In August 1989 then President George Bush took his family to their summer home in Kennebunkport, Maine, for a nineteen-day summer vacation. No sooner had he arrived than he hopped into his twenty-eight-foot fishing boat, FIDELITY, confident he'd catch some bluefish as he had so many other times before. He didn't mind that a flotilla of press boats was following him to record every moment of his expected angling successes. However, Bush didn't catch a fish that day . . . or the next day . . . or the next ...
There is an old legend about a New England town that was suffering through all manner of dissension and back-biting. The people were constantly involved in petty feuds pitting neighbor against neighbor. One day, the people came together and consulted a wise pastor as to how they could resolve their differences. The pastor agreed to think on the matter and send them a letter soon detailing his judgement. A few days later, the pastor sat down and wrote his letter to the people, full of advice on how to make ...
We live in a crazy world. There was an article sometime back in The Smithsonian magazine about Barbie Dolls. How many of you have ever owned a Barbie Doll? What? None of our men? Ever since Barbie made her debut on toy store shelves, she has been accused of creating self-esteem problems in teenage girls. You might remember one cynic's estimate that if Barbie were a real woman, she'd have to walk on all fours due to her proportions. The male equivalent of the Barbie Doll, according to some people, is the ...
Have you ever noticed that men like to make jokes about marriage? For example, there's a story about a man sitting at the bar in his local tavern, furiously imbibing shots of whiskey. One of his friends happens to come into the bar and sees him. "Lou," says the shocked friend, "what are you doing? I've known you for over fifteen years, and I've never seen you take a drink before. What's going on?" Without even taking his eyes off his newly filled shot glass, the man replies, "My wife just ran off with my ...
Reuel Howe had a friend who had terminal cancer. Howe went to visit his friend one day, not knowing what to say. He was amazed to find the friend in control of himself. His friend told Howe: "When I began to work through this experience, I made an amazing discovery. And it is this: `For every exit, there is an entrance.'' All the way through my life I have been having to give up things in order to get things. I''ve had exits in order to get entrances. I had to give up something in order to go to school. I ...
Dr. Charles Allen, the now retired United Methodist preacher from Houston, Texas, shared, tongue in cheek, a survey he once made in his church: 10% of the members cannot be found 20% -- never attend 25% -- never pray 35% -- never read the Bible 40% -- never give financially to the church 70% -- never attend Sunday Evening Service 75% -- never assume any church task 85% -- never invite anyone to church 95% -- never win a soul to Jesus 100% -- expect to go to Heaven! It reminds me of the old black spiritual ...
Remember how it was in grade school when your class went out on the playground during recess? Doug and Sam, the two big guys, started choosing up sides to play kickball. And the rest of us just sort of stood around and hoped one of them would pick us for their team. And how affirming, how exciting it was to hear your name called and know that you were wanted. And it's the same in this big lonesome world that doesn't seem to need us very much. It's easy to feel left out, unchosen. But the Good News of the ...
Our scripture lesson is from the first epistle of Peter, the 1st chapter, beginning at the 13th and reading through the 21st verses. This is the word of the Lord. Therefore, gird up your minds, be sober, set your hope fully upon the grace that is coming to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is Holy, be Holy yourselves in all your conduct. Since it is written, you shall be Holy for I am Holy. And ...
There was a time when Indians communicated by drums and smoke signals. Maybe there are places where they still do this. I know the drum is still used as a communication instrument in many areas of Africa. Years ago, when the atomic bomb was being tested, out on the flats of Nevada, a cartoon pictured some Indians. They were looking across the barren wastes -- the spacious flats, when on the horizon the mushroom smoke cloud of an atomic explosion rose dramatically. As they looked at that wonder -- never ...
In many Moravian churches, the fourth Sunday in Advent is known as "Morning Star Sunday." The large multi-pointed paper star hangs from the ceiling of the Sanctuary, filling the darkness with light. The congregation sings, "Morning Star, O cheering sight; ere thou camest how dark earth's night! Jesus, mine, in me shine; fill my heart with light divine." For us who stand at the threshold of Christmas, the morning star points to both an end and a beginning. The morning star appears on a clear night in the ...
"Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?" Well, it's not a bad question. Judas may have been a thief and informant, he may have embezzled money from the common purse occasionally, he may have had other motives besides the high moral road he seems to project, and he probably really didn't give a fig for the poor. But isn't he basically right? Couldn't the pound of expensive perfume dumped on Jesus' feet have been used for a better purpose? I must admit that I ...
In September of 1997 there was a groundbreaking service for a Catholic cathedral that is going to be constructed in Los Angeles. The Diocese of Los Angeles commissioned the famous Spanish architect Jose Rafael Moneo to design the building. Their hope is that the cathedral will be completed by the beginning of the millennium. It’s to be a peculiar witness to the glory of God. There were models of the cathedral at the groundbreaking service and on the basis of the models a Los Angeles Times reporter wrote a ...
In September of 1997 there was a groundbreaking service for a Catholic cathedral that is going to be constructed in Los Angeles. The Diocese of Los Angeles commissioned the famous Spanish architect Jose Rafael Moneo to design the building. Their hope is that the cathedral will be completed by the beginning of the millennium. It’s to be a peculiar witness to the glory of God. There were models of the cathedral at the groundbreaking service and on the basis of the models a Los Angeles Times reporter wrote a ...
People print all sorts of things on T-shirts, from advertisements to obscenities to affirmations of faith. One fellow was seen wearing a T-shirt with the words, "Christian Under Construction," printed on it. We can all appreciate what he meant by that. We can talk about the difference faith in Christ is supposed to make in our lives and about how it is supposed to work and even about the samples of the new life in Christ that we have already experienced. But, most of us know that we are not yet what God ...
Christians share a memory - and a belief - that gives us a place to stand, a way of getting things into perspective, and an ability to cope no matter what is going on in the world around us. We share the memory that once, a long time ago, there was a young teacher who was totally committed to the loving purpose of God for the world. He came healing the sick, feeding the hungry, and making other loving responses to human need. He came announcing a new possibility that God offers to the whole creation and ...
One cold Sunday afternoon in December, the congregation of a little Baptist church went over to the nearby river where they did their baptizing. They had several persons who were to be baptized that afternoon. There was one man who had some reservations about all this, as he faced the icy-cold water. He was a new convert and all this was foreign to him. He was, therefore, last in line. He noticed that when the first person came up out of the water, she quoted a Bible verse: “Bless the Lord, O my soul.” ...
John 3:22-36, Matthew 28:16-20, 2 Corinthians 13:11-14, 2 Corinthians 13:1-10, Exodus 34:1-28, Genesis 1:1-2:3
Sermon Aid
John R. Brokhoff
COMMENTARY Old Testament: Genesis 1:1-2:4a God the Father created the universe. In this first of two creation accounts, God, the first person of the Trinity, causes the entire universe to come into existence with humankind, made in God's image, as the crown of creation. How did he do it? By the power of his Word. How did he feel about his work? It was good. Old Testament: Exodus 34:4b-6, 8-9 God gives his people another chance. Epistle: 2 Corinthians 13:(5-10) 11-14 Paul concludes his ethical exhortations ...
What do you think of when you hear the word "Pilgrim"? Most of us — especially around Thanksgiving — hear the word "Pilgrim" and think of the English Separatists who crossed the Atlantic on the Mayflower, landed on Cape Cod, and settled in Plymouth. We hear "Pilgrim" and think "Thanksgiving." But, when you think of that kind of Pilgrim, what do you think? Some consider the Pilgrims stained-glass saints. A church in Utica, New York, was designed as a shrine to the Pilgrims. Three tall stained-glass windows ...
Dr. Billy Graham once told Time magazine, "If I were an enemy of Christianity, I would aim right at the Resurrection, because that is the heart of Christianity." Well Dr. Graham knew what he was talking about because more and more theologians, those who admit to be liberal, and even some who claim to be conservative, are taking dead aim at the truth of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The founder of the infamous Jesus seminar, Dr. Robert Funk, told Time magazine as well, "The tales of entombment and ...
On the day that Karl Marx died in 1883, his housekeeper came to him and said: "Tell me your last words and I'll write them down." Marx replied: "Go on and get out! Last words are for fools who haven't said enough!" Well, that is another thing that I disagree with Marx on. Last words are very important and can be very revealing. Here are just a few famous last words: Max Baer, the one time heavyweight champion of the world, said, as he was having a heart attack: "Oh God, here I go!" P. T. Barnham said: "How ...
Contrary to what you might think, "Out with the old in with the new" is not the title of an Elizabeth Taylor Seminar on marriage. But it is the title of my message as we leave an old year and enter a new year. I was interested to learn that the month of January is named after the Roman god Janus, who was a god that had two faces. One face looked back to the old year; the other face looked forward to the new year. On the last day of any year, I think we all have two faces. One face looks backward to a year ...
I want to share with you three stories, that take place in three different nations, that illustrate a central truth about Christmas. The headline read "Japan Goes Wild for Ho-Ho Holiday." A nation, made up almost entirely of Shinto and Buddhist believers, has taken to celebrating "Kurisumasu" with the heartiest of Ho-Ho-Hos. The season is marked by extravagant gift-giving, with shoppers lined up for blocks outside of expensive department stores. Red-garbed choirs give enthusiastic if uncertain voice to " ...
Being President of the SBC for one year has been both one of the greatest blessings, and one of the greatest burdens of my life. On the one hand, it has reminded me of just how blessed I am to be a Southern Baptist. Southern Baptists are not a perfect people, but they are a precious people. I don't believe there is a group of Bible believers anywhere in the world that love Jesus more than Southern Baptists. I sometimes feel like a lady who lived up in the mountains of North Carolina. She was a Baptist ...
Our nation is at war. We have been at war since we were attacked almost five years ago, on September 11, 2001. This war against terrorism is hotter than the Cold War and will probably last for a generation. Many Americans are not directly affected by the war. Many go about their business as usual, fussing about crime and gasoline prices, anticipating summer vacations and who will win the NBA Championship. However, if you have a loved one in Afghanistan or Iraq, you think about the war all the time. Almost ...
Two centuries of annual conferences have opened with the hymn which asks the essential question: And are we yet alive…? For the early circuit riders, it was a literal reality, a personal greeting. Not having seen or heard from each other for the past year while traveling their far-flung circuits, there was no way of knowing who had survived the rigors of those difficult days when many of them died before they were 35. And they would answer the question with joy as they greeted one another: And are we yet ...