Sermon and Worship Resources

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I Corinthians 1:10-17

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

He drew a circle that shut me out, a heretic, a rebel, a thing to flout, but love and I had a wit to win, we drew a circle that took him in. I would like to complete this series of sermons on human relationships by talking about Christian unity. One bread, one ... and the lost. And that night somebody had a wit to win. They went out and moved the fence and took her in. He drew a circle that shut me out, a heretic, a rebel, a thing to flout, but love and I had a wit to win, we drew a circle that took him in.

2. The Accent Of Heaven

John 13:31-35

Sermon

Wayne Brouwer

... we had drawn God out of our circles, divine love drew us in. Perhaps Edwin Markham’s poem could be translated into the conversation of heaven as the Father and the son reflect about us: He drew a circle that shut us out ― Heretic! Rebel! A thing to flout! But our love alone had the wit to win: We drew a circle that took him in! (in the public domain) That is the beginning of true civilization. When you listen to people like that, you know they are Jesus’ disciples, and speak with the accent of heaven ...

3. Transforming Love

Acts 9:1-19a

Sermon

Douglas J. Deuel

Edwin Markham's little poem has so much to say to us about the ability of love to transform. He drew a circle that shut me out -- Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout. But love and I had the wit to win: We drew a circle that took him in.1 One of the most amazing stories to come out of the Bible is the account of Saul's life. Through this story we see a leading opponent of the church being transformed ...

4. How To Treat Your Enemies

2 Samuel 18:1-18

Sermon

Stephen M. Crotts

... -being. And the Bible is saying this is the respect we should show our enemies. For, who knows the grace of God, but that our enemies can be turned into our friends. As Edwin Markham put it: He drew a circle and shut me out, Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout. But love and I had the wit to win, We drew a circle that took him in. God Almighty, give me the grace to love my enemies. For Christ's sake."

5. Hope Against Hope

Genesis 17:1-27

Sermon

Erskine White

... and neither did the artificial implantation. At one point, they used a surrogate mother named Hagar, who conceived a child for Abraham, but as often happens in such arrangements, things got messy after the child was born. Sarah thought Hagar was mocking her barrenness and flouting her own fertility and in a fit of jealousy sent Hagar and the child away (cf. Genesis 16). Then one day, God came to Abraham and told him to forget about the nursing home - God was going to make a covenant with Abraham, giving him ...

6. The President's Religion

2 Samuel 12:1-31

Sermon

Erskine White

... like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. Amos' question to Israel is being asked of us today: "Are you not like the Ethiopians to Me, O people of Israel?" Are you God's chosen nation? Then why do you ignore His will? Why do you flout His law? Who are you to claim the special purposes of God Almighty, "who is high above all nations" (Psalm 113), "whose name endures forever" (Psalm 135), "who builds His upper chambers in the heavens and founds his vault upon the earth; who calls forth the ...

7. When Is It Tolerable to Be Intolerant?

Mark 9:38-50

Sermon

Donald Macleod

... set these types in clear contrast. Jonathan Swift wrote: We are God's chosen few, All others will be damned; There is no place in heaven for you, We can't have heaven crammed. Edwin Markham wrote: He drew a circle that shut me out -Rebel, heretic, thing to flout. But Love and I had the wit to win -We drew a circle that took him in. These two attitudes underlie this passage in Mark's Gospel. Here we note three groups of sayings of Jesus, each of which suggests either the presence or absence of tolerance. I ...

8. Count Me In!

Isaiah 56:1-8

Sermon

John R. Brokhoff

"My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples." He drew a circle that shut me out - Heretic, Rebel, a thing to flout! But love and I had the wit to win: We drew a circle that took him in! The world is forever drawing circles that shut people out. In a polite way we say, "By invitation only" or "Reserved." Books are copyrighted so that no one, except by permission, may duplicate ...

9. Are You Exercising Your Faith?

Mt 4:1-11 · Phil 3:12 · Gen 32:3

Sermon

Robert Noblett

... emerge. One thing, however, is sure. To punish oneself or other people for their doubts is exceedingly counterproductive. It leads to nothing save wasted energy. Many years ago I learned a little rhyme that runs - He drew a circle that shut me out, heretic, rebel, a thing to flout. But love and I had the wit to win, we drew a circle that took him in. A faith that is a growing faith draws a circle big enough to include doubt. In that way we enlist our doubts in the service of an expanding and deepening faith ...

10. A Courtroom Confrontation

Matthew 27:11-26

Sermon

Bill Bouknight

... and I do. Please help me." An instantaneous miracle occurred. The resentment drained away. The poetry began to flow again. Soon thereafter Markham penned perhaps his most famous line that reads as follows: "He drew a circle that shut me out--heretic, rebel, a thing to flout; but love and I had the wit to win; we drew a circle that took him in." You see, we must replace resentment with forgiveness, not just because Jesus said so, but also because it is the only way to stop poisoning ourselves. Is there some ...

11. The Outcome of Easter Faith

Isaiah 25:1-12

Sermon

Donald Macleod

... pass over the world-shaking implications of this fact unacknowledged and unexplored. It means no more to them than that history records one Jesus of Nazareth who lived and died sometime between 4 B.C. and A.D. 33 and whose memory time has not been able to flout or destroy. At best, Easter is a delightful festival and provides a pious note to harbinger the coming of spring. Does not this situation and frame of mind cast a shadow over what we think and do on Easter Day? Indeed, it makes sharply apparent to us ...

12. An Easter Dividend: The Courage To Be and To Do

Acts 4:1-22

Sermon

Donald Macleod

... name of truth, the courage to follow the right wherever it leads, the courage to scorn mediocre and slap-dash politics (even in an election year), the courage to be ridiculed and scoffed at in defense of principles too high and too great to be flouted. For most of us it is easier to face actual danger by the dint of sheer physical courage than to face misunderstanding, criticism, unpopularity, coldness or loss of friendship. For these demands a higher, more difficult kind of courage is entailed, and this no ...

13. Living In Spite House

Matthew 18:21-35

Sermon

King Duncan

... are paying. You must forgive that man." The poet prayed, "Lord, I will, and I do freely forgive." A miracle occurred. The resentment was gone. The poetry now flowed. He then penned perhaps his most famous poem: He drew a circle that shut me out Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout; But Love and I had the wit to win: We drew a circle that took him in! (4) We forgive, in the first place, because it is in our own best interest to do so. Our resentment is poisoning our own hearts and in some cases it may be ...

14. Cross Connections

John 18:1-11

Sermon

Robert Noblett

... of nature mine, That were a present far too small; Love so amazing, so divine, Demands my soul, my life, my all. Such is the transforming power of love. You may remember Edwin Markham's memorable lines: He drew a circle that shut me out – Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout. But Love and I had the wit to win: We drew a circle that took him in.6 The cross is God drawing a circle around the whole of creation and taking us in. A man was walking down the gangplank from the USS Massachusetts, moored in Fall River ...

15. Loving Like God Loves

Matthew 5:43-48

Sermon

Phil Thrailkill

... a large, not a small concept. And with the word neighbor there was no room for hate. I remember the impact Edwin Markam’s little poem had on me when first I heard it as a child: “He drew a circle that shut me out- Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout. But love and I had the wit to win: We drew a circle that took him in.”10 His fellow Jews drew a small circle; Jesus blew it up and drew a circle as big as God’s heart. Because love is demanding, we wish to make it smaller and ...

16. Magnanimity: The Essential Spirit of the Christian

Philippians 4:4-7

Sermon

James W. Moore

... ! (2) We, also, see it in that famous poem written by Edwin Markham. Markham had been hurt and betrayed by a trusted friend, but he worked through the pain and wrote these classic words: “He drew a circle that shut me out. Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout, But Love and I had the wit to won: We drew a circle that took him in”… that’s magnanimity! (3) Again, we see it in Dr. Booker T. Washington, the great African-American Educator. One day as Professor Washington was walking to work at the famous ...

17. Bitterness: How to Overcome What You Undergo

Hebrews 12:14-15

Sermon

James Merritt

... and the river of joy flowing back into his heart. He said at that moment his mind was unshackled, his pen was loosened, and he then sat down and wrote perhaps his most famous poem entitled, "Outwitted." He drew a circle that shut me out— Heretic rebel a thing to flout; But love and I had the wit to win: We drew a circle that took him in.4 Jesus Christ died to deliver you from the sin of bitterness in this life. But He was raised from the grave to deliver you from the sting of bitterness in the life ...

18. Parades and Crosses — The Challenge of Ministry

2 Corinthians 4:5-12

Sermon

Maurice A. Fetty

... income that provided a fine home and cottage, with skiing in Aspen and surfing in Hawaii. If shortages of cash flow was a preoccupation of some families in their neighborhood, such was not the case in this family. They were careful not to flout their wealth like the nouveau riche nor to live ostentatiously like the psychologically insecure, but neither were they secretive nor miserly. They had and enjoyed the good things of life. Flying back from his trip, the father looked forward to sharing all the ...

19. Valley of Rejection (Series: Peace in the Valley)

Luke 4:14-30

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

... for ourselves. We shall so appeal to your heart and conscience that we shall win you in the process and our victory will be a double victory. For love is the most durable power in the world.” He drew a circle that shut me out, Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout. But love and I had a wit to win; We drew a circle that took him in. Amen. Brought to you by FaithBreaks.org

20. The Power of a Vision

2 Corinthians 5:11-21

Sermon

J. Howard Olds

... principles of reconciliation. I don’t have time to elaborate on them today, but let me name them now: Reconciliation consists of: involvement, commitment, intentionality, sincerity, sensitivity, sacrifice, empowerment, interdependence. He drew a circle that shut me out, Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout. But love and I had a wit to win, We drew a circle that took him in. You and I live in a world where it’s popular, particularly in a political season, for everybody to get into their corners and shout at ...

21. On Welcoming the Imperfect

John 10:22-30

Sermon

R. Robert Cueni

... of Jesus. The Pharisees wanted to emphasize purging the impure. Jesus wanted to emphasize reaching out and even welcoming the imperfect. As the American poet, Edwin Markham put it in his little verse, “Outwitted.” He drew a circle that shut me out — Heretic, a rebel, a thing to flout. But love and I had the wit to win: We drew a circle and took him In!2 The Pharisees wanted to draw the circle to shut some out. They wanted to say, “You and you and you are all right — but you can’t come.” Jesus ...

22. Lazarus Rising

John 11:1-16, John 11:17-37, John 11:38-44, John 11:45-57, John 12:1-11, John 12:12-19

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... outsides. Plus he’s predicting God’s coming judgment on Jerusalem. He’s criticizing the priests and Pharisees and filling the people’s heads with ideas of restoration and abundance. He’s predicting the fall of the Temple, and allowing his disciples to flout Pharisaic rules. He’s anti-establishment and a critic of the status quo. He is rousing more and more people behind him, and crowds are following him everywhere. He’s trouble with a capital “T.” Lazarus is his patron and protector. For a ...

23. Identity Crisis

Genesis 32:1-21, Genesis 32:22-32, Genesis 33:1-20

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... s blessing. As the “chosen” brother, his mother then sends Jacob to her own brother Laban, to secure a wife from their own clan. Meanwhile, Esau marries Canaanite women, to the distaste of his parents. When coming upon Laban, Jacob again attempts to flout the rules by bartering first for Rachel, the younger of the two sisters, when tradition dictates he marry the elder first. When Laban, their father, refuses to overlook Leah, Jacob stays long enough to secure them both. But Rachel remains his favorite ...

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