... God's goodness is defined as being present for all and with all. Our God, eternal, omnipotent, almighty, universal, and unchanging, defined goodness in terms of being vulnerable and "hands-on," not all powerful and hands-off. The most jolting, the most unexpected quality of the Christmas story is not that God is powerful enough to alter human history with one act. The real shocker is that God became personally present to all in one singular child. God fully entered into a particular place and a particular ...
... this world he died for. We can do more than we might ever imagine when we stop trying to do it all ourselves and instead let God's mighty hand open the doors and plow the lands. Today is Mother's Day and so we naturally think of those special qualities of life and love that make a mother. Perhaps it's also true that each of us as Christians, regardless of gender, are called to mother the world for Christ's sake. Jesus himself claimed the image of a mother hen who longs to cluck and call her scattered chicks ...
... boxes and boxes of zip-locking bags in all possible sizes and shapes. It's an ugly reality that junk food and convenience packaging are always the most expensive food items in the store. It's as if their price is inversely proportional to their flavor, quality, and nutritional value. On the other hand, even more pure junk food the stuff that comes from all those fine fast food establishments like McDonald's, Burger King, KFC, Taco Bell offer an amazing amount of food for very little price. Of course, if you ...
Psalm 34:1-22, Revelation 7:9-17, 1 John 2:28--3:10, Matthew 5:1-12
Sermon Aid
Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe
... of John's writing does not support in any way his future vision of it. The power of this text lies precisely in this discontinuity, for it states that our experience in this world cannot be a reliable indicator of the character of God or even of the quality of our salvation. John makes this point through the central image of the text in v. 14, when the elder, who is interpreting the vision to John, makes the paradoxical statement that the robes of the saints have been made white by washing them in red blood ...
Psalm 29:1-11, Isaiah 42:1-9, Acts 10:23b-48, Matthew 3:13-17
Sermon Aid
Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe
... of the servant. The same holds true for the Church today. We have reinterpreted the eschatological vision of "Second Isaiah" in the light of the passion of Jesus, but in doing this we are assuming the obligation of embodying the qualities of the servant. Thus we celebrate today the commissioning of both Jesus and ourselves as his Church. Psalm 29 - "Celebrating the Power of God" Setting. Psalm 29 is a powerful hymn of praise. It celebrates the rule of God over nature through the motifs of a storm. The ...
Acts 2:42-47, Psalm 23:1-6, 1 Peter 2:13-25, John 10:1-21
Sermon Aid
Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe
... are evil. The first attitude is fear in v. 18 (NRSV, "with all deference"). The NRSV translation makes the master the object of the slaves' "fear" (hence the translation, "with all deference"). Fear, however, is a quality that arises in Christians who know the salvation of God (see I Peter 1:17), and not a quality that arises from other persons. The call for fear in the slaves, therefore, is not for the purpose of being good servants but good Christians. This focus on God rather than master is made explicit ...
Psalm 119:1-176, Romans 8:1-17, Matthew 13:1-23, Genesis 25:19-34
Sermon Aid
Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe
... names, where the naming of an individual embodies their most fundamental character. In other words, for an ancient Israelite, you are what you are named. Genesis 25:19-34 is written with such an understanding of names. It is a story about naming the quality of characters. Structure. Genesis 25:19-34 functions as the introduction to the Jacob cycle of stories that continues through Genesis 36:43. These verses contain a variety of different types of literature, which include a genealogy in v. 19, a poem in v ...
Exodus 20:1-21, Matthew 21:33-46, Philippians 3:1-11, Psalm 19:1-14
Sermon Aid
Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe
... to those who will cooperate with God's purposes. Told this way, from a theological point of view, the story gets us past the historical origins of the text that can render the text irrelevant for today. Yet if we are ignorant of the time-bound quality of this lesson, we will likely be either baffled about what to do with the text or tempted to lapse into a deplorable attempt to rehabilitate the polemical context of the passage. Thinking first about the human condition or ourselves may cause us to be blind ...
Exodus 33:12-23, Matthew 22:15-22, 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10, Psalm 99:1-9
Sermon Aid
Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe
... sermon that highlights Jesus' authority. The memorable line, "Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor's, and to God the things that are God's" really should not be dragged out of its context and treated as a timeless maxim. It has something of that quality, but its real sense is best grasped in the context of this story. The trap laid for Jesus was a simple one, but it seems designed to confront him with a no-win situation. If he says it is okay to pay taxes, he will lose face with the ...
Deuteronomy 34:1-12, Matthew 22:34-40, Matthew 22:41-46, 1 Thessalonians 2:1-16, Psalm 90:1-17
Sermon Aid
Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe
... blameless, and encouraging. In these remarks we are given the character of Christian ministry, and in the apostles' use of rich images throughout the text we find precedent and an invitation to preach this passage through image and explanation. A fine sermon on the quality and cause of Christian ministry (for all believers, not merely the clergy—though this text would do well as the text for a sermon to a clergy group) could be developed from this lesson. It could take up the themes, "Christians work for ...
Judges 4:1-24, Matthew 25:14-30, 1 Thessalonians 4:13--5:11, Psalm 123:1-4
Sermon Aid
Marion L. Soards, Thomas B. Dozeman, Kendall McCabe
... of God's victory over King Jabin (vv. 23-24) Significance. What is the significance of Deborah in this story? How is she a hero of faith? These questions cannot be answered if the lectionary text is limited to vv. 1-7, because the heroic quality of her character is defined in relation to other characters in the chapter, especially Barak. Thus the lectionary reading should include at least the exchange between Deborah and Barak in vv. 8-9. Deborah and Barak represent two very different faith stances at a ...
... the challenge of what is before us. The time for simple fellowship, and especially fellowship in which we participate, not just watch or observe, cannot be underestimated. We almost ruined it by giving it a proper name, “quality time.” If you identify anything as “quality time” beforehand, it is doomed. Fellowship (koinonia) is a gift of the Spirit. Often fellowship alights unexpectedly and then lifts off. When we experience its presence, we must embrace it and participate in its revelation. But our ...
363. The Love of a Father - Sermon Starter
Mt10:29-31
Illustration
King Duncan
... needs to be nurturing of his children, supportive of his wife, and yet at the same time provide the spiritual leadership of the home that the Bible accords to fathers. It is a rare man, a special kind of man, who can combine all three of these qualities. We salute Christian fathers this day. Your family needs you more than ever before. The most common image that Jesus used in describing God was that of "Father." It makes me think that Joseph must have been a very special kind of father. We center much of ...
... their customers trusted them.[xii] In a recent poll by U. S. News and World Report, people were asked this question: "What is the most important characteristic or attribute that a friend can have?" 94% of the people interviewed said, "The one quality they would want in a friend, above all other qualities, is honesty." Based on that criteria, I want to tell you the best friend you will ever have is the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the way, the truth, and the life. The One who is the truth told the truth; and ...
... touch the hem of the garment of the Bible."2 But what is it that makes this book so valuable? What is it that separates this book from every other book that ever has been written, or ever will be written? Well, according to Peter, there are three qualities about the Bible that makes it "the fountain of truth." I. The Bible Outlives Human Expression Peter had a major goal he wanted to accomplish in writing this second letter. He wanted to remind his readers that their faith was to be based not on a preacher ...
... ; Sabbath time in the midst of our busyness. Greg concludes: As I have lived through these past two months, I have realized that I am not disturbed by the busyness. I enjoy being busy. But I am disturbed by the frantic pace that lacks the quality of time that renews, refreshes and redeems. [2] At high noon, in the midst of our busyness, the antidote to the destruction of noonday is to find Sabbath time: Moments which refresh Solace which renews Silence which redeems our busyness and make us whole It's ...
... player; he did not have the gifts for baseball. He did not possess the keen eye to be a good hitter and he did not have the strong arm needed to be a good fielder. But Timmy Noble had some very important qualities, nonetheless. He had courage and a big heart — how can one measure such qualities? He had determination and, most especially, Timmy Noble had faith in God. He didn't worry about what he couldn't do; he was grateful for what he had. He had decided a long time ago to place his trust in God. The ...
... In his book by that title, Iconoclast (Harvard Business Press, 2008), Gregory Berns contends that in order for someone to be a successful iconoclast, in order for someone to "do things others say can’t be done," they must embrace three unusual qualities. First, the iconoclast has to take a different perspective from everyone else. They have to decide see things differently, and to be willing to "reframe" the issues of the day. Second, an iconoclast must successfully squash their natural fear response. In ...
369. How to Be a Pilgrim
Luke 17:11-19; John 6:25-35
Illustration
Alex Gondola
... of its people have a new vision (and act on it)." Christians make up far more than two percent of most town, far more than two percent of Americans. So, why don't we have a greater effect: on issues of the environment, on justice for the needy, on the quality of life in our own city? Could it be we need more courage to act on our commitments? To be a Pilgrim means to stand up for what you believe, no matter what. To be a Pilgrim also means sharing what you have, and turning thanks into giving. The Pilgrim ...
... "The Star Spangled Banner, " an almost completed poem he had composed during his mission of mercy. Originally intended to be sung as a hymn of thanks for the rescue of the city of Baltimore from bombardment from the British fleet, its hymn-like qualities are still quite evident. Unlike other national anthems, "The Star Spangled Banner" does not extol the glories of battle or the nobility of soldiering, instead it offers up gratitude for the event of an unexpected salvation. In the national anthem all eyes ...
... Soviet Union and the American West, it is hardly surprising that such small amenities of courtesy and consideration are in danger of becoming casualties of technology. Yet most often it is precisely those seemingly minute matters of manners that determine the quality of our lives, the integrity of our existence. Few of us personally confront on a daily basis the issues of murder, or political corruption, or nuclear responsibility. We do, however, continually face such ethical questions as, "Shall I keep my ...
... the divine wisdom which will guide the rest of our actions. Jesus reveals that his true disciples are to invert their usual sense of what is valuable and to order their lives around a commitment to service and obedience. James explicitly lists qualities such as meekness and mercy as the most desirable of spiritual values. In each text it is evident that there is a hierarchy which has firmly established certain attitudes as divine and others as "devilish." Contrary to these biblical directives, the fluidity ...
... of Christ's love and our ability to respond to it makes the partial, piecemeal nature of our experience more evident. Paul does not despair over this condition, however; in fact, it is our ability to recognize this "not yet" quality of our faith which enables the quality of hope to spring forth. Brunner ties faith and hope together by asserting that " . . .faith believes what hope expects. Hope expects what faith believes" (77). Hope holds on because it has faith in the strength and persistence of God's ...
... that has much appeal in our postmodern world. We like to see ourselves as a "can-do" culture bursting at the seams with good ideas, good intentions and good results. Humility, on the other hand, suggests to us an aroma of helplessness. It is the quality that admits there are things we cannot do, problems we cannot solve, forces we cannot control. This "can-not" admission clashes terribly with our "can-do" arrogance. Undoubtedly, today's epistle text can appear as confusing and paradoxical to us as it was to ...
... be so strong and deep. Jesus can stretch out his arms on the horizontal beam of the cross only because his unique vertical relationship with God, his divine Sonship, keeps him upright. In today's gospel text, James and John are not concerned about the quality of the suppers they have shared with Jesus. Their focus is neither vertical nor horizontal. It is only inward. Concerned with their own future status in Jesus' ministry, these two disciples decide to queue up early for good seats in the heavenly future ...