Showing 1 to 25 of 41 results
Drama
Richard F. Bansemer
The sermon reflects upon the message of Romans 4:13. "The promise to Abraham and his descendants, that they should inherit the world, did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith." Ladies and gentlemen, members of the family of God’s estate, welcome to this meeting wherein we shall read the details of a large inheritance promised to all of us years ago. In his grace fu...
Eulogy
Richard F. Bansemer
Death of a teacher The meditation text is Romans 12:6-7: "Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; he who teaches, in his teaching . . ."It is a peculiar meditation text for a funeral celebration, unless one remembers ___________. That's half our duty now, during this brief worship. We must fi...
3. Always Home
John 14:1-4
Eulogy
Richard F. Bansemer
Death of a heart-broken spouse Oldest member of the church Three short passages from our lessons today form our text. From John: "In my Father's house are many rooms." From Psalm 23: "I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." And from Ecclesiastes: "There is a time for everything."When I think of ___________'s 'house,' many varied thoughts come to mind. There is, of course, the little white ...
4. Amen
John 14:1-4
Eulogy
Richard F. Bansemer
Death of a "pillar of the church" The meditation text is John 14:la: "Let not your hearts be troubled . . ."That's difficult advice to follow on a day like this: "Let not your hearts be troubled." Behind it is the same kind of faith that lets us take comfort from praying, "Our Father," for if we have a heavenly father, we need not have a troubled heart. Loving fathers mend broken hearts.Behind the...
Sermon
Richard F. Bansemer
The sermon today is from the Gospel of Mark, the 10th chapter, verses 51 and 52. "And Jesus said to him, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ And the blind man said to him, ‘Master, let me receive my sight.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Go your way; your faith has made you well.’ " Jericho is about as far away from Jerusalem as a twenty minute drive. It’s a mere fifteen miles. That’s pretty close, unle...
6. Beyond the Ordinary
1 Corinthians 13:1-13
Eulogy
Richard F. Bansemer
Death after many years of "reprieve"The meditation text is from the conclusion to 1 Corinthians 13: "So faith, hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love."We have all been a little shocked and saddened by the quickness of___________'s death. For twenty years she lived under the threat of this day, and for twenty years it seemed to be an idle threat. Then, a couple of months a...
7. Commencement
Revelation 21:1-27
Eulogy
Richard F. Bansemer
Death of a life-time student The meditation text is Revelation 21:4: "He (God) will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away."The former things have passed away. What better text is there to graphically illustrate what ______________ believed. She said that life is like goi...
8. Delivery Room
John 14:1-4
Eulogy
Richard F. Bansemer
Death after living unhappily in a nursing home The meditation text is John 14:2: "In my Father's house are many rooms . . . "Everyone of us lives in a home filled with rooms: bedrooms, living rooms, parlors, kitchens, whatever. We've come to appreciate special rooms and places as events pass and memories are formed.One of the hardest places for us to visit is the hospital room, or the nursing home...
9. Doing Love
Revelation 21:1-27
Eulogy
Richard F. Bansemer
Accidental Death The meditation text is Revelation 21:3-4: "And I heard a great voice from the throne saying, 'Behold the dwelling of God is with men. He will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself will be with them; he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things h...
10. Elijah’s If
Mark 9:2-13, 2 Kings 2:1-18
Drama
Richard F. Bansemer
A quotation from the Old Testament and one from the New Testament make up our sermon texts for today. From 2 Kings, the second chapter, the 10th verse, we find Elijah saying to Elisha: "You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if you do not see me, it shall not be so." From Mark 9, the 7th terse, we read: "... a voice came out from t...
11. Epiphany 2
John 1:43-51, John 1:35-42
Bulletin Aid
Richard F. Bansemer
Commentary The first recorded words of Jesus in the Gospel of John are: "What are you looking for?" Jesus was being followed by Andrew and one other disciple of John the Baptist. John had revealed the identity of Jesus to the two men as "the Lamb of God." One contact led to another, and by the end of the passage, Jesus had at least four disciples, and probably five (if the unnamed other disciple w...
12. Foretaste
1 Corinthians 15:12-34
Eulogy
Richard F. Bansemer
Death in Ols Age For the meditation text, listen to the same passage of Scripture from 1 Corinthians 15:19 from three different versions. From the Revised Standard Version: "If in this life we who are in Christ have only hope, we are of all men most to be pitied." From the Good News Bible: "If our hope in Christ is good for this life only and no more, then we deserve more pity than anyone else in ...
Eulogy
Richard F. Bansemer
Suicide The meditation text is Romans 8:28 and 31: "We know that in everything God works for good with those who love, who are called according to his purpose." And, "What then shall we say to this? If God is for us, who is against us?"Good morning, lovers of God. Good morning, lovers of ___________ What can we say about this day? "God works for good with those who love him," you lovers of God.As ...
Sermon Aid
Richard F. Bansemer
This whole chapter in John, Chapter 9, is devoted to this one healing miracle. The man born blind has character. He will not wilt under powerful crossfire. He knows what happened to him, and he will not be talked out of it. Jesus could have said, "I must work the works of him who sent me while it is day." He didn't. Instead he said, "We." He said, "We must work the works of him who sent me while ...
15. God Works Good
Romans 8:18-27
Eulogy
Richard F. Bansemer
Death after a short illness The meditation text is the 28th verse of the eighth chapter of Romans: "We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose."Is this a good day? It doesn't feel like it, does it? We gather to give thanks to God for ___________,and to commit her into his care.Is this a good day? For us, it is not an easy one. We ...
16. Honor by Serving
Revelation 14:6-13
Eulogy
Richard F. Bansemer
Death of a Ggrateful Person The meditation text is Revelation 14:13: "And I heard a voice from heaven saying, write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord henceforth." "Blessed indeed," says the Spirit, "that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!"Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord. Our duty today is to look upon the completed life of ___________ and say:"Bless...
Sermon
Richard F. Bansemer
The Sermon text is the ninth verse of the 40th chapter of Isaiah: "Get you up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good tidings; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings, lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah, ‘Behold your God!’ " It’s quite a conversation between the prophet and a couple of voices. First a command is given: "In the wilderness prepare th...
18. Jacob’s Jabbok
Genesis 32:22-32
Drama
Richard F. Bansemer
The sermon text is Genesis 32:24-25: "And Jacob was left alone; and a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and Jacob’s thigh was put out of joint as he wrestled with him." Have you crossed the stream named Jabbok? Another way to ask the same question is: "Have you been left alone to struggle...
Sermon
Richard F. Bansemer
The sermon is based on the words of the prophet Jeremiah as recorded in the 23rd chapter, beginning with the 19th verse, in the book by his name: "Behold, the storm of the Lord! Wrath has gone forth, a whirling tempest; it will burst upon the head of the wicked. The anger of the Lord will not turn back until he has executed and accomplished the intents of his mind. In the latter days you will unde...
20. Job’s Joy
Job 38:1--41:34
Sermon
Richard F. Bansemer
Two brief Old Testament lessons introduce the sermon for today. The first is from Job 38, the first two verses: "Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind: ‘Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?’ " The second lesson is from the 55th chapter of Isaiah, verses eight and nine: "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the...
21. Know the Lord
Exodus 5:22--6:12
Eulogy
Richard F. Bansemer
Death of a member's parent Job 19:25-27 The meditation texts is from Exodus and Job: "I will take you for my people, and I will be your God; and you shall know that I am the Lord your God," and "I know that my Redeemer lives."Conducting a funeral for a friend's parent is a very high honor. Thank you for placeing such trust in me to speak words of comfort and Christian hope. Though I did not knowpe...
Eulogy
Richard F. Bansemer
Death in old age The meditation text is Romans 11:33-36: "0 the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!" "For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?" "Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?" For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen....
Eulogy
Richard F. Bansemer
Death of a cancer victim The meditation text: "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you."The little house they lived in is empty. Quickly now, before we get too teary-eyed about that fact, we must listen closely to the words of Jesus about another house, i...
Eulogy
Richard F. Bansemer
Cancer death of a shy person The meditation text is based on a couple of verses of the 23rd Psalm: "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for thou art with me . . . goodness and mercy shall follow me. . . and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for ever."Perhaps nothing is so much needed in our lifetimes, and so little asked for, as mercy or understanding...
Eulogy
Richard F. Bansemer
Death after a long illness I Corinthians 15:42-44 Opposites The meditation text is three short verses from 1 Corinthians 15: "So it is with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable, what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a physical body, it is raised a spiritual body."Have you ever not...
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