It was a simple statement but still it hurt. "SEE, this man eats with sinners and tax collectors." They hurt because I was one of those tax-collectors. Tax collectors are never popular. "Adopt a flat tax," said Steve Forbes in the primary campaigns, "and dismantle the Internal Revenue Service." "I'm proud to be paying taxes in the United States," said Arthur Godfrey. "The only thing is ” I could be just as proud for half the money." "President Clinton says he looks forward to the day a citizen can call the ...
I don't think there is anyone alive who likes job performance reviews except maybe the HR people. Even if you are doing a great job, review and evaluation are stressful. A few years ago Preaching Magazine ran a list of some quotes from actual Job Performance Reviews. I thought I'd share a few: "I wouldn't allow this employee to reproduce, he must have gotten into the gene pool when the lifeguard wasn't looking." "This associate is really not so much of a has-been but a won't be." "Works well under constant ...
Back in 1981, the attention of the world was focused on the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana. My wife, an almost hopeless romantic, (I really praise God for that) became tremendously involved in that event. We were traveling when the wedding took place, and I remember she stayed up almost all night in a hotel room where we were, watching the live television presentation. She also read all the newspaper accounts, and she even gave our two daughters beautiful color picture albums that recaptured this ...
There’s an old story that many of you may remember. It’s about a little boy who was visiting his grandparents on their farm. He was given a slingshot to play with out in the woods. He practiced many times with his slingshot, but he could never hit any of the targets he aimed at. Getting a little discouraged, he headed back for lunch. As he was walking back he saw Grandma’s pet duck. Just out of impulse, he let fly with a rock from his slingshot. As luck would have it, he hit the duck square in the head, ...
Many years ago, Deputy Sheriff Bill Cromie was called to investigate a traffic accident in Constantia, New York. A drunk driver had crashed into the pumps at a gas station. Fortunately, none of them exploded. The situation was under control. But the driver was nowhere in sight. Deputy Sheriff Cromie ran into the nearby woods to find him. It didn’t take him long. The man was nearby, crashing around in the bushes. As soon as Cromie shined his light on the suspect, the driver surrendered. The intoxicated man ...
John 13:1-17, 1 Corinthians 11:17-34, Exodus 12:1-30
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THEOLOGICAL CLUE Thursday of Holy Week originally was celebrated as a feast of reconciliation, long ago when sin was taken seriously by the church; the penitents, who were excluded from the congregation during Lent were brought back and joined the congregation in the sacrament. They would come to the closed door of the church, knock and seek entrance, only to be turned away by an official of the congregation. They returned a second time, knocked and were turned away again. The third time, the bishop went ...
John 13:1-17, Exodus 12:1-30, 1 Corinthians 11:17-34, John 13:31-38
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Russell F. Anderson
Theme: The institution of the covenant meal for both Jews and Christians. COMMENTARY Old Testament: Exodus 12:1-14a This contains the priestly tradition concerning the institution of the Passover, the covenant feast of the Hebrew people. The Passover took over a more ancient springtime agricultural festival, infusing it with fresh content. The month of Nisan (March-April) in which the feast took place marked the beginning of the year for the post-exilic Jews. Formerly, the year commenced in the autumn. The ...
"One day a teacher was asking the kids in her fourth grade class to name the person whom they considered the greatest human being alive in the world today -- and the responses were quick in forthcoming and also quite varied too.A little boy spoke up and said, "I think it's Joe Montana. He led the 49ers to another Super Bowl win this year." A little girl said, "I think it's Mother Teresa because she cares for people who are dying and doesn't get paid for it at all." Another little girl said, "I think it's ...
The lesson for this morning is from the Book of Exodus, perhaps one of the best known incidents in that book, the crossing of the Red Sea. Even if you haven't been to Sunday School, or read the Bible, if you have been to Universal Studios in Hollywood, then you have seen this miracle reenacted every day, several times a day. Probably more people know about the crossing of the Red Sea from Universal Studios than the Bible. It is particularly appropriate that this be the lesson on a baptism Sunday, because ...
The Passover "A program of fellowship for adults and/or youth in Christian congregations desiring a better understanding of the heritage and the meaning of the institution of the Sacrament of Holy Communion." This work was inspired and initially written by Rev. Robert L. Linder while pastor of First English Lutheran Church in Toledo, Ohio. He was assisted by Jewish leaders of the community. It has since been revised by others, including Rabbi Sol Oster of Lima, Ohio. BLESSING OF THE FESTIVAL CANDLES Before ...
On Friday of Holy Week the streets were filled with people. It was not an ordinary market day crowd. It was religious tradition that brought these people together. It was the festival of the Passover and Jews from far and near had migrated to the holy city of Jerusalem. It was this same religious fervor that created a certain tense atmosphere in the city. Jesus, the Nazarene carpenter, the one whom some called Messiah, had been placed under arrest by the Roman authorities due to pressure from the Jewish ...
The Grounds for Faithfulness With his central theological argument concluded, the author turns now to some practical applications of what he has so effectively argued. Thus, as is true throughout his epistle, he is never content simply to present theology without showing its practical relevance to his readers. Indeed, he has had his Jewish readers in mind through all the argumentation of the preceding section. But now he comes again to their immediate situation. In this section he draws together motifs ...
“It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the survivors of Israel; I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” (Isaiah 49:6) Animators (Props): cornucopia….apples…..pumpkins As we enter the fall season, we prepare for a lot of celebrations. Halloween, All Saints Day, Thanksgiving, Advent. In the midst of all that, there are festivals for families and celebrations for children too. It’s the ...
The word is from the third chapter of Mark’s Gospel, the 16, 17, and 18th verses: "So he appointed the Twelve: to Simon he gave the name Peter; then came the sons of Zebedee, James and his brother John, to whom he gave the name Sons of Thunder; then Andrew and Philip and Bartholomew and Matthew and Thomas and James the son of Alphaeus and Thaddaeus ..." Thaddaeus. That is my name. And I want you to hear me for while my name to you is but an ancient word upon the dusty scrolls of distant time, I would talk ...
Manual of Purity: Chapter 11 begins the third section of Leviticus, which provides instructions on what is clean and what is unclean. Although these chapters are somewhat disparate, this theme unifies them—thus the title “Manual of Purity.” Following these instructions, chapter 16 describes the ritual of the Day of Atonement. Some commentators (e.g., Hartley) treat chapter 16 separately, but while it does allude to the narrative in chapter 10, it also provides a means of removing the effects of the ...
Luke 3:1-20, Isaiah 61:1-11, Luke 3:21-38, Acts 8:9-25
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John R. Brokhoff
It was an extraordinary event on an ordinary Sunday amidst very ordinary surroundings. At the annual Bible conference on a Sunday afternoon in July, 1989, at Lake Findley, New York, a group met on the shore of the lake for a baptismal service. The people stood on the shore overlooking the lake. Now and then a boat pulling a skier roared by. Several jet skis made thundering noise and waves. In the distance one could see a small sailboat or two. A brief service of Scripture and prayer preceded the baptism. A ...
Prop: YouTube Clip from the Emperor’s New Groove (provided below) and Ad for Discover Card. You can also optionally play some of the clip from Abbott and Costello. [Hold up a cell phone.] Technology. We love it. And we hate it. It makes our lives easier, faster, more convenient, for sure. But like any form of mediating communication, it can also confuse, convolute, cause misunderstandings between us. And we have enough trouble understanding each other without it! Remember the old skit from Abbott and ...
[While King Duncan is enjoying a well deserved retirement we are going back to his earliest sermons and renewing them. The newly modernized sermon is shown first and below, for reference sake, is the old sermon. We will continue this updating throughout the year bringing fresh takes on King's best sermons.] Original Title: All That From A Little Bit Of Water? New Title: All That From A Little Water There was the Baptist minister who, at his first baptism, became stage-struck. Standing in the baptismal pool ...
One of the most dominating characteristics of our modern American culture is our worship of the free market. We live in a society where the free market reigns supreme. The free market determines which companies will profit and which will go out of business. The free market determines which political party will win the election. The free market determines which products will sell. The free market determines which ideas will triumph. The free market is the people. The marketplace is where people shop for the ...
An Aramean is Healed: The account of Elisha’s miracles continues with the story of Naaman the Aramean, who is healed as he bathes in the river Jordan. It is yet another narrative that picks up themes from the Elijah story; the LORD is seen to be God, not only of Israelites, but also of foreigners (1 Kgs. 17:17–24) and is acknowledged as the only real God (1 Kgs. 18:20–40). 5:1–8 The sovereignty of Israel’s God over the whole world is announced right at the beginning of the story, as we are told that— ...
This morning I want to start by telling you about Edith. Edith was one of the poorest African American women in Harlem. As a single parent, she was trying to raise four children while holding down one part-time and one full-time job, where between the two, she earned just enough for the bare necessities of life. She was poor, but she wasn't a quitter. She kept close tabs on her three sons and daughter. Constantly worried about their safety or getting mixed up with the wrong crowd, she kept them glued to ...
Supper EtiquetteLuke 11:37-42 Worship Focus A pitcher and a wash basin. A matched set, so common in nineteenth century bedrooms, would be ideal. If that is unavailable, use any large ceramic pitcher and wide flat bowl. A Litany For The Fifth Meal Leader: Glorious are you, O God, in your holiness. People: Holy, holy, holy is our Almighty God. Leader: Spotless and without blemish, O Christ, are you in your purity. People: Holy, holy, holy is the Christ, our Redeemer. Leader: Blameless and without flaw are ...
Once upon a time a bowl was born. It was not much of a birth — no long months of planning and no great anticipation, no patient shaping under loving hands. Scarcely a thought went into the creation of this little bowl. The quick impersonal movement of a few machines and a trip through a hot oven was all it took for him to be created. There was really nothing to look at, no warmth and no beauty. He was shipped off to a store to be sold. One day this bowl was purchased, not because he was beautiful, but ...
COMMENTARY Old Testament: Song of Solomon 2:8-13 According to tradition the Song of Solomon was written by Solomon in the 10th century B.C. The book consists of love lyrics depicting the beauty and power of love between male and female. Some consider it an allegory of love between Christ and the church. This passage claims that springtime is the time for love with the appearance of flowers, birds and fruit. The lover calls his beloved to come with him to experience love. Epistle: James 1:17-27 In James' ...
A few weeks into a new school year, Susan Moser, a mother from Pennsylvania, asked her young son what he thought of first grade. With enthusiasm, he replied, "Oh, I love school. It's great!" Then, after a brief hesitation, he added. "Well, except for one thing . . . I don't really like it when Mrs. Decker tries to teach us stuff." (1) Well, that's a problem, isn't it? Some of our students here can attest to the fact that learning isn't all fun and games. It can be frustrating for both the student and the ...