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1. Topsy-turvy Christianity
Luke 6:17-26, Luke 6:27-36
Sermon
J. Will Ormond
Do you know anyone who is financially well off and secure, who has an abundance of things and often dines in the best restaurants, who enjoys life and has a good time, and who is well thought of in the community? You may be such a person yourself, but if not, wouldn't you like to be? In such a situation we could declare that life is good, that we are content, and that the future looks bright. Do y...
Sermon
Richard A. Wing
It takes a steady hand to carry a full glass of water. It takes an even steadier heart to carry forgiveness to one who holds you in opposition. In the Old Testament I like the story of Joseph, particularly its outcome. Joseph is the favored one. The older brothers say, "Dad always liked you best." In this case it was true. The brothers go out and fake Joseph's death. They bring back some bloodied ...
Sermon
James Garrett
When a person enters into any society or any fellowship, he takes upon himself the obligations to live a certain way, by certain standards. If the person fails to live the kind of life necessary, he hinders the purpose of the society. Once we make the claim that the gospel of Jesus Christ is true then a claim is put on our lives. In today’s Scripture lesson, Jesus sets down behavior patterns for k...
Sermon
Susan R. Andrews
In a stunning biblical slap in the face, our gospel reading for this morning also served as the lectionary text ten days after 9/11 — ten days after Ground Zero became a devastating reality in our nation’s history. Love our enemies? Offer forgiveness? God, you have to be kidding! That first week after 9/11 — after the terror struck — after our world changed forever — I kept reading about other mi...
5. WWE Raw, Jesus Style
Luke 6:17-26, Luke 6:27-36
Sermon
Leonard Sweet
When pop culture transforms a “holy day” into a “holiday,” it almost always manages to focus on the wrong side of the equation. For example: *The number of shopping days left til Christmas is NOT as important as the 12 day period between the Christmas day miracle and the season of Epiphany. *A huge party, Mardi Gras, on “Fat Tuesday” is NOT as important as the forty days of Lent that follow. *...
Sermon
Leonard Sweet
What are the marks of an Amen discipleship? How would a Yes spirit manifest itself? The second of a two-part sermon. When your car starts making bad noises _ banging, or whining, or knocking _ you take it in to get its carburetor, or timing, or fan belt adjusted. When some people feel achy or out-of-sorts, they get a chiropractic "adjustment." There are many Christians out there this morning who ...
Sermon
Gary L. Carver
Create in your minds, if you will, a scene where the people are gathering at a small church for worship. They are drifting in one by one. One man storms in, unaware that his entry is causing a disturbance. He's angry! He's mad! He's fuming! As he sits down, his mind begins to recall the events of the day. Someone he thought was his best friend took an idea of his, lied to him, lied about him, and ...
Sermon
Cynthia Cowen
She stood peeking out from behind the curtains. As the jogger passed her house, he recalled the hurt she had inflicted upon his mother. At one time she had been the matriarch of the congrega­tion. His memories of her were not fond. He recalled her wicked tongue and the way she used it to cut down others. He never forgot the day she used it against his mother making her cry. That inci­dent caused t...
9. Saint Who?
Luke 6:27-36, Luke 19:1-10
Sermon
Scott Bryte
He gets shorter every time we tell the story. Sunday school children sing about the "wee little man." Illustrated Bibles and everything from stained-glass windows to coloring books depict a tiny elf of a man, perched bird-like in a tree. "Poor little Zacchaeus." Or maybe "rich little Zacchaeus." Either way we've got a short story about a short man who had to climb a tree to get a good view of the ...
Sermon
David E. Leininger
Love your enemy? These days? Possible perhaps, but not likely. In fact, we would prefer not to. Especially when we see those television images of the jetliners barreling into the Twin Towers for the thousandth time, when we see the occasional videos of Islamic extremists calling for our eradication, when we see quietly weeping families at the graveside of their young son or daughter killed by terr...
Sermon
King Duncan
George Jones, one of country music's greatest stars, has lived a troubled life; his drinking and reckless behavior once came close to ruining his career. Probably the lowest point in his career came the night in 1979 when George performed a major concert in Nashville. That night, Jones did the whole concert--a string of hits--in the voice of Donald Duck. Not long afterwards, Jones checked into a r...
Sermon
King Duncan
If I were to ask you your philosophy of life, could you tell it to me? Most of us don’t think about our life philosophy, the operating set of beliefs that drives our worldview. Our philosophy of life comes out of us in subtle ways: the attitude we wake up with in the morning, how we treat other people, how we approach a new situation, the things we spend our time, energy and money on. It’s worth ...
Sermon
King Duncan
"Hurting people hurt people," says John Maxwell, and it's true! A father and son walking together in the woods came upon an animal that had been caught in a hunter's trap. The animal was in obvious distress. The son rushed forward to free the animal, but his father stopped him. "Son," he said, "Be careful. A hurt animal will bite those close around--even someone who is trying to help him." What'...
Sermon
J. Howard Olds
“Some people see things as they are and ask, ‘Why?’ Others dream of things that never were and ask WHY NOT?” Those words of George Bernard Shaw contain the sermon for today. Jesus blew the lid off conventional morality in the 1st century and the 21st century by instructing his followers to ‘Love your enemies.’ The first hearers were shocked by it. Theologians through the ages have tried to explai...
Sermon
King Duncan
Comedian George Burn's club gave a big dinner in honor of his ninety-fifth birthday. The dais was loaded with talent. One of the first speakers was Irving Brecher, the creator-writer of the popular television show of the fifties, THE LIFE OF RILEY, and the director of many fine movies. Here is what Brecher had to say about Burns: "What is so unusual about our guest of honor this evening is that i...
Sermon
David J. Kalas
Seven years ago, our family moved from southern Virginia to northeast Wisconsin. As you might expect, spring comes later here. Fall comes earlier. And winter is a much different experience in northeast Wisconsin than it was in southern Virginia. The same temperatures that seemed bone-chilling in Virginia are good reason to leave the mufflers and mittens at home in Wisconsin. Of course, many of the...
Sermon
William G. Carter
A few years ago, I accepted an invitation to preach in a church in upstate New York. The sermon was based on Matthew’s version of what we have just heard from the Gospel of Luke: “Turn the other cheek. Give to everyone who begs from you. Pray for those who curse you. And love your enemies.” These are nearly impossible words to put into practice, much less hear, and I said as much in my sermon. Jes...
Sermon
King Duncan
How do you treat your enemies? This is an ancient question, and it is a question that is still relevant to our world today. A little girl came home from Sunday School and asked her father if she could send a note to Osama Bin Laden. “Why him?” asked her startled father. “Because,” said the little girl, “if Mr. Bin Laden got a nice note from a little American girl, maybe he’d think that we’re no...
Sermon
Charles H. Bayer
I am often uncomfortable when someone tells me they love me. I am not talking about an honest affirmation, but about a critic who has just taken my hide off and concludes the shellacking with an account of her godly affection. "Brother Bayer, you are a rotten, no good, pagan, secular-humanist, but I want you to know that because I am Christian and I love you." Thanks just the same, but I'd rather ...
Sermon
King Duncan
U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT carried a survey last spring about Heaven. This was before the deaths of Mother Teresa and Princess Diana. The survey discovered that 87% of Americans believe they, themselves, are likely to go to heaven. Only 79% believed Mother Teresa would. Sixtysix percent believe Oprah will. Sixtyfive percent believe Michael Jordan will. Sixtyone percent believe Colin Powell will. Six...
21. The Whole Load
Luke 6:27-36
Sermon
Maxie Dunnam
I'm sure you've heard it. I certainly have. In fact, it's often spoken to me. "Preacher, you gave us the whole load today." That's the way I felt as I began to work with our Scripture lesson today. According to Luke, what I read for our text is only a part of a sermon Jesus preached. If you feel overwhelmed as I do with the text, go home and begin at the 17th verse and read the balance of Chapter...
22. Altar Your Gifts
Malachi 3:10, Luke 6:27-42
Sermon
Billy D. Strayhorn
Years ago I read a story told about Abe Lincoln and his boys. The boys were both crying and a neighbor asked Abe what the problem was. And Abe answered, "The same problem that is wrong with the whole world. I have three walnuts, and each of my boys wants two." That sort of hits the nail on the head doesn't it? And it kind of makes us all want to squirm. We all want more than we've got. We all want...
23. The Challenge Of Generosity
Malachi 3:10, Luke 6:36-38
Sermon
Billy D. Strayhorn
I want to read a little book to you by one of my favorite children's authors, Judith Viorst. I have enjoyed her stories and the adventures of Alexander and his brothers. This is another one of those and it's entitled: Alexander, Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday. (Read the Book out loud) Alexander needs to change doesn't he? He needs a better understanding and stewardship of money. A lot of us are ...
24. Mercy Me!
Romans 14:1--15:13, Luke 6:27-36, Luke 6:37-42, Luke 6:43-45
Sermon
Lori Wagner
“My yoke is easy, my burden light.” --Jesus What burdens are you carrying this morning? How heavy is your heart? How weighed down is your spirit? Most of the time, when we think about that question, we think of the burdens of responsibility we carry or the weight of grief, the sandbags of unfair treatment levied against us, or hardships, such as unemployment, or health, or broken relationships. ...
Sermon
John Wayne Clarke
Today's Gospel Lesson mirrors the Sermon on the Mount that is found in Matthew 5-7. The sermon is directed at the disciples. It explores some of the things that will be expected of the twelve in the days and years ahead. It delineates the kind of outlook they should have as well as the kind of life Jesus expects them to live. Both Luke and Matthew start out with related materials. They both presen...
Showing 1 to 25 of 37 results