect Park, in Brooklyn, New York. Two years to the day when the Allies landed on the Normandy beaches, the nation now paused to give thanks and reflect on its collective heritage. But the marchers were…
Sleeping With the Enemy
Judges 1:1-2:5
Laura seemed to have a perfect life. Her husband Martin was handsome, charming, and exceedingly wealthy. A successful investment broker, he made enough money that she could enjoy the “trophy wife” lifestyle in their beautiful beachfront home on Cape Cod. When she looked into his enchanted eyes during their fairytale wedding, she thought that…
Knowing, Yet Not Fully Known:
A Reflection on the Incomprehensibility of God
Over the past five months we have endeavored together to gain a better understanding of God by studying his divine essence and attributes, which are the various aspects of his character that makes him God and distinguishes him from all other beings. We have learned that God is a unity and Trinity—one God, yet…
Master of Fate, Captain of My Soul:
A Reflection on the Sovereignty of God
Daniel 4:28-37
Out of the night that covers me, Black as the pit from pole to pole, I thank whatever gods may be For my unconquerable soul. In the fell clutch of circumstances, I have not winced nor cried aloud, Under the bludgeonings of chance, My head is bloody, but unbowed. Beyond this place of wrath and…
Long-Suffering: A Reflection on the Patience of God
A woman saw a father shopping with a fussy two-year-old in his grocery cart. “Be patient, Billy,” he whispered. “You can handle this, Billy. It’s okay, Billy.” The woman said to him, “I don’t mean to interrupt your shopping, but I just had to tell you how wonderfully loving and patient you are with…
The Beasts of Burden
Matthew 21:1-11
I suspect that most of you enjoy celebrating holidays! And for good reason, holidays usually entail a host delightful activities: decadent decorations, a couple of days off work, a family gathering, a festive feast of flavorful foods, a lavish level of leftovers, and some kind of customary commemorative celebration. What isn’t there to like…
Memoirs of Unmerited Favor: A Reflection on the Grace of God
When evangelist Billy Graham was driving through a small southern town, he was stopped by a policeman and charged with speeding. Graham admitted his guilt, but was told by the officer that he would have to appear in court. The judge asked, “Guilty, or not guilty?” When Graham pleaded guilty, the judge replied…
God in the Hands of Angry Sinners: A Reflection on the Wrath of God
On July 8th, 1741, Jonathan Edwards, the pastor of the Congregational Church of Northampton, Massachusetts, preached the most famous sermon in American history. As a guest preacher at a church in Enfield, Connecticut, he delivered Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, the sermon that sparked the massive movement of religious conversions throughout…
Clean Hands, Pure Heart: A Reflection on the Holiness of God
Psalm 24:3-4—Who may ascend the hill of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false. When I was a sophomore in high school, my journalism class took…
Shifting Shadows: A Reflection on the Immutability of God
I would be willing to bet that most of you have never heard the names Parmenides or Heraclitus. Both men were highly influential Greek philosophers in the fifth century B.C. But even though they were contemporaries as to their age, their philosophical presuppositions couldn’t be any further apart. Parmenides promoted a philosophy of permanence…
From Everlasting to Everlasting: A Reflection on the Eternality of God
A mother was approached by her young son, who asked, “Mommy, did God make himself?” She dropped what she was doing and sat down with her youngster for a little talk. Pointing to her wedding band, she said, “This is a ‘love ring,’ which your daddy gave me when we were married. Look at…
The Hands of God: A Reflection on the Divine Immanence
You can tell a lot about a person by their hands. You can gain great insight into a person’s self-image by their handshake. The confident person has a solid grip. The arrogant person has an overbearing handshake that seems to say, “You know, I can whip you if I want.” The shy or self-conscious…
Of God and Grasshoppers: A Reflection of the Transcendence of God
Back in 1989, Walt Disney Pictures produced the unexpected box office hit Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. The film told the story of an inventor who accidentally shrunk his and his neighbor’s kids to ¼ of an inch with his electromagnetic shrink ray and accidently sent them into the backyard with the trash. The…
God Wants a Banana: A Reflection on the Omnipresence of God
On a cold and clear winter night, a little boy named Doug put on his pajamas, brushed his teeth, and hopped into his bed. When his mother came to tuck him in, she noticed him starring out the window. As he gazed up at the glittering stars and the big yellow ball glowing in…
The Real Know-It-All: A Reflection on the Omniscience of God
Various Passages
A man gets pulled over by a sheriff’s deputy. He thinks that he is smarter than the deputy because he is a lawyer from New York City and is certain that he has a better education than any cop from small town Texas. He decides to prove this by having some fun at the…
Spirit and Truth: A Reflection on the Spirituality of God
John 4:1-26
A preschool teacher watched as a three year girl sketched something on her paper. “What are you drawing?” she asked. “I’m drawing a picture of God,” was the little girl’s reply. “Oh, you can’t do that,” the teacher said, “Nobody knows what God looks like.” Without looking up, the girl answered, “Well, they will…
God in Three Persons: A Reflection on the Blessed Trinity
Genesis 1:26, 3:22, 11:7; Matthew 3:13-17, 28:19-20; Romans 1:1-4, I Peter 1:1-2
In his letter to James Smith on December 8, 1822, Thomas Jefferson, wrote: The hocus-pocus phantasm of a God, like another Cerberus , with one body and three heads, had its birth and growth in the blood of thousands and thousands of martyrs…
The One and Only God: A Reflection on the Unity of God
Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Isaiah 46:5-10; Mark 12:28-34; I Corinthians 8:4-6
I would bet that most of you have attended an event where the announcer gets the crowd all rowed up and then introduces a star performer with the following words, “Ladies and gentlemen, here comes ‘the one and only’” Have you heard these words before? This phrase means preeminent beyond measure, completely above comparison…
The Joy of the Little Match Girl
Psalm 27
Most terribly cold it was; it snowed, and was nearly quite dark, and evening– the last night of the year. In this cold and darkness there went along the street a poor little girl, bareheaded, and with naked feet. When she left home she had slippers on, it is true; but what was the…
A Stolen Car and a Tottering Fence
Psalm 62
I met a little girl and I settled down In a pretty little house in a pretty little town We got married, and promised to never part Then little by little we drifted from each other’s hearts Now I’m driving a stolen car on a pitch black night, and I’m doing my best to make…
A Religion of Relationships
Frederick II, who ruled the Roman Empire in the thirteenth century, conducted a cruel experiment. He wanted to know what man’s original language was: Hebrew, Greek, or Latin? He decided to isolate a few infants from the sound of the human voice. He reasoned that they would eventually speak the natural tongue of man…
As a Dying Man to Dying Men
2 Timothy 4:1-8
Richard Baxter is one of my heroes! He was one of the greatest small town pastors in the history of the Christian church. For 19 years (from 1641-1660), he was the pastor of St. Mary and All Saints Church in the village of Kidderminster, England, where he preached powerful sermons, went house to house…
Christian Learning
2 Timothy 3:10-17
Singer Hoagy Carmichael, the story goes, once decided to take up golf. So, lessons were arranged with an instructor. At the first session Carmichael was patiently shown the basics of the game: how to hold the club, how to stand, how to swing, etc. Finally, after a half hour of this, the instructor felt…
Difficulty in the Last Days
2 Timothy 3:1-9
I would like for you to ponder a series of questions this morning! Do you think our country is better today than it was fifty years ago? Do you think it will be better or worse fifty years from now? Is the world getting better or worse? I have heard people respond to these…
Of Soldiers, Athletes, and Farmers
2 Timothy 2:1-13
I would like to begin this sermon by asking you a question: What does a soldier, an athlete, and a farmer have in common? They are all occupations that require perseverance! Soldiers, athletes, and farmers all face adversities which require tremendous patience and steadfast endurance to achieve their respective goals, whether it is prevailing…
Traitors and Comrades
2 Timothy 1:15-18
Today I would like to tell you a story about a man named Ben. Ben was born and raised in Norwich, Connecticut. He received a quality education and was very bright, but his personality was romantic and adventurous, excessively proud and sensitive, governed by impulse rather than by principle. He was noted for his…
Loyalty to the Gospel
2 Timothy 1:8-14
As a devoted Boston Red Sox fan, it pains me to admit that Babe Ruth was one of the greatest baseball players in the history of the game. His bat had the power of a cannon, and his record of 714 home runs remained unbroken until Hank Aaron came along. The Babe was the…
A Heritage of Faith
2 Timothy 1:1-7
The Book of II Timothy was written about three years after I Timothy and was the last letter the Apostle Paul ever wrote. Paul had never made it back to Ephesus to relieve Timothy of his duty of standing against the false teachers and protecting the church. Instead, he had been arrested and transferred…
Final Instructions
1 Timothy 6:11-21
I have something I need to share with you this morning! It is something that I have known for a little while now, but I haven’t said much about it. Some of you may already know about it, but there are others here who don’t know yet. I guess that there is no use…
Acres of Diamonds
I Timothy 6:2b-10
A wealthy industrialist was disturbed to find a fisherman sitting lazily beside his boat. “Why aren’t you out there fishing?” he asked. “Because I’ve caught enough fish for today,” said the fisherman. “Why don’t you catch more fish than you need?” the rich man asked. “What would I do with them?” “You could earn…
Honoring Our Masters
I Timothy 6:1-2
“Slavery was established by decree of Almighty God…it is sanctioned in the Bible, in both Testaments, from Genesis to Revelation…it has existed in all ages, has been found among the people of the highest civilization, and in nations of the highest proficiency in the arts.” These words were spoken by Jefferson Davis, the…
Let the Little Children Come!
Matthew 19:13-15
With Vacation Bible School going on this past week, I have spent a lot of time thinking about and praying for children. Children really are amazing! They make you experience the full spectrum of emotions. One minute, their relentless whining and manipulative mischief can make you want to pull your hair out, but the…
Honoring Pastors
I Timothy 5:17-25
Once there was a little old man. His eyes blinked and his hands trembled; when he ate he clattered the silverware distressingly, missed his mouth with the spoon as often as not, and dribbled a bit of his food on the tablecloth. Now he lived with his married son, having nowhere else to live…
A Good Minister
I Timothy 4:6-16
As a young man James sowed his share of wild oats, but he eventually came back to the Lord and got his life straightened out. He entered Bible College with the hopes of going into some form of Christian ministry. While he was at college he met and married a preacher’s daughter named Tammy. After…
The Doctrines of Demons
I Timothy 4:1-5
What do you have to do to be a good Christian? What do you have to abstain from to be a good Christian? I would be willing to bet that most of you have pondered these two questions before. So, allow me to answer them for you right now! A good Christian goes…
The Church: A Pillar of Truth
I Timothy 3:14-16
Back in the summer of 1996, I met a girl and it was love at first sight. I had just graduated high school and was working as the youth director at my home church in Pennsylvania. We took our youth group the whole way to Indiana State for a weeklong Bible Camp. The first person…
Church Deacons
I Timothy 3:8-13
A city boy, Kenny, moved to the country and bought a donkey from an old farmer for $100. The farmer agreed to deliver the donkey the next day. The next day, the farmer drove up and said, “Sorry son, but I have some bad news, the donkey died.” Kenny replied, “Well then, just give me…
Church Elders
I Timothy 3:1-7
Dear Church, The Perfect Pastor preaches exactly 10 minutes. He condemns sin roundly, but never hurts anyone’s feelings. He works from 8 a.m. until midnight, and is also the church janitor. The Perfect Pastor makes $40 a week, wears good clothes, drives a good car, buys good books, and donates $30 a week to the…
Men and Women in the Church
I Timothy 2:8-15
A man and his wife were having an argument about who should brew the coffee. The husband said, “You do all the cooking around here so you should do it.” The wife replied, “No you should do it, and besides it is in the Bible that the man should brew the coffee.” The husband replied…
The Questions of Prayer
I Timothy 2:1-7
“The proper way for a man to pray,” Said Deacon Lemuel Keyes, “And the only proper attitude Is down upon his knees.” “No, I should say the way to pray,” Said Rev. Doctor Wise, “Is standing straight with outstretched arms And rapt and upturned eyes.” “Oh, no; no, no,” said Elder Slow, “Such…
Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners
1 Timothy 1:12-17
Most people have heard of John Bunyan’s classic Christian story, The Pilgrim’s Progress. Since its publication in 1678, it has become one of the most read books of all time. But most people haven’t heard of John Bunyan’s earlier book which is entitled Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners. Written during his twelve-year imprisonment…
The Importance of Being Earnest
1 Timothy 1:1-11
The Importance of Being Earnest: A Trivial Comedy for Serious People is a play by Oscar Wilde that debuted at the St. James Theater in London on Valentine’s Day 1895. The play is a humorous satire that mocks the rather serious social obligations of Victorian society. The story revolves around two young gentlemen who use…
Déjà vu Disciple
John 21:1-19
Have you ever experienced that strange feeling that you get when you’re in a situation, and you feel like you’ve been in the exact same situation before, but really haven’t? It is that peculiar phenomenon when your mind plays tricks on you by making you remember something, but you’re not sure if the memory is…
The Crying King
Luke 19:28-44
How many of you remember the television show M*A*S*H (Mobile Army Surgical Hospital)? When I was a kid, I hated the M*A*S*H, but my Dad loved it, which meant that we watched the show all the time. In one of the earlier episodes of M*A*S*H, the doctor known as “Trapper John” gets diagnosed with a…
Jesus’ Transfiguration: A Mountaintop Experience
Matthew 17:1-13
A number of years ago, Jennifer and I set out on a bright bluebird winter morning for an epic snowshoe adventure. We drove to the village of Montgomery, VT and took Route 58, otherwise known as “Hazen’s Notch Road” and parked at the trailhead for Burnt Mountain. We knew the beauty of its summit in…
Jesus the Teacher: False Disciples & Foolish Builders
Matthew 7:21-29
“Jesus never wrote on paper; he left no printed book; instead he wrote his message upon men, and these men were the apostles.” These profound words were penned by the great Scottish theologian William Barclay. At the end of his public ministry, Jesus had nothing tangible to leave as a monument of his life work…
On Becoming a Disciple
Luke 5:1-11
“Jesus never wrote on paper; he left no printed book; instead he wrote his message upon men, and these men were the apostles.” These profound words were penned by the great Scottish theologian William Barclay. At the end of his public ministry, Jesus had nothing tangible to leave as a monument of his life work…
The Temptation of Jesus Christ
Matthew 4:1-11
The 19th century author and humorist Mark Twain has two famous quotes on the topic of temptation. The first is: “I never struggle with temptation; I just yield to it.” And the second is: “There are several good protections against temptation, but the surest is cowardice. These two statements highlight the attitudes that many people…
The Baptism of Jesus Christ
Matthew 3:1-17
How many of you remember when you were baptized? Those of you who were baptized when you were babies probably don’t remember it (unless you have the greatest memory in the world). Those of you who were baptized as adolescents, teenagers, or adults probably remember not only when, but also where, how, and by whom…
A Divine Destiny
Luke 2:21-40
Just like it does every year, Christmas has come and gone. By this time many of our Christmas trees have begun to wilt, pine needles are all over the floor, toys have been played with and some of them are already broken. The leftover cookies on our counters are dried up and our refrigerators look…
Carols of Joy
Isaiah 9:3
The Tradition of Christmas Carols and Caroling The dictionary defines the word “carol” as a song of praise or joy, especially for Christmas. Most of you love Christmas carols, and I would be willing to bet that most of you have a favorite. What is your favorite Christmas carol? Have you ever wondered what the…
Poinsettias of Peace
Isaiah 9:4-5
Have you ever thought much about poinsettias? I don’t mean just noticing them in a store window or a church sanctuary, but have you ever paused to really look at them and think about them? Poinsettias are beautiful—their deep green leaves and bright red blooms make them the perfect Christmas decoration. For most of us…
Lights of Hope
Isaiah 9:1-2; John 1:1-14
Have you have started putting up Christmas lights yet? Every year about this time, you see people on ladders hanging up Christmas lights around the exterior of their homes. People begin carrying boxes and bins of Christmas lights in from the garage or attic to decorate the interior of their house. And if you haven’t…
The Priorities of Life
Matthew 6:25-34
“We didn’t start the fire, it was always burning since the world’s been turning!” In the spirit of Billy Joel, I composed a little poem for you this week. I call it “Anxiety.” Missing persons, troubled teens, many conflicts in between Daddy’s drunk, kids are tense, mommies taking self-defense Restraining orders, parent rights, leads to…
The Value of Extravagance
Mark 14:1-11
My grandmother loves perfume, but my grandfather would never buy it for her because he considers it an unnecessary and wasteful extravagance. I can remember when I was a kid, every time we went into a department store with her, she would stop by the perfume counter, smell the various fragrances, and spray a dab…
The Lord’s Prayer
Matthew 6:5-15
Since I did not grow up going to church, the term “prayer meeting” was not a part of my vocabulary. Now I had heard of prayer before, but the idea intimidated me. I was pretty sure I knew what a meeting was, but generally, I was opposed to them. But when I was seventeen years…
The Anatomy of a Murder
Matthew 5:21-26
After church was finished last Sunday, all I wanted to do was go home, eat lunch, and enjoy a peaceful afternoon watching the New England Patriots beat up on the New York Jets. And that was exactly what happened; until I turned on my computer to check the status of my fantasy team. When my…
Maranatha! Jesus is Coming!
Revelation 22:6-21
While on an expedition to the South Pole, British explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton left a few men on Elephant Island, promising that he would return. Later, when he tried to go back, huge icebergs blocked the way. But suddenly, as if by a miracle, an avenue opened in the ice and Shackleton was able to…
Paradise Regained
Revelation 22:1-5
Of Man’s First Disobedience, and the Fruit Of that Forbidden Tree, whose mortal taste Brought Death into the World, and all our woe, With loss of Eden, till one greater Man Restore us, and regain the blissful Seat, Sing Heav’nly Muse, that on the secret top Of Oreb, or of Sinai, didst inspire That Shepherd…
The Celestial City
Revelation 21:9-27
A cab driver reaches the pearly gates. St. Peter looks him up in his Big Book and tells him to pick up a gold staff and a silk robe and proceed into Heaven. Next in line is a preacher. St. Peter looks him up in his Big Book, furrows his brow and says, “OK, we’ll…
The Millennial Puzzle
Revelation 20:1-6
Have you ever put together a jigsaw puzzle? Puzzles come in many shapes and sizes and have varying degrees of difficulty. Young children begin with those large wooden cut-out puzzles with only about ten pieces, but as they grow up they can progress to the novice 100 piece puzzle, the moderate 500 piece puzzle, and…
The War of the Worlds
Revelation 19:11-21
One of the greatest gags in American history took place on October 30, 1938, when the CBS radio network aired an adaptation of H. G. Wells’ novel The War of the Worlds. Actor and future filmmaker, Orson Welles, directed and narrated the episode. The first 40 minutes of the broadcast were presented as a series…
A Wedding for the Lamb
Revelation 19:1-10
Before I begin today’s sermon, I have a confession to make. I have to tell you something about myself that I have never told you before. Most of you would probably never guess this about me, but have to tell you anyway. So here it goes: I Love Weddings! I love everything about weddings. And…
A Funeral for Civilization
Revelation 18:1-24
On September 6, 1997, the whole world mourned as the body of Princess Diana of Wales was laid to rest. Six days earlier, she was tragically killed in an automobile accident in Paris. Her funeral was attended by 2000 people and it was viewed on television by 2 billion people around the world. Westminster Abbey…
Babylon and the Beast
Revelation 17:1-19
I saw her standing on her front lawn just twirling her baton Me and her went for a ride sir and ten innocent people died From the town of Lincoln Nebraska with a sawed-off .410 on my lap Through to the badlands of Wyoming I killed everything in my path I can’t say that I’m…
Bowls of Judgment
Revelation 16:1-21
I have some good news and some bad news for you this morning! Which would you like to hear first? Well, let me tell you the bad news: today I will be preaching another sermon about God’s judgment on the world. But the good news is that today we will finish the third and final…
A Victory Tune!
Revelation 15:1-8
Some of you may not realize this, but one of the greatest battles in the American history was fought between October 12th and October 20th in the year of our Lord 2004. The nine day conflict raged back and forth between two battlefields: one in New York City and the other in Boston, Massachusetts. Who…
The Grapes of Wrath
Revelation 14:1-20
Julia Ward Howe was one of the most famous American women of the nineteenth century. She campaigned tirelessly for women’s rights, particularly the right to vote, served as the first President of the New England Woman’s Suffrage Association, and was the innovator of the idea of Mother’s Day. She was also the author of one…
The Dragon Slayer
Revelation 12
Many ancient mythologies contain the story of an evil usurper who is doomed to be overthrown by a prince yet to be born. The usurper attempts to cheat his destiny by killing the child as soon as he is born. But the infant prince is miraculously preserved and protected until he is old enough to…
Thy Kingdom Has Come
Revelation 11:15-19
Every Sunday we say the Lord’s Prayer together. Many of you learned this prayer when you were young children and you know the words so well that you could recite them in your sleep. Unfortunately, sometimes we become so familiar with something that it causes us to forget its true meaning. For instance, when we…
The Fall and Rise of the Church
Revelation 11:1-14
Parables are fictitious but analogous short stories that illustrate principles or lessons. The characters in a parable usually represent something else. Revelation 11:1-14 is living parable. The apostle John is not only the storyteller, but he is also an active participant in this parable. Each of the characters, objects, and actions represent something else in…
A Bittersweet Prophecy
Revelation 10:1-11
I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus was exiled by the Roman Empire to the island of Patmos because of the Word of God the testimony of Jesus. On the Lord’s Day I was in the spirit and the resurrected Christ, the First…
Terror From the Pit of Hell
Revelation 9:1-21
Say first, for Heav’n hides nothing from thy view Nor the deep Tract of Hell, say first what cause Mov’d our Grand Parents in that happy State, Favour’d of Heav’n so highly, to fall off From their Creator, and transgress his Will For one restraint, Lords of the World besides? Who first seduc’d them to…
The Calm Before the Storm
Revelation 8:1-13
Have you ever spent an afternoon in the backyard, maybe grilling burgers, weeding the garden, or enjoying a game of croquet, when suddenly you notice that everything goes quiet? The air seems still and calm—even the birds stop singing and quickly return to their nests. After a few minutes, you feel a change in the…
The Heavenly Hootenanny
Revelation 7:1-17
How many of you have ever attended a hootenanny? That is what I thought! “Hootenanny” is an old-fashioned country word for party. It’s a joyful celebration filled with singing, dancing, and feasting. Whenever Jesus returns and takes his people home, there is going to be a great hootenanny in heaven John’s vision in Revelation 7…
Blood in Earth, Heaven, & Sky
Revelation 6:9-17
We could summarize all of Revelation 6 with one word: blood! There is blood everywhere! Revelation 6 may be the bloodiest chapter in the Bible! Last week we looked at verses 1-8, where the Apostle John saw a vision of Jesus opening the first four seals of the scroll which unveiled God’s plan of judgment…
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
Revelation 6:1-8
In Revelation 5, John began to tell us about his vision of the lamb that was slain. The lamb was found worthy to open the scroll and unveil God’s plan of judgment and redemption. Revelation 6 continues this story by telling us what happens when Jesus begins to break the seven seals and reveal God’s…
Pergamum: The Compromising Church
Revelation 2:12-17
Evangelist Leonard Ravenhill once said, “The world has lost the power to blush over its sin; the Church has lost her power to weep over it.” Although Ravenhill meant this for the modern world and church, it is also an apt description of the city and church of Pergamum. The Church in Pergamum (13-17) About…
Overcoming Affliction
Revelation 2:8-11
Jesus’ Sovereignty over History, Life, and Death (8) Like Jesus’ letter to the church in Ephesus, he opens his letter to the church in Smyrna with an affirmation of his sovereignty from the chapter one vision that suits the situation of the church best. Here he chooses to introduce himself by the title “the First…
Purity & Passion
Revelation 2:1-7
A number of years ago I had the honor of serving as a groomsman in a friend’s wedding. I watched my friend and his fiancé’s relationship develop from the beginning. In the early days, they spend a lot of time together, went out to dinner together, he bought her gifts, and he actively shared in…
A Love Letter to the Church
Revelation 1:9-20
I read a note my Grandma wrote back in 1923 Grandpa kept it in his coat, and he showed it once to me He said, “Boy, you might not understand, but a long, long time ago, Grandma’s daddy didn’t like me none, but I love your Grandma so. We had this crazy plan to meet…
A New Year’s Revelation
Revelation 1:1-8
Happy New Year! Here are a few sayings that will make you laugh and think about the New Year: Bill Vaughan—Youth is when you’re allowed to stay up late on New Year’s Eve. Middle age is when you’re forced to. P. J. O’Rourke—The proper behavior all through the holiday season is to be drunk. This…
The Joy of Restoration
Zephaniah 3:14-20; Luke 2:1-20
Most parents try very hard to provide their children with everything that they need to lead happy and productive lives. But as many of you have already discovered, children don’t always appreciate what their parents do for them. And sometimes, they even act out in rebellion! Now that my children are getting a little older…
Predictions of Advent
Jeremiah 33:14-16; Luke 21:25-36
Here are some of the worst predictions in history: 1. In 1773, King George II of England said, “The American colonies have little stomach for revolution.” 2. In the early 1800’s, an English astronomy professor said that air travel at high speed would be impossible because passengers would suffocate. 3. In 1911, Marshal Ferdinand Foch…
John: The Beloved Disciple
John 20:30-31
John was the son of Zebedee and the younger brother of James. They were a fishing family from Capernaum, a small village on the north end of the Sea of Galilee. He spent his youth learning all of the tasks associated with the fishing business: preparing nets, navigating vessels, and finding the hot spots around…
Luke: A Physician’s Perspective
Colossians 4:14; II Timothy 4:11; Luke 1:1-4
When I was a child and people used to ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I always said that I wanted to be a doctor. Even when I was very young, I was fascinated by the parts and processes of the human body, and I loved to play doctor. I…
Mark: Robbing Paul to Pay Peter
(Selected Readings)
Although we are fairly certain that Mark was the author of the second gospel, we know very little about his life. The Bible doesn’t give us any information about his early life, but there are ancient traditions that suggest that Mark was born in the North African city of Cyrene (modern day Libya) and migrated…
The Testimony of a Tax Collector
Matthew 9:9-13
Money, money, mon–ey” was my motto! As they say, “I used to roll down the street with my mind on my money and my money on my mind.” Ever since I was a kid, I dreamed about becoming rich and living in the lap of luxury. Back then, I even opened up a little street-stand…
Nehemiah: A Good Governor
Nehemiah 1
Israel had come through some dark days, but finally, there was a glimmer of hope. After 70 years in Babylonian exile, the Persian Empire had conquered the Babylonians and passed an edict that allowed the Israelites to return to their homeland, the Promised Land that God had given to their forefathers. Some of the people…
Amos: From the Pasture to the Pulpit
Amos 7
Dwight Lyman Moody was born on February 5, 1837 in the rural village of Northfield, Massachusetts. His father, a farmer and stonemason, died at the age of 41 while praying on his knees. When Dwight was only four years old, he had five older brothers and a younger sister, with an additional twin brother and…
Hosea: The Preacher & The Prostitute
Hosea 1
Hosea was his name and preaching was his game! God called Hosea to be a herald—that is, a prophet who proclaims God’s Word. He did this in the northern kingdom of Israel from the years 750-725 B.C. Just as the young preacher was beginning his prophetic ministry, God came to him and said, “Hosea, behind…
Daniel: Memoirs of a Servant of the Sovereign God
Daniel 1
Cahhh! Cahhh! Excuse me, I have a nasty cough. I haven’t been feeling very well these days! Anyway, today I would like to share some of my life experiences that have taught me about God’s sovereignty. I wasn’t always a servant of the sovereign God, but throughout my life, God has used a number of…
Ezekiel: A Heart Transplant & Some Dry Bones
Ezekiel 36:16-38; 37:1-14
“Where were you when the world stopped turning on that September day?” What were you doing on this day 10 years ago when you first heard about the terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington D.C.? Like the invasion of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 and…
Ahab & Jezebel: A Match Made in Hell
I Kings 21
There have been many corrupt couples throughout history: Julius Caesar & Cleopatra, Louis the 16th & Marie Antoinette, Bonnie & Clyde, and Brad & Angelina, but there has never been any worse than Ahab and Jezebel. They were a match made in hell! Ahab Let me begin by introducing to you to the first half…
Solomon: The Half-Hearted King
I Kings 1-11
Last Sunday, the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team lost to Japan in the World Cup Finals. The heavily favored U.S. team certainly had its chances to win, leading 1-0 and 2-1, but it squandered numerous opportunities to put the game away. After 120 minutes of grueling play, they lost in a nail biting 3-1 overtime shootout…
David: The Fall of a King
II Samuel 11-24
How many of you have ever heard of Thomas Jefferson? Most of us know Jefferson as the principal author of the Declaration of Independence, the third president of the United States of America, and one of the most influential organizers of our country. But did you know that most historians believe that Jefferson carried on…
David: The Rise of a King
I Samuel 16-26
The story of David begins in the little farming village of Bethlehem. His ancestry in that town went at least went back to his great grandparents Boaz and Ruth, and his father Jesse raised all eight of his sons and his two daughters there. Being the youngest of eight boys isn’t easy, especially when you…
Samuel: From Dedicated to Dedication
I Samuel 7:2-17
Samuel’s Birth and Childhood (Ch. 1) We often wonder about the childhoods of great people. We have very little information about the early years of most of the people mentioned in the Bible. One delightful exception is Samuel; he came as a result of Hannah’s fervent prayer for a child. In fact, the name “Samuel”…
Boaz & Ruth: A Providential Romance
Ruth 1-4
Everybody loves a romance! From literature classics like Romeo and Juliette to the cheap smutty paperback novelsfrom epic films like Gone with the Wind to the latest cheesy chick-flickfrom the mightiest of men to the weepiest of women everybody loves a romance story! The Bible has its own version of a romance story. Boaz: Israel’s…
Hannah: A Real Desperate Housewife
I Samuel 1:1-28; 2:1-11
In the fall of 2004, ABC launched its hit television series Desperate Housewives. The show, part comedy and part drama, follows the lives of a group of housewives, seen through the eyes of their dead neighbor. They work through domestic struggles and family life, while facing the secrets, crimes and mysteries hidden behind the doors…
Samson: A Tale of Triumph & Tragedy
Judges 13-16
Samson’s Potential (Judges 13) Few people in the Bible were born with more potential than Samson. Like John the Baptist’s parents Elizabeth and Zechariah, in Judges 13 we learn that Samson’s parents had been unable to conceive for many years. Then God sent his angel to announce that they were going to have a son…
Gideon: The Coward of the County
Judges 6-8
Everyone considered him the coward of the county He’d never stood one single time to prove the county wrong His mama named him Tommy but folks just called him yellow But something always told me they were reading Tommy wrong Kenny Roger’s “Coward of the County” is one of my favorite country songs. The song…
Deborah: A Mother of Israel
Judges 4-5
In 1907, Anna Jarvis, a Philadelphia schoolteacher, had an idea. She wanted to do something special to honor her mother, Ann Maria Reeves Jarvis. So, she solicited the help of hundreds of legislators and prominent businessmen to create a special day to honor mothers. The first Mother’s Day observance was a church service honoring Anna’s…
Ehud: A Disabled Deliverer
Judges 3:12-30
After Moses delivered the Israelites from Egyptian slavery, he led them for forty years and then he died. Then his assistant Joshua took the Israelites into the Promised Land and he was their leader for another forty years. After Joshua died, Israel entered the time of the judges, where God raised up a series of…
Cleopas: Caught Off-Guard by the Resurrection
Luke 24:1-35
Have you ever been caught off guard by something? That is, have you ever expected one thing to happen but then you were completely shocked when something else happened? Maybe you thought you job was secure, but then your boss called you into his office and said, “I’m so sorry, but we are going to…
Simon of Cyrene: Carrying the Cross of Christ
Mark 15:16-41
This evening I would like to tell you a story about something that happened to me a number of years ago; something that happened during my trip to Jerusalem. Ever since I was a kid, I had always wanted to go to Israel and see Jerusalem. As I grew up, my parents had told me…
Joshua: A Strong & Courageous Leader
Joshua 1
Joshua is one of the few people in the Bible who didn’t have any major moral weaknesses or character flaws. He was strong, courageous, lived a life of faithfulness to the Lord, and became one of Israel’s most prosperous and successful leaders! Joshua’s Life Joshua was the son of Nun of the tribe of Ephraim…
Balaam: The Tale of the Talking Donkey
Numbers 22
Many years ago in a land far away, the Israelites were slaves to the Egyptians. For 400 years Pharaoh brutalized the Israelites and forced them to make bricks and build the great storehouses of Egypt. When Moses came along, a new hope dawned. They wondered if he would be the chosen one who would deliver…
Pharaoh: The Hardening of the Human Heart
Exodus 7-14
Have you ever heard of the medical condition called “arteriosclerosis?” It is a form of coronary heart disease that refers to the hardening of the artery walls throughout the body. Arteries are blood vessels that carry oxygen and nutrients from your heart to the rest of your body. Healthy arteries are flexible, strong, and elastic…
Aaron: From Golden Tongue to Golden Calf
Exodus 32
“So I have a younger brother and he’s super cool- he has awesome grades, and is a great athlete. Everyone always brags that he’s going to be the next Michael Jordan or whatever. However, nobody remembers me, or at least it doesn’t seem like it. I hated all the people from my high school, but…
Moses: From Murderer to Minister
Exodus 1-15
Today I would like to share something with you that I have never shared with you before. It’s about my own life and it is a little awkward to talk about. It wasn’t until I became an adult that I discovered that the parents that raised me were not my real biological parents. I grew…
Joseph: Why Bad Things Happen to Good People
Genesis 37-50
Have you ever wondered why bad things happen to good people? Why do healthy people get cancer? Why do responsible people have financial problems? Why do hard working people get robbed and nice families get killed by drunk drivers? Why do Christians get persecuted for their faith? Why do some people suffer for doing the…
Jacob: A Dirty Rotten Blessed Scoundrel
Genesis 25:19-34; 27-35
Jacob “He Deceives” (Gen. 25:19-26) Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah. For twenty years they tried to have children, but they were unsuccessful. But Isaac prayed fervently and faithfully to God and when he was sixty years old, Rebekah conceived and gave birth to not only one son, but two. Now anyone…
Melchizedek: A Mysterious Priest and King
Genesis 14; Hebrews 5 & 7
When I was in college, I had a friend named Randall who lived a few doors down the hall from me. Even though he was a senior and I was a freshman, we quickly hit it off. I suppose it had something to do with our mutual passion for the game of ping pong. On…
Abraham: A Test of Faith
Genesis 16-22
When I was in elementary school, I was a terrible student. My attitude was atrocious and my behavior was unbearable. I never did my homework and I thought the purpose of standardized tests was to see how many cool designs I could make by filling in those little circles on the answer sheet with my…
Abraham: A Roller Coaster of Faith
Genesis 12-15
How many of you like Roller Coasters? How many of you don’t like Roller Coasters? Most historians agree that the first roller coaster was invented in Russia during the mid-1600’s. Riders climbed stairs to the top of a giant ice slide and sped down a 50 degree drop. The slides gained favor with the Russian…
Noah: A Righteous Life in a Wicked World
Genesis 6:1-22
I suspect that when most of us hear the name “Noah”, the words “and the ark” immediately follow. The person of Noah is rarely divorced from the story of the ark he built to save his family and the animals from the great flood. Likewise, I suspect that when most of us hear the phrase…
Cain: The Slippery Slope of Sin
Genesis 4:1-16
Cain’s Birth (1) After Adam and Eve sinned and were kicked out of the Garden of Eden, their lives continued. Adam lay with his wife and they began to propagate the human race. God had promised that the woman’s offspring would one day crush the serpent’s head. Perhaps Adam and Eve hoped that their firstborn…
Adam: The Rise and Fall of Mankind
Genesis 2:8-25
As we consider Adam, the first human to appear in the Bible, hear the words to Calvin Miller’s humorous little children’s poem “One Apple, One Snake, Equals One Bellyache.” “One apple, one snake, equals one bellyache,” Said God, on Thursday at three! “Sssssse here,” said the snake. “There’s no bellyache; Sssssimply pay no attention! Be…
The Miraculous Birth of Jesus Christ
Matthew 1:18-25
My name is Joseph and I am a lowly carpenter from a small town called Nazareth. I am also a new father. My wife and I had our first son about a year ago. Now I know you may be thinking that I am just a proud papa who wants to brag about his new…
Philemon’s Forgiveness
Philemon 1:1-25
My name is Philemon and God has commissioned me to speak at your church today. It is always nice to preach in a small church in a farming town. I am from a small farming town myself, the town of Colosse. In the past Colosse had been a leading city in our province, an important…
Big Names & No Names
Colossians 4:7-18
We live in a celebrity crazed culture! America is obsessed with the lives of famous people! People want to know everything from who Jennifer Aniston is dating and who Charlie Sheen is divorcing to when Lil’ Wayne is getting out of prison and who got voted off “Dancing with the Stars” this week. This is…
The New Life & the Mission of the Church
Colossians 4:2-6
One afternoon author Patsy Clairmont found herself on an airplane, sitting next to a young man. She had already observed something about this young man when she was being seated. He called her “Ma’am.” At the time she thought, “Either he thinks I’m ancient or he’s in the military.” She decided the latter was the…
All in the Family
Colossians 3:18-4:1
As Paul continues to paint a picture of the new life in Christ, he wants us to know that true Christianity always affects the way we live. Unlike the false teachers in Colosse who promoted ideas that spirituality was found in knowledge, spiritual experiences, and legalistic rules, Paul says that true spirituality is found by…
Off with the Old, On with the New
Colossians 3:1-17
Have you ever heard the old cliché “Off with the old, on with the new?” My methodical search for the origin of this idiom has proved unsuccessful. I have only been able to trace it back to a traditional Scotch folk song that was first printed in 1835. It goes like this: It is good…
The Dress Code in Hell
Colossians 2:6-23
In the early 1970’s Marshall Applewhite was recovering from a heart attack, during which he claimed to have had a near-death experience. He came to believe that he and his nurse, Bonnie Nettles, were “the Two”, that is, the two witnesses spoken of in the Book of Revelation (11:3) in the Bible. After a brief…
The Work of Ministry
Colossians 1:24-2:5
This past Thursday morning I went to my favorite café in Frelighsburg, QC, to work on today’s sermon. I was sitting there quietly with my books spread all over the table, sipping on a cup of coffee while I was deep in thought about Paul’s work of ministry and his letter to the Colossians. Out…
The Supremacy of Christ
Colossians 1:15-23
An inquisitive Sunday school student asked the question, “If Jesus came back today, would he be able to understand computers?”That also begs the question—would Jesus know how to use an Ipod, Ipad, or Iphone? Some people today wonder whether Jesus, who walked the dusty roads of Palestine years ago, has any relevance for a world…
Praying for People
Colossians 1:9-14
I haven’t been to church since I don’t remember when Things were going great til they fell apart again So I listened to the preacher as he told me what to do He said you can’t go hatin’ others who have done wrong to you Sometimes we get angry but we must not condemn Let…
Thanksgiving for the Gospel
Colossians 1:1-8
It’s a crisp late autumn morning! Yellow rays of sunrise peak through the pine trees! The only sound you hear is a chipmunk scurrying across the fallen leaves making its preparations for winter. The ice cold steel of your rifle wears through your wool gloves and begins to numb your fingers as your eyes continuously…
Every Rose Has its Thorn
II Corinthians 12:1-10
We both lie silently still in the dead of the night Although we both lie close together We feel miles apart inside Was it something I said or something I did Did my words not come out right Though I tried not to hurt you Though I tried But I guess that’s why they say…
The Great Commission
Matthew 28:16-20
In nineteenth century England, the people were anxiously awaiting news of the outcome of the strategic battle of Waterloo, where the British forces under General Wellington faced off against the French forces under Napoleon. A signal man was placed on top of Winchester Cathedral with instructions to keep an outlook on the sea. When he…
The Communion Quandary
I Corinthians 11:17-34
Like baptism, there has been considerable debate over communion throughout church history. Different denominations and churches all seem to have their own understanding of communion and way of practicing it. It has all created quite a confusing quandary. This morning I am going to attempt to bring some clarity to the quandary by answering some…
The Basics of Baptism
Romans 6:1-7
The story is told about the baptism of King Aengus by St. Patrick in the middle of the fifth century. Sometime during the rite, St. Patrick leaned on his sharp-pointed staff and inadvertently stabbed the king’s foot. After the baptism was over, St. Patrick looked down at all the blood, realized what he had done…
The Tortoise and the Prayer
Luke 18:1-8
There once was a tortoise, And there once was a hare, Who, for some odd purpose, Started a race that wasn’t fair, The tortoise obviously wasn’t much of a racer, And the hare, out of the two, was easily faster, At the start of the race the hare was first placer, But for this hare…
Pray Without Ceasing!
I Thessalonians 5:17
While I was in Birmingham this past week, I heard about a study that was conducted a few years ago that surveyed the prayer lives of pastors. The results were startling. It revealed that 80% of pastors pray less than 15 minutes each day. It also concluded that the average churchgoer only prays between 4…
Stewardship of Treasure: From Fear to Faith in Finances!
I Kings 17:7-16
Before going to Europe on business, a man drives his Rolls-Royce to a downtown New York City bank and asks for an immediate loan of $5,000. The loan officer, taken aback, requests collateral! “Well then, here are the keys to my Rolls-Royce,” the man says. The loan officer promptly has the car driven into the…
Stewardship of Treasure: Grand Theft Church
Malachi 3:6-12
Last week I told you that today I would tell you why money is probably the most difficult issue to preach about. I want to make good on my promise, so here it is! Not long after I became a Christian, to my great surprise and delight, my uncle Mark and Aunt Tammy started attending…
Stewardship of Treasure:
An Introduction to Tithing
As we continue our series on stewardship today, we come to the topic of treasure. That’s right! I want to talk to you about stewardship of money in general and tithing in particular. I want to begin by asking you a question (a sort of pop quiz if you will): What percentage of our income…
Stewardship of Talent: The Gifts of Christian Service
Romans 12:3-8
Chapter 12 marks the major theological shift in the Book of Romans. In chapters 1-11, Paul explains Christ’s work of redemption. In chapters 12-16, he exhorts us to live as a redeemed people. He begins with an emphasis on belief, then he moves to behavior; he portrays the principles then the practice; he writes about…
Stewardship of Talent: A Good & Faithful Servant
Matthew 25:14-30
If you knew you were going to die next week, how many of you would make some preparations this week? That’s what I thought! Jesus was no exception. During the last week of his life he made some final preparations. On Palm Sunday Jesus rode a donkey into Jerusalem amid a myriad of waving palm…
Stewardship of Time: Balancing Work & Rest
Exodus 20:8-11; Deuteronomy 5:12-15
Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Goldilocks. She went for a walk in the forest. Pretty soon, she came upon a little house. She knocked and, when no one answered, she walked right in. At the table in the kitchen, there were three bowls of porridge. Goldilocks was hungry. She tasted…
Stewardship of Time: Recovering the Rhythms of Creation
Genesis 1:1-2:3
A number of years ago when I was youth pastoring in Massachusetts, our youth group acquired a djembe, an African drum, to accompany our praise and worship services. We thought one of the kids would either know how to play it or be interested in learning how to play it, but when no one was…
Stewardship & Kingship: Knowing our Place in the World
Psalm 24:1-2
J.R.R. Tolkien, in his epic trilogy The Lord of the Rings, explores antithetical relationship between stewardship and kingship. On one hand, there is a character named Denethor, who is in the position of steward of Gondor. He is the temporary ruler of Gondor in the absence of the proper king, but he has grown corrupt…
Wisdom & Sex: A Highway to Hell or a Freeway to Fulfillment?
Proverbs 5:1-23
Maintaining sexual purity is one of the premier challenges of life! It is such an important issue that Solomon deals with the topic 5 times within the first 9 chapters of Proverbs. Like many of the lectures in Proverbs, this section begins with a call for one’s attention. In the first two verses of the…
Doubting & Believing
John 20:24-30
In 1993 FBI agents conducted a raid of Southwood psychiatric hospital in San Diego, which was under investigation for medical insurance fraud. After hours of reviewing medical records, the agents had worked up an appetite. The agent in charge of the investigation called a nearby pizza parlor to order a quick dinner for his colleagues…
The Return of the King
John 12:12-19
The British writer J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic trilogy Lord of the Rings has regained popular since Peter Jackson put it into movie form. The third film of the trilogy, The Return of the King, won more Oscars than any other film released in 2004. The story chronicles a young hobbit’s journey to from the Shire to…
Wisdom & Work:
The Dangers of Laziness
(Proverbs)
Throughout the years many people have observed the close relationship between wisdom and work. Here are a few examples: • When Pope John Paul XXIII was asked how many people work in the Vatican, he replied, “About half of them.” • The reason why worry kills more people than work is that more people worry…
Wisdom & Family:
Establishing a Godly Heritage
Proverbs
The family is an interesting institution. Humorist Robert Orbin once said, “Who can ever forget Winston Churchill’s immortal words: ‘We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills.’ It sounds exactly like our family vacation.”…
Wisdom & Leadership:
The Penthouse or the Outhouse?
(Proverbs)
In typical fashion, when George Allen moved to Washington, D.C., as head coach of the Redskins, he promised the nation’s capital the moon. He told them it would be just a few seasons before he would develop the Redskins into a championship football team. He promised them the Super Bowl by the end of his…
Wisdom & Discipline:
A Thundering Velvet Hand
(Proverbs)
Last week The London Times reported that the late Pope John Paul II, who has been put on the fast track to sainthood by the Vatican, regularly whipped himself as an act of penance to feel closer to God. The Polish-born Pope performed self flagellation as a bishop in Krakow and continued to do so…
Wisdom & Humility: Still So Much to Learn
(Proverbs)
A few years ago I heard Garrison Keillor tell the story of Florien and Myrtle Crepsbox, an older couple from a small farming town in northern Minnesota. For the most part, Florien and Myrtle never ventured very far from home. That is why it was so surprising to hear that they were making a daytrip…
The Yellow Brick Road of Wisdom
Proverbs 1:1-7; 9:10-12
You may already be familiar with one of the most amazing stories of wisdom ever told. Two women brought an infant son to the king, each claiming to be the true mother. They both claimed that the other woman had suffocated her own son in the middle of the night by rolling on top of…
Advent Love
Micah 5:2-5a; Luke 1:39-55;
Hebrews 10:5-10
On May 2, 1962, a dramatic advertisement appeared in the San Francisco Examiner: “I don’t want my husband to die in the gas chamber for a crime he did not commit. I will therefore offer my services for 10 years as a cook, maid, or housekeeper to any leading attorney who will defend him and…
Advent Joy
Isaiah 12:2-6; Philippians 4:4-7;
Luke 3:7-18
Here’s a little song I wrote, you might want to sing it note for note, don’t worry, be happy. In every life we have some trouble, when you worry you make it double, Aint got no place to lay your head, somebody came and took your bed, The landlord say your rent is late, he…
Advent Peace
Malachi 3:1-4; Luke 1:68-79, 3:1-6
We are living in a world filled with turmoil. Listen to this litany of headlines from this past week’s news: In international news the spotlight was on American college exchange student Amanda Knox. She and her Italian boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito were found guilty and sentenced to 26 years in prison for the murder of British…
Advent Hope
Jeremiah 33:14-16; Luke 21:25-36;
I Thessalonians 3:9-13
Today is the first Sunday of Advent. That means that Thanksgiving is over and it is time to start preparing for Christmas. All of that leftover turkey has been eaten and the last piece of pumpkin pie in the refrigerator has mysteriously disappeared. It’s time to put our cornucopias away and put our pilgrims back…
The Little Church That Could
Matthew 16:18
Once upon a time there was a little red train that rumbled over the tracks. She was a happy little train for she had a jolly load to carry. Her cars were full of good things for boys and girls. There wee toy animals—giraffes with long necks and Teddy Bears with almost no necks at…
Home Sweet Rome: Four Pillars of the Church
Acts 28:11-31
As always, Jesus fulfilled his promise! After a long and dangerous journey, Paul finally made it to his destination: Home Sweet Rome! Luke concludes his story by recapping a few of the major theological themes throughout the whole Book of Acts. I call them the Four Pillars of the Church! Let’s take a look at them!…
The Maltese Viper
Acts 28:1-10
Paul, having a servant’s heart, wanted to show his appreciation and lead by example, so he went to gather some brushwood to throw on the fire. Little did he know that among the bundle of sticks that twigs lurked a venomous viper. As he approached the fire the snake became even more agitated and struck his hand.
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Aristarchus’ Story: The Virtues of Christian Leadership
Acts 27:27-44
Good morning! My name is Aristarchus! Don’t worry if you don’t know how to spell it; most people can’t even pronounce it. I am of Jewish descent, but I did not grow up in the streets of Jerusalem. I am from the Greco-Roman city of Thessalonica in the region of Macedonia. I was converted to…
The Perfect Storm
Acts 27:13-26
As we listen to Luke’s dramatic account of the perfect storm, I hope that we will all learn something about God and ourselves!
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Paul’s Odyssey: God’s Providence in Action Again
Acts 27:1-12
Do you remember The Odyssey? You know, the ancient Greek epic poem written by the blind poet Homer sometime in the eighth century B.C. You know, the one some of you had to read for high school english class. That’s right, the one you were supposed to read but you never got around to it…
Biblical Evangelism
Acts 25:23-26:32
Well, if you have always wondered how to evangelize others, you have come to the right place today. In this morning’s passage, as Paul makes his defense to King Agrippa, he provides us with a wonderful biblical model of evangelism. There are four key components!
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Reactions to the Resurrection
Acts 25:13-22
Now that Festus had taken over the governorship of Caesarea, Agrippa, King of Northern Israel, and his sister Bernice showed up to welcome him to Caesarea. They were both the great-grandchildren of Herod the Great who ruled over Israel during Jesus’ life…
God’s Providence in Action
Acts 25:1-12
Is two years a long time? Well, that depends on your perspective! If you are ninety years old and are reflecting back over your life, two years seems like a tiny blip in time. If you are fourteen years old and eagerly anticipating the day when you can get your driver’s license, two years seems like an eternity. How about if you had to spend two years in prison for a crime you did not commit? I suspect that two years would seem like a long time.
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The Gospel on Trial
Acts 24:1-27
Acts 24, in many ways, is like an episode of the People’s Court. Governor Felix is the acting judge; Paul is the defendant; Ananias and the elders of Jerusalem are the plaintiffs. We have a ridiculous accusation and a courtroom filled with drama…
Mysteries of the Kingdom of God
Acts 23:23-35
This passage tells the story of how Paul was transferred from Jerusalem to Caesarea to face trial before the Roman governor Felix. This marks the beginning of his long journey that will eventually end in Rome. Jesus’ prophecy that Paul would be his witness in Rome was coming true…
Conspiracy & Coincidence
Acts 23:12-22
Well, justice is a slow process! Too slow usually! It is especially slow when it doesn’t seem like it will end in our favor. Justice was certainly too slow for the group of Jews who hated Paul’s guts so much that the falsely accused him of a capital crime…
Law and Order
Acts 22:30 – 23:11
All of Acts 22-23 would fit would make for a great episode of Law and Order. We have already seen the “Order” part of the story: a false accusation, mob violence, a bloody victim, and the victim’s press release. In today’s text, we see the beginning of the “Law” part of the episode…
The Prisoner’s Progress
Acts 21:37 – 22:29
It is true! There are many pleasures and perils in every Christian’s life. Think about your life as a Christian for a minute! What have been your pleasures? What have been your perils?…
Trophimus’ Story
Acts 21:27-36
Good morning, my name is Trophimus! I am a Gentile from the great city of Ephesus in the province of Asia. I was converted to Christianity under the ministry of the Apostle Paul and have been his friend and fellow missionary worker ever since…
Compromise without Compromise
Acts 21:17-26
The dictionary defines “compromise” as a basic negotiation process in which both parties give up something that they want in order to achieve a goal that is agreeable and beneficial to both parties. That is a good definition, but the dictionary fails to tell us that compromise is hard! That part about giving up something we want is extremely difficult…
My Journey to Jerusalem
Acts 21:1-16
Good morning, my name is Luke! I am a Gentile by birth, a medical doctor by trade, a disciple of Jesus Christ by faith, a missionary by calling, and a companion of the apostle Paul by providence. I am also a writer by choice. I have written a biography of the life and death of Jesus Christ and I am currently working on a sequel called “The Acts of the Apostles”…
Life & Leadership with No Regrets
Acts 20:13-38
In this farewell address to the Ephesian elders, Paul reveals thirteen characteristics of a life and leadership with no regrets. If we want to someday sit down, reflect back over our lives, and not have any regrets, we need to start living these characteristics today! Let’s take a look at them!…
Encouragement & Support in Ministry
Acts 20:1-12
In today’s text Luke shows us two ways in which we minister to other Christians: encouragement and support. As Christians, it is our ministry to encourage and support other Christians…
Christianity & Culture
Acts 19:23-41
There is no doubt about it, there are many people who refuse to be influenced by Christianity and respond to it in hostility. As Christians who have been called to be Christ’s witnesses to the ends of the earth, we should not be surprised when people respond to us or our message with hostility. Regardless of the hostility we face, may we always be faithful to the gospel of Jesus Christ!…
God’s Power in Ministry
Acts 19:1-22
How does God display his power in and through our spiritual lives? Luke answers that question for us in this morning’s passage. As he describes Paul’s ministry in the city of Ephesus he highlights four ways in which God displays his mighty power spiritually. They are all seen in the context of ministry: the baptism of the Holy Spirit, preaching, healing, and exorcism. Let’s take a closer look!…
Following God’s Will & Wisdom
Acts 18:18-28
This morning’s text is about gaining God’s wisdom and following his will for our lives and ministries. Luke breaks this story into two scenes. First, he uses the example of Paul to teach us about following God’s will. Secondly, he uses the example of Apollos to teach us how to gain God’s wisdom. I hope that these two scenes will help us with the decisions we need to make!…
A Model for Ministry
Acts 18:1-17
This passage tells us about Paul’s ministry in the city of Corinth. It was the third largest city in the Roman Empire and was one of the most important commercial centers in the Mediterranean world. It was also famous for…
Ministry in a Pagan Culture
Acts 17:16-34
This is the situation in which Paul found himself in Athens. As he walked through the city and saw all of the idols, his love for the people compelled him to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with them. It wasn’t an easy task! Athens was a completely pagan culture, but he was willing to minister to the people by telling them the truth about God. Let’s see how he does it!…
The Importance of Examining the Scriptures
Acts 17:10-15
Since there are only a handful of passages in the Bible that directly speak to the importance of examining the Scriptures for ourselves, I am disciplining myself to avoid some of the other lessons in these verses and focus solely on this one…
A Mixed Response
Acts 17:1-9
Paul and Silas entered a hostile environment to proclaim the Easter message “He is risen!” They give a straight-forward presentation of the gospel of Jesus Christ, but are met with mixed results. Let’s see what happens!…
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